River Elan on:
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is a tributary of the
is a tributary of the River Wye
The River Wye (; ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn Estuary. The lower reaches of the river forms part of Wales-England bor ...
which runs through the wide expanse of upland moors, traditionally known as Elenydd
The Elenydd () is an upland area of Mid Wales, extending across parts of northern and eastern Ceredigion and Powys between Aberystwyth and Rhayader. Elenydd is also a name given to the medieval commote of Cwmwd Deuddwr which covered approximatel ...
, in central Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
. Its valley is the Elan Valley
The Elan Valley () is a river valley situated to the west of Rhayader, in Powys, Wales, sometimes known as the "Welsh Lake District". It covers of lake and countryside.
The valley contains the Elan Valley Reservoirs and Elan Village, desi ...
. The name probably arises from ''elain'' meaning 'hind' or 'fawn' in reference perhaps to the rushing, bounding nature of its course.
It has its source in wet moorland on the eastern flank of Pen y Deunant in Ceredigion
Ceredigion (), historically Cardiganshire (, ), is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the West Wales, west of Wales. It borders Gwynedd across the River Dyfi, Dyfi estuary to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire t ...
. It is joined by Nant Dderwen, Nant Cwta and Nant Hirin before entering the top of the Elan Valley Reservoirs
The Elan Valley Reservoirs () are a chain of man-made lakes created from damming the Elan and Claerwen rivers within the Elan Valley in Mid Wales. The reservoirs, which were built by the Birmingham Corporation Water Department, provide clea ...
at Craig Goch Reservoir which in turn discharges to Garreg-ddu Reservoir and then Caban-coch Reservoir. It emerges from this chain of reservoirs in a north-easterly direction and passes through Elan Village before turning south-east after 2 miles and making its confluence with the River Wye
The River Wye (; ) is the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn Estuary. The lower reaches of the river forms part of Wales-England bor ...
.Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 scale Explorer map sheets 200 ''Llandrindod Wells & Elan Valley'' and 214 ''Llanidloes & Newtown''
References
Elenydd Elan Elan Wye catchment {{Wales-river-stub