Beacon Hill

SO 177 768 (O.S. Sheet 148 Presteigne & Hay on Wye)

History

  (Photo P Hurt)

The reserve forms part of the original Manor of Gollon. It is thought that the land was originally given by William II to Ralph Mortimer Earl of Wigmore. The common land is covered extensively by grazing rights, rights to collect bracken and some rights to take stone. The sporting tenant also has various rights to cut and burn heather to encourage red grouse which breed on the moor. The Trust is interested in the conservation value of the moor which includes a wide
range of bird species as well as uncommon plants.

Mae yna hawliau gwahanol iawn yn gysylltiedig a'r tir ar y safle yma, gan gynnwys cymryd carreg mewn rhai mannau.
Mae gan y tenant hawl i dorri a Ilosgi'r grug er mwyn annog y Grugiar i fagu rhai ifanc yma.
Mae gan yr ymddiriedolaeth diddordeb yng ngwerth cadwriaeth y tir sy'n cynnwys amrywiaeth eang o adar yn ogystal a phlanhigion anghyffredin.

Wildlife of Interest

This area of upland is dominated by large areas of Heather, interspersed with areas of Bracken and acid grassland.
Small areas of Crowberry occur on Pool Hill. The moorland reaches its highest point on Beacon Hill at 547m (1800 ft), valleys descending with the tributaries of the Arran and Warren
Brooks and the River Lugg itself. Some of the watercourses leave -44!- Cigfrain the moorland in steeply sided dingles which support base loving species such as Primrose, Fairy Flax, and Carline Thistle.
The more typical wet flushes on the moor support species such as a Flote Grass, Round-leaved Crowfoot, Soft Rush, Bulbous Rush, Shoreweed and Water Purslane. Within an area of Sphagnum Moss and under old Heather on wet flushes Lesser Twayblade (Listera cordata) occurs.
On Pool Hill mud-bottomed pools support Pillwort (Pilularia globulifera), the insectivorous Lesser Bladderwort (urtricularia minor), Bog Pondweed (Potomagenfon polygonifoloius), Spike Rush (Eleocharis sp.) and the Orange Foxtail (Alopercurus aequalis). Also recorded is a rare freshwater algae Monstroma sp.. Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria) has been recorded on a verge as you enter the reserve.
Birds include: nesting Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Whinchat, Stonechat, Merlin, Red Grouse, Linnet, Buzzard, Peregrine and Raven. Hen Harrier and Red Kite are known to visit.

Directions

The reserve is located to the north west of Llangunllo village. Access can be gained from the village by following the signs to Llangunllo Railway station, drive past the station, after about a third of a mile follow the road as it bears to the right, after 200m take the road to the left past the `no through road' sign. Follow the road left up the hill and another road leaves on your left. Take this road for about half a mile. On your left a conifer plantation marks the approach to the reserve. The road is gated. Go through the gate and park after another 100yds (grid ref. SO 192749 marked Beacon Lodge on OS maps), taking care not to block any tracks, roads or gateways. Another entrance can be located from the road linking the B4356 & Felindre at S0153765. Take the track to the right.

Status

The reserve comprises all of the common land of Beacon Hill belonging to the Crown Estate. A conservation lease was aquired by the Trust in 1993, covering some 1889 ha (4667 acres) including the unenclosed area of Beacon Hill, Stanky Pool, Black Mountain, Ffron Bank, Cefn-pawl and parts of Wernygeufron Hill. The pool on Pool Hill (the source of the Lugg) and the River Lugg are notified Sites of Special Scientific Interest
The Trust does not lease the sporting rights. Please note the Reserve contains livestock, please follow the country code.