Newton Beach is a long sandy beach, approximately 3 miles long, stretching from Newton Point in the…read moreeast to the mouth of the River Ogmore in the west. Newton Beach is long and unspoilt, and mainly popular with walkers, dog walkers and horse riders. You do get families and sunbathers in the summer - but other Porthcawl beaches more specifically cater to these groups. The beach is popular with windsurfers, jet skiers and power boat users. The Newton Burrows and Merthyr Mawr sand dunes back Newton beach, and are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. The present warren is what is left of what was once the largest sand dune system in Europe, stretching along the coast to Mumbles The dunes form an important habitat for wildlife and plants, and also claim fame to the second highest sand dune in Europe, locally known as the 'big dipper'. Some of the filming of Lawrence of Arabia took place on the dunes. The sand dunes and beach are beautifal and unusual - with good quality water, but for facilities such as toilets and cafes, you need to enter Trecco holiday park or go into Newton village

A beautiful wide and sandy beach about a mile from Porthcawl, which is very popular with surfers -…read moreit's a lovely place to walk too. There is a lifeguard here during the summer (when dogs aren't allowed on the beach). There's a car park above the beach and the coast road, right next to The Royal Porthcawl Golf Course. A small Italian ice cream shop stands off to one side of the car park but there are no other cafes.

Really family friendly, kite friendly, bird friendly, surfing friendly, walking friendly, really…read morefriendly! The sands at Rest Bay stretch probably for more than 1.25 miles at low tide - flat and enticing, especially in the setting sun. Black headed gulls dot the shimmering sands, rivulets invite giant steps and running jumps to cross, the setting sun due west blindingly dazzling. There are rock pools and sand holes to explore, flat expanses to run around and expend as much energy as a whole pack of Duracel batteries, waves that generate excitement even for hardened surfers to run towards with glinting eyed expectation. Definitely worth a visit - something for everyone.

Porthcawl Beach is a fairly large expanse of sand on the sea front of this coastal town on the…read moreshores of South Wales. Endearingly popular as soon as the sun comes out, this beach can be very, very busy. So be warned. Attractions right on the shore front include the Coney Beach Amusement Park and donkey rides, as well as many food outlets and gaming outlets. This is the ideal kind of beach to bring children to, or adults with a short attention span, but if you're looking for scenic beauty and secluded spots, probably trying a bit further west is your best bet. Enjoy the sun.

Merthyr Mawr sand dunes are one of those places that, once visited, you'll never forget. These are…read moresome of the biggest dunes in the UK, in terms of height and expanse. You can spend an entire day here, and keep exploring new dunes and pathways. Be careful not to get lost! Eventually, a walk through the dunes will bring you out to a beautiful expanse of sandy beach, which is inaccessible by land apart from via the dunes, due to a wide river cutting you off. There is a campsite situated at the entrance to the dunes, and a large free car park, which may be the only shade you see all day, so talk a hat and water. This area is great of kids, as they can roll and tumble to their heart's content down the dunes. Sand sledging is also a popular past time out here, along with hiking and horse trekking. This is an amazing and unique part of the Welsh countryside, and I would urge anyone who's not already been to take a look! I adore this area.

The Dunes in Merthyr Mawr are a beautiful part of the country side located on the other side of the…read moreRiver Ogmore from the Ogmore Castle. It's extremely picturesque and they filmed some of Lawrence of Arabia here. The dunes stretch on for miles and used to reach all the way to the Mumbles near Swansea. The focal point nowadays would be Candleston Castle, a 15th century ruin which is naturally, rumoured to be haunted by various beings. It is all that remains of the village of Tregenllaw - a whole village buried underneath the sand a few years ago. Naturally, given the eerie setting of the dunes at night there are rumours that it's haunted! It's a popular spot for dog walkers, taking in some of the nearby sea air and, in the summer with younger people sliding down the dunes. I had many a barbecue here in my teens. It's a lovely spot and a great walk if you fancy walking all the way down to the beach. You can also extend it and cross the nearby River Ogmore to see some more of the area.

