Overlooked UK market town is gateway to stunning spot that 'rivals the Lake District'

It is filled with independent pubs, restaurants and shops, along with dramatic dams and reservoirs, and it continues to be a key hub for the wider community.

This hidden gem, famous for its striking dams and reservoirs in the Elan and Claerwen Valleys, is a hidden gem of a market town.

It’s an ideal base for walking, cycling and wildlife watching in a part of the UK that rivals the Lake District but is far less crowded.

The town still embraces its farming roots and has a thriving livestock market that serves a large rural area.

Photo © Debbie Wingfield (cc-by-sa/2.0)

For centuries, Rhayader has been an important stopping point in mid Wales, once used as a staging post for drovers and travellers making the long journey from London to Aberystwyth.

Today, it is celebrated as the gateway to the Elan Valley, which lies just beyond the town.

With its mix of independent shops, cosy cafés and welcoming pubs, it makes a brilliant base and proudly calls itself the 'outdoors capital of Wales', reports WalesOnline.

This town is one of my top picks in Wales for a thrilling bike ride followed by a hearty Sunday roast in one of its traditional pubs. Here’s how you can enjoy the best of Rhayader.

Photo © Ian Hughes (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The town leads directly into the breathtaking Elan Valley, where a series of Victorian dams sit among rolling hills. Built more than 100 years ago to supply water to Birmingham, these towering gravity dams create dramatic waterfalls that attract photographers from all over the country.

The story of the Elan Valley begins in the late 1800s, when Birmingham, booming during the industrial revolution, faced a growing demand for clean drinking water.

Engineers searched far and wide for a solution and eventually chose the remote Elan Valley, thanks to its steep hills and high rainfall, which made it the perfect site for reservoirs.

In 1892, one of the most ambitious water projects of the age began. More than 3,000 workers were brought in to build dams, reservoirs and aqueducts by hand, with help from steam-powered machinery.

By the time the project finished in 1904, the Elan Valley had been completely transformed, leaving behind a landscape that still amazes visitors today

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

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