GRC Maps and Sites: Vale of Glamorgan

Ogmore Estuary SS8675: Coastal maritime habitat, good for seawatching especially autumn. Good for waders & gulls.

Ogmore Estuary from the Vale side showing Merthyr Mawr Warren and Porthcawl in the distance

Ogmore River & Portobello Island SS8776: Tidal river system. Very good for gulls, waders and wildfowl. Also passerines on riverbanks.

Ogmore river showing Portobello island looking towards the sea

The Watermill SS8877: Flooded fields especially autumn & winter periods. Good for passage migrants: wildfowl, waders & gulls

The Watermill fields, dry due to an unseasonally warm April [2011]. The flooding can be extensive, covering several acres.

Norton Wood SS8776: Small mixed woodland good for passage migrants in spring & autumn

Norton Woods from B4524, near carpark (Portobello)

Dunraven SS8873: Wooded valley area with walled garden and the seacliffs of Witches Point. (not shown). Good for grassland species and wooded areas for passage migrants in spring and autumn. This site has the Hertiage Coast Centre to the left of the carpark.

Dunraven valley showing wooded areas and walled gardens

Pitcot Pond, St. Brides Major SS895745: Small pond next to B4265. Worth a look in autumn and winter for wildfowl. Has had some unusual species in the past.

Pitcot Pond and surrounds

Nash Point area including Cwm Nash and Marcross SS9168, 9070 & 9269. [Coastal maritime habitat with calcareous grassland, woods and hedgerows.]

The Valley at Nash Point that funnels up towards Marcross. Excellent for passage migrants in spring and especially in late summer/autumn. Has the potential for rare species

Cwm Nash looking north to wooded area. Another funnel valley with grassland & upper wooded section. Good for passage in spring and autumn. Yellow browed warbler and Firecrest recorded here in autumn.

The setaside field at Ty'n-y-caeau farm nr. Marcross. Excellent for passage and resident species especially in autumn/winter. The whole area in very good for birdwatching in general.

Llantwit Major, Cwm Col-huw LNR. Wide valley with damp meadow and scrub fringes and wooded sides.

The valley nature reserve at Cwm Col-huw, following the stream north-east towards Llantwit Major town.

Gileston including Limpert Bay, The Walls & Summerhouse Point ST0165, ST0166 & SS9966 [Coastal maritime habitat with grassland, small wood, scrub and arable land]

Limpert Bay showng the shingle spit, which is good for wader roosts at hightides and the two water intakes for the power station, which are good for attracting gulls and terns.

The walls, showing grassy/scrub area which is good for passage migrants and local resident species too. The wooded area in the distance is Summerhouse Point, another good site for passage migrants.

Aberthaw lagoon and surrounds ST0366. What could have been Glamorgan's Minsmere was ruined by ash tipping. A small remnant remains, which includes a small brackish pool with scrub and reedbed fringe and south of the seawall a small saltmarsh lagoon and a small dune system.

The East Aberthaw lagoon showing reed fringes and small islands. There is a wooded area leading northwards which is good for migrants. The seawall walk can also be productive. The mouth of the Thaw does attract winter wildfowl.

The saltmarsh and lagoon south of the seawall. Does attract waders and passerine species. Gull roost at hightides. Seawatching can be good with SW winds.

Rhoose Pools & surrounds: ST0665 [Coastal, old quarry workings with pools and scrub/reed fringes. Good for passage migration and resident aquatic avifauna. Most southerly point in mainland Wales.]

Rhoose main pool looking towards the coast.

Lavernock Point ST1868 [Coastal: scrub, hedgerows, fields: arable & pasture. Probable the best seawatching site in Eastern Glamorgan, although Porthcawl is very productive too, Lavernock has a longer history. A true point of land running west/east then north towards Penarth. Excellent for passage migration. Many rare species recorded.]
(Lavernock - Lag = layer stratum & nakki = neck, The Layered or Stratified Neck)

Looking north from the point. Ranny Bay on the right (Rani - from Old Norse 'Hog's Snout').

Looking south to the point in early September. The stubble fields hold may passage migrants during the autumn.

Lavernock LNR showing part of the WW2 concrete road and scrub. This area is coastal grassland with scrubby areas very good for migrants and resident species. Also good for Lepidoptera & Odonata.

The old WW2 look-out shelter now used for seawatching at Lavernock - St. Mary's Well Bay

Ogmore Down SS8975 [Limestone downs. Good for raptors and small passerines. Also excellent site for Lepidoptera].