Problem-solving...on foot

Alun Hans is convinced a good walk is a way to solve all sorts of problems – walks like this one…

Just like everybody else I have had my share of problems, and I have sought solitude to solve them as I walk the seven miles around Llys-y-frân dam.

There are other reasons why I walk around the lake so often, mainly the fresh air, the exercise, the beauty of nature and the tranquillity that gives peace to the soul.

Crown Copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales 2025

The dam was built in 1971 at a cost of £3.3m to serve the needs of the oil refineries in Milford Haven. It measures about 33 metres in depth and a mile and a half in length and holds up to 2,004 million gallons of water.

A large number of fishermen are attracted there to catch the rainbow trout and the brown trout. Apparently, the largest caught there to date was a 14lb rainbow trout in 1980.

Llys-y-frân Country Park also has a shop, café and picnic facilities but the biggest attraction for me is the path around the lake. Strong boots are required to walk the path and it will take about two and a half to three hours to complete.

Usually, I park my car close to the shop and café and walk along the path past the ruins of Dan-y-coed, the home of William Penfro Rowlands (1860–1937), who composed the hymn-tune Blaen-wren and whose memorial, unveiled in March 1993, is near the ruins.

From there, I walk up a steep path to another parking ground. Two miles further along, past the western arm of the dam, you enter the oak forest. Here you will often see cormorants in the trees preening their feathers. Cormorants don’t secrete natural oils preventing water from clinging to their feathers so they dry them every time they leave the water.

An abundance of wildlife and views across the water through the tree branches can be seen within this habitat. The crow is the emblem of the country park because of the proliferation of them in the area - ravens, carrion crows, jackdaws, rooks and magpies.

Spring and Autumn are the best times to catch a glimpse of water birds - wild ducks such as the Widgeon, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Golden Eye duck can all be spotted. The wild swan and the Berwick swan are to be seen occasionally, along with White-fronted Geese, Canada Geese and Divers.