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Part of the RCT Living Landscape Project

Ty Rhiw

A beautiful native deciduous woodland that’s rich in biodiversity. Connecting to the Taff trail above, this site is an important link in a chain of habitats that allow nature to move freely. A must-visit in early spring.

 

TY-RHIW
Nuthatch
Nuthatch | © Wayne Withers

Habitat

Before you is a wonderful, species-rich ancient woodland of oak, beech, ash, hazel, holly and dogwood. Take a stroll amongst the trees to enjoy the woodland's superb native wildflowers and ferns.

When to Visit

In the spring the ground flora is at its beautiful best with carpets of bluebell, wood anemone, dog violets, ramsons, dog’s mercury, primrose, hart’s tongue
fern and hard fern. Visit early in the morning to hear the dawn chorus. In the autumn this is a great place for woodland fungi, and stalks of lords and ladies will be full of glorious red berries. Do not be fooled by their beauty, these berries are poisonous.

Biodiversity

Hazel dormice live here but these tiny ginger mammals are hard to see. Look instead for hazelnuts with smooth circular holes that the dormice have opened. Nuthatches can be seen scurrying up and down tree trunks in search of food. You may notice that you are followed around by a curious robin, hoping to feast on tasty insects you might disturb. On hot summer days, iridescent purple hairstreak butterflies settle on the leaves of oak trees and drink honeydew (a sweet secretion from aphids).

We Live Here... Can You Spot Us?

Hazel-Dormouse

Hazel Dormouse - © Clare Pengelly

BlueBells

Bluebell - © Lyn Evans

Wood-Anemone

Wood Anemone - © Bethan Dalton

Harts-Tongue-Fern

Hart's Tongue Fern - © Bob Lewis

Lords and Ladies

Lords and Ladies - © Bethan Dalton

Robin

Robin - © Wayne Withers

Dormouse-Hazelnut

Dormouse Hazelnut

Primrose

Primrose - © Bethan Dalton