Porthmadog

Steam trains chuff through the harbour while yacht masts jangle in the breeze - that's Porthmadog for you. This proper Welsh railway town sits where the mountains meet the sea, all grey slate and salty air. The Ffestiniog Railway starts its journey here, chugging up into Snowdonia's heart, while the harbour buzzes with boats heading out to the Menai Strait.

Black Rock Sands stretches for miles just south of town - you can actually drive onto the beach at low tide, though watch the tides or you'll be swimming home. The sand's properly golden when the sun hits it right. From the beach, Criccieth's medieval castle perches on its rocky outcrop across the bay, a cracking sight on a clear day.

The peaks surrounding Porthmadog tell the story of this landscape - Moel y Gadair and Dinas rise to the north, while Carreg yr Eryr and Graig Ddu offer brilliant walking for those who fancy a proper hike. These aren't Snowdon-busy either. Most visitors stick to the trains.

Getting here's straightforward enough - the A487 runs right through town, connecting it to both Caernarfon and Dolgellau. Criccieth train station's a short hop down the coast if you're coming by rail. Several holiday parks dot the area around Black Rock Sands and towards Criccieth, making perfect sense for exploring both the coast and the mountains without the faff of daily drives.