Guide to the National Nature Reserves, Local Nature Reserves and other top wildlife sites in Wales

Click a button below to arrange sites in the order best suited to your needs

Arrange A to Z by Nature Reserve Names
Arrange by Region (North, East, Southwest) and then A to Z by County
Arrange A to Z by nearest town
Arrange A to Z by your main interest - Birds, Fungi, Insects, Mammals, Plants etc

Reserve Name	Region of Wales	County	Nearest Town	Primary Feature	Other Features
Abercorris NWWT Nature Reserve	North	Gwynedd	Machynlleth	Plants	Birds, Mammals
Afon Lleiniog LNR	North	Anglesey	Llangoed	Plants	Bats, Birds
All Wales Coast Path	All	All coastal	All coastal	All	All
Allt Rhyd y Groes NNR	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Llandovery	Plants	Birds
Allt y Benglog NNR	North	Gwynedd	Dolgellau	Plants	Birds
Anglesey Fens NNR	North	Anglesey	Pentraeth	Plants	Birds, Insects
Bardsey Island NNR	North	Gwynedd	Aberdaron	Birds	Plants, Lichens
Berwyn/Y Berwyn NNR	East	Powys	Bala	Birds	Plants, Lichens
Bryn Pydew NWWT	North	Conwy	Llandudno	Plants	Insects
Cadair Idris NNR	North	Gwynedd	Dolgellau	Geology	Plants
Cae Blaen Dyffryn Plantlife Reserve	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Lampeter	Plants	Insects
Carmel Woods NNR	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Llandeilo	Plants	Bats, Birds, Insects
Cemlyn Bay NWWT	North	Anglesey	Cemlyn	Birds	Plants, Insects, Marine
Ceunant Cynfal NNR	North	Gwynedd	Llan Ffestiniog	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Ceunant Llennyrch NNR	North	Gwynedd	Gellilydan	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Claerwen NNR	East	Powys	Rhyader	Birds	Plants, Lichens
Coed Cymerau NNR	North	Gwynedd	Blaenau Ffestiniog	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Coed Dalgarrog NNR	North	Conwy	Llanrwst	Plants	Birds, Fungi, Insects
Coed Ganllwyd NNR	North	Gwynedd	Maentwrog	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Coed Gorswen NNR	North	Conwy	Conwy	Plants	Insects, Birds
Coed Llyn Mair NNR	North	Gwynedd	Maentwrog	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Coed Rheidol NNR	Southwest	Ceredigion	Aberystwyth	Plants	Birds, Fungi
Coed Tremadog NNR	North	Gwynedd	Tremadog	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Coed y Cerrig NNR	East	Monmouthshire	Abergavenny	Plants	Birds, Insects
Coed y Rhygen NNR	North	Gwynedd	Trawsfynydd	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Coedmor NNR	Southwest	Ceredigion	Cardigan	Lichens	Plants, Birds
Coedydd Aber NNR	North	Gwynedd	Bangor	Plants	Geology, Birds, Fungi
Conwy RSPB Reserve	North	Conwy	Deganwy	Birds	Plants, Insects
Cors Bodelio NNR	North	Anglesey	Pentreath	Plants	Insects, Birds
Cors Caron NNR	Southwest	Ceredigion	Tregaron	Birds	Insects, Plants
Cors Dyfi MWT Reserve	East	Powys	Machynlleth	Birds	Insects, Plants
Cors Erddreiniog NNR	North	Anglesey	Benllech	Plants	Insects, Birds
Cors Geirch NNR	North	Gwynedd	Nefyn	Plants	Insects
Cors Goch Llanllwch NNR	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Carmarthen	Plants	Insects, Birds
Cors Goch NNR	North	Anglesey	Pentraeth	Plants	Insects, Birds
Cors y Llyn NNR	East	Powys	Newbridge on Wye	Plants	Insects, Birds
Craig Cerrig Glesisiad a Fan Frynych NNR	East	Powys	Brecon	Plants	Lichens, Mosses, Birds, Geology
Craig y Cilau NNR	East	Powys	Crickhowell	Bats	Plants, Insects, Geology
Crymlyn Bog and Pant y Sais NNR	Southwest	Swansea	Swansea	Plants	Insects, Birds
Cwm Cadlan NNR	East	Rhondda Cynon Taff	Hirwaun	Plants	Geology
Cwm Clydach NNR	East	Monmouthshire	Brynmawr	Plants	Fungi, Birds
Cwm Glas Crafnant NNR	North	Conwy	Betws y Coed	Plants	Geology
Cwm Idwal NNR	North	Gwynedd	Bethesda	Geology	Plants
Dan yr Ogof NNR	East	Powys	Ystradgynlais	Geology
Dinefwr NNR	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Llandeilo	Fungi	Insects, Birds
