Janette Sykes spots majestic birds of prey, explores the Elan Valley and discovers dark skies in the mountains of Mid-Wales
One moment, the panoramic skies above Rhayader in Mid-Wales were empty, then the next, they were filled with hundreds of magnificent red kites, all circling around effortlessly above our heads.
We were standing in a field at Gigrin Farm, an RSPB-approved feeding and rehabilitation centre for red kites, waiting for these once-endangered, now thriving, birds of prey to swoop down and enjoy their daily quota of beef.
Feeding the red kites It’s truly breathtaking to see so many of them in one place, seeming to float then suddenly pouncing to retrieve their share of the feast.
The meat is provided by the Powell family, who also run a sheep farm. Apparently, some of the birds travel up to 40 miles from other parts of Wales for their free afternoon tea!
The beef rations are to supplement, rather than replace, their self-sourced daily diet of roadkill, worms, insects, small mammals and amphibians.
The Powells were first approached by the RSPB to start feeding the red kites about 30 years ago. Their success is clear to see, with numbers growing from just six in that first year to more than 600 today.
It’s a short walk uphill to their farm from the centre of Rhayader, where we had pitched up for a summer break at The Camping and Caravanning Club’s scenically situated Wyeside site.
As the name suggests, the campsite lies right next to the famous river, encompassed by the Cambrian Mountains, close to the beautiful Elan Valley and the chain of reservoirs that offers a stunning backdrop for walking and cycling.
We had settled down to watch the red kite feeding frenzy just before 3pm (2pm in the winter) after spending a pleasant morning walking the waymarked farm trail, with its panoramic views across the countryside, followed by a leisurely picnic and drinks in the campsite café.
We were pleased to discover that dogs were welcome (on leads), both on the trail and in the viewing field, which meant we could bring our Dalmatian, Zara, along. A useful tip – the red kite feeding sessions can be very popular, especially in the summer months, so booking online is advisable.
Rhayader calling Rhayader itself is a handsome market town, and a short, easy walk from the campsite, with much of the scenic route following the River Wye and a riverside park. Its name in We
