25 The ultimate things to do on the Welsh coast
COASTAL HIKES, SURFING, SCUBA DIVING, PADDLE BOARDING AND SEA KAYAKING, WALES HAS PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO BY THE SEA! PORTIA JONES ROUNDS UP OUR TOP 25
WHAT better way to enjoy Wales’ glorious coastline than to experience the many seaside activities and sights on our impressive shorelines? Wales has miles and miles of rugged coast to discover that are full of nature, heritage and even remnants of Celtic history.
From coastal hikes to surfing, scuba diving, paddle boarding and sea kayaking, Wales has a huge amount of coastal activities to keep you entertained all year round.
1. Spend the night cliff camping in Anglesey
If you like living on the edge, you can quite literally achieve this with a cliff camping experience in Anglesey.
This is definitely one for adrenaline junkies as it’s going to be hard to get a good night’s sleep if you are afraid of heights! Gaia Adventures in Llanberis offers the ultimate outdoor accommodation experience... sleeping on a portable ledge that’s suspended on a vertical cliff face.
It goes without saying that a good head for heights is a must as you’ll be spending the night above the swirling sea in Anglesey and as part of the trip you’ll have to abseil your way down to the ledge and then climb back up again.
As for amenities, the team promises hot meals from the comfort of your own ledge... and if you need the toilet then you’ll have to head up the rock face to the makeshift bathroom.
Visit: http://www.gaiaadventures. co.uk/individual-courses/cliffcamping/
2. Get your heart pumping on a coasteering adventure
One of the must-do outdoor activities in Wales is coasteering. Get your heart racing as you bravely scramble your way across the dramatic Welsh coastline – just don’t look down.
This challenging activity will likely push you way out of your comfort zone as you boldly jump off cliffs, traverse rocky outcrops and plunge into frothy pools.
Book your saltwater thrills with an outdoor specialist like Big Blue Adventures and explore the coastline safely.
Visit: https://www.explorebigblue. com/
3. Go dolphin-spotting in Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay in beautiful West Wales is home to the UK’S biggest population of dolphins.
Both bottlenose dolphins and the smaller breed harbour porpoises inhabit the waters around the Welsh coast, but you are far more likely to see bottlenose dolphins all year round. If you’re lucky, you might even come across an orca or humpback.
There’s a one-and-a-half-hour dolphin-spotting tour from tour operator The Bay that departs Gwbert and claims to see dolphins or porpoises (or both) on 80% of their tours. There is also the option of an hour-long tour at a cheaper price of £26, with a 50% chance of seeing dolphins, or upgrading to a two-hour tour for £50 for an almost certain 95% chance of getting lucky. Children’s prices are also available.
All the tours start by heading to Cardigan Island and Mwnt, where the resident bottlenose dolphins tend to feed.
They then head down to the coast by Pembrokeshire National Park where there is a good chance of seeing seals on the isolated beaches. Here you will also have a short tour of the caves as the boats are small enough to glide through.
Visit: baytoremember.co.uk
4. Hike down the Pembrokeshire coast path to see a tiny, hidden church
There’s a really scenic 4.4-mile circular walk on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path Trail called St Govan’s Head where you can find a hidden chapel in the cliffs. It’s a beautiful walk to do in autumn when the sun is shining and the sea air is crisp.
Highlights of this coastal walk include limestone cliffs, beaches and the famous Bosherston lily ponds, where you’ll find otters, waterfowl and water lilies.
On this coastal walk, you’ll also find many secluded bays, caves, arches, inlets, blow-holes and stacks that are the result of wave action on the limestone cliffs and are great for sea birds including ravens, shags, martins, oystercatchers, jackdaws and, of course, the chough. Wildflowers abound – the squill and sea lavender are particularly beautiful.
Follow the trail to St Govan’s Head to find a secluded chapel that’s hidden on a wild and windy beach. If you walk right down to St Govan’s Chapel today you can still see the “Bell Rock”. Legend has it that if you make a wish while standing in the rock cleft it will come true – as long as you don’t change your mind before you turn around.