Dyfi NNR	Southwest	Ceredigion	Borth	Plants	Birds, Insects
Fenn's Whixhall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR	North	Wrexham and Shropshire	Whitchurch	Birds	Insects, Animals
Fiddlers Elbow NNR	East	Monmouthshire	Monmouth	Plants	Animals
Glaslyn RSPB Osprey Project	North	Gwynedd	Porthmadog	Birds
Gower Coast NNR	Southwest	Swansea	Swansea	Geology	Birds, Plants
Grassholm Island NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Haverfordwest	Birds	Whales, Dolphins, Seals
Great Orme/Maes y Facrell - Pen y Gogarth NNR	North	Conwy	Llandudno	Plants	Birds, Insects
Hafod Elwy NNR	North	Denbighshire	Betws y Coed	Birds	Plants
Hafod Garregog NNR	North	Gwynedd	Porthmadog	Plants	Birds
Kenfig Pool and Dunes NNR	East	Bridgend	Kenfig	Plants	Birds, Insects, Fungi
Lady Park Wood NNR	East	Monmouthshire	Monmouth	Plants	Bats
Lake Vyrnwy RSPB Reserve	East	Powys	Welshpool	Birds	Plants, Insects
Llangloffan Fen NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Fishguard	Birds	Insects, Plants
Llangloffan Fen WTSWW	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Fishguard	Plants	Insects, Birds
Llyn Crafnant Circuit (Walk) - Forestry Commission	North	Gwynedd	Betws y Coed	Plants	Woodland, Scenery
Llyn Eiddwen NNR	Southwest	Ceredigion	Aberaeron	Plants	Birds, Insects
Mariandyrys LNR	North	Anglesey	Llangoed	Plants	Birds, Insects, Fungi
Meirionydd Oak Woodlands NNRS	North	Gwynedd	Porthmadog	Bats	Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds
Merthyr Mawr NNR	East	Bridgend	Bridgend	Plants	Fungi, Insects
Morfa Dyffryn NNR	North	Gwynedd	Barmouth	Plants	Birds, Insects
Morfa Harlech NNR	North	Gwynedd	Harlech	Plants	Birds, Insects
Nant Irfon NNR	East	Powys	Llanwrtyd Wells	Plants	Birds
Nant Porth NWWT Reserve	North	Gwynedd	Bangor	Plants	Trees, Birds
Newborough Warren NNR	North	Anglesey	Newborough	Plants	Insects, Fungi, Mammals
Newport Wetlands NNR	East	Newport	Newport, Gwent	Birds	Insects, Plants
Ogof Ffynnon Ddu NNR	East	Powys	Ystradgynlais	Geology	Plants, Birds
Oxwich NNR	Southwest	Gower	Swansea	Plants	Insects, Birds
Pengelli Forest NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Cardigan	Birds	Bats, Plants, Insects
Penhow Woodlands NNR	East	Newport	Newport	Plants	Birds, Insects
Priory Grove Woods Woodland Trust Reserve	East	Monmouthshire	Monmouth	Plants	Birds, Animals
Ramsey Island NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	St. David's	Birds
Rhinog NNR	North	Gwynedd	Dolgellau	Birds	Plants
Rhos Goch	East	Powys	Builth Wells	Plants	Insects
Rhos Llawr Cwrt NNR	Southwest	Ceredigion	New Quay	Insects	Plants
Roundton Hill NNR	East	Powys	Newtown	Plants	Fungi
Skomer NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Haverfordwest	Birds	Mammals, Plants
Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa NNR	North	Gwynedd	Llanberis	Plants	Geology, Birds
South Stack Cliffs RSPB Reserve	North	Anglesey	Holyhead	Birds	Plants, Geology
Spinnies Aberogwen	North	Gwynedd	Bangor	Birds	Plants
Stackpole NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Pembroke	Bats	Birds, Plants
Stanner Rocks NNR	East	Powys	Kington	Plants	Geology
Teifi Marshes WTSWW	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Cardigan	Birds	Plants, Mammals
Ty Canol NNR	Southwest	Pembrokeshire	Fishguard	Lichens	Fungi, Birds
Valley Wetlands RSPB Reserve	North	Anglesey	Holyhead	Birds	Plants, Insects
Waun Las NNR	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Carmarthen	Fungi	Plants
Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre	Southwest	Carmarthenshire	Llanelli	Birds	Plants, Insects
Whiteford NNR	Southwest	Gower	Gowerton	Plants	Birds, Insects
Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve	Southwest	Ceredigion	Machynlleth	Birds	Plants, Insects

