Coed y Gofer

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.5513, -4.0072

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Also within

Gwynedd County Eryri / Snowdonia National Park

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Habitats

Bracken scrub, Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

Description A biological site selected to represent a type of woodland occurring in lowland situations with an acid ground flora. The woodland is overwhelmingly dominated by comparatively young sessile oak Quercus petraea. Coed Gofer rises from the Dyfi estuary on a steep slope south and underlain by shales and sandstones with shallow soils. A stream, the Nant y Glo, cuts a ravine through the centre of the wood. An interesting feature is the presence of several old stools of small leaved lime Tilia cordata scattered in the wood. The shrub layer is sparse but is thick in parts with hazel Corylus avellana, holly Ilex aquifolium and rowan Sorbus aucuparia. Gorse Ulex europaeus and bracken Pteridium aquilinum are abundant around the northern edges of the woodland. The ground flora consists of common bent Agrostis tenuis, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and brambles Rubus fruticosus. Other species occurring include dense areas of bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta, wood sage Teucrium scorodonia and cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense. Narrow leaved helleborine Cephalanthera longifolia, a very uncommon plant, is present along with other notable species such as the shrub spindle Euonymus europaeus. There is light grazing in some areas of the wood. Remarks: A new site within the Snowdonia National Park.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
narrow leaved helleborine Cephalanthera longifolia VU herb orchidaceae
bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta LC herb liliaceae
common cowwheat Melampyrum pratense VU herb orobanchaceae
bramble Rubus fruticosus LC herb rosaceae
wood sage Teucrium scorodonia LC herb lamiaceae
spindle tree Euonymus europaeus LC shrub celastraceae
gorse Ulex europaeus LC shrub leguminosae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
holly Ilex aquifolium LC tree aquifoliaceae
sessile or durmast oak Quercus petraea LC tree fagaceae
rowan Sorbus aucuparia LC tree rosaceae
lime small leaved Tilia cordata LC tree malvaceae

Insects to look out for

These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.

SpeciesStatusVia host-plant
Oak lutestring
Cymatophorina diluta		 Endangered Quercus petraea
Heath fritillary
Melitaea athalia		 Endangered Melampyrum pratense, Teucrium scorodonia
Scarce vapourer
Orgyia recens		 Endangered Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
The sprawler
Asteroscopus sphinx		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Tilia spp.
Broom moth
Ceramica pisi		 Vulnerable Pteridium aquilinum, Rubus fruticosus
Mottled umber
Erannis defoliaria		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Sorbus aucuparia
The lackey
Malacosoma neustria		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Pale brindled
Phigalia pilosaria		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Tilia spp.
Silver studded blue
Plebejus argus		 Vulnerable Ulex spp.
Grizzled skipper
Pyrgus malvae		 Vulnerable Rubus fruticosus
Lead belle
Scotopteryx mucronata		 Vulnerable Ulex europaeus
Early moth
Theria primaria		 Vulnerable Quercus spp.
Pale eggar
Trichiura crataegi		 Vulnerable Corylus avellana, Quercus spp., Rubus fruticosus
Oak hook-tip
Watsonalla binaria		 Vulnerable Quercus petraea
Flounced chestnut
Agrochola helvola		 Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Garden tiger
Arctia caja		 Near Threatened Pteridium aquilinum, Sorbus aucuparia
Large thorn
Ennomos autumnaria		 Near Threatened Corylus avellana, Quercus spp.
September thorn
Ennomos erosaria		 Near Threatened Quercus spp., Tilia spp.
Autumnal rustic
Eugnorisma glareosa		 Near Threatened Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Double dart
Graphiphora augur		 Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Clay fan-foot
Paracolax tristalis		 Near Threatened Quercus spp.
Frosted green
Polyploca ridens		 Near Threatened Quercus petraea
Scarce hook-tip
Sabra harpagula		 Near Threatened Tilia cordata

Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Plant communities

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Matches 5 species from the description above: Anthoxanthum odoratum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Pteridium aquilinum, Teucrium scorodonia, Ulex europaeus

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas

A14 — Fast flowing river and stream

Myriophyllum alterniflorum community

Isolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina

A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community

Berula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans

A18 — Fast flowing river and stream

Ranunculus fluitans community

Fontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa