Top spots for a picnic in Wales

When we asked our Facebook followers to name a brilliant place in Wales for a picnic, we were flooded with replies. Here are the locations which came out on top. Just grab that hamper and go!

Romantic and remote, Llanddwyn Island is named after Dwynwen, a fifth century princess, the Welsh patron saint of lovers. It’s a tidal island, connected to southwestern Anglesey by a sliver of sand that’s lost beneath the waves at high tide. Together with nearby Newborough Warren, Llanddwyn is a National Nature Reserve, protected for its ancient rocks and dunes.

To combine the fun of an old-fashioned picnic with the romance of a ride on a vintage train with glorious Eryri (Snowdonia) views, jump aboard the Llanberis Lake Railway. Its steam locomotives chuff past Castell Dolbadarn (Dolbadarn Castle) and alongside Llyn Padarn, stopping at Cei Llydan, where there are benches laid out on the grassy shore.

The Clwydian Range in North East Wales is rich in history, with gorgeous hillsides, forests and heathlands, perfect for walking, cycling and horse riding. 

Coed Moel Famau provides a starting point for a range of walking trails of different lengths and grades. Moel Famau is the highest summit in the Clwydian Range, so after making your way to the top you'll be rewarded with views across North Wales, and deserving of a picnic stop!

The Jubilee Tower Circular trail sets off from the car park and climbs steeply but steadily through the forest to the top of Moel Famau and the ruins of the Jubilee Tower. The trail returns through open countryside along the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail.

Enjoy picturesque views on your picnic at Castell Llansteffan (Llansteffan Castle), built around 1280, with the sands of Tywi Estuary and Carmarthen Bay and green farmlands. Dogs on a lead are allowed on the ground level.

Of all the places to play king (or queen) of the castle in Wales, this one will charm your socks off. There’s not much left of the 13th century fort in Tenby, but just look at the view! Plonk yourself down on this grassy peninsula, feel the breeze on your face and enjoy the seaside sounds floating up from the harbour to the west and the beach to the south.

Whether it’s ice cream weather in the height of summer or a crisp, bright day in the depths of winter, Llandudno is always popular for a stroll, a spot of sandcastle-building and an alfresco lunch. There are plenty of deck chairs to lounge in.

From the Pont y Pair car park on the west side of Betws-y-Coed, it’s just a few minutes’ easy stroll to a gorgeous riverside picnic area, shaded by trees. If you’re up for a gentle walk, follow the path along the River Llugwy. There’s a wooden walkway so wheelchair users and families with pushchairs can enjoy this peaceful spot.

Picture perfect, Porthdinllaen beach is unique. Where else can you relax outside the Ty Coch, an historic fishermen’s pub, digging your toes in the sand, to enjoy a pint of real ale named after a Bardsey king? After lunch, you could go snorkelling or simply watch the sand martins as they whizz overhead and dive into their burrows. Cars aren’t allowed, but approaching on foot is a treat.

So, you’ve made your way to Rhossili Bay. Good choice – people have been drawn to this dramatic Gower beach since the Stone Age, leaving the area peppered with archaeological sites. Now all you have to do is pick your spot. You have three miles of sand to choose from. A cartwheel competition while you decide, perhaps?

If you love cool shade and wide, tranquil water, you’ll love Lake Vyrnwy, a reservoir created in the late 19th century to supply the fast growing city of Liverpool. Surrounded by stunning forests, meadows and moorlands, it’s become a wildlife hotspot, home to pied flycatchers, redstarts, peregrine falcons, buzzards and bats.