Coed Llys-Aled

Also within

Clwyd County

Habitats

Fast flowing river and stream

Geology & landscape

Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine

Landscape processes: Fluvial

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

Description

Description Botanical interest. An area of mixed deciduous woodland developed on the steep valley sides of the Afon Aled and its tributary, the Afon Hyrdd. Also included within the site are parts of Coed Bryndadleu and Coed Gwern-llifion. The woods represent one of the best examples in Clwyd of a woodland-type occurring mainly in Scotland, Wales and Northern England at medium altitudes and under medium rainfall conditions. The northern part of the site is on acidic soils, is grazed and the canopy is predominantly of sessile oak Quercus petraea, together with rowan Sorbus aucuparia. The ground flora includes wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa, many-headed woodrush Luzula multiflora, bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, wood sage Teucrium scorodonia and bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta. Adjacent to the river and also further south the soils are more base-rich and as well as sessile oak Quercus petraea, the tree canopy includes ash Fraxinus excelsior, together with wych elm Ulmus glabra and, in wetter areas alder Alnus glutinosa. hazel Corylus avellana is common in the understorey and the ground flora includes wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, enchanter's nightshade Circaea lutetiana and primrose Primula vulgaris. The southern part of the wood is ungrazed or only lightly grazed and notable species in the river gorge in this area include oak fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris, which is rare in Clwyd, and sweet cicely Myrrhis odorata. The woods support a varied bird fauna including redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix and pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca.

Species mentioned

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.

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