Porth Ceiriad - another super-fine Llyn beach

Just when we thought we'd found the perfect beach - we find another. Porth Ceiriad, south of Abersoch on the south-east coast of the Llyn Peninsula came up trumps, aided by the weather. Just as the BBC had forecast, the rain-lashed morning gave way to a glorious afternoon of beautiful sunshine. And with the wind coming in off St George's Channel, not unbearable hot either.

So then - gaze upon this beach all ye who fry on the Med, penned in like cattle amid the jostling humanity - this is the beach-goer's ideal.

Below: rock formations jutting out into the sea, accessible at low tide, with many caves and rock-pools to explore.

Below: one slight minus - thousands of jellyfish washed up on the shore at the northern end of the beach, which is pebbly and lacking the fine sands found on Porthoer or Towyn...

Below: smooth igneous rock outcrops, polished by millennia of tides. Hardly anyone about at this, the southern end of the beach (literally five people).

Below: the southern end of the beach has sand rather than pebbles. Lovely to run on barefoot. The tide was just beginning to turn. Time to return to the main beach...

Below: it's five o'clock, we've been on the beach for over five hours, time to bid farewell to Porth Ceriad and to set off in search of fish and chips. With mushy peas. And pickled onions. And tins of cold Vimto.

Farewell indeed to the Welsh seaside, for tomorrow my brother and his family return to Derbyshire, while Eddie and I will tackle Wales' highest peak, Yr Wyddfa. Or Snowdon to language-imperialists.

This time last year:
We do like to be beside the seaside (yes, 365 days ago on the Llyn's beaches!)

Plus!
My review of Ryszard Kapuściński's Heban

This time two years ago:
Jeziorki sunset, late July

This time five years ago:
Jeziorki sunset, after the storm

This time six years ago:
Rural suburbias - the ideal place to live?