THE RAVEN
NATURE RESEVE
AND RAVEN POINT
THE RAVEN
NATURE RESERVE
AND RAVEN POINT
POCKET IRELAND › Place Guides › The Raven Nature Reserve and Raven Point
The Raven Nature Reserve offers a landscape of striking contrasts, where the deep, resinous scent of a pine forest meets the bracing salt air of the Irish Sea. This narrow sand spit, separating Wexford Harbour from the open ocean, offers an atmosphere that is at once sheltered and wild. The reserve is dominated by a planted forest of Corsican pines leading to Raven Point, a place of long grass, sand dunes and copious bird life.
Unique Features
The reserve’s most defining feature is its geography; as you walk the main trail, you are flanked by the forest on one side and the rolling dunes on the other. This unique ecosystem supports a population of native red squirrels, often spotted darting between the trees, and the rare natterjack toad. The path eventually leads to Raven Point, the tip of the spit, offering panoramic views across the harbour where grey seals can frequently be seen basking on the sandbanks.
Greenland Geese
For a truly memorable experience, visit during the winter months at dusk. This is when thousands of Greenland White-fronted Geese fly over the wood to roost on the harbour’s sandbars - a spectacular natural event filled with the sound of beating wings and calling birds. Over a quarter of the world’s Greenland White-fronted Geese come here to nest. Locals often recommend walking the forest path out to the point and returning via the beach, provided the tide is out, to experience the full duality of this magical headland.
The Corsican Pine Forest
In the 1930s, the Irish government began planting thousands of coniferous trees along the sand spit. The primary objective was not timber production or aesthetics, but coastal defence. The massive North Slob lands (reclaimed agricultural land lying just behind the dunes) were vulnerable to shifting sands and the powerful winds of the Irish Sea. The trees were planted to bind the loose sand with their root systems and create a "shelterbelt" to break the wind.
Red Squirrel Stronghold
The pines produce an abundance of cones, which has led to a thriving population of native Red Squirrels. Because the dense pine canopy also supports Pine Martens (a natural predator of the invasive Grey Squirrel), the Grey Squirrels have been unable to colonise the area, making The Raven one of the safest places in Ireland for the native Red Squirrel.
General Information
Location
The Raven, Curracloe,
County Wexford,
Ireland.
Website
https://www.wexfordwildfowlreserve.ie/raven-nature-reserve
Opening Hours
Open 24 hours.
Accessibility
The main forest trail is flat with a compacted stone surface, making it generally suitable for sturdy wheelchairs and buggies. The return route via the beach is not wheelchair accessible.
Entry
FREE
Parking
FREE
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