Llyn Llech Owain Country Park is a 158-acre expanse of woods, heath and marsh near Cross Hands in Carmarthenshire with nature trails, a wooden adventure playground and a toddler playground. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and has a great wealth of interesting wildlife in its various habitats. So, if you are looking to visit Carmarthenshire, Llyn Llech Owain Country Park should definitely be on your list to visit.
The centrepiece of the park is a large lake which was caused by falling slab according to myth. There is some dispute about which character named Owain was involved, but one version claims that it was Owain Lawgoch (Owain of the Red Hand ). He was a real-life soldier who led French mercenaries against the English in the Hundred Years’ War. For some reason, he was given the task of looking after a well on the mountain nearby. Each day, he was careful to replace the capping stone over the well after extracting water for himself and his horse but one fateful day he forgot and a torrent of water poured down the hillside, creating the lake: Llyn Lech Owain – the lake of Owain’s slab. Thanks to Owain, there is now a wonderful peat bog around the lake with well-surfaced boardwalk paths allowing access for all to explore the area around the lake. There are rare plants such as bogbean, round-leaved sundew and the royal fern. Dragonflies and Damselflies love to zoom around near the water and there are plenty of butterflies.
The woodland consists mainly of a large area of coniferous forest planted back in the 1960s, but there is also some broadleaf woodland, so many varieties of birds are happy to make a home among the branches. Look out for Tits, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Jay and Green Woodpecker. On the open heathland, you might spot Buzzard, Kestrel or even some lizards if the weather tempts them out to bask on hot stones. If you want a longer walk or cycle ride, there is a forest track around the park; if mountain biking is your thing, why not try the rough trail created for your benefit?
