Just a couple of miles to the north of Beaumaris lies a delightful woodland nature reserve, complete with its own ‘secret’ Norman castle at its heart. 

The reserve has a comprehensive network of footpaths and boardwalks, and ample parking at public car parks in Llangoed and at Lleiniog beach. The variety of habitats comprises ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland, young broadleaved plantation woodland, flower- rich grassland, wet meadow and scrub. There are a number of ponds at the site, and the Afon Lleiniog runs through the reserve, meeting the sea at Lleiniog beach.

The slopes below the castle hold some lovely old oak trees, and there is a beautiful display of wild flowers in the spring, with species such as wild garlic, primrose, bluebell, wood sorrel and wood anemone. The reserve supports many different species of woodland birds, such as wood warbler, nuthatch, tree creeper, and bullfinch. Jays are frequently seen – you can often hear their screeching calls - and ravens, buzzards, kestrels and tawny owls all breed. All three British woodpecker species have been recorded.

Many different species of bats are present within the woodlands at the reserve, including noctule, brown long-eared, common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle. If you are quiet, you may be rewarded by a sighting of a red squirrel, and it is also worth looking out for signs of otters, especially on the boulders underneath the bridge over the Afon Lleiniog. Other mammals that frequent the reserve include stoat, weasel, and water shrew.