Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Kenfig National Nature Reserve
Kenfig National Nature Reserve
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
259 reviews
Excellent
134
Very good
71
Average
22
Poor
9
Terrible
23
Nia C
Porthcawl, UK3 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
Continous parking payment problems are making visiting into a very unrelaxing experience. The Clear Parking machines are either continously vandalised or not working. The online payment service doesn't work adequately either. Hearing of lots of people getting £100 fines for non payment of parking due to this reoccuring issue , but its an issue that isn't at the fault of those parking!
Written June 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gwen S
Port Talbot, UK26 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
The nature reserve itself is lovely, great place to have a walk… however BEWARE of the car park now.. it’s now charging ( not a problem as profits go the the reserve itself) the last time I was there 22/1/23 the payment machine was broken and wouldn’t allow me to pay .. several people had the same issue ( it’s a touch screen and takes card payment) I received a £60 fee which I’ve appealed against and it’s been rejected.. I will continue to fight this but will NEVER go again in a car as once you’re in the car park you’re doomed if there’s an issue with the machine. It’s disgusting!
Written March 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mat S
2 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
After visiting kenfig hill for years I was hit with a 60 pound parking fine in March 2023. The car park had been free for donkeys years and there are no warning signs to say otherwise now. Scummy practice. I don't mind paying for parking but put up some decent signs!
Written March 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lee C
1 contribution
Sept 2023 • Solo
Car Park Scam! Please be aware they are after your £100, if you feel these dunes are worth £100 and a heap of stress then this is the place to come. Payment Machine only allows card payment but more importantly does not work, if your a glutten for punisment try and appeal anything going wrong because it will be a cold day in hell before you win. Right im off to clean all the dog crap off my boots, who knew dunes contain so much dog muck.
Written September 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lauren
1 contribution
Apr 2023 • Couples
Visited for my birthday in April. Was aware of the parking charge. After queuing for what felt like forever due to only one machine working, we managed to pay and this was confirmed on the screen. I have now received a parking charge of £60 stating I did not pay. After looking at bank statements, the payment isn’t showing so the machine must not have been working properly. I am unable to appeal as I have no evidence of payment. I will never return here and wouldn’t advise anyone to. Absolute disgrace!
Written April 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shirley E
Dronfield, UK414 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
This is an amazing place and one I shall definitely visit again. Large car park (pay on exit). Pop up coffee van, does snacks too. Some great walks to the lake or over the dunes to the sea. I used my phone compass as all the dunes look the same and it’s a fair walk. There’s also a bird hide at the lake but watch out in this area for midges. Repellent definitely needed.
Written July 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon
Rushden, UK121 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
A very large Nature Reserve but maybe due to the time we visited we saw hardly any wildlife the bird hide is lovely but saw about 5 water foul and that was it. We tried to walk to the beach but due to the weather, the flat parts were flooded but am sure when its not it would be a great walk. As for the car park we didn't have any problems like many others, I spoke to a lovely young lady who said if anyone has a problem with paying and gets a letter with a fine, she said DO NOT contact the company but contact Kenfig Nature Reserve and they will sort it out.
Written November 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
watersalt1
Cardiff, UK4 contributions
Jan 2023 • Family
ANPR parking camera on exit watch you don’t get done, not very signed and easily missed. £100 parking fine. Was free to park for years. Place is one big dog toilet these days away. Avoid.
Written March 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bluebellplasnewydd
Cardiff, UK2,043 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
This is quite a wild place with beaches, a lake and thick vegetation. Well worth a walk but remember it can be very cold and windy in the winter (and summer). There are a couple of pubs on the adjoining road for when you feel tired.
Written September 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Topaz111
Cardiff, UK34 contributions
May 2022
This is a potentially lovely place with a very pleasant walk down past the lake, through the sand dunes to a wide sandy beach. Noticeboards indicate that there is some very interesting birdlife resident there (Bitterns, especially) and I glimpsed a number of silhouettes and flashes of colour that were unfamiliar to me. Unfortunately, as other reviews have mentioned, Kenfig Nature Reserve is one big dog toilet. It was so bad you could barely look up at the scenery or the birds for fear of treading in something very unpleasant. Dog walkers were in the majority there and barely any of them kept their dogs on a lead, as I believe is the rule. There were a few unsavoury-looking people there too, with breeds of dog that you certainly wouldn't want anywhere near a child, but again they were set loose to do as they please. There was no sign of any enforcement of the rules. With my 3 children with me, I'd normally be looking around for interesting nature or geographical features to talk about, but instead it became a grim and silent march through a minefield of dog mess, pointing left, right and centre at piles of it to avoid - some parts were so densely fouled you could smell it in the air. The beach was very nice, once we got there, with interesting rockpools at low tide containing crabs, prawns and hermit crabs. The dog fouling is so bad, however, that we won't be returning, which is a shame, as it could be a real gem and is within a 15 minute drive for us.
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
With difficulty as it’s sand most of the way
Written October 10, 2020
Hi can you tell me if the gates to the main car park for horse trailers lock at night. Thank you
Written May 30, 2019
I was evacuated to Kenfig Hill as a child in WW2 and one of my favourite things to do was walk across the sand dunes to Sker. I am returning with my pensioners group in November for a holiday in Porthcawl. I am not sure I will be able to manage this walk (I am now 83) but if I can, is it still possible to do it? One thing I remember is picking blueberries along the way. Some of my happiest childhood memories are from my stay in Kenfig Hill and Porthcawl.
Written September 22, 2015
Hello Shirley, I am sorry I cannot answer your question, as I’ve never been to Kenfig Nature Reserve but I just wanted to say how lovely your post was and I’m wondering whether you manage to walk it recently or not?
Written August 1, 2018
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