5. Look over Saundersfoot in an infinity pool
It’s hard to find a more perfect place to relax than the infinity pool at St Brides Hotel and Spa – a beautiful property perched on a clifftop overlooking the sea.
If you are looking for a luxury spa break by the sea, this is the perfect ocean hotel for you! Their extensive spa facilities include, a full thermal suite with salt infusion room, sensation shower, aroma steam room, herbal rock sauna, ice fountain and marine hydro pool.
St Brides Perfect Package includes a 25-minute Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage followed by a 25 Express D-vine Facial for £75pp. They also have a range of individual spa treatments including VOYA luxury back treatment, VOYA marine radiance facial and St Brides manicure.
Visit: stbridesspahotel.com
6. Photograph puffins on Skomer Island
Elusive Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire has something to offer everyone. Surrounded by shaded inlets, offshore rocks and sheltered coves, the island is home to thousands of puffins that visitors can get up close to and take photos of these curious animals.
It’s a popular place for bird lovers and for wildlife photographers who will enjoy getting incredible shots of these colourful birds surrounded by natural beauty.
The island is reached by boat and the number of visitors is carefully managed to prevent erosion and to control the impact of people on the wildlife.
Landing tickets are strictly limited to a maximum of 250 per day here and tickets need to be booked in advance.
Tickets can be booked at https:// www.pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk/
7. Have a pint right by the sea
Nestled in the beautiful fishing village of Porthdinllaen, the beer garden at the Ty Coch Inn is practically on the sandy beach and has plenty of space to enjoy the stunning sea views. Autumn should be a quiet time to go on a coastal walk and pop in for a cheeky pint by the sea.
Once named one of the top 10 beach bars in the world and one of Wales’ best pubs according to a Walesonline poll, owner Stuart Webley puts the pub’s success down to “location, location, location” and “a slightly eccentric landlord”.
Stuart also says the “good food, good beer, beachside location, friendly staff and friendly locals” are all part of the establishment’s success.
Visit: tycoch.co.uk/
8. Walk the Wales Coast Path
Traverse the rugged coastlines of Wales on the arresting Wales Coast Path. It’s a long-distance, coastal footpath that passes through Blue Flag beaches, nature reserves, fishing towns and secluded bays that offer hikers sweeping views of the coastline. You can dip in anywhere along its 870 miles to enjoy coastal walks as well as discovering boutique hotels and independent cafes and restaurants.
Walking sections of the path is an exciting way to explore the coves, marinas, beaches and towns of Wales while having a low environmental impact on our beguiling landscapes.
There are plenty of hidden coves and bays that can be accessed on the coast where you can enjoy a glorious sunset.
9. Go horse-riding on the beach
Book a horse-riding beach session with Pembrey Park Riding Centre in Carmarthenshire. This family-run horse-riding centre is located within Pembrey Country Park and has access to the Cefn Sidan beach.
This beach is over eight miles long and has earned the Blue Flag awards repeatedly for its stunning views and cleanliness – it’s often described as one of the top beaches in Europe.
You must be an experienced horse-rider to come on their dreamy beach rides, as galloping is part of the ride on the beach, but if you aren’t experienced enough yet, come and take lessons with them and their qualified horse-riding instructors will get you ready for a beach ride.
Visit: pembreyparkridingcentre. co.uk 10. Go seal-spotting in the Gower Did you know you can go seal
spotting on the Gower Peninsular? The waters around the Gower Peninsula are home to dolphins, porpoises, seals and seabirds.
The Gower Coast Adventures trip will take you to see all the marine wildlife and seabirds that live around the coastline. The trip will take you around to Worm’s Head island which is a prime location for Atlantic wildlife.
The two-hour trips depart from Oxwich Bay and even take small to medium-sized dogs. The professional crew will tell you stories about everything from the wildlife to local history including prehistoric bone caves and tales of smugglers.
11. Take a dip in Blue Pool Bay
Blue Pool Bay is one of Gower’s most charming bays. There are no roads or lanes leading to this beach and its location and very sheltered position at the base of U-shaped cliffs is such that only those who know about its existence, and are not afraid of a good walk, ever frequent the clean sands here.
