Prior’s Wood and Meadow, Three Crosses, Gower, Swansea

Ragged robin

Ragged robin - Richard Burkmar

Prior’s Wood and Meadow, Three Crosses, Gower, Swansea

Important Update: The woodland paths in Prior’s Wood and Meadow are currently closed to the public. The ride at the bottom of the woods and meadow remain open. 

Secondary mixed deciduous and wet woodland and lowland meadow.

Location

Three Crosses.

OS Map Reference

Grid References O.S. Explorer map 164 Gower. Main entrance: SS577936
Site centre: SS577938.
A static map of Prior’s Wood and Meadow, Three Crosses, Gower, Swansea

Know before you go

Maint
17 hectares
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Pris mynediad

Free
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Mynediad

Location and Access Notes

0.5 km east of Three Crosses, and 1 km west of Dunvant. Parking available on the roadside at Three Crosses. Follow the public footpath from Dukefield cul-de-sac across Fairwood Common until reaching the reserve. Not accessible to wheelchairs. There is an extensive system of permissive paths within the reserve.

Public Transport
Service 21 or 119 from Swansea Quadrant Bus Station to Three Crosses.

Dogs

image/svg+xmlAr dennyn

When to visit

Amseroedd agor

Open access reserve.

Amser gorau i ymweld

Spring, summer and autumn.

Am dan y warchodfa

Prior’s Wood and Meadow comprises 12.1 hectares of secondary broadleaved woodland and 5.3 hectares of meadow including some evidence of old mine workings, small spinneys, and a considerable length of hedgerow.

The woodland canopy is made up of a considerable mixture of species including Sweet Chestnut, Beech, Ash, Alder, Birch, Sessile Oak, Yew, Elm, and Small-leaved Lime. This diversity, together with cartographic evidence which shows that the site was originally called ‘Prior’s Meadow’, suggests that the woods have arisen from natural regeneration, probably aided by Victorian planting.

A variety of interesting shrub species may be found, including Eared Willow, Creeping Willow, and Alder Buckthorn. The varied ground flora is complemented by a rich mixture of ferns, bryophytes, and lichens, including Royal Fern.

Much of the wood is very damp, with two springs arising within the reserve.

The meadow slopes gently in a south easterly direction and is somewhat drier than the woodland. The turf is made up of a wide range of typical meadow plants, such as Black Knapweed, Devil’s-bit Scabious, Ragged Robin, and Yellow Rattle together with a number of uncommon species such as Whorled Caraway. The meadow also contains a great variety of grasses and sedges, and more than 100 vascular plants have been recorded.

Ringlet Butterfly on Yellow Rattle

Ringlet butterfly {Aphantopus hyperantus} resting on yellow rattle, Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION