Wye Valley National Landscape / Tirwedd Cenedlaethol Dyffryn Gwy

At the heart of the Wye Valley National Landscape flows the river Wye, which has created one of the finest lowland landscapes in Britain. The quality of this landscape was protected in 1971 when the lower Wye, south of Hereford, was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wye Valley National Landscape Staff Team, Whitestone

Tirwedd Cenedlaethol Dyffryn Gwy, a ddynodwyd yn Ardal o Harddwch Naturiol Eithriadol ym 1971, yw un o’r tirweddau iseldirol gorau ym Mhrydain. Mae Afon Gwy, sy’n llifo trwy’r dirwedd hon, yn ffurfio ei golygfeydd amrywiol o ardal wledig donnog ysgafn yn y gogledd i geunentydd calchfaen trawiadol i lawr yr afon o’r Rhosan ar Wy, gan gynnwys Craig Symonds Yat enwog.

Mae Tirwedd Cenedlaethol Dyffryn Gwy yn unigryw gan ei fod yng Nghymru a Lloegr, gyda’r afon yn nodi’r ffin hanesyddol rhwng y ddwy wlad. Mae uchafbwyntiau’n cynnwys Castell Goodrich, sy’n sefyll yn uchel uwchben Afon Gwy, ac adfeilion rhamantaidd Abaty Tintern, sydd wedi ysbrydoli artistiaid a beirdd fel Wordsworth a Turner. Roedd Piercefield, sy’n enghraifft ragorol o dirwedd darluniadwy o’r 18fed ganrif, yn olygfa yr oedd rhaid ei gweld yn ystod Taith ffasiynol Gwy o’r Rhosan i Gas-gwent.

Mae arwyddocâd Gwy i gadwraeth natur yn amlwg yn sgil ei dynodiad fel Safle o Ddiddordeb Gwyddonol Arbennig (SoDdGA) ac Ardal Cadwraeth Arbennig (ACA). Fodd bynnag, mae materion diweddar fel ffermio dofednod dwys a’r newid yn yr hinsawdd wedi effeithio ar ansawdd dŵr, gan ysgogi ymdrechion adfer. Mae coetiroedd Dyffryn Gwy Isaf, sydd hefyd yn ACA, ymhlith y coetiroedd hynafol mwyaf ym Mhrydain, sy’n darparu lloches i rywogaethau prin.

Goodrich Mist

The Wye Valley National Landscape, designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1971, is one of Britain's finest lowland landscapes. The River Wye, flowing through this landscape, shapes its diverse scenery from softly rolling countryside in the north to dramatic limestone gorges downstream of Ross-on-Wye, including the famous Symonds Yat Rock.

The Wye Valley National Landscape is unique as it straddles both England and Wales, with the river marking the historical border between the two countries. Highlights include Goodrich Castle, perched high above the Wye, and the romantic ruins of Tintern Abbey, which have inspired artists and poets like Wordsworth and Turner. Piercefield, an outstanding example of an 18th-century picturesque landscape, was a must-see during the fashionable Wye Tour from Ross to Chepstow.

The Wye's significance for nature conservation is marked by its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). However, recent issues like intensive poultry farming and climate change have impacted water quality, prompting restoration efforts. The Lower Wye Valley woodlands, also a SAC, are among Britain’s largest ancient woodlands, providing a refuge for rare species.