Pant y Sais National Nature Reserve, near Swansea

Welcome

Pant y Sais National Nature Reserve shares many similarities with the nearby – but much larger – Crymlyn Bog to the west.

The reed and sedge beds are home to a range of wetland plants, birds and insects.

The best way to experience the reserve is to follow the boardwalk into the heart of the fen.

Running alongside Pant y Sais is the Tennant Canal.

Along with a variety of birds and dragonflies, the banks of the canal are also home to the fen raft spider – Britain’s largest spider.

Walking trail

The walking trail is waymarked from start to finish.

Look out for the information panel at the start of the trail.

Find out about walking trail grades.

Pant y Sais Walk

• Grade: Accessible
• Distance: ½ mile/0.6 kilometres
• Time: 15 minutes
• Trail information: The trail starts from a pedestrian entrance behind some railings on the B4290 – please take care crossing the road. It follows an accessible circular boardwalk with passing places and benches. Please stick to the boardwalk when out on the fen as there is dangerous wet ground.

Other walking route

You can follow the Tennant Canal towpath along the length of Pant y Sais Fen, and beyond the reserve in either direction as far as Swansea or Neath.

Wales Coast Path

The Wales Coast Path passes the edge of the reserve.

You can join it underneath the bridge over the canal.

Find out more about the Wales Coast Path.

What to see on the National Nature Reserve

Pant y Sais is a National Nature Reserve.

National Nature Reserves are places with some of the very finest examples of wildlife habitats and geological features.

The landscape and wildlife varies depending on which time of year you visit – here’s what to look out for.

• The best time of year to visit Pant y Sais is during the summer, when the reserve is alive with the sound of bird song.
• Reed warblers and sedge warblers breed here, along with Cetti’s warbler, grasshopper warbler, reed bunting and water rail.
• Scarcer visitors, normally associated with the East Anglian fens, include bittern, marsh harrier and bearded tit.
• Summer is also a good time to see the various wetland plants. Amongst the reed and sedges, special wetland flowers include yellow iris, marsh cinquefoil and greater spearwort.
• Look out for the big clumps of royal fern – a Pant y Sais speciality.
• Britain’s largest and rarest spider, the fen raft spider, lives here but you are much more likely to spot butterflies and dragonflies during your visit.

National Nature Reserves in Wales

There are over 70 National Nature Reserves in Wales.

Find out more about National Nature Reserves.

Visiting safely

We want you to return home safely after your visit here.

You are responsible for your own safety as well as the safety of any children and animals with you during your visit.

Please note:

• Stick to the boardwalk when out on the fen as there is dangerous wet ground.
• Canal with deep water – stick to the towpath, keep away from the water’s edge and do not swim.
• The towpath can be muddy in wet weather – wear footwear with a good grip.

For advice and tips to help you plan your visit here go to Visiting our places safely.

Accessible facilities

The boardwalk is accessible to wheelchairs.

The Tennant Canal towpath is not accessible to wheelchairs.

Changes to visitor facilities

See the top of this webpage for details of any planned closures or other changes to visitor facilities here.

For your safety, always follow instructions from staff and signs including those for trail diversions or closures.

We may divert or close trails whilst we undertake maintenance work or other operations and we may need to close other visitor facilities temporarily.

In extreme weather, we may close facilities at short notice due to the risk of injury to visitors and staff.

Organising an event on our land

You may need permission from us to organise an event or to carry out some activities on our land.

Check if you are allowed to use our land.

How to get here

We recommend you follow these directions or use the Google map below which has a pin on this place’s location.

Pant y Sais National Nature Reserve is 4 miles east of Swansea.

It is adjacent to the village of Jersey Marine.

Follow signs from the A483 to Jersey Marine village and the B4290.

Take the B4290 into the village and, immediately after going over the canal bridge, turn left onto School Road (Heol yr Ysgol). There is limited parking on this residential road, please park considerately.

Walk back to the B4290 and walk up the pavement towards the bus stop, and the entrance to the reserve and boardwalk is behind some railings. 

You can also get to the reserve via the Tennant Canal towpath. You can join the towpath from the bridge on the B4290 near the entrance to Jersey Marine village.

The Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference for the start of the trail is SS 712 940 (Explorer Map 165).

View this place on the What3Words website.

Public transport

The nearest mainline railway station is in Briton Ferry.

There is a bus stop opposite the entrance to the reserve boardwalk which has a service from Swansea and Neath.

For details of public transport go to the Traveline Cymru website.

Parking

The reserve does not have a car park.

There is limited parking in the residential roads near the reserve entrance - please park considerately.

Contact details

There are no staff at this location.

Contact our customer team for general enquiries during office hours, Monday to Friday.