Sandy Bay is the most commercial, tourist focused beach in Porthcawl. Coney Fairground is situated…read moreat the top of one part of the beach, and this part of the Beach is sometimes known as Coney Beach. The beach is a large, sheltered and sandy. Lifeguard cover is provided from May - September, and the lifeguard hut can be seen on the rocky point to the east of the beach. The water quality is rated as excellent. Sandy Bay is popular with families who enjoy the facilities in the beach in the summer i.e donkey and pony rides, trampolines and bouncy castles and the adjacent Coney Beach Fun fair. You can hire a deckchair if you want an old school experience! Sandy Bay is also popular with surfers in certain conditions - especially in the winter. Sandy Bay is home to the Porthcawl Christmas morning swim where hundreds of swimmers take a dip every christmas day. A sight not to be missed - join in if you are brave! Sandy bay is a beautiful beach - but very busy in the summer with families. This can cause the usual problems such as litter - but the beach is well serviced so these should be kept to a minimum.

Trecco Bay - The Beach, not the Holiday park which shares its name - is an unspoilt,…read moreuncommercialised beach in Newton, Porthcawl. Trecco Bay has been awarded the blue flag, and has lifeguard cover during the summer. It is situated between Sandy Bay and Newton Beach, and is a cove between two rocky points. The beach is accessible by foot, following the costal path in either direction, or by cutting through the holiday park. Newton Point can be reached by car, via the holiday park, or you can park in the Newton Beach car park and take the 3 minute walk across. Although the beach is situated by the holiday park it is usually quiet throughout the year, as it is fairly rocky, and there are superior Porthcawl Beaches for swimming, sunbathing and surfing.

Southerndown beach is a fantastic spot and popular with local surfers. It's got a large beach and…read morehuge cliffs to explore as well as gardens and a wooded area with picnic tables. You can walk up onto the site where Dunraven Castle used to be (it was demolished in 1963) and explore the large gardens which still remain. In keeping with other historical landmarks in the area, it's also got plenty of ghost stories to keep you on your toes if you choose to camp here. The beach is great for families but there are plenty of areas nearby which probably wouldn't be great for children. There's narrow footpaths leading down to an adjoining beach where I've almost fallen to my certain death. We used to go here for regular barbecues and light camp fires and generally hang out in our teens and it's a beautiful part of the coast line on a warm summer's night.

Southerndown is a small village on the South Wales coast, best known for its amazing beach. This is…read moreone of my favourite days out, and should not be missed by people travelling through or living in the area. A large and excellent beach suitable for families, summer swimming and surfing; be careful through, this stretch of coast can get grim in bad weather, and currents can be strong. There are also walled Victorian gardens open the public, which have been very well cared for and are an excellent place for a sheltered picnic. On the cliff overlooking the beach is the ruin of an old courtyard and stunning walks with panoramic views. The wind will put some colour back in your cheeks! There is a large amount of parking on site available, but during busy times this might cost you a couple of pounds. There are public toilets and a small shop selling ice cream, drinks, beach toys and some hot food and drinks. Nothing like getting a pasty to eat while paddling in the sea after you cliff-top walk. This beach quadruples in size to expose a huge stretch of clean sand when the tide is out, so check the tide times before you go to avoid disappointment (although the pebbles are very nice as well). Note: I love the google map Yelp gives this review!

A great place to visit to take a walk across the beach and over the cliffs. When the tide is out…read morethere are rock pools, and fossils to look for amongst the rocks.There are many legends of smuggling here. Dunraven is home to the Heritage Coastal Centre where information is available (drive through the car park and turn left). There is a second beach around the headland but it's difficult to get to as it's around the headland and the access down is by steep steps.

If your preference is for rugged, raw, untamed and wild, look no further, here is a beach that will…read moresuit you to a T! Remote and windswept (well, it is at the moment, even though it's supposed to be mid-summer), you could call it bleak. But, there's beauty in bleak. A vast expanse of virgin sand backed by a pebbly foreshore and then behind that the warren of sand dunes that makes up the rest of the Kenfig National Nature Reserve. It's a trek to get here, from Rest Bay in Porthcawl via a small bit of the newly opened Wales Coast Path. Or from the Nature Reserve car park by Kenfig Pool, trudge along the myriad sandy tracks and pathways that try their best to disorientate you, make you feel like you're a million miles away in the Gobi desert, lost until found as skeletal remains (OK, maybe a bit OTT - they're bound to find you long before decomposition sets in). Surfing, lazing, throwing pebbles, making sandcastles, watching wild-life, chatting to the resident life-guard, or his girlfriend, burying your head in the sand, watching the amazing sunsets; these are all acceptable activities at this lonely but lovely beach. Definitely recommended