Beach Guide: Wales

Black Rock Sands is a two mile long sandy beach that can offer good windsurfing for all sailors depending on the conditions. It also offers excellent kite-buggying conditions on its flat expanse of sand. Even at high tides there is usually enough sand to get in your buggy. There are restrictions on kite-flying activities though. For windsurfing, in lighter winds, the fairly flat water and lack of obstacles make for ideal conditions for beginners, although they should be aware of the currents. When the wind picks up, so does the swell, and in strong winds with a large swell Black Rock Sands can produce some good wave-sailing and jumping conditions. The beach itself faces south so the prevailing SW winds as cross-onshore. NW winds can produce some nice cross-offshore conditions, but these are unfortunately rarely accompanied by a decent swell. Car parking is available on the beach, but as with lots of beaches where you can drive on the beach, it can attract boy-racers. There are few amenities on the beach, but plenty of cafes, restaurants, pubs and places to stay in nearby Porthmadog (which also, according to Anna, boasts the best fish and chip shop in the world!)

Cricieth is an out of favour seaside resort, It used to be extremely popular in the Victorian days of beach holidays, but beach-bound holiday makers now tend to head to Pwllheli and Abersoch. This has left Cricieth a little run down, but it still offers plenty of good places to stay and eat. I'm not sure about the potential of Cricieth for 'forces-of-nature' sports, but with a sweeping south facing sand and shingle beach I see no reason why it shouldn't be good for windsurfing or kitesurfing.

A sandy, south facing beach which can have a nasty shorebreak. It can however produce some good bump and jump conditions and all the usual amenities are available nearby as Pwllheli is pretty much the 'capital' of the Lleyn Peninsula. This does however mean that it can get busy, especially in the summer and parking (or even driving through town) can become a problem. When things are quieter, parking is available along the sea front and hotels, clubs, cafes etc are all within easy reach. In my opinion though Pwllheli isn't the nicest place on the Lleyn, being neither a thriving seaside town, nor a remote, pretty beach. The views from the beach across the Rhinog mountains are nice enough though.

A gorgeous, quiet, sheltered beach backed by woodland. Not really suitable for 'forces-of-nature' sports, but certainly a place to enjoy a quiet summers evening.

Abersoch has become a haven for the comfortably well off to play with their yachts, jet skis and any other water craft you can think of. The town itself houses numerous boat shops, chandleries and surf shops and can be a lively bustling place in the summer. Even out of season it is usually quite busy and those of you looking for a lively night out or just a pleasant drink whilst people watching would do well to head to Abersoch. The harbour is also a pleasant place to sit and watch people and craft coming and going. Abersoch has three beaches, town beach by the harbour can get very busy at peak times with holiday makers. Those seeking out 'forces-of-nature' types activities should head either for Quarry beach to the NE of the town, or to Main Beach to the south of the town. Quarry beach faces SE, making SW winds cross-shore and can offer good bump and jump sailing conditions. The beach is also good for kitesurfing. Parking is available on grass within 50m of the beach and all the amenities one could want for can be found in Abersoch.
Main Beach is more popular than Quarry Beach and generally offers flat water sailing in a well protected bay. Its enclosed nature makes the bay very suited to beginners and in a decent blow is excellent for intermediates. It can get quite busy though and with the added obstacles of moored boats you are well advised to look where you are going. There is a car park just behind the beach and a slipway onto the beach which many windsurfers with 4-wheel drive vehicles use to drop off and pick up their kit.

Porth Ceiriad is a spectacular beach surrounded by high cliffs and with views out across Cardigan Bay to the mountains of Snowdonia. An impressive setting for some equally impressive surf. Access to the beach is via a half mile walk across fields and then down some steep steps cut into the cliff. You will then be greeted by a steeply shelving beach and some powerful waves, best left to more experienced surfers. It is also possible to windsurf from here, but its difficult access and dangerous nature make it unpopular. Less experienced surfers should head to nearby Hells Mouth

Hells Mouth is the most consistent and usually the best surf spot in North Wales. It faces SW and catches a good amount of swell and isn't too badly affected by winds other than really strong SW's. As far as windsurfing goes, Hells Mouth again offers some outstanding conditions. It is sailable in any wind direction and offers good wave sailing on beach break waves or on the reef break to the right of the beach. Hells Mouth has a small tidal range so tides aren't really a factor when planning a surf or windsurf session here. Parking is available behind the dunes, but it can be a bit of a trek with windsurfing kit. The beach is recommended for all levels of surfer, but only for intermediate to expert windsurfers.

