Glamorgan Heritage Coast Centre

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Information:

  • Categories: Castles, Churches and Heritage, Country Parks and Green Spaces, Coast, Farming and Food, Sport and Adventure
  • Age Groups: Early Years, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 5
  • Topics: Knowledge and understanding of the world, Creative development, Language, literacy and communication skills, Personal and social development, well,being and cultural diversity, Physical development
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Glamorgan Heritage Coast Attractions

  • Triassic and Liassic cliffs, rocky shores and wave cut platforms interspersed with sandy beaches.
  • A wide range of flora and fauna, making it one of the richest areas of biodiversity and natural beauty in South Wales
  • Calcareous grassland which is rich in plant life specific to alkaline soil such as the Clustered Bellflower and the Purple Gromwell
  • Woodland carpeted with flowers in spring as well as a variety of trees which are home to badgers, foxes, squirrels and plentiful bird species
  • Abundant marine life adapted to the harsh intertidal conditions of our exposed shores such as anemones, barnacles, periwinkles and many more. We often have sea creatures like prawns and fish stranded in our rock pools by the tides. Dunraven Bay has an expansive area of Honeycomb Worm Reefs
  • Fossils abundantly scattered along the shores, evidence of Earth’s history from the limestone formed in the Carboniferous Period (350 million years ago) to the Blue Lias of the Liassic period (180 million years ago).  

 

Dunraven Park: An estate dating back to the 17th Century, Dunraven Park spans 56 acres along the cliffs of Southerndown on the Wales Coastal Path.   An SSSI site, it is open to public visits daily.

Main attractions


  • Heritage Coast Centre
  • Walled Gardens
  • Ice House
  • Dunraven Bay
  • Nature Trail

 

Facilities: Rangers office / Tourist Information / Shop / Picnic benches / Disabled parking / Mobility Scooter / Public Toilets

Environmental Education Programme

The Heritage Coast Centre offers schools, colleges and community groups a unique and specialised environmental education and outdoor learning opportunities on the coast with its extensive ranger-led activities. We offer an array of diverse wildlife and habitats to explore; beaches, woodlands, grassland, ponds, cliffs and gardens, this makes it an ideal base for learning about our natural world and tying in with the Welsh National Curriculum and cornerstone topics. 

For more information, please contact the Heritage Coast Centre

  • 01656 880157
  • heritagecoast@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

 

Ranger Walks and Talks

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Additional to the Environmental Education Programme, our coastal rangers are available to host groups wishing to learn more about the Glamorgan Heritage Coast though guided walks and informative talks.   These can be tailored to your group’s interests but generally cover Geology, Dunraven Park, Coastal Management, Coastal Tourism and Recreation, Wildlife and Habitats. 

Ranger Led Activities  

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Rockpool Ramble: Marine-life and habitats

Dip into the world of rockpools at Dunraven Bay, discovering and exploring life in these salty intertidal habitats all year round.

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Bug Safari: Invertebrates and their habitats

Explore the world of mini-beasts.  Capture them with sweeping, beating and digging techniques to study them up close.

Ammonite at Heritage Coast Centre

Fossil Hunting: Jurassic and Carboniferous Fossils

Learn to recognise the sea creatures of a bygone era embedded in our coastal rocks.  Find out about their evolution and how they got there.

Children pond dipping

Pond Dipping: Pond life and habitats

Discover the interesting creatures that live in our freshwater pond and stream habitats and explore how they are adapted to their environment.

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Den Building: Team playing

Build a woodland den for protection from the elements.  Learn lashing and whittling techniques for construction

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Strandline Safari: Beach exploration

Join us for a stroll along the strandline and learn about the curious objects deposited by the waves.  We often find a variety of seaweed, egg cases of sharks commonly known as Mermaid's Purse and even 'flotsam' - remnants of shipwrecks.

 

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