Goldie Pond, Sirhowy Hill Woodlands
Goldie Pond was originally an industrial reservoir. It supplied water to Number 4 Pit, a colliery established by the Tredegar Iron Company.
Horse-drawn wagons entered the pit through an entrance lower down from the pond. The pit was disused by 1899 and the entrance was lost under mining waste.
Local residents used the pond unofficially for bathing, as shown in the photo from 1910.
After industry retreated from the hillside, this pond earned the grim nickname “the Dead Dog Pond”.
Compare the old photo with the aerial photo to see just how much the pond’s surroundings have changed. The water is surrounded by trees planted in the 1980s and other greenery.
The pond is a valuable haven for fish, including carp and roach. It also supports local populations of mammals, amphibians and birds.
In spring the local toads and frogs mate and the pond is a mass of frog spawn and toad spawn. The bottom photo shows mating frogs at Goldie Pond.
The ponds and damp areas in Sirhowy Hill Woodlands, including Cardiff Pond on the Ebbw Vale side, are important for wetland plants and insects. In summer you may see dragonflies and damselflies around Goldie Pond, including the scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly.
Grid reference: SO149092