Guide to the Nature Reserves and other top Wildlife Sites in Wales
Wales has more nature reserves per head of population than any other major European country. There are five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, three National Parks, 74 National Nature Reserves and hundreds more Local Nature Reserves, Wildlife Trust and RSPB Reserves etc each protecting unique habitats and the wildlife that depend on them.
Via the arrowed tabs, below, tables of Reserves pages can be arranged in the order that best suits your needs.
- National Nature Reserves
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Reserve
NameRegion of
WalesCounty
Nearest
TownPrimary
FeatureOther
FeaturesAberbargoed Grasslands East Caerphilly Bargoed Insects Plants Allt Rhyd y Groes Southwest Carmarthenshire Llandovery Plants Birds Allt y Benglog North Gwynedd Dolgellau Plants Birds Anglesey Fens North Anglesey Pentraeth Plants Birds, Insects Bardsey Island North Gwynedd Aberdaron Birds Plants, Lichens Berwyn/Y Berwyn East Powys Bala Birds Plants, Lichens Cadair Idris North Gwynedd Dolgellau Geology Plants Carmel Woods Southwest Carmarthenshire Llandeilo Plants Bats, Birds, Insects Ceunant Cynfal North Gwynedd Llan Ffestiniog Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Ceunant Llennyrch North Gwynedd Gellilydan Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Claerwen East Powys Rhyader Birds Plants, Lichens Coed Cymerau North Gwynedd Blaenau Ffestiniog Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Coed Dalgarrog North Conwy Llanrwst Plants Birds, Fungi, Insects Coed Ganllwyd North Gwynedd Maentwrog Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Coed Gorswen North Conwy Conwy Plants Insects, Birds Coed Llyn Mair North Gwynedd Maentwrog Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Coed Rheidol Southwest Ceredigion Aberystwyth Plants Birds, Fungi Coed Tremadog North Gwynedd Tremadog Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Coed y Cerrig East Monmouthshire Abergavenny Plants Birds, Insects Coed y Rhygen North Gwynedd Trawsfynydd Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Coedmor Southwest Ceredigion Cardigan Lichens Plants, Birds Coedydd Aber North Gwynedd Bangor Plants Geology, Birds, Fungi Cors Bodelio North Anglesey Pentreath Plants Insects, Birds Cors Caron Southwest Ceredigion Tregaron Birds Insects, Plants Cors Erddreiniog North Anglesey Benllech Plants Insects, Birds Cors Geirch North Gwynedd Nefyn Plants Insects Cors Goch Llanllwch Southwest Carmarthenshire Carmarthen Plants Insects, Birds Cors Goch North Anglesey Pentraeth Plants Insects, Birds Cors Gyfelog North Gwynedd Caernarfon Plants Insects Cors y Llyn East Powys Newbridge on Wye Plants Insects, Birds Craig Cerrig Glesisiad a Fan Frynych East Powys Brecon Plants Lichens, Mosses, Birds, Geology Craig y Cilau East Powys Crickhowell Bats Plants, Insects, Geology Crymlyn Bog and Pant y Sais Southwest Swansea Swansea Plants Insects, Birds Cwm Cadlan East Rhondda Cynon Taff Hirwaun Plants Geology Cwm Clydach East Monmouthshire Brynmawr Plants Fungi, Birds Cwm Glas Crafnant North Conwy Betws y Coed Plants Geology Cwm Idwal North Gwynedd Bethesda Geology Plants Dan yr Ogof East Powys Ystradgynlais Geology Dinefwr Southwest Carmarthenshire Llandeilo Fungi Insects, Birds Dyfi Southwest Ceredigion Borth Plants Birds, Insects Fenn's Whixhall & Bettisfield Mosses North Wrexham and Shropshire Whitchurch Birds Insects, Animals Fiddlers Elbow East Monmouthshire Monmouth Plants Animals Gower Coast Southwest Swansea Swansea Geology Birds, Plants Grassholm Island Southwest Pembrokeshire Haverfordwest Birds Whales, Dolphins, Seals Great Orme/Maes y Facrell - Pen y Gogarth North Conwy Llandudno Plants Birds, Insects Gregynog East Powys Newtown Lichen Birds, Bats, Fungi, Insects, Plants Hafod Elwy North Denbighshire Betws y Coed Birds Plants Hafod Garregog North Gwynedd Porthmadog Plants Birds Kenfig Pool and Dunes East Bridgend Kenfig Plants Birds, Insects, Fungi Lady Park Wood East Monmouthshire Monmouth Plants Bats Llangloffan Fen Southwest Pembrokeshire Fishguard Birds Insects, Plants Llyn Eiddwen Southwest Ceredigion Aberaeron Plants Birds, Insects Meirionydd Oak Woodlands North Gwynedd Porthmadog Bats Trees, Lichens, Mosses, Ferns, Birds Merthyr Mawr East Bridgend Bridgend Plants Fungi, Insects Morfa Dyffryn North Gwynedd Barmouth Plants Birds, Insects Morfa Harlech North Gwynedd Harlech Plants Birds, Insects Nant Irfon East Powys Llanwrtyd Wells Plants Birds Newborough Warren North Anglesey Newborough Plants Insects, Fungi, Mammals Newport Wetlands East Newport Newport, Gwent Birds Insects, Plants Ogof Ffynnon Ddu East Powys