Abersoch & Surrounding areas.
Abersoch is situated on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales and has become a very popular village seaside resort. Great beaches, internationally recognised sailing waters, pleasant climate and beautiful scenery.
Abersoch is also home to many small coffee shops which do good breakfasts and lunches with homemade cakes. The high street village cafes are Kin & Co which also serves tapas some evenings, Zinc which opens in the evening too, Two Islands and Just Mary’s just outside the village.
All serve delicious homemade food and Two Islands make their own ice cream on the premises. There is also Blades Deli which has a fabulous selection of cheeses, bread, pastries etc.
There are two beach cafes on Abersoch main beach near the village which all serve snacks, cake, ice creams, hot and cold drinks etc. plus sell all manners of beach toys. If you walk from the far end of the beach to the Macroes end there are The Little Tearooms at Mickey’s boatyard which serves hot and cold food and is really friendly and popular.
With the majority of restaurants in Abersoch village, it is worth pre-booking at the start of your holiday if you really want to go somewhere as in peak weeks they really do book up quickly. If all else fails to sit on the beach with fish and chips…delicious.
Outdoor Activities
- Abersoch Watersports - Paddleboard Hire, Surfing, Instruction, Wetsuits and all the kits you need to have fun and stay safe.
- Surf Lessons at Hells Mouth beach
- Wakeboarding in Abersoch of Pwllheli Harbour
- Go coasteering (jumping off a cliff into the sea and then swimming through caves).
- Hire a bike including an electric bike if you don’t fancy the hills.
- Abersoch Land & Sea - Abersoch Boat Trips; Hop on board at Abersoch Boat Trips for an amazing sightseeing tour of Abersoch Bay and the St Tudwals
- HYDRO Abersoch - RYA Sailing Instructors. Also RYA Powerboat & PWC Training - Little Pirates Kids Club activities.
- Walk the coastal path or climb the headland at Llanbedrog and walk past the Tin Man and drop onto Llanbedrog beach.
- Go on a boat trip to see the seals and dolphins or have a fishing trip. Go go-karting or visit Surf Snowdonia.
- There are lots of things to do on the Lyn Peninsula and there’s always the option of finding a sheltered spot and reading a book or having a snooze!
- Further away there are lots to explore in Pwllheli, Criccieth, Porthmadog and Snowdonia national park
LLYN COASTAL BUS
We are very fortunate to have the Lyn Coastal Bus service. You can get the bus to Aberdaron, Whistling Sands and Morfa Nefyn, Hells Mouth and various other stops. Dogs are allowed on the buses and it’s the bargain price of £3 per return journey (as of 2021). It is ideal if you wish to walk some of the Coastal paths with their stunning scenery but only wants a one-way walk. It’s also a good way of getting to Morfa Nefyn and having a drink or meal in the famous Ty Coch pub on the beach or at the recently refurbished Cliff Inn at the opposite end of Morfa Nefyn beach.
You can find out more about the bus service and the coastal walks at www.walescoastpath.gov.uk or www.bwsarfordirllyn.co.uk
Our Favourite Beaches
Abersoch Main Beach - Probably the most popular beach in the area. Its sheltered position makes it ideal for bathers and watersports lovers alike. The beach is considered to be "safe" with no severe currents or rips in normal conditions. A motorboat exclusion zone provides a secure area for bathers.
International sailing events are held from this beach providing a wonderful spectacle. A large number of yachts are moored in the bay during the summer months. Beach huts can be rented by the day or week. Enquire at the beach cafes.
Porth Neigwl [Hell's Mouth] - Closest beach to NightSky Glamping; is a long stretch of sand and stones, exposed to the full force of the Atlantic. It is extremely popular with surfers and seldom gets busy on the beach itself. It's often a good spot to get away from the busier beaches of Abersoch. There is a small parking area a half-mile or so from the village of Llanengan - though this gets congested in the summer, especially when there is surf. There are no facilities, though a mobile snack bar is often in the car park in the summer.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: Bathing is dangerous here, as on any beach that gets surf, with strong undertows and cross currents. There is a council warning sign at the entrance to the beach but as with all local beaches, there is no lifeguard.
Llanbedrog Beach - A small sheltered beach, with a woodland backdrop. National Trust Car park nearby and a quieter option to the beaches of Abersoch. There is a licensed cafe on the beach and toilets nearby. Also great to walk up the side of the cliff to see the Tin Man - Ask for directions at the national trust carpark.
Aberdaron Beach - This beach is popular with families and access is easy. There are plenty of facilities close at hand in the village. The beach is south facing, so can also be a good spot for surfers. The water quality here is excellent.
Porth Ceiriad - Beautiful beach and often quiet - though becoming busier during the school holidays. Popular with surfers when there are waves. Access through Nant y Big farm - where there is a car park. A steep flight of steps cut into the cliffside provides access to the beach. Potentially dangerous rip tides can occur on this beach.
Porth Oer (Whistling Sands) - A popular beach, backed by steep grassy cliffs. The beach is known as "Whistling Sands" because of the sound that occurs when you shuffle your feet! This does not happen all the time, but is a unique experience when it does!. National Trust car park is a 200yd walk to the beach. Cafe and toilets open in season.
