Elan Links: People, Nature, Water


The Elan Valley is a special place with a unique landscape, story and history.

The Elan Links Project was a National Lottery Heritage funded scheme which aimed to secure this heritage and boosted the opportunities available in the Elan Valley for the future. £3.3million was invested in the Elan Valley area to safeguard heritage and increased opportunities for visitors.

26 projects were delivered between 2018 and 2023 under four themes:

Here are some of the projects that were completed between 2018 and 2023:

Our Partners

Elan Links: People, Nature, Water was a Heritage Lottery – funded project which was delivered in the beautiful Elan Estate between 2018 and 2023. Find out more about the partners who were involved in the delivery of the project.

Elan Links: Tir Coed

Elan Links partners Tir Coed had a vision and followed it. Find out what you can achieve with three larch trees, five trainees and a vision. This project was funded through the Elan Links Partnership and Social Value Forum.

Artist Residency Program

Between 2018 and 2023, partnering with CARAD Rhayader Museum and Gallery and Arts Council Wales, thirteen artists from across the world took part in our Elan Links Artist in Residence Program. From sound to vision, a huge variety of work was created in response to the beauty of the Elan Valley. We would like to share this work with you – to find out more, click the name of the artist below.

Elan Valley Archive Project

Elan Valley has a rich store of archived materials, dating back to the 1700s, from plans, maps, letter and telegrams, some relating to the building of the dams, right through to plans of every building constructed on the Elan Estate. Watch archivist Thomas Tolhurst explain the work undertaken to preserve these precious historical artefacts, during the Heritage Lottery Funded Elan Links project.

Archaeology

The Elan Valley Estate has a unique landscape and rich heritage – find out about the work undertaken during the Elan Links Programme to identify and safeguard historic sites.

Peatland

Peat is a hugely significant carbon store and the peatlands in the Elan Valley Estate are in poor condition. Find out about the work that was undertaken during the Elan Links programme to restore essential peat bogs.

Curlew

Curlew numbers have been declining at an alarming rate throughout the United Kingdom. Find out how the Elan Links Curlew Project has identified and protected precious curlew nests during the breeding season throughout the Elan Valley Estate.

Conservation Cattle Grazing Program in the Elan Valley

Find out more about how important conservation cattle grazing is to improve the uplands of the Elan Valley and the work Elan Links undertook to increase awareness amongst the farming community with great results..

Improving Our Woodlands Project

The Elan Links, Improving Our Woodlands Project has enabled management of the Elan Valley’s temperate rainforest to protect the rare lichens found here. Thinning out the dense re-growth has enabled light to reach the veteran oaks on which the lichens grow. This is followed by light grazing with cattle for a few months of the year which graze on brambles and some, but not all of the new tree seedlings which appear.

Elan Meadows Project

Across the UK, 97% of our traditional wildflower meadows have been lost. Elan Valley, however, is home to many upland hay meadows – including a coronation meadow – all of which are a wonderful sight in full bloom and are of enormous benefit in pollination. Elan Valley’s meadows retain fantastic floristic diversity and insect life but scientific studies have shown that appropriate management such as liming and occasional applications of farmyard manure are needed to keep these meadows thriving. Watch this video to see the work Elan Links has done to restore these precious meadows.