Beach in Swansea

Mwnt is a small and exceptionally beautiful bay on the Ceredigion Heritage Coast of Wales, a secluded cove beneath a grassy promontory that combines a sweeping arc of golden sand, clear turquoise water and the dramatic headland of the Foel Mwnt, a conical hill rising steeply from the coast to provide views along the entire Cardigan Bay coastline toward the mountains of Snowdonia to the north and the Pembrokeshire coast to the south. The National Trust manages this section of the coast and the combination of the beach, the headland walking and the tiny medieval church of the Holy Cross at the clifftop makes Mwnt one of the most rewarding short visits on the Welsh coast. The Church of the Holy Cross at Mwnt is one of the oldest Christian sites in Wales, a small whitewashed building of great simplicity that dates in its current form from the fourteenth century but stands on a site of much earlier religious use. The church's remote clifftop position, its whitewashed walls visible from a considerable distance at sea, made it a landmark for vessels passing through Cardigan Bay in the medieval period, and the tradition of religious use on this headland may extend back to the early Christian period of the sixth and seventh centuries. The bay has an outstanding reputation for dolphin watching. A resident population of bottlenose dolphins, one of the only resident populations on the Welsh coast, uses the waters of Cardigan Bay throughout the year and individuals and small groups are frequently visible from the headland and beach, particularly in the calmer conditions of summer and early autumn. The boat trips from New Quay along the coast provide closer encounters with the dolphins, but the view from the Foel Mwnt headland of dolphins in the clear water below is one of the most memorable wildlife experiences available in Wales. The beach itself, enclosed between the headland and the lower ground to the south, provides sheltered swimming in water of remarkable clarity, and the grassy slopes of the Foel Mwnt provide excellent picnicking ground above.

Oxwich Bay is one of the finest and largest beaches on the Gower Peninsula in Swansea, a broad arc of sand stretching for approximately three miles between the limestone headland of Oxwich Point and the dunes and marshes of the Oxwich National Nature Reserve. The beach is backed by extensive sand dune systems and a freshwater marsh that together form one of the most diverse coastal habitats in Wales, supporting rare plant communities, breeding birds and a remarkable diversity of invertebrates in the transition zones between dune, marsh, woodland and sea. The National Nature Reserve designation reflects the exceptional ecological quality of the Oxwich area, which is one of the most biologically rich coastal sites in Wales. The ruined medieval Oxwich Castle above the bay adds a heritage dimension to the natural attractions, and the Gower Peninsula as a whole, as Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, provides a protected coastal landscape of exceptional quality.

Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula in South Wales is consistently ranked among the most beautiful beaches in Britain, combining a sheltered sandy beach with three distinctive limestone sea arches at the eastern end of the bay, a tidal estuary entering through the sand, ruined castle ruins on the promontory above and the coastal walking of the Gower Heritage Coast in every direction. The combination of these elements creates a landscape experience of great richness. The three arches that give the bay its name are formed from the hard Carboniferous limestone of the Gower cliffs, their distinctive triple openings providing framed views of the sea from the beach below. The tidal estuary of the Pennard Pill changes character completely with the tide, the stream cutting channels through the sand at low water and filling to provide a lagoon at high tide. The combination of beach, estuary and dune grassland creates a variety of habitats in a compact space. The beach is accessible only on foot from Penmaen village above or from the Southgate direction along the coast path, the absence of road access preserving the quality of the experience. The combination of the natural drama, the varied habitats and the complete absence of commercial development makes Three Cliffs Bay one of the finest wild beach experiences available in Wales.

Rhossili Bay on the western tip of the Gower Peninsula is consistently ranked among the finest beaches in Britain and Europe, a three-mile arc of Atlantic-facing sand at the foot of the Rhossili Down escarpment whose combination of the vast, unspoiled beach, the dramatic headland of Worm's Head at the south end and the views north along the full extent of the bay to Burry Holms island create one of the most dramatic and most beautiful coastal scenes in Wales. The beach is entirely free from development, accessible only on foot from the village of Rhossili above the cliff, and its unspoiled character makes it exceptional among major British beaches. The beach is one of the finest surf beaches in Wales, its north-facing aspect and the consistent Atlantic swell producing reliable waves that have attracted surfers since the sport arrived in Britain. The lifeguards supervise the beach in summer and the surf schools operating in the area use Rhossili as one of their primary teaching locations, the combination of the wave quality and the spectacular setting making it one of the most rewarding beginner surfing locations in the country. Worm's Head, the narrow tidal headland at the southern end of the bay, provides one of the most dramatic short walks on the Gower, its rocky succession of causeway, Inner Head, Devil's Bridge and Outer Head accessible at low tide in a crossing that takes careful timing. The views from the outer headland back to the bay and north along the Gower coast are exceptional, and the grey seals that haul out on the rocks below can be observed at close range from the path above. The village of Rhossili, perched on the cliff above the bay, has a small National Trust visitor centre and the Worms Head Hotel providing visitor facilities at this remote and beautiful location.

Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales and among the finest in Britain, a small arc of golden sand enclosed by wooded headlands and limestone cliffs that can only be reached on foot, the absence of road access preserving its unspoiled character and keeping visitor numbers manageable even in high summer. The bay lies within the Stackpole Estate, owned by the National Trust, and is accessible by a fifteen-minute walk along the coastal path from the nearest car park at Stackpole Quay. The bay's enclosed setting gives it a sheltered and intimate quality quite different from the long, exposed Atlantic-facing beaches of the Pembrokeshire coast further west. The clear blue-green water of the Pembrokeshire coast, some of the cleanest sea water in Britain, fills the bay between its limestone headlands and provides excellent conditions for swimming, snorkelling and kayaking. The water clarity is a direct consequence of the low levels of pollution and river runoff in this part of the Pembrokeshire coast, and the underwater visibility in calm conditions can be exceptional by British standards. The walk to Barafundle from Stackpole Quay passes through a landscape of considerable natural and historical interest. The Stackpole Estate includes Bosherston Lakes, a complex of artificial lily ponds created in the late eighteenth century by damming three narrow limestone valleys, which are now one of the finest freshwater habitats in Wales and support large populations of water lilies, otters, kingfishers and wildfowl. The combination of lakes, woodland, limestone heath, sand dunes and coast makes the Stackpole Estate one of the richest and most varied ecological landscapes in Pembrokeshire. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the UK's only coastal national park path, passes directly above Barafundle Bay and provides the opportunity to extend a beach visit into a longer exploration of the limestone coast, with the Stackpole Head headland and the sea cave of the Green Bridge of Wales within easy walking distance.

Whitesands Bay near St Davids at the tip of the St Davids Peninsula is one of the finest beaches in Pembrokeshire, a kilometre of clean sand facing directly into the Atlantic Ocean whose combination of the excellent surfing conditions, clear water, the views toward Ramsey Island offshore and the proximity to the cathedral city of St Davids creates one of the most complete coastal destinations in southwest Wales. The beach is one of the most popular on the Pembrokeshire coast and retains a quality appropriate to its position within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The surf at Whitesands is among the most consistent on the Pembrokeshire coast, the northwest-facing aspect receiving Atlantic swell that provides reliable waves suitable for both beginners and experienced surfers. The surf school at the beach provides lessons and equipment hire and the combination of the surf quality and the beautiful setting has made Whitesands one of the more celebrated surf beaches in Wales. The coast path from Whitesands provides the route to St Davids Head, the dramatic headland with its Bronze Age fort and the views toward Ramsey Island, one of the finest short coastal walks in Pembrokeshire. The RSPB reserve on Ramsey Island, accessible by boat from St Davids, supports a significant chough population and the largest grey seal colony on the Welsh coast, and the combination of the beach visit with a boat trip provides an excellent day of coastal and wildlife experience.

Marloes Sands in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is one of the finest beaches in Wales and one of the most geologically interesting on the entire Pembrokeshire coast, a broad west-facing strand of firm sand accessible by a twenty-minute walk from the National Trust car park at Marloes village. The combination of the beach quality, the spectacular folded rock strata in the cliffs and the views across St Brides Bay creates one of the most rewarding beach visits on the Welsh coast. The cliffs expose the Old Red Sandstone and Silurian rocks of southwest Pembrokeshire in a series of folds and faults of considerable visual drama. The Three Chimneys, three distinctive vertical rock ribs projecting from the cliff face, provide the most dramatic geological feature and the defining image of the beach. Boat trips from Martins Haven to Skomer Island provide one of the finest wildlife island experiences in Wales, the grey seal colony and seabird populations of the island complementing the beach visit perfectly and making Marloes an excellent base for a full day of Pembrokeshire coastal activity.