A postcard-worthy beach in North Wales has been named among the 10 best ‘secret’ sandy spots in the UK. Porthdinllaen on the Llyn Peninsula, around a three hour drive from Greater Manchester, is one of the most stunning beaches in the region.
It’s made a UK list of ‘secret’ beaches to visit in 2024, although there’s some debate over whether it is a ‘secret’, North Wales Live reports. Porthdinllaen was a fishing port and at one time it rivalled Holyhead to become the route over to Ireland - with the Anglesey port winning out because of Thomas Telford's road developments.
Although it missed out on that opportunity it remained a busy port for many decades. It has been owned by the National Trust since 1994, preserving its natural beauty.
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In the heart of the village is the Ty Coch pub which was built in 1823. For the first five years of its life it was the vicarage for the vicar of Edern. In 1828 a vicarage was built and the vicar moved out - leaving his housekeeper, Catherine Ellis to open the building as an Inn in 1842 to supply refreshment to the shipbuilding workforce who worked on the beach.
Now the pub is famous across the globe and is named on lists of the world's best beach bars. While well known the beach is protected to an extent as vehicular access to the village is restricted to residents with a car permit. Anyone visiting the village must walk across the beach from Morfa Nefyn or across Nefyn golf club on top of the headland, past the Iron Age hill fort.
It could be this control on accessibility which earns the beach its ‘secret’ tag. The Independent, who drew up the list, said: "Summer is in sight, with light nights and sunny days tantalisingly close. It’s a good time of year to start making a list of beaches you want to visit, especially if you want to avoid fighting for space on the shores with hundreds of others.
"Even though the UK weather is notoriously unpredictable, Brits love nothing more than a beach day. Whether you live in the city or countryside, there’s blissful escapism to be found in feeling the sand between your toes and taking a dip in beautiful, bracing waters.
"The summer months are the most attractive time to visit the British coastline, but also the busiest. With that in mind, we’ve found some UK beaches a little further off the beaten coast path. If you fancy venturing to a hidden beach on your next trip to the seaside, we’ve rounded up the best secret spots to visit."
On Porthdinllaen, they said: "Offering sandy, secluded space to play, this Welsh beach is tucked away from the old fishing village by sweeping hills. As the cove is sheltered, the water is usually calm, making it a great spot for swimming. Bring goggles and be sure to look down: the headland is a popular spot with the local grey seals, and one of the largest seagrass meadows in North Wales hides beneath the water, providing a habitat for many different types of fish."
The other beaches on the list:
Man O’War Beach, Dorset
Runswick Bay, Yorkshire
Embleton Beach, Northumberland
Church Doors Cove, Pembrokeshire
Lantic Bay, Cornwall
Sandwood Bay, Sutherland
Cuckmere Haven Beach, East Sussex
Aberlady Bay, East Lothian
White Park Bay, Northern Ireland
