River Teifi
The River Teifi - Afon Teifi - is the second longest river to flow through Wales at seventy three miles long. The River Severn is actually the longest river to flow through Wales but that river also flows through part of England.
The River Teifi has it’s source in the LlynTeifi, one of three lakes which are collectively known as the Teifi Pools, located at the base of the western slopes of the Cambrian Mountains near Tregaron in west Wales. The river flows in a south westerly direction for seventy five miles before reaching it’s estuary located on Cardigan Bay, situated between the seaside towns of Poppit Sands on it’s south bank and Gwbert on it’s north bank.
The river forms a natural border between the Welsh counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthen for most of it’s route before passing through the county of Pembrokeshire for it’s last three miles, where it also becomes tidal at the village of Llechryd.
The river has a water catchment of around 389 square miles and is particularly prone to flooding.
From it’s source the river first flows through the United Kingdom’s most intact raised bog, the 862 acre Cors Caron, also known as the Tregaron Bog, before making it’s way sedately through the towns and villages of Tregaron, Llanddewi Brefi, Cwmann, Lampeter, Llanybydder, Llandysul, Newcastle Emlyn, Cenarth, Llechryd, St Dogmaels and Cardigan.
The river passes several Stone Age and Iron Age standing stones and burial chambers, the twelfth century Strata Florida Abbey, the ruins of the thirteenth century Cilgerran Castle, the stunning Cenarth Falls waterfall and the Coedmor National Nature Reserve and Ramsar Site along the way.
The river also runs along the lush, green Teifi Valley, through the deep sided Cilgerran Gorge, past several former water mills and in the picturesque village of Cenarth, with it's unusual bridge pictured below, and the home of the National Coracle Centre & Museum (www.coraclemuseum.co.uk) where visitors can see these ancient forms of river transportation, pictured below, being used on the river most days.
The river is divided into three areas;
The Upper Teifi – located between Teifi Pools and the university town of Lampeter.
The Middle Teifi – located between the small towns of Llanybydder and Newcastle Emlyn.
The Lower Teifi - located between the village of Cenarth and the Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve near Cardigan.
The entire river, it’s eight major tributaries and it’s estuary have all been classified as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The river is also home to vast colonies of salmon, sea trout and otters and is accompanied by several picturesque walking trails.
The river is spanned by just seven bridges, the most unusual of which is located in the village of Cenarth.
The proper pronounciation of the river’s name is tayvee but most English speaking people tend to call it taffy.
SOME RIVER TEIFI WEBSITES
The Teifi Trust - www.teifiriverstrust.com
Teifi River Guides - www.teifiriverguides.co.uk
Fishing - www.teifitrout.co.uk
Visit - www.iteifi.co.uk
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