Nature and Wildlife on Gower

Cefn Bryn 

Cefn Bryn (Swansea SA3 1AE) is the second highest point on Gower, the naturally formed ridge sits in the centre of the peninsula and stretches across 5 miles with far reaching views. Most of the ridge is common land and home to grazing livestock, this keeps the grass and gorse at bay and helps cultivate a diverse range of habitats where protected and rare species such as the skylark, brown hare and marsh fritillary butterfly are able to thrive.

Broad Pool sits near the base of Cefn Bryn, it’s a large fresh water pool and protected nature reserve. It’s home to many plants, amphibious creatures and insects such as dragonflies and you may spot birds such as snipe and heron with their pointed beaks.

Arthur's Stone

The common is home to one of Gower’s famous landmarks, Arthur's Stone, a Neolithic burial monument. There are two other Scheduled Ancient Monuments on the common: Pen y Crug Round Barrow and Round Cairn.

As Cefn Bryn’s area is so large you can access it via villages nearby such as Cilibion, Reynoldston and Penmaen. This is also the best place for parking. There is a pull in near Arthur’s Stone but this is occasionally inaccessible for land preservation purposes.

Oxwich Bay

Oxwich Bay (SA3 1LS) is a 2.5 mile sweep of coastline on southern Gower, flanked by two headlands. The beach sits alongside the wetlands and forest of Oxwich Nature Reserve which provides a rich variety of habitats for plants and wildlife

Due to the chalky environment in the dunes, you’ll see uncommon wildflowers such as orchids.  Insects thrive in the freshwater lakes, they in turn attract bats that roost nearby.

On the road out of Oxwich at Whitestones, bird watchers can access a hide on the marsh. It is accessed by a boardwalk. Spot warblers, moorhens, little grebes and wildfowl.