Beautiful Flowers growing at or near the UK Coast

Primrose One of the best indications that spring is on the way, the primrose is a common flower throughout the British Isles. Often found near areas of shaded woodland, this species flowers between January and May. The plants themselves are small in stature, growing close to the ground, with the flowers generally appearing in whites or various shades of yellow. …

Top 10 Wildlife Highlights Of The UK Coast

Bittern – Norfolk Broads A master of camouflage, the Bittern is a handsome bird in the heron family. Tricky to see, these birds only like to give away their positions during the breeding season, when the males make loud booming calls to attract females. Their haunting sounds can travel for over 3 miles on a still day. Bitterns can be …

Chasing the Sun – Carmarthen Bay

Extensive Estuaries On the South Wales coast, the rolling countryside landscape cuts inland, forming a large inlet known as Carmarthen Bay. The Carmarthenshire coastline surrounds the bay and provides a window into the past, with a variety of historic attractions that are the remnants of the Welsh struggle against the Normans. Two of the most impressive sights are Carmarthen Castle …

Neptune Coastline Campaign

One of the National Trust’s largest fundraising campaigns, the Neptune Coastline Campaign is an ongoing initiative that allows the charity to secure large sections of the coastline, with the aim of preserving the natural importance of coastlines for current and future generations to enjoy. In the UK, no-one lives more than 120 km (75 miles) away from the sea, so …

The Booming Birds of Kenfig Nature Reserve

Glamorgan’s Largest Natural Lake Towards the southern tip of Wales, there is a dune system that makes up one of the largest active sand dune systems in the whole of Europe. The system once stretched across much of the southern Welsh coastline, from the Ogmore River to the Gower Peninsula. It has shrunk in size since then, but remains a …

Cardigan Bay – A Dolphin’s Playground

Welsh Atlantis Cardigan Bay is a prominent feature on Wales’ landscape, forming a curved arc that stretches for many miles along the country’s western coast. It connects Gwynedd in the north with Pembrokeshire in the south and is characterised by numerous beaches, estuaries and cliffs. The bay is also the location of the legendary Cantre’r Gwaelod – an ancient sunken …

Portmeirion – Absolutely Unique

Portmeirion was designed and built by Bertram Clough Williams-Ellis over a fifty year period between 1925 and 1975. Williams-Ellis left Cambridge without finishing his degree and worked for an architect company for a short time before at the age of just twenty-two he decided to leave and set up his own architect business.    His story is entwined with Portmeirion, and …

Cardiff Bay, Towering Cliffs & Extensive Sand Dunes – The Chepstow to Port Talbot Coastline

This article covers the stretch of the South Wales coastline from the England/Wales border (near the town of Chepstow) and the River Neath estuary, which is located between the towns of Port Talbot and Swansea. The coastline includes rural areas intercepted by several towns, including the towns of Barry, Porthcawl and Port Talbot, and the port city of Cardiff. The …