South Gower Coast

Gelli Hir Woods

Chances are, if you live on Gower, you’ll know all about the amazing wild places the peninsula has to offer, from wild coastal beaches to ancient bluebell woodlands. But did you know that lots of these wildlife havens are managed by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales?

We manage over 30 nature reserves in the Swansea area, a number of which can be found on Gower and we want to use this opportunity to tell you about some of them that you can enjoy this winter!

Gelli Hir

If you are looking for a family-friendly place, then the beautiful Gelli Hir Wood, near Three Crosses, is a must. A large ancient woodland; with a pond as an added bonus, it has large safe paths for walking, muddy ‘off-road’ routes to test out your wellies and lots of logs and ditches for children to play on, over and under! As a reserve that’s so important for woodland birds, dragonflies and butterflies, it’s definitely worth taking your binoculars and seeing what wildlife you can spot!

South Gower Coast Nature Reserves

Another Wildlife Trust recommended place to go for a wild windy walk is the South Gower Coast Nature Reserves. From Port Eynon you can walk up and over the point and along the cliff paths. Keep an eye out for Peregrine Falcons, Chough, Seals in the ocean and there are caves a-plenty! Home to exceedingly rare coastal plants such as Yellow Whitlow-Grass and Goldilocks Aster, these are very important nature reserves. This winter The Wildlife Trust will be introducing some grazing animals to Overton Mere to help manage the grassland for these rare plants. Keep an eye out for our friendly cattle and ponies.

Cwm Ivy Woods

For a walk with a café nearby, head to Cwm Ivy Woods near Llanmadoc. Another lovely woodland reserve with beautiful views over Cwm Ivy Marsh, the gate can be seen from the lane down to Cwm Ivy.

Elizabeth and Rowe Harding Nature Reserve

Another very interesting nature reserve is the Elizabeth and Rowe Harding Nature Reserve, otherwise known as Ilston Quarry, which is protected for the importance of its geological features. A lovely hazel wood surrounds the quarry and plenty of evidence can be found of the old quarry workings.

Broad Pool

Lastly, did you know the iconic Broad Pool is also a Wildlife Trust nature reserve? This site is important for amphibians, dragonflies and Otters, which feed in the pool.

Lots more information about all these nature reserves, plus Wildlife Trust events that take place on Gower, can be found on our website.

If you would like to support the trust and our work managing the beautiful wild places of Gower you can do so by becoming a member via our website or by ringing 01656 724100.