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Special Areas of Conservation

Glannau Ynys Gybi/ Holy Island Coast

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Wales
Unitary Authority West Wales and The Valleys
Centroid* SH208817
Latitude 53.30166667
Longitude -4.688333333
SAC EU Code UK0013046
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 460.01
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Glannau Ynys Gybi/ Holy Island Coast SAC

General site character

  • Shingle, Sea cliffs, Islets (25%)
  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (0.5%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (71%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (1%)
  • Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (2.5%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 1230 Vegetated sea cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic Coasts

    Holy Island, off the north-west coast of Wales, has hard rock acidic cliffs and supports important examples of coastal cliff heathland vegetation. In addition to maritime heath with several rare species such as spotted rock-rose Tuberaria guttata, there are extensive maritime cliff-crevice and grassland communities. The maritime influence is not as extreme as in north Scotland, and this site represents an important part of the range of variation on the mid-west coast of the UK.

  • 4030 European dry heaths

    Glannau Ynys Gybi/ Holy Island Coast is the most important site in north Wales for maritime forms of European dry heaths. The main NVC types are H7 Calluna vulgaris – Scilla verna heath and H8 Calluna vulgaris – Ulex gallii heath. The dry heathland is associated with small areas of wet heath and forms part of a complete zonation from maritime grassland through maritime heath to inland heath to inland heath with bracken Pteridium aquilinum to bramble Rubus fruticosus scrub. The heath is an important locus for spotted rock-rose Tuberaria guttata.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.