On the North Wales Wildlife Trail

When you come to North Wales, the chances are you’re visiting because you want to explore our beautiful countryside, as well as relax and rejuvenate from your busy life. 

One of the many benefits of visiting our green, wild spaces is all of the wildlife we have on offer.  From bugs, beetles and butterflies, to squirrels and stoats, North Wales is packed full of life on the wild side. 

Here’s some of the places to find it…

Great Orme Country Park

Great Orme is a pretty amazing place to visit. As well as the tramway which transports you between the copper mine and the nature reserve, you can also walk this two mile long, one mile wide Site of Special Scientific Interest to explore some unusual wildlife.

What can you see here in terms of wildlife? There’s all sorts. Great Orme is renowned for its butterflies including two found uniquely on Great Orme; the Silver Studded Blue and Grayling Butterflies.  All in all you can spot over 20 species of butterfly here.

Some wildlife you don’t come across very often are Great Orme’s wild Kashmiri goats. The herd contains about 60 goats, whose ancestors originate from northern India. They wander across the craggy ground of the Great Orme and make a spectacular sight.

Through the summer the cliffs become a breeding ground to sea birds like guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes. 

There’s some beautiful wildflowers, woodland and grassland that is great to explore; wander along and unwind from daily stresses.

What’s more dogs are welcome across all of Great Orme, although you need to keep them on a lead. You can even take them down the copper mine!

Gwaith Powdr

Once an explosive works, Gwaith Powdr is now decommissioned and has been re-created as a nature reserve. Over 20 years the reserve has grown to become a fascinating green space teeming with wildlife, overlooked by fantastic views of Snowdonia.

Walking side by side with the sheep that graze the land, you’ll be able to spot Nightjars and wander amongst bluebells. The site is also protected due to its number of bat roosts and at dusk you should be able to spot the Lesser Horseshoe Bat here. Keep your eyes peeled to the ground too, as adders live here, and you might get a shock if you find one unexpectedly!

Ynys-Hir

An RSPB reserve, Ynys Hir is a great place to head for a wildlife trail. The reserve comprises of woodland, salt marsh and wetlands, freshwater pools and peat bog so is a haven teeming with different bird and wild life.

In spring you’ll see wood warblers, woodpeckers and redstarts. Watch in the freshwater pools for otters and kingfishers. In summer if you’re lucky you might spot the common lizard and grass snake.