The village of Porthdinllaen on the Llyn peninsula in north-west Wales (Image: Getty)
This part of the UK coastline could have looked significantly different if early 19th-century plans to construct a new port had been realised.
Porthdinllaen, located on the north coast of the Llyn Peninsula in north-west Wales, is a natural harbour sheltered by a headland. In the 1800s, it saw over 600 ships dock annually. And the Ty Coch pub, originally a vicarage built in the 1820s, was converted into a pub in 1842 to cater to the shipbuilding workers on the beach.
However, more recently, Holyhead was chosen as the preferred location for the new port and history was set.
And now the Ty Coch pub and Porthdinllaen are among the most photographed locations on the UK coast, with the pub arguably the best-located pub in the entire UK. In fact, not long ago it was named the third best beach bar on the planet, beating those in Australia and the Caribbean. It’s not hard to see why.
The Ty Coch Inn is stunningly situatied right on the beach (Image: Getty)
And you can make it a hugely satisfying end point for a walk. This scenic four-mile walk starts just off Morfa Nefyn beach and heads towards Edern before looping back onto the dramatic coastline, passing the new RNLI station and leading to the Ty Coch. The remainder of the walk takes you along the beach.
The walk:
1. Starting from the National Trust car park at Morfa Nefyn, turn left and follow Lon Golff until you reach the crossroads. Then, turn right onto Lon Las, which leads to the main B4417 road from Nefyn towards Tudweiliog. At the junction, turn right. There is a wide pavement on the right side of the road. Continue along this road for approximately 300 yards.
2. Make a right turn onto a farm road that will lead you to a caravan park. However, before reaching the entrance to Porthdinllaen farm and the caravan site, there’s a path that veers off to the right towards the coast – this is the one you should take (avoid following the first footpath sign as it will merely lead you back to the car park). This path runs along the edges of fields for about half a mile until it intersects with the Wales Coast Path. At this point, make a right turn.
The Ty Coch Inn has been named the third best beach bar in the world (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)
3. Continue on the coast path as it meanders along the shore. Keep well to the west as the path shares the coastline with Nefyn Golf Club. This course is a favourite of former PGA Masters champion Ian Woosnam, who holds the club record with a round of 67. The course has even been featured in Visit Wales tourist board TV adverts.
4: The golf club section concludes at the coastguard lookout post where an Iron Age hill fort can be found. It’s an excellent spot to pause and observe the seabirds, seals and fishing boats servicing the numerous lobster pots offshore. As you approach the lifeboat station, you’ll notice the path becoming more rocky. It will guide you down to sea level past several quaint cottages, leading you to the Ty Coch Inn.
Porthdinllaen, a National Trust-owned property since 1994, was originally a fishing port and trading hub for centuries, providing shelter during storms. It was once the primary export point for pigs to markets in Liverpool and beyond, with salt also being imported here for the Nefyn herring.
The Ty Coch Inn, offering stunning views of the bay and the Eifl mountains, is an ideal stopover even on the stormiest days. In 2013, it earned the title of the third best beach bar globally, and its popularity has surged ever since.
Visitors can return to the car park via the beach, with the entrance located up a set of steps behind the beach warden’s hut. If it’s high tide, there’s an alternative route – up the path behind the Ty Coch to Lon Golff and back to the car park.