Abersoch Tourist Information

Abersoch Tourist Guide and Beaches

Abersoch is sailing and surfing territory. It comes alive more in the summer season, but hardened surfers will hit Hell's Mouth (Porth Neigwl beach) all year round when the surf's up. Wind surfers tend to stay within the more sheltered Abersoch Bay.

For Sailing the waters around Abersoch are renowned, and there's an annual Abersoch Regatta. They host surf competitions here too - check the Abersoch Tourist Guide weblink right for dates. The choice of beaches is superb around Abersoch. Abersoch's main beach faces east onto St Tudwal's with views across to Snowdonia. It's pretty sheltered here and popular with windsurfers and sailing (plenty of yachts moored around this beach). There's a powerboat ban as well, so all combined Abersoch main beach is safe bathing territory and popular with families. If you want to rent one of the beach huts just off the beach enquire at one of the beach cafes.

Abersoch Harbour Beach is an attractive beach cove. If you're looking for a quiet spot this is it. Plenty of other beaches in the area including further down the Llyn Aberdaron Beach, popular with surfers and families. For the best of the surf and surfing conditions head to Porth Ceiriad beach, and Porth Neigwl (Hells Mouth where the BSA and surf school is based). Check the Abersoch Tourist Guide weblink right for full beach listings in the area.

Checkout the annual Abersoch Jazz Festival too (website right). It runs annually around the 8th to the 10th June.

Bardsey Island South West Llyn Peninsula

Bardsey Island just 2 miles off the South West edge of the Llyn Peninsula, across the Bardsey Sound and is a popular day boat trip excursion from either Porth Meudwy or nearby Pwllheli. You usually get to spend about 3 1/2 hours to explore this stunning little North Wales Island.

This Welsh Island is just 1.5 miles long at the widest point, and only just over half a mile across. There's a mountain on the island called Mynydd Enlli which reaches upto 167m, and this mountain alone takes up 180 hectares. Bardsey is a National Nature Reserve owned by the Bardsey Island Trust. It's part of the Llyn's Site of Special Scientific interest area. You can expect to see a range of rare flowering plants, birds (there's a bird observatory on the island and Manx Shearwater have a breeding colony on the island), and watch out for the marine wildlife too, notably Atlantic grey seals. The strap seaweed in the seas around the island are a rich feeding ground for marine life. Just take a look in some of the rock pools on the island's shores whilst you're there! Watch out for Risso dolphins and harbour porpoises often seen round Bardsey!

Bardsey Island's history is a fascinating one - it's a spiritual place, and has long been a site for pilgrimage specifically for the Celtic Christian Church. There was a monastery on Bardsey as far back as the 6th century (you'd have to be pretty devout to live out here!). The abbey ruins you see today though date from the later 13th century abbey. A 30m lighthouse is also on the island. Built in 1821, it's the tallest square towered lighthouse in the UK.

Book Bardsey Island Ferry Trip, Tel: 44 (0) 8458 1136554 or 07814 128620. You can stay on Bardsey in a selection of self catering cottages owned by the trust. Check the Bardsey Island weblink right for details - the ultimate secluded retreat!

Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Wales' Oldest Art Gallery in Llanbedrog

Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw Gallery is Wales' oldest art gallery, run by a Charitable Trust on the Lleyn Peninsula in northwest Wales. The venue was awarded the Gwynedd Business Award for Tourism in 2007 and attracts over 70,000 annual visitors.

It also houses a self-catering let that sleeps up to 12 people in the back annexe of the gallery along with an award winning tea room and craft shop.

Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Llanbedrog, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 7TT. Tel. 01758 740 763.