your comments
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Danny and Helen, Marcross, Vale of Glamorgan
Our favorite beach has to be Nash point. It's 10 mins walk from our house, you can buy Welsh cakes and a cup of tea from the little takeaway cafe on the top and then go and walk down to the beach. We love to collect driftwood and occassionally bring back a log to burn on the fire when we get home. You can't beat living by a beach especially one with such character as Nash Point. Somedays the sea is so clam - like a mill pond, other days it's angry and you can hear the waves crashing in the distance and the bell in the anchored buoy resounding to the rhythm of the sea's energy. It's a place of reflection, a place of happiness, a place of utter respect for the elements. It's also one of the top ten places in this country to watch the sun go down. Foxes abound as do birds of prey. Sheep and cows share fields with rabbits and hares ... but above all of this I'm living there with the true love of my life, my soulmate Helen.
Claire from Mountain Ash
Rest Bay has to win hands down!! My family has been going there from when I was a baby. I was proposed to on that beach and now I'll be taking my own son down there to make new family memories!!! x
Cath Beale, New Zealand
Love Rest Bay, born and bred in Porthcawl. The beaches in New Zealand are amazing, as is the surf. Have started surfing here and wish I had as a child in Porthcawl. Will have to have a go when I come home for holidays.
james gorman
witches point is amazing for fishing and surfing the waves are huge but be carful on the cliffs cause it's realy dangrouse cause of the swell and the waves clashing on the rocks
Alex
Have to say the beach that stretches from the Knap to Porthkerry is always one that will be my favorite. Even though it has no sand its still a beach to rival any locally. On a hot summers day when the sea is calm its the perfect place to go if you want to chill out. It doenst get as busy as some beaches but thats the beauty of it. Word of warning though...watch the tide if your walking from the Knap to Porthkerry...comes in very quickly.
Alex - Aber
Best beach has to be Ogmore. Unspoilt, huge beach perfect place to spend a summers day
rhys jones rest bay surfer
rest bay is the best
rhiannon jenkins from swansea
My favourie beach is caswell because its a lovely place for all the family in the summer. You could walk for 3miles round to llangland in the summer
nathan =restbay surfer
new surf spot found a mile off southendown, tasty waves but rocky ,recomended for experienced surfers only.
pete from pontypridd
some great waves sunday 11 at southern down keep it up steve you getting there surf on
Charl c fom bryntirion comp yr10
Rest bay is da gr8est beach in portcawl surfers paridce
Chris from Coychurch
Ogmore beach & the sand dunes are the best by far and the best way to experience it first hand is on horse back which is how I experience it every week.
megs cardiff !!
rest bay is the best !!!! the waves r gr8 and every1 is friendly !!!!!
come 2 rest bay its da best !!!!
Lynne Atkin
All of the beached mentioned above bring back happy memories of a very happy childhood. This south west coast cannot be beaten both in beauty and historically. May our future generations enjoy it as much as i did
Ann May from Surbiton
Ogmore Beach, as it is still unspoilt by amusement parks, burger bars, etc. and is still exactly as it was when I lived in Bridgend in the 60's - just sheep, rocks, and cattlegrids, plus a number of really good pubs. The scenery never fails me.
Liam Ducke, Pontypool
This board is awesome! I agree with everyone who says that Sker is amazing because it is! Our family travel a long way to go there with a picnic and sit on the beach having a barbecue!
John Harris from Merthyr Tydfil
Sker in Kenfig is very relaxing. I agree with Jodie and Lucy - they have good taste in beaches! My son Matt, 14 loves going down sker on his motorcross bike
Beppie from Porthcawl!
Rest Bay has gota be da best!! i always go down ther wiv my mates nd da surf is great!!! its roxz!!
Lucy Evans Maudlam
There is only one beach which is awesome here in Bridgend + that is Morfa next to Sker (which is fantastic). If you haven't visited Morfa it is deffinately one beach on a gorgeous day that will take your breath away!!!!! Hiya Jodie ^!!
Chris Lee from Cambridgeshire
I spent all last summer in Llantwit Major and explored as many places as possible. I could not really pick a favorite beach as all of them are fantastic in their own way.