I haven't visited this beach for a while, but remember it as having a sandy beach with a few rocks exposed at low tide. In light winds it offers a good location for beginners although rips can develop. In stronger winds it offers good wave sailing conditions for more experienced windsurfers with SW winds being cross-onshore. The surf here is often better than at the more popular Hells Mouth and it is best surfed at mid tide. Parking is available near the beach and the usual seaside amenities are close at hand. Access to the beach is easy.

A small sandy beach with rocks at either end and a small rocky harbour. Porth Colma is a pretty beach and normally very quiet. There is a car park halfway along the beach, but no other facilities. There are no real surfable waves here, but SW winds blow cross-shore so the windsurfing is much under-rated. Its ideal for intermediates or above and provides good bump and jump conditions. At low tide the beach is quite steeply shelving so be aware of this. Parking is available nearby as are camping and caravan sites. This is a fantastic, quiet spot, withPlenty of space for families and non-'forces-of-nature sporting' partners.
To find it, follow signs for Nefyn from Criccieth. At Morfa Nefyn, turn left and Porth Colman is by Llangwynadl, four miles or so on from Tudweiliog

Nefyn is a beautiful sweeping 2 mile sandy bay which offers all the usual seaside amenities and plenty of opportunities for 'forces-of-nature' sports. Facing NE at its western end and swinging through north facing to NW facing it can offer a range of conditions. It needs a big swell to get any surf but can be good when it does get some. Windsurfers and kitesurfers are well catered for though with decent flat water sailing conditions in the prevailing SW's and bump and jump conditions in W-NE wind directions. Accomodation, shops and parking are all available nearby.

Another beach on the North Lleyn that I'm, not too familiar with although I have seen some clean lines of small swell rolling in here in a southerly wind. Larger swells with this wind direction should be quite good. A sandy and rocky beach facing NW and nestled at the base of the Lleyns hills Trefor can provide some spectacular views of the cliffs. SW winds will be cross-shore so should provide good windsurfing conditions although the proximity of the hills may make the winds pretty gusty. NE winds will be cleaner and again cross-shore, while W and NW winds should produce good onshore bump and jump conditions.

A long sandy beach backed by a pebble storm bank and split by a couple of rocky breakwaters at high tide. This long stretch of sand provides perfect conditions for 'forces-of-nature' sports and is a popular place for watersports enthusiasts and holidaymakers alike. The beach is backed by several cafes and caravan sites and there are car parks all along the beach. Toilets can be found in the middle of the beach and at the southern end. The northern end of the beach backed by dunes and an airfield is much quieter and attracts fishermen. The views across the Lleyn Peninsula and across to Llanddywyn island on Anglesey are reason enough to visit this beach. Facing virtually westerly it does pick up a bit of swell and can be surfed, but it isn't particularly consistent. Windsurfing is a more popular sport here, with good wave sailing or bump and jump conditions in Southerly through Westerly to Northerly wind directions. The breakwaters can provide some protection from rough waters in strong SW winds and can make getting out through the whitewater on big days a little easier. Easterly winds are offshore and can provide good flat water speed sailing conditions. NE winds tend to funnel through the Menai Straits and can be stronger here than elsewhere. On large high tides, the waves break onto the pebble bank which can make launching difficult or near impossible when rough. Kitesurfing is also possible at Dinas Dinlle with plenty of sand to launch and land from at low tide. Kite-buggying on the sands is good too. To find it follow the signs from the A499 opposite the entrance to Glynllifon Country Park.

A large bay off the southern side of the Menai Straits. A popular place for birdwatchers as it is homes to many rare birds and a pleasant place to while away the days. It is also an excellent venue for windsurfing in relative safety. In lighter winds it is the ideal spot for beginners with shallow flat water, easy access and a quiet, relaxed feel. In stronger winds it provides good choppy blasting conditions for more competent sailors in most wind directions. It is only sailable two hours either side of high tide and as long as you stay within the bay the currents are fairly gentle. The less experienced should however stay away from the mouth of the bay where the currents can become very confused. It is possible to ail from here across the Menai Straits to Anglesey, but beware of the currents. The best place to launch from is the picnic site on the eastern edge of the bay where there is plenty of free parking and a nice area of grass to rig on. You park a few yards from the waters edge allowing non-participating partners to site in the van/car and watch. A really nice spot for a mellow days windsurfing.

