North Wales Coast

[colette]

We are thinking of a weeks seaside holiday in July . North Wales seems to be quite easy to get to (we are in Glasgow) and I have heard the beaches are pretty good and the scenery is great so we are considering renting a cottage there.
Has anyone any reccomendations in where to stay/or avoid ? Dd is 7and a half and ds will be just 3.
Thanks

South North Wales is lovely, tends to be warmer, nice beaches and less rainy than the North side.

Port Madog area is great - nice beaches, hills, railway too for wet weather.

abersoch

Anglesey has loads of fab beaches and plenty of things to do if it rains PLUS you're close to other majorish attractions, caernarfon castle, conwy castle, bodelwyddan, loads of national trust etc. Just google it lol. Personally I wouldn't go down the coast to Porthmadog or Abersoch

We got to a cottage just outside Porthmadog every may half term. We go to the beach, do walks, visit Portmeiron, go on the Ffestiniog railway, go climbing - inside or out. Beaches are great and at a lot of them you drive your car on. It is a simple but beautiful place. Our kids are a little oder than yours. Portmadoc is lovely, my only warning is that it can be really hard to drive through it on a nice day as it is a single lane road and the traffic can be really slow.

Thanks for your replies
porthmadog seems to have the most votes so far

I like Anglesey.

I would say keep going until you get to Llandudno then you'll find some lovely places.

Colette,see my thread entitled 'Martianbishop' and the other entitled 'The Welsh-they cant sing and have silly names'
I'm bumping both for you.
I have some suggestions in ther.

I like Porthmadog and Cricieth,Beddgelert and around Caernarfon.

I think you'll have a great time in either Anglesey or on the LLeyn, we love both and visit alternately.

You could try \link{http://www.manns-holidays.demon.co.uk/index.htm\Mann's holidays} if you're looking to rent a cottage/house, we've used them before and thet were really helpful and the house we stayed in at Morfa Nefyn was fine.

Don't forget to check out the webcams on the A55 before you travel, they are at the tunnels, I think and give you a good idea of what the traffic is doing! \link{http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/trafficcams/pages/penmaenmawr_roundabout.shtml\have a look at the rain here today!}

thanks moondog i have only just checked this thread and the search facility is down so will look forward to readinnng your threads this evening.
LucyCampCat thanks for the link I have sent off for a brochure , I think we have that rain today in Scotland .

Funnily enough i'm off to Scotland from Anglesey in July lol

Our favourite beaches:

On Anglesey: Newborough, Moelfre and Llugwy
Near Caernarfon: Dinas Dinlle
Harlech
Aberdyfi

I would avoid: Rhyl, Prestatyn, Abergele
Abersoch is lovely but gets very busy in high summer

Rainy days: Anglesey Sea Zoo, Beaumaris Castle, Porthmadog railway, Oriel Llangefni, Caernarfon, Criccieth, Harlech and Conwy castles

Have a lovely time and Croeso (Welcome).

We stay at Tyddyn Isaf caravan and camp site which has a footpath straight onto Lligwy beach - fantastic, but sloping site!

Love love love Newborough too, we saw a starfish on there last year and dolphins out in the bay.

Another vote for Anglesey! We stayed in a cottage in Holyhead - lovely! |There are plenty things to do for a week and I also wouldn't advise anyware to the east of Llandudno (like Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, etc - no offence to anyone who lives there!) They are a bit too commercialised and tacky (like Blackpool) (and before anyone jumps down my throat - that is in my opinion and I am from Liverpool!). It is also where a lot of people from Liverpool go (probably why I don't like it).

Try www.gwynfrynfarm.co.uk....or similar

cheers everyone I am grateful for all the advice

I have been looking at brochures etc. andaccomadation on line and we are really impressed at the scenery, but would like to know where are the best child friendly , unspoilt beaches ?

Llanbedrog is nice, so is Criccieth,Aberdaron, Abersoch can get very busy in summer, Borth Y Gest (sic?)Porth Oer (Whistling Sands) is the nicest and a National Trust beach so take your card if you're a member to get free parking!,

Porth Neigwl (Hell's Mouth) is a fab beach but not for children, great for surfers though!
hth

Morfa Nefyn is nice too, we used to walk up across the golf course, drop down to the Lifeboat station, round the coast to the pub (Ty Hen)for a pint/ice-cream on the beach, then back along the beach to the car park - a lovely way to spend a morning.

I'd second all Lucy's suggestions and am local to this area.
Portmeirion has a wonderful beach too.
You pay to get in,but well worth it.

(Spelling tiptop btw Luce.Top marks!!)

Can't you tell I've been poring over the OS Map (no 123) all afternoon planning new places to go!

You really must get camping moondog, you live in such a gorgeous area of the country!

It's even nicer when enjoyed from comfort of own home Luce!
As I speak,have swallows dipping across the fields that surround us,cows and sheep grazing and two baby rabbits frolicking on my lawn.
Can see the beaches of Dinas Dinlle and Llanddwyn in the distance.

Dh would faint if I mentioned camping-he has been trying to get me into it for years.

Actually did a bit pre kids,in parts of France on way to see my sister,but a dodgy experience in Glastonbury (drank from tampon and condom clogged stream close to tent in a ahem..confused moment.Was very ill) put me off.

WE love all the Llyn Peninsula, have stayed just outside Criccieth a couple of times, and last year at Bach Wen farmhouses, which were lovely, collection of converted houses down a track, with a great kite flying field and a field with swing, climbing frame and sandpit just out of the back door of the cottage. Agree with all LCC's suggestions, but our favourite is probably Whistling Sands, a really fantastic beach! HTH

Thanks LucyCampCat and Moondog, I have been going round in circles and am now focused . I am getting quite excited thank goodness for mumsnet

thanks pandag as well