Coed y Bedw Nature Reserve

If you like mud then this place is great. Will come back when the weather is better but for now, the paths are quite boggy and slippery.
It is difficult to get to as there is no access near convenient parking but it is worth the effort to get here. There is a diverse range of flora and fauna and the species differ from each side of the stream. The Garth is imposing to the North and there are some relaxing spots to sit and think about what this place was like when it was a working mine.
Enjoy it but don’t all come at once as it is nice and quiet!

My word, I completely forgot about this place until recently. Another Unilocal success story! I came here with my brother many years ago to do a project on insects (one of those classic scout projects), and there really is a wonderful selection of the little beasties out in these woods.

This is a tranquil Wildlife Trust reserve covering 42 acres of deciduous woodland and wetlands near the village of Pentyrch on the outskirts of Cardiff, offering a great place to escape from it all.
You can still spot the remnants of the local colliery owner’s cottage on the site, and many of the paths follow disused tramway lines once used for transporting coal.
Made up mainly of oak, beech, ash and alder, it’s a very popular place to visit during the Spring when the snowdrops and later the bluebells are lining the forest floor. In the autumn, however, there are lots of weird and wonderful fungi growing here, which are equally colourful.
The park is a good spot for some rare wildlife, particularly moths and butterflies, and has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of the rare species of plants that grow there. You can also often spot woodpeckers and other bird life such as marsh tits if you know what you’re looking for. Streams form ponds in some places, which provide habitats and breeding grounds for frogs and toads, and there are loads of dragonflies and damselflies around the pond edges.
Some areas get pretty muddy during and after wet weather, so don wellies if it hasn’t been dry!