It is not a beach that is usually just stumbled upon and the average tourist will usually settle for the larger, more easily accessed neighbouring beach of Broughton. For that reason, Blue Pool Bay is also one of Gower’s quieter bays.
12. Forage for samphire at nearby Ynyslas Beach
Forage for wild samphire at the expansive and golden sands of Ynyslas Beach, near Machynlleth. This River Dyfi catchment area is unique in Wales, having been designated a biosphere by the United Nations Man and Biosphere programme.
In the spring, the salt marshes are awash with sea pink while marsh samphire and sea aster can also be seen in summer.
It’s a beautiful place for a spot of wild foraging for wild marsh samphire, that has a crisp texture and salty taste that works well with seafood and pasta dishes.
To forage the samphire, pinch or use scissors to snip the tips of the stems, leaving the tough, yellow lower stalks intact.
13. Go sea kayaking in Pembrokeshire
Kayaking in Pembrokeshire is a unique way to explore the remarkable coastline and its marine and birdlife. The 220-mile Pembrokeshire
coastline allows paddlers of all levels to explore Britain’s only coastal National Park at their own pace. Make sure to keep a close eye out for resident seals and porpoises which call the coastline home.
Explore Churches offers a “pilgrims from the sea” kayak adventure, where you can explore the Pembrokeshire coastline and learn more about sixthcentury saints and medieval pilgrims while kayaking around the hidden coves.
14. Paddleboard at Barafundle Bay
Popular Barafundle Bay is regularly listed as one of the top beaches in the world and is a superb place to SUP in Pembrokeshire. This secluded beach can be a challenging place to paddle as it’s only accessible by foot. The crystal-clear blue waters and golden sands are definitely worth the trip, though.
Outer Reef Surf School offers a guided paddle trip from Stackpole Quay to Barafundle Bay that takes paddlers past epic cliffs and caves in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Keep your eye out for a wealth of wildlife including bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises and basking sharks as you merrily SUP along.
15. Walk the Great Orme summit trails on the Wales Coast Path
These take in wonderful views of the town of Llandudno and across to the Menai Strait and Anglesey. The paths are steep in places but you can reach the top by tram or cable car. Flowers on the Great Orme provide food for the clouds of butterflies seen in summer – and look out for the resident goats.
Visit: visitllandudno.org.uk
16. Learn to surf in Porthcawl
Porthcawl’s Coney Beach is a welllocated surfing beach for those who are based in Cardiff and other eastern areas of Wales. Beware, though, the break is not always the best at Coney Beach, in fact, it’s usually either really good surf or completely non-existent.
The sheltered beach means that you really need to get out at high tide to have a good time of things, but, like Whitesands, the shelter also means that the surf can be nice and clean in comparison to other beaches. For beginners, this is good news because you won’t be fighting in a sea of froth and white water.
Porthcawl Surf School offers surfboard hire, surf courses and reasonably priced beginner lessons for surfing newbies. 17. Kite surf on the waves in Rhyl The beachfront in the North Wales town has flat-water lagoons which make it easy enough to learn to stand upright on a board. Once you’ve mastered that, you’ll be performing airborne tricks in no time.
Pro Kitesurfing runs lessons in the area. Visit the website for its latest prices and information.
Visit: prokitesurfing.co.uk 18. Do the Llanddwyn Island circular walk Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey’s west coast is home to the church of St Dwynwen – the Welsh patron saint of lovers. It’s the perfect place in Wales for a romantic stroll and a picnic with your fave.
Discover the island on a 3.5-mile circular route that starts from the car park at Newborough Forest near Niwbwrch. It’s a fairly easy straightforward track as the island of Llanddwyn is only around 1km long, so it doesn’t take long for the ruins of Santes Dwynwen’s chapel to come into view on your walk.
Route highlights include forests, sandy beaches and the Twr Mawr lighthouse.
19. Devour fish and chips at The Harbourmaster in Aberaeron
The bar and restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and it’s popular with locals and tourists. The fish and chips are a must and as you’d expect from a dining room almost in touching distance of the local fishing fleet. Make sure to try their Welsh beer-battered haddock, skinny fries, crushed peas and tartare sauce – you won’t regret it. Check the website for the latest opening times.
