A NEW study has revealed Gogarth in North Wales to be the most photogenic nature reserve in the UK, with 845 pictures taken per hectare.

The research, conducted by Ark Wildlife, a provider of carefully selected natural foods and products, analysed more than 150,000 hashtags from the UK’s most wildlife-abundant nature reserves.

Found in Llandudno and covering three hectares, Gogarth ranked top of the list, just ahead of the second-placed Ditchling Beacon Nature Reserve in Sussex, and Cornwall’s Looe Island Nature Reserve in third.

The study said of Gogarth: “Located in Llandudno on the western slopes of the Great Orme, Gogarth is a special location to spot some beautiful species.

“Sitting on a steep grass bank, walking can be difficult. However, the stunning view can be enjoyed from the Marine Drive above.”

It also urged visitors to the reserve to look out for its impressive range of wildlife, including chough birds, silver-studded blue butterflies, grazing sheep and goats, and glow worms (at night).

Data was collected in August, with Ark Wildlife using the list on the Wildlife Trust website of all nature reserves and filtering by ‘stunning views’.

They then searched Instagram hashtag data to find how many images were associated with each nature reserve, and divided that amount by the number of hectares the reserve covers - to find which one had the most photos taken per hectare.

Sean McMenemy, wildlife expert and director at Ark Wildlife, said: “Nature reserves are vital for conservation work to help to protect our wildlife and to protect our planet for future generations.

“It is a joy to capture wildlife in action or a stunning sunset and to share these images to increase conservation awareness, but we don’t want digital photos to be all that is left if these habitats disappear.

“Maintaining wild areas across the UK to allow people to engage with wildlife is also good for our mental health. Using precious holiday time to slow down and appreciate the natural world is greatly beneficial as it contrasts starkly with our fast paced digital existences.”

A full list of the top ten photographed Wildlife Trust nature reserves in the UK can be found at www.datawrapper.de/_/acSUz.