Blaen-y-Weirglodd Nature Reserve

Blaen-y-Weirglodd Nature Reserve

Blaen-y-Weirglodd Nature Reserve

Redstart

Redstart © Mark Hamblin 2020VISION

Hare
Bog Asphodel

Bog Asphodel © Philip Precey

Blaen-y-Weirglodd Nature Reserve

A wild sanctuary set in a sea of agricultural land, this secluded peat bog is home to a colourful array of specialist plants and animals.

Location

Llansannan
Conwy
LL16 5LP

OS Map Reference

SH913633
OS Explorer Map 264
A static map of Blaen-y-Weirglodd Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
4 hectares
z

Entry fee

No
P

Parking information

Parking is available off the roadside: SH911634

Grazing animals

Cattle and sheep, early spring and late summer

Walking trails

Sphagnum takes years to recover from trampling – please avoid walking over the bog and follow the permissive path around the perimeter of the reserve. The open-access fields crossed to reach the site can contain cattle and sheep – please be respectful.

Access

The site is very wet and unfortunately isn’t accessible to visitors with limited mobility.

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

All year round

About the reserve

Our precious peatlands 
Whilst, at first glance, this reserve may present itself as a green-brown jumble without much going on, it only takes a little bit of time exploring to discover that peat bogs are amongst the country’s most diverse habitats. Peatlands provide benefits for people too: the UK’s peatlands store around 4,500 million tonnes of atmospheric carbon (that’s 100 times more than all UK vegetation, including trees) and 70% of our drinking water comes from peatland river catchments. Sadly, this habitat is threatened – once common across the UK, few peat bogs remain today, having been drained for farmland and forestry.

Blaenyweirglodd hosts six varieties of sphagnum moss along with a huge variety of specialised plants such as bog asphodel, round-leaved sundew, bogbean and common cotton-grass. This wealth of plant diversity is accompanied by huge varieties of invertebrates, with over 230 species recorded at the site. These in turn attract birds such as redstart, redpoll and linnet. 

Directions
The reserve is situated 2 miles South West of Llansannan. Approaching from here, leave the B5382 for the B5384 toward Gwytherin. Take the second Left, pass over one cattle grid and look for a small layby on the right (SH 911 634: if you reach the next cattle grid, you’ve gone too far). Park here, cross the road and walk up over the field on the left, head through the kissing gate and follow the old hedge bank on your Left to reach the reserve.

Contact us

Jordan Hurst
Contact number: 01248 351541

Environmental designation

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
Hare

Hare © David Tipling 2020 Vision

Event - moth-trapping

© Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

Volunteer sawing

Katrina Martin / 2020VISION

Volunteering

Find out more