Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve
Merthyr Mawr National Nature Reserve near Bridgend in south Wales contains one of the largest sand dune systems in Europe, a spectacular landscape of shifting dunes, dune slacks, ancient woodland, grassland and beach habitat of exceptional ecological and geomorphological significance. The dune system at Merthyr Mawr includes dunes rising to over 80 metres at the Big Dipper, among the tallest in Europe, providing an extraordinary landscape of bare sand and vegetation at various stages of succession. The reserve is of considerable archaeological interest, with prehistoric artefacts and early Christian cross fragments indicating human occupation of the dune landscape across many millennia. The adjacent village of Merthyr Mawr, with its thatched cottages and medieval church, is one of the most picturesque in Wales. The combination of exceptional natural heritage and attractive heritage village makes Merthyr Mawr one of the most distinctive and rewarding nature destinations in south Wales.