Stephen from Newcastle Upon Tyne
The essential thing about beautiful Sker beach of my childhood was the fact that all the Mams and kids from North Cornelly would troop over the sand dunes together and spend the whole day together playing in the sunshine. On the way home the job was always to fill the sandwich boxes with Dewberries to make a delicious tea. Your site brought back the noisy fun filled days before I left Cornelly 25 years ago this year.
JH from Porthcawl
Ok, Rest Bay is like the best beach ever. If you'd been there you whould know that. Coney and Sandy are just full or troggs. But if you want a more secluded beach then pink bay or sker are your best bets.
Janet Hucclecote Gloucester
I really loved Sandy Bay in Porthcawl. For a family you just cant beat it, and I know as I have four kids! We visited the beach at Rhossili and it was absolutely out of this world though the were no attractions... the view is breath taking! (OUT OF THIS WORLD!) I found the private owned caravaning sites are much more up together.. as in the flowers and over all apperance. Why bother with Weston when Wales is so beautiful? Another plus side.. Wales is cheaper...how cool is that? Bad side? Ah! I know one... the life guard car drives a bit too quick on the beach on Porthcawl! Wow.. thats about it. Visit the icecream parlour in Porcawl... your worth it ;-) x x x x.
Dave Richards,, Pentrebane, Cardiff
You all must be joking s/east Wales having some of the finest beaches in the world, rubbish. Cannot be compaired with west wales beaches and especially Nth Cornwall & Nth Devon beaches. From Swansea eastwards all the beaches need a lot of imagination to be enjoyed.
Dave Trott - Penarth
I have to agree with Sheikha - Penarth beach does look rather attractive of an evening. But the brown murky colour of the sea spoils the whole scene in daylight, as does most of the beaches in the vale. Tenby is the place for nice clear seas.
Chris Roberts, Bridgend
Ogmore and Southerndown are the places where my spirit will always dwell. However the diamond that is the Merthyr Mawr sand dunes is my favourite place in the world!
John Probert from Cardiff
Nash Point/Cwm Nash area, not strictly for the beach though there is one, but super cliffs from which to gaze on the ever changing sea and sky, wonderful walks in 3 directions, and good pubs just inland!
Glenys from Pyle
Not being biased but I have to say that the peace and tranquility walking from Kenfig to Rest Bay via Sker and Pink Bay with my dog for company takes a lot of beating. Sometimes even my grandaughter who is just 4 yrs old loves walking to Sker - looking for crabs in the rock pools and writing her name in the sand. Seeing her face glowing after a winter's afternoon walk makes it worth the walk.
Derryl (McCarthy) MacInnis from Ontario, Canada
Originally from Merthyr Tydfil. Many years ago I had an Aunt who lived near Caswell Bay. I still recall many wonderful Sundays during my childhood spent around the Gower Coast.
Langland Bay to Rhossili and in between, they are all favourites of mine....along with some spectacular scenery that is second to none! No return trip to Wales is complete without revisiting the Gower.
Glenys Sanby from Pontypridd
I loved my trips to Barry Island and Porthcawl when I was in Sunday school - those were the good old days. Think of Wales often now in NZ - lovely beaches over here to makes me think of Wales.
Sheikha from Cardiff
At full moon night when you sit beside Penarth beach with your loved one, it's heaven - you want your life to stop at that very moment. Penarth beach looks fantabulous on a moonlit night.
See a panoramic view of Penarth
George from Caerphilly
I love Penarth beach. Some might say it's a little the worse for wear, but I think i's got a lot of charm. I love throwing pebbles in to the sea with my firnd Drew, and fishing on the pier is fab too.
Samantha Barrie
Merthyr Mawr near Ogmore - bautiful unsung place of attraction - large sand dunes and picnic area for families and children. If you want a great day out for kids, wait until it gets hot and dry for a couple of days in summer, take sledge and head for Merthyr Mawr. Kids will hae endless fun riding down dunes and finding adventurous places to explore - over 2 miles square of sand dunes to discover.