Morfa Nefyn (Porth Dinllaen) - is worth a visit to have a walk across the golf course with its stunning coastal views, partake in a drink or a meal at the famous Ty Coch beach pub which has been voted one of the best beach bars in the world and then walk along the beach to The Cliffs where again you could have a lovely lunch or evening meal. Dogs are welcome in the bar at both of these pubs although the Ty Coch especially gets very busy and you can struggle to find a table outside on a nice day.
Local Restaurants & Bars
THE SUN INN – LLANENGAN – 01758 712660
All the usual you would expect on a pub menu, serving lunch and dinner, together with a children’s menu and an extensive specials board changed on a regular basis with fresh fish, seafood and game being the chef’s speciality. Dogs are welcome in the bar side of the pub and it has a pleasant beer garden. Lovely in the winter months with a log fire burning in the bar.
ZINC BAR AND RESTAURANT – 01758 713433
Restaurant with a nice enclosed outdoor area with retractable roof and heaters overlooking the harbour. Serves breakfast, light lunches with baked potatoes, salads, paninis etc. and steaks, burgers and the usual in the evening. The bar next door also has a heated patio although to get a table there you have to get there early as it’s a lovely early evening sun trap. Children are allowed but only until 7.00pm after which it is over 21’s only.
THE VAYNOL – 01758 712776 - Large bar area and terrace where you can eat and take dogs into the pub. There is also a restaurant where you can book a table. Serve lunch and dinner, usual pub food, and decent pizzas which you can also take away. It Shows sports on the TV.
THE HUB – 01758 712256 – Good bar serving pub favourites and pizza. Have all the sports on TV in a nice atmosphere.
THE DINING ROOM – 01758 740709 – Intimate restaurant serving upmarket food at a very reasonable price. Well worth a visit if you like your gourmet food, definitely no pizza here!
POTTED LOBSTER – 01758 431432 – Newly refurbished large bar and restaurant. Large heated patio. Dogs are allowed on the patio and on the bar side. Serve food all day in high season. Lovely menu including lots of seafood but also chicken, steak etc. Lunchtime sandwiches. Booking via the website, booking recommended, especially for the evening. www.thepottedlobster.co.uk
FRESH – 01758 710033 – Cocktail bar and restaurant. Great cocktails. Varied menu, no pizzas, probably one of the few not to do pizza in the village! Good food which includes seafood and steak. Dogs are allowed in the bar side but it does get very busy in season. Also has two tables under heated parasols so can sit outside with dogs too. Booking advisable. www.fresh-abersoch.co.uk
CRUST – 01758 712896 – Small pizza restaurant next door to the Lost Sheep. They also offer a takeaway service. Gets great reviews if you like your pizza. Do speciality toppings and have a wood-fired pizza oven that produces pizza with a lovely thin base. www.crust.wales.co.uk
MANANÁS – Mexican food with a bar area. No advance booking so a good place to get a table if you’re struggling to find somewhere to eat or there are a lot of you. The restaurant opens at 6 pm but people can begin queuing to book a table as early at 5.15pm, many of them with a pint in their hand from the Vaynol!
ST TUDWAL’S INN – Standard pub fare and can get a table without booking although may have to wait for one to become available. There is a large patio in the car park. Dogs are allowed in the pub.
LOST SHEEP – Cocktail bar serving Waygu steaks, burgers, wings etc. Beautifully cooked steaks and great cocktails. Booking advisable.
Facebook @lostsheepabersoch
APRES SEA – Tapas style food, small bites, and great bar in the centre of Abersoch - https://www.facebook.com/AbersochApresSea/
Further Away
- Segway and Go-karting at Glasfryn Parc Pwllheli
- Dragon Raiders Activity Park for Segway adventures, paintball and the Bear Grylls Wildcamp survival academy in Porthmadog
- Zipworld and Bounce Below in Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Steam Railways in Ffestiniog, Welsh Highlands Railway in Porthmadog and Llanberis Railway in Caernarfon
- Quarry Tours in Blaenau Ffestiniog
Restaurants Further Away
They are many lovely restaurants and pubs in the surrounding villages, too many to mention them all.
The Glyn Y Weddw in Llanbedrog is very popular, and they serve food all day, they have an undercover outdoor area where you can sit with dogs and a children’s play area. They also do a Sunday carvery which is very good value and popular.
Plas Glyn y Weddw off the road to Llanbedrog beach which is an art gallery with a nice coffee shop/restaurant, they also have children’s workshops on sometimes and outdoor performances and even have outdoor cinema evenings in summer, you can search online to find a list of films they are planning to show and also book online.
Aqua beach bar and restaurant on the beach at Llanbedrog which serves food all day.
On the way to Llanbedrog from NightSky Glamping, The Ship Inn does food and again it’s somewhere to go where you will get a table at the last minute if you don’t feel like cooking!
If you want to treat yourselves Tremfan Hall is extremely good in the evenings and does a wonderful Sunday lunch and further towards Pwllheli is Plas Bodegroes an upmarket restaurant that serves gourmet food although is at the high end of the price bracket.
Twnti’s seafood restaurant and the Twnti pub next door has been recently been taken over and it serves very good food.
Dillon's in Criccieth - This is about a 30-minute drive away but you will not be disappointed by the food and service. Also, Criccieth and its surrounding areas are worth a visit.
