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Pant Da Nature Reserve is managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.

Pant Da Wood lies about one and a half miles from Capel Bangor, beside the minor road which runs through Cwm Rheidol, and it is part of the extensive area of south-facing woodland to be found in the valley. The reserve was established in the 1980s and at that time an area of larch, planted in the 1950s, was felled and replanted with oak. In earlier times the wood was used to coppice oak and some coppice stools survive. Other species, including rowan, silver birch and beech, are also to be found.

Most of the reserve lies in the north-west corner of square SN6778 but it just extends into the south west of SN6779. The entrance to the site is to be found at GR SN67087879, beside the Cwm Rheidol Road, and the northern extent is at GR SN67067902. The path through the reserve climbs some 100 metres over a straight distance of about 280 metres, so some zigzagging has been created so as to ease the walking gradient.

In addition to the trees, bramble and bracken scrub has been allowed to develop and this has encouraged a diversity of woodland birds. Badger sets are also to be found here.

The reserve is bordered by Ffynnon-wen and Troedrhiwlas farms and there is no public access to the site, other than from the entrance mentioned above.

In 2003 a previously unknown hill fort was discovered, by aerial survey, on the hill above Pant Da wood.

In 2007, a memorial viewpoint was constructed in the reserve to commemorate Nancy Kirk, a lecturer in geology at Aberystwyth University, who died in 2005. The memorial consists of a bench and a slate table and is set at the highest point of the reserve, where some fine views of the Rheidol Valley are to be had.

Links:
South and West Wales Wildlife Trust page Link
RCAHMW page Link
Nancy Kirk Link

Created: Fri, 18 Dec 2009, Updated: Tue, 12 Jul 2022