JJ Peterborough
Hmmmm....Southerndown for its beautiful stretch of sand and easy access... there is however another gem - even better - but if you think I'm going to tell you.....
Jeremy Richards from Bedford(!)
Ogmore Beach - just around the corner to Hardy's Bay. A fantastic place to spend your youth with great friends - swimming, fishing in the river Ogmore and learning to surf. A beautiful bay, with a beautiful backdrop. Watch out for the 'critters' on the rocks after sunset on a warm day!!
Chloe Ann Williams from Bridgend
I like Pink Bay - it rocks!
Gavin from Cathays
To Sergio in Spain (see comment below) - being in Cardiff for seven months is enough to make anyone sad. Ogmore has a nice beach and an equally nice river running into it. Its free-form car park allows plenty of opportunity to park somewhere secluded.
Lawrence Gainey from Grangetown
Forget your Southerndowns and Barry Islands. The beach which hold the most memories for me is Lavernock near Sully. I like to stroll hand in hand with my soul-mate - watching the beautiful waves crashing down. The other day I smiled to myself as I stroked her hair, as a little robin landed on the sand and almost chirped to me "What a Wonderful World".
Margaret Kelly in Gosport
How I remember Caswell beach. There was only the cafe and one other shop. What a wonderful place to be. When the tide was out, you had a wonderful expanse of beach to play on, and as an adult in winter - what a place to paddle in, particularly if you wanted to be alone - the chilblains disappeared as if by magic.
Peter James from Bridgend
I agree with comments that Sker beach is the best. You can be alone and so peaceful there.
Pat Aldridge in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Having been carried on my Daddy's shoulders along the cliffs untold times when I was tiny, from Barry to Rhoose where I was born 83 years ago, having served in the Army almost five years, and now having lived in Ohio 57 years, I am still warmed and melted by the memories of my childhood - especially on the beaches and in the countryside having paper chases and picnics. How can one choose the most beautiful? If I have to, the most precious memories bring Porthkerry to the fore. You blessed Welsh, enjoy the beauty of your homeland.
Anne in Bedwas
You can't beat Porthcawl with its many beaches. My husband and myself spend many weekends there on the caravan site. You can please yourself and have walks along the beaches. If you feel like shopping the town is not far away. It has everything for young and old.
Sergio in Spain
Cold Knap is too beautiful. Two years ago I spent seven months in Cardiff. When I was sad I went to Cold Knap and after that I could feel quite well. Walking the beach, seeing the landscapes...good memories for a Spaniard.
John Davies in Radyr
I'm a fan of Pink Bay and Sker Beach, which are next to each other. Both are isolated, accessible either by the coastal path from Rest Bay or otherwise over the sand dunes from the Kenfig direction. Further over to the west lies Morfa beach, with a huge mussel bed and shipwreck becoming evident as the tide goes out. This whole stretch, going from Sker rocks as far as the mouth of the river Kenfig, has a remoteness and charm of its own. It's still quiet and unspoilt, even though the smoke of the Margam steel works belches out in the distance. About 2 miles from the nearest roads, it's likely to remain a hidden gem.
Jane Johnston from Chicago
I was a frequent visitor to Southerdown, coming home with my Welsh mother to St Brides Major from our home in the USA. I was drawn to Southerdown - to the hugh rocks you could sun yourself on, Witches Point, the odd kelp and sealife you'd find in warm little pools of water, the beautiful steep cliffs - but, mostly, I loved Dunraven Castle that stood high atop the cliffs overlooking the water, framed by trees oddly swept by the wind. There, I was told (even by a local vicar, who said he'd seen her), the Blue Lady walked, forever grieving the loss of her lover. Could there be a more perfect beach in all the world? Sand, sun, ghosts. A child's dream - so completely mysterious and wonderful to a little girl raised in the land of advertising and enormous cars. I was so sad back in the 1960s when they took Dunraven down. Still, I visited the beach a year ago or so, and it's still wonderful, even without the castle. And, I could be wrong, but I may have seen the Blue Lady that day...
Victoria Smith in Brisbane, Australia
Southerndown was where I spent all my school holidays. After moving to Porthcawl, Rest Bay was the place to watch all the gorgeous surfers!
