Nantgaredig Abercothi

View archive gallery

Local Sponsors

More information

Many thanks to Abercothi Estate Fishery for facilitating this location and to Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales for capitally funding this installation. A strategically positioned Farson streaming webcam enables real-time monitoring of water levels and river conditions on the Towy River. The Towy River holds national acclaim as a highly sought-after destination for big sea trout. These impressive fish migrate into the river during the spring and early summer to spawn in the tributaries. Anglers and estuary netsmen have successfully landed sea trout weighing over 20 lb. Additionally, a substantial run of Atlantic salmon occurs during the summer and autumn seasons. In the month of May, the Towy witnesses the arrival of the rare and protected twaite shad and allis shad. The river also harbors brown trout, eels, pike, and various species of small fish. Notably, the Towy is home to brook lampreys, river lampreys, and sea lampreys.An extraordinary record stands in the annals of the Towy River, as it inadvertently produced the largest fish ever caught in Britain using rod and line. This exceptional catch was a sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) weighing an astounding 388 lb and measuring nine feet two inches in length. Alec Allen managed to land this colossal fish on July 28, 1932, near Nantgaredig.Originating within a mere 15 km (9.3 mi) of the Teifi River on the lower slopes of Crug Gynan in the Cambrian Mountains, the Towy River meanders through the steep and rugged hills of the Towy Forest, forming the boundary between Ceredigion and Powys. Its general course flows southwest through Carmarthenshire. Approximately 10 km (6 mi) from its source, the swift flow of the Towy encounters the Llyn Brianne reservoir. Created in 1972 by damming a section of the river, the reservoir serves as a storage for winter rainfall, releasing water into the river during dry periods. The reservoir also supports the Nantgaredig abstraction, providing a significant portion of southeast Wales with drinking water. The release of water from the upland reservoir ensures that the flow in the River Towy can sustain such abstraction, safeguarding the water supply.