River Rheidol - Economy and The Human Influence

Economy and The Human Influence

Metal mining dominated the economy of the Rheidol valley for many centuries. Mining has now been replaced by farming (beef, dairy and sheep), forestry and tourism.

There are a number of tourist attractions in the Rheidol valley. These include the Devil's Bridge waterfalls where three bridges, each built over the previous, span the top of a most spectacular waterfall.

Between Devil's Bridge and Aberystwyth runs a narrow-gauge steam railway - the Vale of Rheidol Railway. This was originally built to ship metal ore from the mines but now provides a very popular tourist route into the top end of the Rheidol valley.

A large stag shape on the valley wall is a scheduled ancient monument and is one of two stags hill figures in the United Kingdom, the other being at Mormond Hill in Scotland. But it is in fact a lead mining waste feature which merely resembles a stag and is not a true hill figure.

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