Joe Pumford from Newport
There's a stretch of beach between Newton and Ogmore - it is wonderfully underused and provides all the solitude one could wish for. It also has the advantage of the sand dunes behind it which provide many hours of pleasure watching the wildlife.
Christelle Beurque in Lyon, France
I think Southerndown is one of the most beautiul beaches in south east Wales, where my kids had great fun last summer (during a sunny holiday!!)
Gavin Lewis from Cardiff
Cold Knap in Barry - it's a nice place to just sit in your car with a newspaper and listen to the waves crashing and admire the up-turned Ford Escort smouldering and resting on the pebbles...
Angela Rees from Bridgend
Pink Bay - I remember the long walk down to the beach with my parents and my two sisters and dog, carrying a picnic, towel and bucket and spade, and then finding the beach deserted but still taking ages to find 'the right spot'.
Gavin Francis from Swansea
Pink Bay and Sker Beach are the best beaches in South Wales. All the hot girls in the world should take time out and visit.
Adam Hall from Bridgend
During summertime you can barely move for people on Rest Bay. Just a half hour walk along the coast brings you to the serene expanse of Sker beach - with its beautiful estuary of the river Cynffig and ghost tales from the house.
Margaret Reese from Magor
Newton Point, Porthcawl - we had wonderful holidays with our three sons forty five years ago and we still enjoy it today with our grandchildren!
Jodie Lunnon from Kenfig Hill
Sker Beach - what a wonderful place to spend a hot afternoon on a quiet and relaxing beach. Totally my favourite.
Leyton Stone
Sker beach - magical memories as a youngster of scorching summer days on this beautiful and quiet stretch of Glamorgan's coastline.
Ian Griffiths, recently back in Bridgend
Twenty years ago I used to walk the beach at Rest Bay at least once a day and after being away for twenty years, I've returned to walk the beach again. Strangly magnetic and relaxing, it is my spiritual home.
James Jordan from Barry
Rest Bay - happy times down there growing up every Sunday in the summer in the car with our bucket and spades and windbreakers. Then later on over to the fairground.
Chris Smetham from Nottingham
Cold Knap - I never noticed it being 'cold' at all... I do have warm memories of spending summer days exploring the cliffs and rock pools with my brothers and sisters. Aah, sweet memories of youth.
Helen Sahl from Newquay, Cornwall
Southerndown - long hot summer days, spent with my oldest son and various friends, arriving about 10 in the morning and not leaving until the sun did, bbqs, picnics, sandcastles, the sea and the glorious backdrop of the cliffs.
Hannah Hathaway from St Athan
Llantwit Beach holds some really special memories for me, and the scenery is just spectacular.
Lucy from Llantwit Major
I have spent the whole summer at Southerndown beach. It has a brill surf, really cool caves in case it rains! We had bbq's and they were fab too! I Luv Southerndown!
Janet Smith-Lewis in California
Southerndown - absolutely wonderful family beach memories from my childhood.
Buffy Williams from Llanharan
Southerndown beach and Nash Point lighthouse are a great place to spend the day with friends and family.
Becky from Southampton
Ogmore - I remember onions baked in a fire there when I was a child....it was our family beach, where we laughed together and remembered together. And it was my beach, a place where I went in times of trouble to calm down and gain perspective. There's nowhere like Ogmore in the world.
Andrea Longman from Cardiff
Southerndown - fantastic striated cliffs surrounding one of the best surfing beaches in South Wales...rock pools and caves to explore. Bliss.
Andrew Lloyd originally from Barry
Cold Knap is more full of memories than I can possibly convey. There must be nicer beaches and certainly warmer ones......but Cold Knap is a part of my life and always will be.
Huw Price from Porthcawl
Sker Beach - a quiet and normally deserted beach where you can be at one with nature and beauty...also the over-shadowing profile of Port Talbot steel works reminds you of the importance this small principality has played in world industry.
Shanne Cano from Los Angeles
Lavernock Beach forty years ago - I felt that I was walking at the beginning of time. Wide open beach, slopes, and cliffs in the distance....it made me feel the wind was carving out the land.
