Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🍂 Seasonal
Dogs welcome
Places › Wales › South East Wales › Torfaen Getting here
51.70360, -3.02406
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days 🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Wren +70 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Wren +70 more · last seen 2026
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Plants — Japanese Knotweed, Winter Heliotrope, Elder +21 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Japanese Knotweed, Winter Heliotrope, Elder +21 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, 7-spot Ladybird +22 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, 7-spot Ladybird +22 more · last seen 2026
Free
Plants — Elder, Common Sorrel, Walnut +1 more foraging species
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Cambrian Way Walking route ▾
Named route National walking route
Show on map 120 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
National Cycle Network 466 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 466 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 423 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 423 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 466 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 466 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 492 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 492 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 49 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 49 National Cycle Network
Show on map Afon Lwyd Greenway Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref ALG Local cycle route
Show on map Photos Shell grotto, Pontypool Park
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
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Wildlife to spot
8,035 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 8,035 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 47 species
spring summer autumn winter
2026 ▾
Wren · Blackbird · Robin · Woodpigeon · Goldfinch +42
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Blackbird Turdus merula Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Magpie Pica pica2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus2025 Greenfinch Chloris chloris2025 Dipper Cinclus cinclus2025 Goosander Mergus merganser2025 Tawny Owl Strix aluco2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba2025 Stonechat Saxicola rubicola2025 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Siskin Spinus spinus2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Black Brant Branta bernicla nigricans2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Skylark Alauda arvensis2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 🦌 Mammals 2 species
autumn winter
2025 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Feral Cat
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Feral Cat Felis catus 🐝 Insects 14 species
winter summer
2026 ▾
7-spot Ladybird · Orange Ladybird · Viburnum Scale · Harlequin Ladybird · Southern Hawker +9
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata Viburnum Scale Lichtensia viburni Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis2025 Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea2025 Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Winter Heliotrope · Japanese Knotweed · Butterfly-bush · Maidenhair Spleenwort · Holly +12
Winter Heliotrope Petasites pyrenaicus Japanese Knotweed Reynoutria japonica2025 Butterfly-bush Buddleja davidii Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes Holly Ilex aquifolium2025 Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 8,035 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 47 species
spring summer autumn winter
2026 ▾
Wren · Blackbird · Robin · Woodpigeon · Goldfinch +42
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Blackbird Turdus merula Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Magpie Pica pica2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus2025 Greenfinch Chloris chloris2025 Dipper Cinclus cinclus2025 Goosander Mergus merganser2025 Tawny Owl Strix aluco2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba2025 Stonechat Saxicola rubicola2025 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Siskin Spinus spinus2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Black Brant Branta bernicla nigricans2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Skylark Alauda arvensis2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 🦌 Mammals 2 species
autumn winter
2025 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Feral Cat
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Feral Cat Felis catus 🐝 Insects 14 species
winter summer
2026 ▾
7-spot Ladybird · Orange Ladybird · Viburnum Scale · Harlequin Ladybird · Southern Hawker +9
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata Viburnum Scale Lichtensia viburni Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis2025 Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea2025 Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Winter Heliotrope · Japanese Knotweed · Butterfly-bush · Maidenhair Spleenwort · Holly +12
Winter Heliotrope Petasites pyrenaicus Japanese Knotweed Reynoutria japonica2025 Butterfly-bush Buddleja davidii Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes Holly Ilex aquifolium2025 Common Sorrel Rumex acetosa2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2025
2025
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta2025
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta2025
Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator2025
Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator2025
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula2025
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula2025
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo2025
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo2025
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans2025
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans2025
Lily Beetle Lilioceris lilii2025
Lily Beetle Lilioceris lilii2025
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major2025
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major2025
Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva2025
Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva2025 Norway Maple
Norway Maple
Acer platanoides2025
Acer platanoides2025
Elder Sambucus nigra2025
Elder Sambucus nigra2025
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea2025
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea2025
Yew Taxus baccata2025
Yew Taxus baccata2025
Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea2025
Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea2025
Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima2025
Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima2025
Hedge Mustard Sisymbrium officinale2025
Hedge Mustard Sisymbrium officinale2025
Wild Cherry Prunus avium2025
Wild Cherry Prunus avium2025
Walnut Juglans regia2025
Walnut Juglans regia2025
Raspberry Rubus idaeus2025
Raspberry Rubus idaeus2025
Water Bent Polypogon viridis2025
Water Bent Polypogon viridis2025 