Find Tranquillity-on-Sea in Ceredigion, West Wales
However is southern Ceredigion still so undiscovered? Yes, Camilla, the Queen Consort, and James Bond have hit the beaches here, but essentially this 23-mile stretch of spectacular cliffs, sheltered sandy coves linked by the Welsh Coastal Path is Tranquillity-on-Sea - even in high summer. Reassuringly traditional, it offers the chance to experience again the holidays of our childhoods - but with the welcome addition of excellent contemporary cafes and well-organised watersports. The castle town of Cardigan, on the River Teifi, is the main hub. In recent years has become faintly groovy and has craft-y shops in lanes that slope towards the quay. Along the coast and inland lie a scattering of villages on agricultural land, so if you stay within 20 minutes of your chosen beach, the drive to it becomes part of the pleasure. For accommodation, look at westwalesholidaycottages.co.uk and underthethatch.co.uk as well as airbnb.co.uk and booking.com. Beaches are listed from south to north.
POPPIT SANDS lies just south of Cardigan. It draws in holidaymakers from north Pembrokeshire which, along with its cool beach cafe Crwst (outdoor seating), gives it a fashionable edge. You’ll find a big, breezy expanse of sand and bobbing boats where the River Teifi flows into the sea. Dunes offer shelter for picnics and dozing though there’s no shade, It’s a blue-flag beach, and the best on the coast for dogs, even though the western half becomes dog-free between 1 May and 30 September. Nearby St Dogmaels has a great fish and chip shop Bowen’s, a food store, the voguish Ferry Inn (dogs welcome on the waterfront terrace) and, on Tuesday mornings, an award-winning small producers market where you can put together a picnic. Lifeguards in summer; toilets; big pay and display car-park; beach wheelchair available.
Photo: John Nuttall, Flickr
MWNT regularly tops ‘best beach’ lists because of its unique atmosphere. It’s a diminutive pocket handkerchief run by the National Trust, and you’ll need to climb down a lot of steps to reach it. But your efforts are well rewarded, particularly if you get the beach to yourself. And even better if dolphins turn up to join you! Perched above the beach on the cliffs is a super-romantic whitewashed 14th-century church with images of saints carved into the roof timbers. For centuries, pilgrims arrived by boat since Mwnt sits in isolation on the coast path three miles from Cardigan. The pay-and-display carpark is huge, and there’s a simple booth selling drinks and snacks like toasties and Welsh cakes. Athough dogs are banned 1 May-30 September, It can still be nice to visit for a walk along the cliffs and a picnic.
Photo: A Trip Up My Sleeve
ABERPORTH used to have a thriving herring industry, and it tells its story on history boards scattered around the bustling sandy beach. It’s set in an unpretentious, family-friendly village and is divided into two rockpool-splashed coves. The larger cove Dyffryn is dog-free 1 May-30 September; the other welcomes dogs throughout summer, and they’ll enjoy paddling and drinking in the shallow estuary. Swimming is considered safer here (lifeguards in summer) and there are great hillside views from a wildflower-dotted meadow. Once you’ve tackled the hill it’s an easy walk to Tresaith along the coastal path with dolphin sightings a distinct possibility. There are toilets and an outdoor shower by the beaches. And scattered around are several cafes, takeaways and shops. There always seems to be a new on-trend businesses - currently it’s the seasonal Boy Ashore burger shack - while The Ship Bar is a friendly, reliable spot (dogs welcome). One small paying car park with free parking around the village if you strike lucky.
Photo: A Trip Up My Sleeve
TRESAITH Has an ace up its sleeve in The Ship Inn (dogs welcome), whose terrace tables have the best views of any pub along the coast. It’s a characterful little blue-flag, pebble-and-sand cove with a hidden second beach that you reach by scrambling across rocks. Surfers visit and a bit of cave exploring takes place under a waterfall. A handy booth/shop sells chips and rents out kayaks and there are lifeguards in summer. It’s a steep climb through the village to the parking if you don’t get lucky on the road (and you usually don’t!). Dogs welcome all year round. Toilets and shower.
PENBRYN has star quality. Its long sweep of sand doubled as a North Korean beach in the James Bond movie Die Another Day. And the National Trust keeps it pristine and natural - it has a Green Coast award - and cares for woodlands that edge the sand. An excellent cafe, The Plwmp Tart (mostly outdoor seating; dogs welcome) sits in a good-sized car park alongside toilets but there are no other facilities or shops nearby. It’s all about the beach. Dogs are banned from half of the beach 1 May-30 September but are now welcome on part of it - which was an helpful change in 2021 as it can form part of a brilliant dog walk including cliffs, woodland and sand.
Penbryn beach. Photo: National Trust, See nationaltrust.org/penbryn
LLANGRANNOG received the Royal seal of approval from Camilla, the Queen Consort, when she was spotted having a paddle and an ice cream from the Patio Cafe a few years back. It’s a very appealing little seaside village with a small blue-flag beach for families, surfers and people watchers - buzzier than most other beaches. A good selection of places to eat includes the Pentre Arms (dogs welcome) which serves traditional food with a warm welcome. The Patio Cafe has seats right by the sand’s edge and a few yards from the paying car park, which is perfect if you can’t walk far. A second car park sits high up in the village with park and ride in summer. There’s not much room on the beach at high tide, but at low tide a second ‘hidden’ one, Cilborth, becomes accessible and the sands are suddenly alive with beach cricket, swimming and even knitting. Dogs are banned from just half of the beach 1 May-30 September. Toilets; shops selling beach equipment.
Photo: A Trip Up My Sleeve
NEW QUAY Bottle-nose dolphins are a key attraction at this larger, traditional seaside resort. All the fun is here with three beaches: lifeguarded Blue Flag Harbour beach (no dogs 1 May- 30 September), all-year-round dog-friendly Dolau beach and wild Traeth Gwyn, which is also dog-friendly all year round. Pubs, cafes and fish ‘n’ chip shops jostle for position on the waterfront. There’s a choice of activities including a watersports centre and boat trips plus a Dylan Thomas trail around town since the writer lived here in the 1940s.
Harbour Beach, New Quay. Photo: discoverceredigion.wales