BBC - North West Wales Outdoors - Places to go - Reserves

9 November 2009
Accessibility help
Text only

	BBC Homepage Wales Home

»	BBC Local North West Wales Things to do People & Places Nature & Outdoors History Religion & Ethics Arts & Culture Music TV & Radio Local BBC Sites News Sport Weather Travel Neighbouring Sites Mid Wales North East Wales Related BBC Sites Wales Cymru Gogledd Orllewin
	Contact Us Like this page? Send it to a friend!

Newborough Warren and Llanddwyn Island
This national nature reserve on Anglesey attracts thousands of visitors each year because of its beautiful beaches and views of the sea and Snowdonia.

Approximately 570 million years ago, in the geological period known as the Cambrian, much of Wales lay under the ancient Iapetus Ocean. Only volcanic islands broke the monotony of this aquatic landscape. Evidence of underwater volcanic activity can be seen today on the neck of Llanddwyn Island in the form of pillow lavas.

Red hot blobs of lava cooled rapidly as they were forced out of underwater volcanoes. These blobs fell onto previously cooled blobs, creating the distinctive bumpy pillow-like forms for which they are named.

Newborough Warren is much more recent. It was created in the 13th century when violent storms buried the farming region under a blanket of sand. To protect the town from further inundation, Elizabeth I passed a law protecting marram grass. Cutting this dune-stabilising plant became a capital offence. Today the warren is home to a number of plants and invertebrates which specialise in the dune environment.

ALSO ON BBC.CO.UK:

BBC Wales Nature: Newborough Warren videos

Access: Disabled access just off the main car park in Newborough forest, and also an accessible bird hide by Llyn Rhos-Ddu. The former has toilets, but the latter doesn't.

Directions: For Llanddwyn Island, either walk from Newborough village through the forest or drive to Newborough Forest (toll road) and park by the beach (if coming from Llanfairpwll on the A4080, you'll pass the post office on your right. Take the road on the left sign posted for Llys Rhosyr). Llanddwyn Island is accessible on foot at low tide.
For Newborough Warren park at Llyn Rhosddu.

Telephone: Warden 01248 672500. CCW enquiry line 0845 1306229.

Website: www.ccw.gov.uk

The BBC is not responsible for the contents of external websites.


		Terri Davies Is it true they are going to pull a lot of Newborough Warren forest down? Thu Aug 27 09:38:25 2009 Chris from Wirral As a disabled person I was disappointed I couldn't get my car any nearer to Llanddwyn Island than the public car park at the bottom of the toll road. I had looked on Google Earth and seen a second car park right next to the island, which would have been ideal for me, but alas, when we got there the gate was locked. I had tried ringing the warden's telephone number on several occasions before travelling, but got no answer. After such a long drive from the Wirral to get there and not being able to show my family the island, I was frustrated to say the least. I must say though, we still had a great time, although the beach has certainly increased in popularity since I used to come here to fish as a young man. (Now I'm giving away my age). Mon Jun 29 09:30:27 2009 Peter Hunter from Llangaffo Re: Graham Horden's message. I couldn't tell you if the cottage is still there as you weren't that specific on which one you were talking about. Saying that I would imagine that it is still standing. Also please don't say that Pen Lon is down the road FROM Newborough as I said that once to a local and he said that Pen Lon is IN Newborough!!! Wed Jan 10 16:51:38 2007 Graham Hordern I have lived in New Zealand for over 40 yrs, but my family lived at Pen y Lon, just down the road from Newborough. I used to walk miles through the Warren and to Llandwyn and the beaches. Can anyone tell me whether my parent's very old cottage on the 'Warren' side of the corner at Pen Lon is still there? Cheers, Graham Mon Dec 18 10:15:04 2006 David Williams from Newborough The town of Newborough might have declined from its once important stature on Anglesey but one thing is for sure the beach will never be anything but the best around!!! Wed Mar 22 16:25:15 2006 Phil from Anglesey I agree with the comment from John from Leicester regarding the kite surfers, however I'm all for people coming to the island to enjoy themselves. But Llanddwyn is a family beach and these kite people should go to my local beach at Aberffraw, it has equally long sandy stretches but has less people to annoy! Wed Nov 9 07:59:54 2005 John from Leicester As a family, we have been coming to this beach for generations. In the past five years or so, the proliferation of kite surfers seems to act as a potential threat to sea bathers and those walking along the water's edge on the beach. I believe wind propelled vehicles are already banned from the foreshore. It would seem reasonable for this to include kite surfers. Sun Sep 25 11:15:05 2005

Reserves
Bardsey Island
Cemlyn, Anglesey
Coed Cyrnol
Coed Llyn Mair
Coed y Brenin
Conwy RSPB Reserve
Cwm Idwal National Nature Reserve
Dingle local nature reserve
Llyn Alaw
Llyn Parc Mawr
Mawddach Woodlands
Menai Strait
Newborough Warren and Llanddwyn Island
Penrhos Nature Reserve
Snowdon
South Stack Cliffs
The Spinnies, Aberogwen
Valley Lakes
Y Foryd nature reserve

Places to go
Country parks

Great outdoors

Tell us about a place to go
Do you know somewhere great to go outdoors? Let us know!

Email A Friend
Click here to email this info to a friend