Newborough Warren is a huge sand dune complex and 1,585 acre nature reserve surrounded by beaches. There are two main beaches here, Llanddwyn Bay and Malltraath Bay, divided by Llanddwyn Island. Llandwyn Bay is a spectacular sweep of sand and has amazing views out across the mountains of the Lleyn Peninsula. Access is signposted from the A4080 in Newborough and is through a forestry commission toll road operated by a toll barrier. There is huge parking and picnic area in the trees behind the beach. Llanddwyn Bay can get some surf and offers good windsurfing conditions. The beach is generally safe but the currents can be strong near Abermenai Point so keep away.The beach itself curves around from SW facing in the middle to SSw at Abermenai point and also wraps around to face SE near Llanddwyn Island so surf and wind direction relative to the shore can change quite a bit along the beach so it could be worth a walk to get the optimum conditions. The beach is also ideal for kite buggying and kite-surfing. Few facilities are available on the beach itself, but most things are available in Newborough. Malltraeth Bay on the other side of Llanddwyn Island is a Westerly facing beach often frequented by naturists (on warm days!!). It is quite a trek from the Newborough Warren Car park, so not really suited for windsurfing, but surfers and kiters should find quiet unspoilt conditions. The surf can be OK but is rarely great. The miles of hard packed sand make the beach ideal for kite-buggying and its remoteness mean that it is never busy. It has no facilities.

Aberffraw is a long, sweeping, sandy beach backed by high dunes. Access to the beach is by foot across Aberffraw Common alongside the River Ffraw. Accommodation, shops and other facilities can be found in the small village. The walk across the common tends to deter people from using this beach for 'forces-of-nature sports, but it can pick up some surf on occasion. These waves can be of decent quality too, breaking on the sandbars formed by the River Ffraw Generally though it is a nice pleasant beach for soaking up the sun and swimming in the clean waters.

The two sandy bays (divided by rocks) of Rhosneigr form the windsurfing capital of N. Wales. Although feeling fairly enclosed they actually pick up quite a bit of swell and can produce perfect cross-shore wave riding and jumping conditions. S-SW winds are best. Parking is available near to the beach, but Rhosneigr is a very popular windsurfing location and the car parking can be problematic on busy days. In lighter winds Rhosneigr is suitable for early intermediates or even beginners. There is also a nearby lake that is often used by compete beginners to take their first steps into the world of windsurfing. Kite-surfing is also becoming popular at Rhosneigr with S-SW winds again being ideal. There can be a fairly strong rip at the southern end of the beach and there are also submerged rocks here, so its best to stay away from this end of the beach unless you feel like destroying your kit. The surfing at Rhosneigr can also be pretty good on big swells and the waves are best on the push of the tide. Shops, pubs and other amenities are all available near the beach.

The popular Trearddur Bay has a crescent of sand with rocks at either ends, along with a few small rocky coves nearby. Although remaining fairly undeveloped, there are plenty of caravan and camping sites nearby and a B&B. The beach itself is OK, but not great for wind surfing and kite-surfing, but can get a little busy in the summer with holiday makers. I'm not too sure about the quality of the surf here, but I have seen small, clean looking waves breaking, so on a big swell it may be worth a look. Really more of a beach for the more sedate holiday maker, or for exploring the rock pools on a day with no wind or surf. There is plenty of car-parking close to the beach.

A rock, pebble and sand beach backed by cliffs and edged by rocks with lots of rock pools. This beach isn't particularly popular with 'forces-of-nature' sports enthusiasts being fairly rocky and protected from the elements. There is a slipway so some sailing and scuba diving does take place here. It is however a nice beach to explore, especially from the Anglesey Coastal Path which runs along the top of the cliffs. Parking is available nearby and there are plenty of local walks and places of interest. Church Bay is signposted off the A5025.

A quiet shingle beach backed by a lagoon that is an important nature reserve. As far as I know there are no 'forces-of-nature' sports that take place here and the beach has no facilites except two large car parks.

I don't know much about the potential of Cemaes Bay for 'forces-of-nature' sports, but I do know all about the geology of the 'Gwna Melange' that can be found in the low cliffs here, and there is a car park just above the beach with a small shop. Please submit a listing if you know more.

A large sandy bay backed by dunes. The large, prominent limestone outcrop of Castell Mawr on the north side of the beach is surrounded by interesting geology and may (but I'm not sure) have some climbing routes on it. The beach itself is a large sandy bay popular with sunbathers and holiday makers in the summer, but largely desserted out of season. Kiting on the beach, kite-surfing and windusrfing are all possible here, with NE winds being onshore. Parking is available behind the dunes and there is a small beach cafe/shop.