the encyclopedic entry of Plynlimon

Plynlimon

Plynlimon or Plinlimon, Welsh Plumlumon Fawr, mountain, 2,468 ft (752 m) high, W Wales, on the Powys-Ceredigion border W of Llanidloes. It has three summits and is the source of the Wye, Severn, and other waters.

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Plynlimon

|} Plynlimon (anglicised from Pumlumon in Welsh, meaning "five peaks") is the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains in Wales. It is a massif that dominates the countryside of Ceredigion, Mid Wales.

The highest point of the massif itself is Pen Pumlumon Fawr at 752 metres. Its other important peaks are Pen Pumlumon Arwystli and Y Garn.

The longest river in Britain, the River Severn, has its source on the mountain, as do the rivers Wye and Rheidol.

Folklore says there is a sleeping giant in Plynlimon.

The Wildlife Trusts of Wales are working together to improve the habitat as years of drainage have resulted in loss of biodiversity, erosion of the peaty soils structure, and accelerated drainage. Some believe this has contributed significantly to flooding in areas some distance downstream, though this cannot be clearly proved. Like most of the uplands across Wales, intensive land use activities have resulted in a significant loss of biodiversity, with many of the habitats being either lost or degraded to poor condition. Over-grazing of sheep has induced soil compaction, which has resulted in increased flooding of the lowland areas. The Pumlumon area is the largest watershed in Wales and is the source of the rivers Wye, Severn and Rheidol.

The principal land cover within the project area is dominated by a complex mosaic of locally, nationally and internationally important habitats and species, such as dry and wet dwarf-shrub heathland, blanket bog, unimproved acid grassland and a number of oligotrophic lakes. Agriculturally improved grassland, broadleaved woodlands and forestry plantation are also characteristic features of the area.

The Pumlumon area is also important for breeding, wintering and feeding bird fauna particularly Hen Harrier, Merlin, Short-eared owl and Red and Black grouse, and a number of Red Data Book and UK BAP invertebrates.