Deer seen swimming across Elan Valley reservoir in Powys

Tom Jones and his partner Ellen Lloyd were out for a walk with their dogs at the remote Claerwen reservoir, in the Elan Valley, on Sunday, May 11, when they witnessed the special occurrence.

Tom and Ellen were driving back towards Rhayader after an afternoon spent in the sunshine, when they stopped to record the deer, who they spotted gliding through the waters of the Claerwen – the largest of the Elan Valley’s network of stunning dams.

“It was crazy to see up close,” said Tom, 35, who runs the family-owned Hafod Hardware shop in Rhayader town centre.

“We’ve seen a couple near Nantgwyllt Church over the last year or too. Before that, I hadn’t seen a deer in the Elan Valley in over 30 years.

“It seems like their numbers are increasing and sightings are becoming more commonplace. But to see it swimming across the reservoir was incredible.

“At first I thought it was two geese, but then I realised what it was and Ellen was already recording with her phone so we started filming.”

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A post shared by Hafod Hardware (@hafodhardware)

Tom posted the footage to Hafod Hardware’s Instagram page, with the video showing the deer wading confidently towards the shore of the reservoir, before bounding up the grassy bank, across the road in front of their car.

The deer then leaps confidently up the hill on the other side, pausing briefly and turning around to acknowledge the couple, before prancing off.

According to the Elan Valley Estate’s website, there are only occasional records of deer on the estate, with the one Tom and Ellen spotting possibly one of three species that have been recorded infrequently – these being Red, Roe and Muntjac Deer.

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“I’ve had a few records of deer crossing the Claerwen reservoir over the years,” said Sorcha Lewis, a local farmer and resident Elan Valley photographer, commenting on the post.

“There was a Roe deer also crossing Caban Coch reservoir a few weeks back, seen by the foresters in the Gro.

“I’ve seen foxes, badgers, stoats and deer cross the reservoir here at Penygarreg. One person suggested as well as getting from A to B, it could actually be something to help with discomfort of lice or ticks.”

There are three Red deer records in the area, according to the Elan Valley website. “One dating back to 1900s, one male who turned up at Ciloerwynt, Claerwen Valley, in the farmyard in the 1980s where there is a photo to confirm this record,” reads a section on the site.

Tom and Ellen spotted the deer gliding through the waters of the Claerwen. (Image: Tom Jones/Ellen Lloyd)

Tom Jones and partner Ellen Lloyd were out for a walk with their dogs at the remote Claerwen reservoir, in the Elan Valley, on Sunday, May 11, when they witnessed the special occurrence. (Image: Tom Jones/Ellen Lloyd)

The deer pauses briefly and turns around to acknowledge the couple, before prancing off. (Image: Tom Jones/Ellen Lloyd) Tom and Ellen pictured with Tom's grandmother Pauline, who Tom runs the Hafod Hardware shop with. The shop recently celebrated 130 years in business. Also pictured are Frodo and Dobby the cat. (Image: Matt Jones) “A further report was also from the Claerwen of a few large deer about eight years ago though not confirmed.

“A dead Muntjac deer was recorded along Henfron track in the 1990s though there have been no records since.

“There have been reported sightings by farmers of Muntjac between the valley and Rhayader.

“In 2018, a local natural history group captured a Muntjac deer on a trail camera which confirms they are close by.

“It is hoped the local mammal group, by placing out trail cameras on the estate, may find some further confirmed records.

“The third deer species seen is the Roe deer and over the last few years there have been a number of sightings. A Doe was discovered by a farmer with twin fawns in the Gro and a male and a female have been recorded from around Penygarreg.

“The occasional male has also been heard barking in the autumn rutting season.”