Whiteford Burrows, the beautiful dunes on the Gower peninsula, may seem quiet during December, but our ranger teams are hard at work, come rain or shine, protecting and conserving them as an internationally important feeding ground for wading birds and wildfowl.
A view across an area of rippled sand at Whiteford Burrows, Gower Peninsula, Wales
National Trust Images/David Noton
The stewardship of the countryside is neverending through the seasons, but winter is the traditional time for repairing and replacing fencing. Right across the dunes, mudflats, saltmarshes and pine plantation, the work helps to protect the rare and exceptional species of plants that grow there including early marsh orchid, fen orchid and dune gentian.
At least 250 species of flowering plants have been recorded at Whiteford, making it one of the richest dune systems in the UK. It is a tranquil place with an ever-changing landscape of mudflats and tidal ditches with access available from dawn till dusk.
With hedge-laying and scrub-clearance activities going on right across Gower, December is no time for our rangers to put their feet up. You can learn more about access to the Gower peninsula HERE.
Step outdoors in Wales 