I`ve always dreamed of walking to waterfall and my dreams came true. I went to Aber Falls which is a part of Welsh Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve. This reserve is famous for its waterfall.
It was my another unplanned journey but it makes it more exciting when you put your finger on a map and just look for a place to discover.
This National Nature Reserve is truly unique place. i started my walk at Rhaeadr Fawr and this is in Welsh language. Rhaeadr Fawr drains the high Carneddau mountains plateau. The river catchment, from its source to sea is one of the steepest in England.
Why this place is so unique?
A combination of climate, geology and human activity through the ages has made this valley a unique place. And, this is a rich woodland heritage. More than half of 169 hectare reserve is upland native woodland od oak, ash and alder. This place is also rich in wide variety of birds.
I followed the main trail through ancient woodland and along the valley to this spectacular waterfall and it was the most amazing experience I ever had.
Oak tree is one of my favourite. It is tree very resiliant and lasting such long time. We should be greatfull that such beautiful tree can lives so long time. Ancient upland oak woodlands provide perfect condition here for summer visitors from Africa like the wood warbler, pied flycatcher and redstart.
There is also huge variety of coloured lichens, which thriving in the clean and damp air.
The moist condition, and waterfall spray and river creat a Celtic Rainforest and moist condition. The air remains humid under the shade of the trees and creating globally rare temperate rainforest.
I would say that this place is a haven for humidity loving plants and lichens, mosses, fungi and ferns. This place is favourite for rainforest singing trio, visiting oakwood and these are pied flycatchers, wood warbles and redstarts.
On the way I met a lot of tree trunks covered in lichens, maybe because this place has a such clean air to breath. Each of these tree trunks telling a story of centuries.
Here is plenty of purple foxgloves flowers, ferns and dramatic landscapes.
Aber Falls is one of most beutiful and dramatic waterfalls in Snowdonia (in Wales). It is in temperate rainforest, which also called Celtic Rainforest, with very rare habitats.
This place is stuffed with amazing flora, that you can see on my YT channel (link below).
The whole distanse to Aber Fall is 4.s km and is quiet easy walk.
On the way I met plenty of visitors willing to see this amazing place. Some of them even had a bath in small pond formed around the Aber Fall. I just imagine that the water was such cold, even in summer time.
Standing right under the waterfall is amazing. You can feel the drops falling from the height on your face and a gentle breeze. This is an amazing and unforgettable feeling.
Around you can still hear birds singing. However, the end of my journey did not look too promising, as dark clouds were spreading across the sky. It was slowely rain on the horizon and the weather was changing rapidly.
Copyright © Agnes Romaniuk
Have you ever been to waterfall ?
Agnes