It’s summertime at Wales’ National Nature Reserves

Dotted along the length and breadth of the Wales Coast Path are several National Nature Reserves that boast some of the most incredible indigenous wildlife, flora and fauna that Wales has to offer.

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) were established to protect some of our most important habitats, species and geology, and to provide ‘outdoor laboratories’ for research. A visit to any of these reserves is wonderful in any season, but summer brings the sunshine and new opportunities along with it to explore and enjoy their beauty in full bloom..

Protect wildlife at these special places by following the Countryside Code and leave no trace of your visit. Dog owners must heed local signs and use a short lead where prompted.

Newport Wetlands, Newport

Tucked between the city of Newport and the Severn estuary, Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve is one of the best sites in the country for viewing bird life, especially when spring brings migrant wader species to the saline lagoons, and families with young children can enjoy spotting ducklings and chicks throughout the reserve. The reserve is part of the Gwent Levels and is made up of a diverse range of low-lying habitats, including wet grassland, reedbeds, saltmarsh and saline lagoons.

There’s a seven-kilometre network of re-surfaced paths around the Uskmouth reedbeds that’s wheelchair accessible, alongside the visitor centre and café, viewing screens across the deepwater channels, a raised viewing platform and bird hide. 

In summer, you will be able to enjoy the reserve’s plant life in all its glory. Orchids are abundant along with other many other flowers, and these attract butterflies, moths and  many bee species, including the rare shrill carder bee.  Last year Newport Wetlands was designated a Dragonfly Hotspot and these attract hobbies. It’s also the only breeding site in Wales for the avocet, a long-legged wading bird with a distinctive upwardly curving beak and the only breeding site in southern Wales for breeding bitterns and marsh harriers.

Oxwich Bay, Swansea

Located in the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Gower Peninsula, the Oxwich National Nature Reserve boasts a sweeping golden beach, sand dunes, cliffs and salt and freshwater marshes.
From wild orchids, rare dune gentians, butterflies, birds and bats, the reserve provides an all-year-round ecosystem to both migrating and indigenous species.

During the summer, look out for ducks, water rails, little grebes and moorhens from the lakeside bird hide at Whitestones, accessed by a boardwalk over the freshwater marsh and reedbeds. Choose from a selection of coastal and woodland walking routes to suit your preference, with two circular walks that take you through the dunes, where wild ponies graze all year round.

Pant y Sais, Swansea

Another wetland habitat full of reed and sedge beds, Pant y Sais National Nature Reserve is a paradise for wetland plants, birds and insects. During the summer time, this reserve comes alive with the sound of birdsong. Reed warblers and sedge warblers breed here, along with Cetti’s warbler, grasshopper warbler, reed bunting and water rail. Listen out for cuckoos as they seek out reed warbler nests to lay their devious egg.

Summer is also a good time to see the various wetland plants. Amongst the reed and sedges, special wetland flowers include yellow iris, marsh cinquefoil and greater spearwort. The reserve itself has a boardwalk that takes you into the wetlands, offering a short direct pathway into the reserve’s unique ecosystem and a peek at the fen raft spider’s habitat along the Tennant Canal.

With careful observation you may spot this large chocolate brown spider, either on the canal water surface or perched up on the fringing sedge tussocks. Summer also brings a wealth of dragonflies and damselflies.
You can join the Wales Coast Path from the edge of the reserve and continue your walk along the Swansea Bay coastline. 

Stackpole Estate, Pembrokeshire

Based in South Pembrokeshire, the Stackpole Estate National Nature Reserve is abundant in coastal and woodland habitats, full of quiet valleys, wildlife rich lily ponds and sandy beaches. Home to two of Pembrokeshire’s most famous bayscapes, Broadhaven and Barafundle, Stackpole is a stronghold for several species, including one of Britain’s largest populations of the rare greater horseshoe bat.

The woodlands are home to the rare silver washed fritillary butterfly, while other butterflies such as the dark green fritillary, common blue and brown argus may be spotted on the grasslands and sand dunes.

Summer brings a varied display of wild flowers to the reserve. Bee orchids, common spotted orchids and wild thyme appear in the grasslands and on the sand dunes, and white water lilies grace the spectacular lakes. Thrift is still in flower on the cliffs and is joined by golden samphire and wild thyme.

Skylarks can be heard singing overhead and reed warblers can be spotted in the lakes and just as in spring, the cliffs are alive with seabirds from choughs to guillemots and razorbills to puffins.

Dyfi Ynyslas, Ceredigion

Ynyslas is part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve, situated midway between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth in Mid Wales. The golden dunes of Ynyslas are at the southern side of the Dyfi Estuary and are the largest dunes in Ceredigion, home to a rich population of orchids, mosses, liverworts, fungi, insects and spiders; many of which are rare and some unknown elsewhere in Britain.

Summer brings a varied display of flowers to the reserve. Marsh orchids appear in the early summer in the damp dune slacks, followed by marsh helleborine, and pyramidal orchids on the sparse dune ridges. There are also colourful saltmarsh flowers, sea pink, sea aster, sea spurrey. Butterflies and day-flying moths fill the air, while dragonflies dart around the raised bog.

Morfa Dyffryn, Gwynedd

The shifting sand dunes of Morfa Dyffryn National Nature Reserve are one of our most dynamic coastal sites.  Dynamic and ever evolving dune habitats with large areas of bare sand are becoming increasingly rare across the UK, making it one of the most threatened and important habitats in the country.

In the warmer months, a wide variety of flowering plants can be seen in the dune grasslands and low lying slacks, including dune pansy, speedwells, thyme and orchids. There are also colonies of the rather scarce green-flowered helleborine and round leaved wintergreen - July or August is the best time to see these species.

Summer is also a busy time for many invertebrates including mining bees and beetles. The frontal mobile dunes are home to the dune tiger beetle, and be on the lookout for the small copper, dark green fritillary, gatekeeper and grayling butterflies and day-flying moths such as the cinnabar and five spot burnet.#

Morfa Harlech, Gwynedd

Morfa Harlech National Nature Reserve is another impressive coastal landscape that’s home to rare sand dune and coastal marsh habitats. Known as one of the richest natural treasures and home to a diverse range of plants and animals, all especially adapted to life at the seas edge, Morfa Harlech provides an opportunity to explore Wales’ most rare indigenous wildlife. 

A summer visit offers a chance to see a wide variety of flowering plants in the dune grasslands and slacks, these include dune pansy, speedwells, wild thyme, and pyramidal orchids. You may also come across prickly saltwort, thyme-leaved sandwort and sea rocket on the long arc of growing dunes on the upper beach at Trwyn Harlech (Harlech point).

There are also colonies of the rather scarce lesser butterfly orchid - July is the best month to see this species. Other insects such as some of our rarest mining bees, solitary wasps and beetles depend on bare sand and you may even spot a sand lizard too.