The UK has plenty of beautiful beaches despite not being known for clear water and white sand. Some of the most popular include St Ives in Cornwall, the Bay of Skaill, Orkney, and Pobbles beach Swansea.
Hidden away on the British coast are dozens of perfect spots for long walks, wild swimming and even sunbathing when it gets hot. One popular beauty spot is Porth Iago, on the north-west side of the Llŷn Peninsula, Wales.
Locals and tourists alike flock to area as two headlands embrace a small, but perfect sandy bay. You can even sometimes see pods of dolphins frolicking out to sea as you relax.
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The gorgeous beach was only recently "rediscovered" as in the 1970s it was a hugely popular hotspot that faded into memory. This was because 50 years ago, there was a busy campsite stretching for 30 acres out from the bay.
However, the farming family that owned the surrounding land suffered a tragedy that put an end to the campsite – and tourists slowly stopped visiting Porth Iago. That is, until now as the site has re-opened with eight acres of land and it’s proved a hit since the pandemic made more Brits appreciate a staycation.
In fact, the beach has become so popular that some people have even been turned away. "People have begun coming in coaches but we’re not a big site and there’s no way we can allow that," said site manager Chris, who asked for his surname to be withheld.
"Last summer a coach party from Birmingham called to ask if they could come and we said that, unfortunately, they couldn’t. They came anyway, so we had to turn them back. They drove all the way back to Birmingham."
Other requests have also been turned down such as a couple who wanted to book the entire site for a wedding. As this would have meant closing public access to the beach, the owners couldn’t allow it.
It’s pretty clear why Porth Iago is such a draw if you spend a day and a night there. NorthWales Live said: "Insta-friendly opportunities beckon everywhere, from turquoise waters to staggering sunsets that envelop Cardigan Bay in a golden glow.
"Stars leap from nighttime skies and this spring it’s been an ideal spot to view the Northern Lights. As one enraptured campsite reviewer said last July, there is something ‘elemental’ about the place.”
You can pay to set up your caravan, camper vans and tents for the night or pay slightly less for a daytime pass for £5. Those who choose to clamber along the Wales Coast Path need only pay £1.
Porth Iago was named the best wild camping beach in Wales by Lonely Planet while the Sunday Times called it the Llŷn Peninsula’s "prettiest beach". Plenty of tourists have been coming to the gorgeous area for years – including regulars who book a spot each year like a 94-year-old great-grandmother who visited with her parents not long after the farm fields were first opened up to campers in 1934.
The woman now returns each year for eight whole weeks in summer with her growing family joining her. It's almost certainly so popular because the embracing headlands turn the bay into a total suntrap with crystal clear water that's great for snorkelling.
"Others have been returning here for 50 or 60 years," said Chris. "A lady teacher comes every school holiday and some retired people come for a few days almost every week."
There are no facilities on the beach but over winter the campsite's toilet and shower block has been refurbished. A burger van offers a lifeline for guests in the form of bacon baps, sausage rolls and ice-cream. There's freshly-made pizza too.
Reviews of the beach rave about the "spotless' water and "best sunset ever". One person said it's "one of the best beaches In the world in my opinion."
While another person added: "In this bay alone we saw sand eel, wrasse, crabs, baby jellyfish fish and small whiting. The next day we were spoilt by a display of dolphins."
Access to the site is via a private drive that passes through Ty Mawr farmyard. Drive a little further and you’ll see the pay-and-display parking machine. Dogs are allowed on the beach but owners should keep them inside their vehicles when driving through the farmyard.
Despite clear demand, and the potential to increase revenue, there are no plans to expand the campsite. "There are no shops in heaven," said Chris. "You can’t take your money with you."
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