What you will find on this Website

Wales is a wonderful place to see wildlife, and this is demonstrated by the number of special sites that are set aside for the protection of our plants, animals, birds, insects and reptiles. In fact Wales has more nature reserves per head of population than both England and Scotland. Wales has five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), three National Parks, well over 70 National Nature Reserves and literally hundreds more Local Nature Reserves and Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves each protecting unique habitats and the wildlife that depends on them for their survival. The AONBs are Anglesey, the Clwydian Range, Gower, Llŷn, and the Wye Valley. The National Parks are Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast, and the Brecon Beacons. A broad overview of habitats, scenery and general wildlife interest in Wales is contained in the regional descriptions to be found at the top of the dropdown menus for the North, Southwest and East of Wales.

Thinking of North Wales immediately conjours up images of mountains and the dramatic scenery that accompanies them: the rushing rivers, the valleys and the moorlands and mires which lie within and between the ranges of Snowdonia, the Clwydians and the gentler Berwyns. But let's not forget the lovely coastline with its fabulous sandy beaches and sand dune systems; and, set back from the coast, the fens, raised bogs, woodlands and limestone pavements. Each of these unique habitats is a support system for numerous plants, insects and animals.

Southwest Wales, equally well known as a holiday destination by the thousands of people who flock there each year, also has a hidden side: the lovely rivers protected in their own right because of the precious wildlife that lives in them, the beautiful bluebell woods that are also home to many rare and interesting fungi species in the autumn, the ancient meadows that support numerous wild orchids and other unusual plants, and of course the islands that lie off the coast and are home to internationally important colonies of nesting sea birds and many other unique wildlife species.

East Wales, perhaps less known than the other parts of Wales as a holiday destination, still has more than its fair share of interesting places in which to see wildlife in habitats that are threatened and endangered in many other parts of Britain. This is where you will find the Montgomery Canal, the Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley. It also has one of Wales's best known coastal nature reserves - Kenfig - home to numerous wild orchids including the rare Fen Orchid. This area is also home to an increasingly rare habitat, lowland acid grassland. A good example of this is Roundton Hill National Nature Reserve, and there is a management programme running in East Wales to restore some of the numerous fragments of this precious environment to a good ecological state. The terrain is characterised by thin soils lying on rock which are home to special plants referred to as 'spring ephemerals' - plants that germinate, grow, flower and set seed in the space of around eight weeks or until the soils dry out in the increasing heat of early summer.

This website is a guide to these special places. It provides not only detailed descriptions of the wildlife to be found in Wales's protected habitats, but also location maps accompanied by clear written directions of how to find each nature reserve. It also describes the facilities available at each site and the accessibility, or otherwise, of the terrain for each of the reserves.

Finding your way around the Nature Reserves of Wales

The nature reserves are listed on a main index page (this page), and in dropdown menus accessible from every nature reserve page, enabling you to move quickly from one site to another. The main index table of reserves can be sorted in four ways: alphabetically by reserve name, by region and county, by nearest town, and by species interest - birds, bats, wildflowers, fungi, butterflies and so on. There are regional maps for North, Southwest and East Wales showing the location of the nature reserves, with direct links from each location to the appropriate dedicated reserve page.

For those interested in the conservation designations of the wild places of Wales there is a page listing the special designations accorded to the sites in Wales together with a description of what each designation - Special Area of Conservation(SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Ramsar Site etc - means in terms of national, European or international importance.