Newborough Forest and National Nature Reserve, managed by Natural Resources Wales, takes in pine forest, wide dunes and the long sandy beach of Traeth Llanddwyn on Anglesey’s south-west tip. At the far end of the beach is Ynys Llanddwyn, a tidal island linked to St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers, with the ruins of her church, pillow lava rocks and the Tŵr Mawr lighthouse looking towards Eryri.
What to see and do
Waymarked trails start from several car parks. The Saint, Sand and Sea Trail (7 km, moderate) links the forest, dunes and island. From Llyn Parc Mawr, the Red Squirrel Discovery Trail (2.4 km, easy) and the short, accessible Lake View Trail are good places to look out for red squirrels. There are also forest cycle routes.
Good to know
Ynys Llanddwyn can be cut off at high tide, so check tide times first, and keep off the estuary’s soft mud. There is no lifeguard service. Dogs are not allowed on the section of beach by the Beach car park from 1 May to 30 September.
Where to go
For the beach and Ynys Llanddwyn, follow the road from Newborough village to the NRW Llanddwyn Beach car park (LL61 6SG, grid ref SH 405 634); the beach is reached over the dunes beside the car park. For the red squirrel and Lake View trails, use Llyn Parc Mawr car park (LL61 6SU, SH 413 669). Other NRW car parks: Pen Cob, Malltraeth (LL62 5BA), and Braint and Llyn Rhos Ddu (LL61 6RS).
Opening times
Open access. Car parks: no parking between midnight and 6am.
Prices
Free entry. Parking at the Llanddwyn Beach, Airman’s and Cwningar car parks: free drop-off up to 30 minutes, £5 up to 2 hours, 70p per extra 20 minutes after 2 hours, £15 all day. NRW season ticket £70 a year for one vehicle (also valid at Coed y Brenin and Bwlch Nant yr Arian); Anglesey resident season ticket £35 a year for two vehicles (Llanddwyn only). NRW does not state a validity period for these prices.
Parking
Charged NRW car parks at Llanddwyn Beach (main car park), Airman’s and Cwningar, 6am to 11:59pm daily: free drop-off up to 30 minutes, £5 up to 2 hours, then 70p per extra 20 minutes, £15 all day. Pay by contactless at the machine (no cash) or RingGo. No overnight parking. Blue Badge holders park free but must register the vehicle (RingGo on the day, or yearly via the NRW Customer Hub). Other NRW car parks at Llyn Parc Mawr, Pen Cob, Braint and Llyn Rhos Ddu.
Public transport
Bus stop in Newborough village. Nearest mainline stations are Bangor and Holyhead; Bodorgan, an unstaffed request stop, is about four miles from the village.
Walk
7 km / 4.4 miles (Saint, Sand and Sea Trail)
Moderate
NRW Llanddwyn Beach car park, Newborough (LL61 6SG, SH 405 634)
Step-free access
Partly step-free
Access details
Blue Badge parking and accessible toilets at the Beach car park. A Mobi-Mat beside the Beach car park lets wheelchair users cross the dunes to the beach. A free beach wheelchair can be booked by emailing niwbwrch@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk; allow three working days for a reply. The Lake View Trail (0.3 km) from Llyn Parc Mawr is NRW’s accessible trail. The Bike Quest and Corsica Bike trails are suitable for adaptive cycles, and the trim trail has two accessible exercise stations.
Toilets
Yes, including an accessible toilet
Facilities
Toilets (Beach car park) · Accessible toilets · Ice cream and catering vans (weekends 1 April to 30 September and daily in the school summer holidays, weather permitting) · Picnic area · Wildlife hide · Waymarked walking, cycling, running and horse riding trails · Orienteering courses · Free beach wheelchair (book ahead)
Dogs
Allowed with restrictions
Dog rules
No dogs on the beach section by the Beach car park (which NRW calls the Blue Flag beach) from 1 May to 30 September; dogs allowed on the rest of the beach. On Ynys Llanddwyn from 1 April to 1 September, dogs must be on a short lead and kept to marked paths to protect ground-nesting birds.
