Trefor Beach

The cliffs at Trefor Beach rear up dramatically from the shale and pebble shore, striped in grey and rust like a layer cake gone wrong. This is proper Welsh coastline - wild, windswept, and genuinely beautiful without trying too hard. The beach itself is small and sheltered enough for a paddle, but most visitors come for the walk along the cliff edge rather than the swimming. The rock formations are seriously impressive if geology interests you; you'll spot the columnar basalt that makes this corner of Gwynedd distinctive. Walkers will want a solid two hours minimum to explore properly, especially if you venture onto the higher paths where the views back towards Caernarfon and Snowdonia pull you up short. It's not a manicured nature reserve with information boards and visitor facilities - there's a car park, that's about it. Free to visit, naturally. The beach gets busy on summer weekends but the clifftop trails clear out quickly once you're ten minutes inland. Families with young children might find the scrambling a bit much, but primary school age upwards will have the space to run about and explore rock pools without too much adult supervision needed. If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Gyrn Ddu is barely a mile away - this makes an excellent half-day outing that won't exhaust anyone. The wind can be fierce, so come prepared. Stunning spot, and worth the detour if you're staying in the area.