Coast and beaches

Blackrock Sands

The vast and sometimes windswept beach at Blackrock Sands is the nearest good sandy beach to Bryn Teg. It takes around 40 minutes in the car, except that Porthmadog, which is on the way, can get very busy during the summer holiday season.

Good for walking along, running in and out of the waves and playing beach games, but not much else.

Criccieth

Criccieth is a quiet seaside town with stunning views across Cardigan Bay.

Anglesey beaches

It takes about 40 minutes from Bryn Teg to get onto Anglesey, leading to numerous wonderful beaches. We have enjoyed

Benllech - traditional holiday beach, with cafes, ice cream, ...

Newborough Warren - a large beach with dunes, forest, glorious views,... . Nearby Llanddwyn Island is full of interest. If you go to Newborough, take time to visit the vineyard at Dywran and to have a cream tea at the even more eccentric Cae Lon Las caravan site which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "cottage industry"!

Malltraeth Sands - not for its particular interest as a beach, but a bird watcher's paradise, especially in winter.

Nearby Aberffraw has historical interest and excellent dunes.

Rhosneigr has good beaches and opportunities for water sports.

Llyn (The Lleyn Peninsula)

There are numerous beaches - here is useful guide.

Aberdaron at the very tip of Llyn is a place of cultural and spiritual pilgrimage. The medieval patchwork of ancient fields on the way to Aberdaron and the sea, visible on both left and right, make a landscape of stunning beauty:

Like a painting it is set before one,

But less brittle, ageless; these colours

Are renewed daily with variations

Of light and distance that no painter

Achieves or suggests. Then there is movement,

Change, as slowly the cloud bruises

Are healed by sunlight, or snow caps

A black mood; but gold at evening

To cheer the heart. All through history

The great brush has not rested,

Nor the paint dried; yet what eye,

Looking coolly, or, as we now,

through the tears' lenses, ever saw

This work and it was not finished?

- the words of R. S. Thomas, thought by many to be Wales's greatest 20th century poet, Vicar of Aberdaron for many years. Beware, though, it is a quite long way from Dolwyddelan, which is roughly half way between the English border and Aberdaron!

If you make the journey to Aberdaron, it is worth going via the tiny village of Clynnog Fawr to visit its remarkable church.

Wales Coast Path

The Wales Coast Path offers some wonderful cliff walking on the stretch around Tudweliog.

Llandudno

Llandudno is an excellent all-age resort and is easy to get to by train from Dolwyddelan. We felt it rather dowdy a few years ago, but now seems to be on the up with new shops, theatre &c.

The tram up the Great Orme is fun and the views are stupendous; here from the truly amazing Viewfinder site is a computer-generated panorama. The Summit Complex, though still tacky, is far less shabby than it used to be.

The main beach is a wonderful Edwardian promenade (numerous photographs here); the West Shore is quieter and has sand for more of the tidal cycle. The Marine Drive is worth the £2.50 toll for cars and is a good cycle ride or walk; there are several good picnic spots.

Llandudno Smokery used to be the best fish shop we had found around here, but appears to have ceased trading.