Gweunydd Blaencleddau

Site of Special Scientific Interest
Freshwater West Panorama
Location within Wales
Location	Pembrokeshire
Grid reference	SN1549931781
Coordinates	51°57′14″N 4°41′10″W / 51.954°N 4.686°W / 51.954; -4.686
Interest	Biological
Area	149.5 hectares (1.5 km2; 0.58 sq mi)
Notification	2000

Gweunydd Blaencleddau is a large wetland complex in a shallow south-west valley around the headwaters of the Eastern Cleddau river. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) situated in Pembrokeshire, South Wales.

Gweunydd Blaencleddau is situated at the head of the Eastern Cleddau river, 1.67 miles (2.69 km) south-west of Crymych and covers an area of 149.6 hectares (370 acres) of shallow south-west trending valley between 190 m and 275 m above sea-level. The site was designated an SSSI in 2000 for its biological qualities. It is a mixture of wet heath and damp grassland and has significant populations of the marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) and the southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale).^[1][2]

A Special Area of Conservation has also been established around this north-eastern tributary of the Eastern Cleddau river.^[3] The site is designated for habitats including calcium-rich springwater-fed fens - Alkaline fens; the southern damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale); marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas (Eurodryas, Hypodryas) aurinia; purple moor-grass meadows - molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae); wet heathland with cross-leaved heath Rhostiroedd gwlyb - Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix; very wet mires often identified by an unstable 'quaking' surface - transition mires and quaking bogs; and blanket bogs.^[4]

• List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Pembrokeshire

• SSSI & SAC links from Natural Resources Wales
  • SAC entry
  • SAC map
  • SSSI citation
  • SSSI map
  • SSSI management plan