Ystradgynlais Geology Plants, Birds Oxwich Southwest Gower Swansea Plants Insects, Birds Pengelli Forest Southwest Pembrokeshire Cardigan Birds Bats, Plants, Insects Penhow Woodlands East Newport Newport Plants Birds, Insects Ramsey Island Southwest Pembrokeshire St. David's Birds Rhinog North Gwynedd Dolgellau Birds Plants Rhos Goch East Powys Builth Wells Plants Insects Rhos Llawr Cwrt Southwest Ceredigion New Quay Insects Plants Roundton Hill East Powys Newtown Plants Fungi Skomer Southwest Pembrokeshire Haverfordwest Birds Mammals, Plants Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa North Gwynedd Llanberis Plants Geology, Birds Stackpole Southwest Pembrokeshire Pembroke Bats Birds, Plants Stanner Rocks East Powys Kington Plants Geology Ty Canol Southwest Pembrokeshire Fishguard Lichens Fungi, Birds Waun Las Southwest Carmarthenshire Carmarthen Fungi Plants Whiteford Southwest Gower Gowerton Plants Birds, Insects - RSPB Nature Reserves
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Reserve
NameRegion of
WalesCounty
Nearest
TownPrimary
FeatureOther
FeaturesArthog Bog RSPB Reserve North Gwynedd Dolgellau Birds Plants Conwy RSPB Reserve North Conwy Deganwy Birds Plants, Insects Glaslyn RSPB Osprey Project North Gwynedd Porthmadog Birds Gwenffrwd Dinas RSPB Reserve Southwest Carmarthenshire Llandovery Birds Plants, Insects Lake Vyrnwy RSPB Reserve East Powys Welshpool Birds Plants, Insects South Stack Cliffs RSPB Reserve North Anglesey Holyhead Birds Plants, Geology Valley Wetlands RSPB Reserve North Anglesey Holyhead Birds Plants, Insects Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve Southwest Ceredigion Machynlleth Birds Plants, Insects - Other Nature Reserves
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Reserve
NameRegion of
WalesCounty
Nearest
TownPrimary
FeatureOther
FeaturesAbercorris 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 Bryn Pydew NWWT North Conwy Llandudno Plants Insects Cae Blaen Dyffryn Plantlife Reserve Southwest Carmarthenshire Lampeter Plants Insects Cemlyn Bay NWWT North Anglesey Cemlyn Birds Plants, Insects, Marine Cors Dyfi MWT Reserve East Powys Machynlleth Birds Insects, Plants Goodwick Moor WTSWW Southwest Pembrokeshire Fishguard Birds Plants, Insects Llangloffan Fen WTSWW Southwest Pembrokeshire Fishguard Plants Insects, Birds Llyn Crafnant Circuit (Walk) - Forestry Commission North Gwynedd Betws y Coed Plants Woodland, Scenery Mariandyrys LNR North Anglesey Llangoed Plants Birds, Insects, Fungi Nant Porth NWWT Reserve North Gwynedd Bangor Plants Trees, Birds Priory Grove Woods, Woodland Trust East Monmouthshire Monmouth Plants Birds, Animals Secret Marsh, Pembrokeshire National Park Nature Reserve Southwest Pembrokeshire Tenby Birds Plants, Insects Spinnies Aberogwen North Gwynedd Bangor Birds Plants Teifi Marshes WTSWW Southwest Pembrokeshire Cardigan Birds Plants, Mammals Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre Southwest Carmarthenshire Llanelli Birds Plants, Insects
What you will find on this Website
Thinking of North Wales conjours up images of mountains and the dramatic scenery that accompanies them: the rushing rivers, valleys, moorlands and mires that 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 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 the inshore islands that are home to internationally important colonies of nesting sea birds and many other unique wildlife species.
East Wales, perhaps less known as a holiday destination, still has more than its fair share of interesting places to see wildlife in habitats that are threatened or endangered in many other parts of Britain. Here you will find the Montgomery Canal, the Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley. Kenfig - it also has one of Wales's best known coastal nature reserves - is home to numerous wild orchids including the rare Fen Orchid. This area also contains an increasingly rare habitat, unimproved 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 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 of Wales's protected habitat, but also location maps and clear directions for finding each nature reserve plus details of facilities and the accessibility, or otherwise, of the terrain at each site.
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 index table of NNRs 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 reserves, with links from each map point to the relevant dedicated reserve page.
For those interested in the conservation designations of the wild places of Wales there is a page listing the conservation 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 its national, European or international importance.