Ynysddu

Spring flora bursts into life with wood anemone, lesser celandine and cuckooflower. Willow flowers provide an important early source of pollen and are a magnet for mining bees. The summer brings a succession of flowering meadowsweet, black knapweed, bistort and devil’s-bit scabious. Visit at twilight to see foraging bats. In winter, kingfishers and grey wagtails are easier to see on the river, and if you are very lucky you might glimpse an otter or salmon!

You’ll see lots of large red damselflies, common darter dragonflies and speckled wood butterflies. Look along the river for dippers as they dive underwater to catch their invertebrate prey or dip on protruding rocks. Charming bloody-nosed beetles are common here, so watch for them plodding slowly through the grass. Although shy, you may also see slow worms or even an adder as they sunbathe along the woodland’s edge.