Visit:harbour-master.com
20. Spend the night at the Quay Hotel and Spa in Deganwy
At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking this is a lake house in the Hamptons. But behind the wooden facade is a four-star hotel with glorious views of the Conwy Estuary. Grab a restaurant seat looking out over the estuary and Conwy Castle if you can too.
Visit the website for the latest room prices, which can be booked all year round.
Visit: quayhotel.co.uk
21. Go for a fossil hike on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast
Enjoy captivating coastal scenery and 300-million-year-old fossils when you hike the Heritage Coast in the Vale of Glamorgan. Pick up a free geology leaflet from the Heritage Coast Centre and learn more about the historic remnants of the Carboniferous, Triassic and Jurassic periods.
Kids will love hunting for fossilised seashells and ammonites in the rocks and dipping their toes in the bracing waves that lap the rocky shorelines.
For more information visit: valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/
22. Have a coastal foraging experience in Pembrokeshire
Search for your own fish supper on a coastal foraging experience in Pembrokeshire. Coastal Foraging founder Craig Evans and his canine companion Llew will expertly guide you around rocky Pembrokeshire shorelines to seek out, and even cook, your very own coastal haul on this immersive foraging experience.
There’s a range of courses that take place across the Pembrokeshire coast where you can discover an impressive abundance of culinary coastal pickings from mussels, crabs, clams and cockles to oysters and sea vegetables.
Tidal bounties are often paired with rich Carmarthenshire butter, wild garlic and rock samphire, before being cooked al fresco on a Swedishstyle fire log. There’s nothing quite like an ocean-to-plate dinner as the waves break on the shoreline.
Deep-water species and elusive wild delicacies can also be found on the low-tide course. Traverse the lower shore among soft corals and sponges to seek out delectable crabs and prawns.
Visit: https://www.coastalforaging. co.uk/
23. Do the Worm’s Head Walk
The Worm’s Head Walk is a familyfriendly trail that starts near the National Trust shop. This six-mile route allows you to take in the stunning views across Rhossili Bay and also venture out to Worm’s Head – two small and pretty islands off the headland of Rhossili that are joined to the coast at low tide by a causeway.
This walk really consists of two parts – a gentle headland hike followed by a slightly more challenging tidal walk. The first part of the route is around the Rhossili headland and the second is out to the Worm’s Head.
The two parts can be done together, and both are suitable for families with older children. The walk to Worm’s Head is possible only 2.5 hours on either side of low tide, so make sure to check the tide times.
For more information visit: visitswanseabay.com/
24. Plunge into the great blue on a diving adventure
There are several coastal dive spots in Wales where you can explore the rugged shorelines and spot a huge range of wildlife. Keep an eye out for dolphins, whales, seals and seabirds along Wales’ spectacular coastline. You’ll also find hundreds of known wrecks in dive sites across Wales.
The main areas for diving in Wales are Pembrokeshire in the south-west and Anglesey in the north-west. Pembrokeshire’s clear waters, in particular, offer excellent visibility, abundant marine life and wrecks to explore.
Underwater Pembrokeshire has to be the waters around Skomer, Skokholm and Middleholm islands, which form part of the Skomer Marine Nature Reserve, one of only three such reserves in the UK. Visit the intact and well-documented wreck of The Lucy, explore the reefs and experience first-hand the biodiversity associated with marine reserves.
Haven’t dived to the depths before? Quest Adventures in South Wales offers a range of courses through the official PADI system, starting off in a local pool to get the hang of it before progressing on to coastal dives.
Visit: visitwales.com
25. Snorkel through a secret underwater garden in Porth Castell on Holy Island
Swim in the underwater channels of this diving site in North Wales for a sea garden packed with wildlife – including crabs, dogfish, lobsters and sponges.
You can enjoy the gullies and chasms with basic snorkelling equipment, though this small cove in Trearddur Bay has a diving centre for the full scuba experience.
It’s free to swim there and because of the weather, it’s better to do in the summer.
Visit: ukdivesite.com/diveguides