Elan Valley Visitors Centre - Powys

I visited a restaurant in the Elan Valley that serves as an interesting hub of information about the local dams. The shop sells a variety of artisan gifts and products, and the assistant on duty, Marianne (named after the singer Marianne Faithful from the '60s), was friendly and cheerful. The cafe was clean and inviting, offering roasted tomato soup on the menu. Since it was cold outside during lunchtime, we decided to try the soup. However, I soon realized that it was not actually roasted tomato soup, but plain Heinz tinned soup. This was disappointing, as it was not accurately described on the menu. It would be better to either specify that it is tinned soup or remove it from the menu altogether.

We stopped by this restaurant during our tour of the Elan Valley. The visitors center has a room that showcases information about the reservoirs. Unfortunately, the sound quality is poor, making it difficult to hear the commentary if there are other people in the room shuffling or whispering. It would be helpful to have subtitles so visitors could still understand the information being presented. Despite a busload of adults and children making noise, the cafe was clean and the drinks were hot. A short walk to the first dam on the reservoirs system reveals its impressive size. Overall, it's a worthwhile visit, but be prepared for potential noise interference during the video show.

Over priced food and drink for rather poor quality. Now only served in disposable cups, how tacky. You even have to pay to park in the middle of nowhere. I'm surprised you didn't have to pay to use the toilets.

Strong family connections here. Wonderful scenery, friendly staff and a photo opportunity around every corner. Whatever the time of year, it is a beautiful place to visit.

This was our first stop on our long weekend trip to the area. The cafe served a range of food and catered for a gluten free member of the family. The pasties were hot and tasty and the coffee was great. We had a table next to the bird feeders and with a great view of one of the dams. There is also a shop, toilets and information available. An excellent way to start the exploration of the Elan Valley.