Cors Fochno (Borth Bog)

Sign when entering the site

After a what seemed like forever mini bus trip we arrived at Cors Fochno in the village of Borth in Ceredigion. The site is the most intact lowland bog in Europe, and has been designated as an SAC, SPA, SSSI, NNR and is also protected by the RAMSAR Convention.

One of the Welsh  Mountain Ponies

Site info

When we arrived at the site we could see 2 welsh mountain ponies which were enclosed in an area to graze, this is part of the ongoing management by the CCW. Occasionally cattle grazes the area. The guide showed us a scrape that had been conducted in an area that could be improved. We could see that the scraped area was covered with a shallow layer of water and that the natural bog species like the mosses had returned to the scrape (within 5 years). Proving that these areas can be saved.

A short history of the site...
Cors Fochno can be translated to "bog of pigs" probably derived from when pigs were kept on the land. The land was originally a brackish swamp but gradually changed to a freshwater swamp and then to fenland. It became a raised bog when the area became dominated by bog mosses and cotton grass.
The site could be drained in 1813 when an Act of Parliament allowed the drainage of Cors Fochno, however the site was primarily used for peat cutting and light grazing.

Wildlife

2 Dragonflies on a gate

Today, the site is on of the last in Britain to home the moss Sphagnum imbricatum, there are 15 other species of Sphagnum at the site, and all 3 Sundew species that are found in Britain can be seen here. Bog rosmary, bog myrtle and Royal Fern which are all peat-loving can be found at Cors Fochno.
Insects also thrive at the site with rare invertebrates like the large heath butterfly, rosy marsh moth (which was once thought to be extinct), and an array of dragonflies and damselflies. Lurking beneath the waters at the site are palmate newts, eels and the Fifthteen-spined stickleback; which is the only fish that can survive within the acidic bog water. The eels are what are thought the otter that can be found on site feed on, the presence of otters can be seen in trails along the dams. Our guide also told us about Water Vole that were once wiped out by Mink in the 90s have made a return. He could tell this by putting down small floating blocks where they preferred to do their droppings. Reptiles such as Adders, Grass Snakes, Common Lizards and Slow Worms are commonly found at the site.

Otter trail

Many birdshave been seen in the area, including...

• Sedge Warblerss
• Snipe
• Redshank
• Teal
• Water Rail
• Skylark
• Hen harriers
• Peregrine Falcons

View of the open water at the site