The best west Wales beaches you never knew about
The sun is shining, and even if it's only for a couple of days, we want our distillery visitors to find the best west Wales beaches to visit while they are in the area. Mwnt beach has yet again made one of the ubiquitous 'best beaches ever' lists - and it is a delight - but living and working here, we want the 'off the beaten track' places to enjoy a cool dip and a cold drink as the sun goes down...
The place to start when looking for quieter beaches in west Wales, close to the distillery, is on the coast path. Accessible from most of the coastal villages, where you'll find the busier beaches, and with some public transport links, often you'll only need to walk 20 minutes or so from your starting point to find the real gems.
Cwm Silio
Cwm Silio - or Traeth Soden - is one of two 'secret beaches' we love - although possibly the furthest to walk to. However, if you park in the village of Nanternis and head to St Tysilio church, there's no hardship following the quiet wooded footpath that starts at the back of the churchyard and leads you down the valley along the Afon Soden, by waterfalls and over bridges to the beach. The beach itself is a mixture of stone and sand, with rocky cliffs and the distinct possibility of a seal or two. It is worth noting that the beach is often off limits during seal pup season, which can start as early as mid-August, so keep an eye out for local information about this if you're coming later in the year.
If you don't have the time or the inclination to walk, you can drive to Cwmtydu just a couple of miles further south, for a similar sandy/stony beach, where you might find more people, but easier access to the beach. For a busier town and more conventional beaches, New Quay is a few miles to the north, with a harbour wall to stroll along. We can't promise anything, but you'll often catch a glimpse of dolphins from the beach here and we can promise ice cream parlours, and excellent fish and chips.
Traeth Bach
Traeth Bach translates literally as 'little beach', but is often referred to as the secret beach - even though most locals know where it is - so is it secret at all? That's a question for another day. When the weather is this good, Traeth Bach is an absolute stunner. It does require a hike, either north out of Penbryn National Trust car park, or south from the village of Llangrannog, and a steep scramble down onto the sand - this is not for the faint hearted - but the rewards are great for those able to make it. As the tide ebbs, you'll see a second beach emerge. Swim over or scramble along the rocks to this tiny island. On a calm day, sea caves can be explored, while oystercatchers call overhead.
Traeth Bach is heavenly, but it is difficult to access. As alternatives, Penbryn has ample parking and a long wide sandy beach to enjoy, reached on foot either down the road, or through a wooded Celtic rainforest valley. There's a good cafe in the (National Trust) car park. To the north is Llangrannog. Parking is either in a paid car park in the centre of the village right on the beach, or at the top of the village in a free park and walk field. There are sometimes minibuses running to the beach from here. More of a village than Penbryn, here you'll find a couple of places to eat and drink, including the Pentre Arms pub, and Tafell a Tan for pizza, or book in to Sawna Llosgi for an hour of Scandi relaxation right here in Ceredigion.
