Rhinog National Nature Reserve

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Overview

The Rhinog NNR, near Harlech, lies at the heart of the Rhinog mountain range, and consists of a broad expanse of upland heath of particular importance for its birdlife. One of the special birds that nest in the reserve is the ring ouzel, which arrives in March after overwintering in northwest Africa. Another summer visitor to Rhinog is the northern wheatear, which nests in the open grasslands. Resident birds include the rare merlin, which shares its territory with the peregrine falcons, hen harriers and kestrels that prey on the smaller birds that make their homes in these wild places. Other game birds sometimes seen at Rhinog include small populations of black and red grouse. In late summer the upland heaths are transformed by the purple heather, and among the many other flowers are heath spotted orchids around the lake in Cwm Bychan. The Roman Steps, an old drovers’ route, is one of the few places in Wales where the lesser twayblade has been recorded.

Location

Bryn-Eden

About the area

The county of Gwynedd is home to most of the Snowdonia National Park – including the wettest spot in Britain, an arête running up to Snowdon’s summit that receives an average annual rainfall of 4,473mm. With its mighty peaks, rivers and strong Welsh heritage (it has the highest proportion of Welsh-speakers in all of Wales), it’s always been an extremely popular place to visit and live.