CARDIGAN BAY BEACHES
BEACHES AROUND TROEDYRHIW
With miles and miles of rugged and unspoilt coastline, surely no holiday to the West coast of Wales would be complete without a visit to at least (if not all!) of our beautiful little beaches. Don’t expect sun loungers for hire, and rows of shops selling inflatable beach toys, but with blue flag status a-plenty, clean sands, clear waters, caves, waterfalls, cliffs, rock pools, and of course, the largest population of dolphins in Europe put on a show on a regular basis, meaning our local beaches are not to be missed.
In a nutshell, here are the beaches on offer, but don’t take our word for it. Come rain or shine, a trip to the seaside is always good medicine!
ABERPORTH
Aberporth Beach
A ten minute drive from Troedyrhiw Holiday Cottages, and you will find the twin beaches at Aberporth. Two sandy sheltered beaches with low tide rock pools are a popular destination for families. There is a small carpark above the south side of the beach, with further parking available in the village. Aberporth is great for swimming and has lifeguards patrolling during the main summer season. There are toilets on the car park, and the village of Aberporth offers several good places to get some food during your visit, including The Cwtch Café and Café Sgadan. Beach wheelchair hire is available from the lifeguard hut, and dogs are welcome on Dyffryn beach. Dolwen beach boasts Blue Flag status for ‘excellent’ water quality, facilities and safety.
CWMTYDU
Cwmtydu is a small cove National Trust beach nestled in a deep wooded valley. With a history of smuggling at Cwmtydu, rumour has it that the lime kiln at the back of the beach, now restored, was commonly used by smugglers for hiding their loot, primarily salt!
Cwmtydu is a dog friendly pebble beach, although it is wise to check out any local restrictions during the main season as there may be preferred areas for your four-legged friends. This beach has a few places to eat, and cliff walks, and is a popular place for seals to raise their pups, which can often be seen from the paths around the beach. Remember to keep away from the pups, and make sure dogs are kept on a lead if the seals are present. If you see a seal pup on its own, don’t worry, its mother will be out at sea, fishing for her babies dinner.
LLANGRANNOG
Another Blue Flag beach, Llangrannog is popular all year round, catering for everyone, from families, surfers and walkers. With a seaside car park, and an assortment of cafes and pubs, this sandy beach is fabulous for swimming and to relax while the children play. There are two car parks, one in the village before you get to the beach, and one closer to it, although this one is small and gets full quickly an is also more expensive to park at. Dogs are allowed on the beach, although check out local restrictions as they are prohibited from certain areas of the beach during the summer months.
MWNT
Mwnt Beach
Mwnt is around a 15 minute drive from Troedyrhiw, and a little off the beaten track, down a single track road with a cattle grid, giving way to one of the best views in Ceredigion. Don’t be put off, it is well worth the drive down, as your view opens up to show you Cardigan Bay, Mwnt, and the little white washed 14th Century (or maybe earlier) church sitting above the beach. Steep steps from the large car park in a field above the beach make in unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Mwnt has Green Coast Status, which award it for its excellent water quality and natural, unspoilt environment. No dogs are allowed on Mwnt from May until September, inclusive, and a seasonal kiosk operates on the walk down to it, with a toilet block. The ocoast path walk is accessible from here, taking in Foel y Mwnt, the hill overlooking the beach. There is also the remains of a lime kiln here, and frequent dolphin activity in the bay make it popular with wildlife lovers.
PENBRYN
Penbryn Beach
Penbryn is a National Trust beach, almost a mile in length. Parking is around 500 yards from the beach in a National Trust car park and although there is a turning circle at the bottom of the lane to drop people off, this area must be kept clear for emergency vehicles. The café at the top of the lane is great, and has indoor and outdoor seating, and at low tide on the sandy beach, you can explore the cave at the water’s edge. Keep an eye on the tide though! Penbryn has Green Coast status, recognising its water quality and unspoilt natural beauty, however dogs are not allowed.
NEWPORT
Newport Parrog
Newport Sands
Newport is the proud owner of two beaches, Newport Sands, and Parrog. The smaller beach,
Parrog, is great for rock pools, however is not recommended for swimming, due to strong tides.
Newport Sands, or Traeth Mawr, is across the estuary, and is a sandy beach with dunes and shallow
bathing. There is a car park and toilets, with plenty of eating establishments a short walk away in
Newport itself, or at the golf course. Beach wheelchairs are available for hire here and dogs are
allowed on the beach.
POPPIT SANDS
Poppit Sands
Around fifteen minutes from Troedyrhiw, Poppit Sands sweeps along the coast, with a huge expanse of sand, backed by sand dunes and infinite views. It is a Blue Flag beach, with lifeguards patrolling daily during the summer holiday. A swathe of rocks offers great rock pools to investigate, and the flat approach from the large car park makes it ideal for disabled visitors. Beach wheelchairs are available to borrow, and there is a local baker’s café, toilets and an RNLI shop. Dogs are allowed on one section of the beach, so as usual, check out the signs when you arrive. The lifeboat is based here, so if you are lucky, you may even get to watch them launch for a practice mission.
Tresaith
Not many beaches can claim to have their own waterfall, but Tresaith would not be lying if it told you it did! With a slipway too, Tresaith is a popular sailing destination and has Blue Flag status. The beach is small, but sandy, with only a limited car park, but worth a visit if you can. There are a few food outlets close to the beach, and disabled access is good. Dogs are allowed but restrictions are in place from May 1st to September 30th. There are public toilets close to the beach.
