Peaceful, man-made, golden Traeth Mawr.

Literally translating to ‘large beach’, Traeth Mawr is a man made beach created during a large-scale land reclamation project that began in 1808 and completed in 1814 (following a two year delay caused by a violent storm in 1812). The beach is located on the south west of the island and is a huge expanse of golden sand bordered by dunes.

Access to deep water is via a long smooth incline – though low tide can mean a bit of a walk to the water. There can be quite a strong current at the mouth of the river which should be avoided when swimming. The nearest car park is some distance away, so the beach is seldom busy even during tourist season.

The amenities on offer at Traeth Mawr are minimal, but along the river is the village of Aberffraw (which is near where you’ll have to park if travelling by car). About a mile away on foot, the village has a shop, bar and cafe.

Traeth Mawr is located on the south west side of the island, and visitors can get within about a mile of the beach via car and park up near Pont Aberffraw. The car park is pay-and-display, but reasonably priced and a path through the dunes will take you directly to the beach.

The beach is isolated and, besides the food stall near the car park (which sells ice cream and woodfired pizza), there are no amenities in the immediate area. However, the area is a conservation area and the walk is great for wildlife spotting. The nearest village is Aberffraw, which is just across Pont Aberffraw from the car park and has shops, a bar and places to eat.

Visitors to the island can find the beach by taking the A5 from either bridge and joining the North Wales Expressway (A55) and then the A4080. The journey takes around half an hour and will take you directly to the beach’s nearest car park.