Frequent guided walks head off from the valley’s visitor centre, and a road tucks in along the first reservoir, Caban Coch, to the Garreg Ddu viaduct, where it winds along for four spectacular miles to the vast, rather chilling 1952 dam on Claerwen Reservoir. More remote and less popular than the Elan lakes, Claerwen is a good base for a serious walk from the far end of the dam across eight or so harsh but beautiful miles to the monastery of Strata Florida. Alternatively, you can follow the path that skirts around the northern shore of Claerwen to the lonely Teifi Pools, glacial lakes from which the River Teifi springs.
Back at the Garreg Ddu viaduct, a more popular road continues north along the long, glassy finger of Garreg Ddu reservoir, before doubling back on itself just below the awesome Pen-y-garreg dam and reservoir; if the dam is overflowing, the vast wall of foaming water is mesmerizing. At the top of Pen-y-garreg lake, it’s possible to drive over the final dam on the system, at Craig Goch. Thanks to its gracious curve, elegant Edwardian arches and neat little green cupola, this is the most photographed of all the dams.