Kenfig

Kenfig Nature Reserve

Founded by Robert Earl of Glouchester, Kenfig in South Wales was once a thriving town of between 700 and 1000 residents that was unfortunately regularly attacked by Vikings between 1167 AD and 1321 AD. Wild storms and huge tides around circa 1433 AD, caused by a natural alignment of the sun and moon that occurs once every 1700 years, were mainly responsible for creating the expansive dune system that once stretched along the coastline of southern Wales from the Ogmore River to the Gower peninsular. In 1440 AD the Abbot of Margam reported unusual flooding from the sea, a full four miles inland! Over the next 700 years, Kenfig is all that remains of this unique ecosystem, making it Wales's best sand-dune reserve and Europe's largest active sand-dune system. The only trace left today of the ancient borough is the castle keep which rises out of the sand to the North.

It is one of the UK’s most important wildlife conservation sites. The 1,300 acres area is managed by the Kenfig Corporation Trust to ensure the dunes aren’t overcome by dense grassland and scrub woodland losing important and diverse wildlife.

Kenfig is now a favorite wildfowl refuge all year round. Birdwatchers should head to the hides at Kenfig Pool, the second largest natural freshwater lake in South Wales. The lake, populated by a wide variety of waterfowl, is one of the few places in the UK where bittern can be seen in the winter. Migrant wading birds include dunlin, ringed plover, little ringed plover, little stint, common sandpiper, greenshank, and black-tailed godwit.

 

If you go to the beach, you may also spot birds like gannets, skuas, storm petrels, and roseate terns. We were fortunate to visit during low tide when several people on horseback were enjoying the vast swathe of firm sand on the beach. The reserve leads to the coast and Sker Point, with sweeping views across Swansea Bay to the Gower. 

Among the many beautiful wildflowers to be found in the dune slacks (hollows in the sand dunes favoured by wildflowers), Kenfig is also home to several wild orchid species. The jewel in Kenfig's orchid crown is the Fen Orchid (Liparis loeselii), 90% of the total number of this species in the UK are found here. Volunteers help to identify and remove invasive plant species, these are non-native species that have been intentionally or unintentionally introduced beyond their natural range by humans. These include American skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus), Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) and Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica). Native highland cattle, North Devon Ruby Red cattle, and Welsh mountain sheep are allowed to graze on the vegetation to keep it from spreading to the wildflower meadows.

References:

1. BourtonInfo.com. 2022. About Bourton-on-the-Water » BourtonInfo.com. [online] Available at: <https://bourtoninfo.com/about-bourton-on-the-water/> [Accessed 25 September 2022].
2. First-nature.com. 2020. Alice Brown & Tom Watts.  Kenfig National Nature Reserve, Bridgend, Wales. [online] Available at: <https://www.first-nature.com/waleswildlife/e-nnr-kenfig.php> [Accessed 26 September 2022].
3. Kenfig Pool. (2022, January 8). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenfig_Pool. Accessed 26 September 2022].
4. Network, W., 2021. Kenfig National Nature Reserve | North Wales Wildlife Trust. [online] Northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk. Available at: <https://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/wales-resilient-ecological-network/kenfig-national-nature-reserve> [Accessed 26 September 2022].