Copyright walesonline
If you know Cardiff, you’ll be familiar with the city’s favourite green spaces including the likes of the beautiful Bute park, Sophia Gardens and Parc Cefn Onn. But in one corner of Cardiff that’s a little known nature reserve which you could easily drive past every day without even realising it’s there. Wedged between two of Cardiff’s busiest roads , Newport Road and the A4232, lies a patch of green that feels worlds away from the rush of the city. It’s called Howardian Local Nature Reserve, and despite its urban setting, it’s one of the capital’s quietest and most surprising sanctuaries for nature. Covering 32 acres, it’s a haven for wildlife and the product of plenty of community effort, care and attention that has gone into it. Over 500 species have been recorded here from tiny orchids to kingfishers flashing over ponds which are all thriving in a space that was once a rubbish tip. It started off back in the early 1970s when pupils from the former Howardian High School began transforming this hidden gem patch of the city, as the school’s Natural History Society were asked by the council to help manage some land which had previously been neglected. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here What began as a small environmental project grew into a 30-acre nature reserve over the next 17 years, and when the school closed in 1990, the reserve remained and was protected and expanded through the dedication of volunteers and local supporters. Fast forward to now and it it is serving as a welcome reminder of how care for the environment can take root in even the most unlikely places. For such a compact site, it packs in a remarkable variety of habitats, for the various species to enjoy, and it makes it a stunning place for a stroll in nature if you’re a human. A small stream runs through the trees, cutting into clay to reveal a slice of ancient Silurian Wenlock rock which is the southernmost outcrop of its kind in Wales. The stream then tumbles into a miniature waterfall which is definitely one of the reserve’s most peaceful hidden corners. Ponds and reedbeds draw in herons, kingfishers and sedge warblers, and grass snakes, frogs and toads reportedly slip between the reeds and find shelter in the damp edges of the pools. During the summer, it's also full of wildflowers including buttercups, bee orchids and butterfly orchids - so it’s a slice of paradise if you’re a bee or a butterfly (or just anyone who just loves flowers). Woodland areas which are planted with more than 25,000 trees and shrubs also provide nesting spots for birds and safe passage for dormice. Even though some people might not know it’s there, the reserve has had a fair few moments in the limelight, and was also featured on BBC ’s Countryfile in 2019 when botanical artist Annette Townsend showcased how the reserve inspires her detailed natural illustrations. Each June, the Friends of Howardian Local Nature Reserve organise an annual Orchid Walk, a gentle two-kilometre stroll that lets visitors discover the rare and delicate orchid species blooming across the meadows. The guided walk starts at the Ipswich Road entrance near the David Lloyd club, and definitely looks like a nice way to welcome the warmer weather , and orchid season in a place you’d never expect to find them. Have you visited the reserve before? Let us know what you thought, and where your favourite green space is in the city in the comments below.
