★ 4.7 · 442 reviews
RSPB Ynys-hir sits within the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere near Machynlleth, a genuinely special mix of ancient oak woodland, wet grassland, reedbeds, pools and saltmarsh running down to the Dyfi Estuary. It's best known as the home of BBC's Springwatch for three years running (2011–2013), and it's easy to see why — otters, polecats and hazel dormice share the reserve with red kites, peregrine falcons and, in winter, the only regular wintering flock of Greenland white-fronted geese in England and Wales. Seven hides dotted around the site give quiet vantage points over the different habitats, and over three miles of waymarked trails wind through everything from bluebell-carpeted spring woodland to open estuary views. Look out too for otters in the river pools, and more than 30 species of butterfly and 15 of dragonfly through the summer months. There's a small, cosy visitor centre with a wood stove and light refreshments, plentiful free parking, and picnic tables — though be aware the paths beyond the car park aren't especially buggy or wheelchair-friendly, with some muddy, uneven sections in the woodland. Around 40 minutes' drive from Tywyn, via Machynlleth and the A487.
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Make a holiday of it: our two beachfront holiday cottages in Tywyn sit right on the promenade, each with a gate straight onto the beach.