Traeth Llyfn

Traeth Llyfn is the north coast's best-kept sandy secret, and it stays that way because getting onto it requires committing to a long metal staircase pinned to the cliff face. There's no road access at all. You walk in from Abereiddi or Porthgain along the Coast Path — roughly fifteen to twenty minutes either way — and then take the steps down. People with a serious fear of heights should look at the staircase before deciding.

Once down, it's a proper beach: a wide, clean, sandy bay between high cliffs, with rock at either end and space to spread out. The critical warning is the tide. At high water the sand is largely covered and the base of the steps is the only dry ground, so check the times before you go down and don't get caught at the far end of the beach on a rising tide. Swimming is unguarded, there's often a rip working the bay, and there is no one to help you — treat it accordingly.

The best way to do it is as part of the Abereiddi-to-Porthgain walk. Start at the Blue Lagoon, walk the cliffs, drop down to Traeth Llyfn for an hour or two on the falling tide, then carry on to Porthgain for food at the pub or the bistro by the old brick harbour. That's one of the finest half-days in Pembrokeshire and needs nothing more than boots and a tide table.