MR : A Snapshot of Abersoch

A Snapshot of Abersoch

Kath Ayres and Richard Whitworth review a popular Champs venue - Spring 2003

I have memories of happy days - spent on the beach, whilst the sun always shone....... or at least that's what I remember! Abersoch does in fact have its own microclimate and often it can be raining 5 miles away in Pwllheli and sunny in Abersoch, having said that the reverse is also true.

Abersoch town is situated on the Lleyn Peninsula and the bulk of the accommodation is in general within walking distance of both the beach and the sailing club, so you can leave the car back at your house.

The main town beach is a mile long expanse of golden sand - perfect for kids and sailors as the sand gently slopes into the sea. The slipway is in the middle of the beach. To the right of the slipway is the area for powerboats and to the left is the area for sailing boats. The whole of the beach is open to the public and the area on the right tends to be quieter - but it is further away from the launching area and the Club - which is on the headland at the far left.

The Town beach is only one of several within easy reach of Abersoch - others include the Warren Beach which is privately owned (fee payable) and therefore tends to be quieter, Porth Ceiriad - on the tip of Sarn Bach - a beautiful sandy cove. Hells Mouth - which is the local Surfer's paradise and Llanbedrog Beach which is couple of miles away. So if it's sandcastles and beach parties that you want - then this is the place to come!

Other local attractions include Portmeirion - 20 miles down the coast, an Italian style village constructed in the 1900's and home of the famous pottery. Some of our older members may recall the 1960's series "The Prisoner" which was filmed there - before my time as well I'm afraid, but you could always ask your Mum and Dad. Also within striking distance are the castles and towns at Caernarfon and Criccieth, plus the beautiful mountains of Snowdonia and the Ffestiniog railway, which has a stop at Porthmadog.

The are some good local walks - I particularly enjoy the walk over Sarn Bach to Porth Ceiriad and walking over Llandebrog Head, which incidentally is an ideal spot to watch the racing as you look down on to the racing area. A short trip across the Peninsula takes you to Morfa Nefyn, another lovely beach with the Ty-Coch Inn at one end of the Bay.

Retail therapy via the shops in Abersoch is essential - Fat Face, Burgh, White Stuff and Crew all have a presence - as does North Wales's home grown talent "Alcatraz" which stocks French Connection, Mondi and Jackpot etc for girlies, and loads of expensive boy's labels as well. The 3 shops in Abersoch tend to stock last seasons' gear at discount prices - the parent shop in Pwllheli has the latest designs. There's even a chandlers for those who find that they've broken or lost an important bit of their boat!

With regard to food shopping, the main supermarkets - Tesco and Safeway are in Caernarfon, which is around 20 minutes away. However there is a smaller Co-Op in Pwllheli and also a local Spar and Corner Shop in Abersoch, which do tend to be expensive in comparison to supermarket prices. If (with a bit of luck) the weather is good enough for Barbecues - the local butcher in Abersoch does some fantastic kebabs and flavoured steaks/chops.

All that exercise, both on and off the water, deserves a reward and there are lots of good restaurants in the town centre, many of which are tried and tested. They range from Mexican to Indian, Italian - both pizzaia and "posh", traditional pub grub, a very good deli/sandwich bar and several good beach bars serving smoothies and juices. But be warned - some of the restaurants don't take bookings - so an early start is recommended for evening dining. The Club also has a restaurant - which serves food on their sun deck, ideal for watching the world go by whilst soaking up the rays.

If you fancy travelling a little further afield, there is a Bistro on the beach at Llandbedrog, which is very handy for the Llanbedrog Head walk and most of the local pubs serve good food at reasonable prices.

For those with energy to spare, other local attractions include a golf course and horse-riding centre (remember '98?) as well as clay pigeon shooting or should we leave that to the O.D.?

And after all that excitement - for those who still want to party the evening away, there are some new aspiring pubs/clubs that now extend their hours well into the next day.

In short - it's a Welsh version of Salcombe!