Situated on the southern coast of Holy Island, and bordering the village of Rhoscolyn, Borth Wen beach looks out over the Irish Sea towards the Llyn Peninsula.
With its shallow, golden sloping sands and clear, blue waters, it’s a fantastic spot for a family day out. Children will enjoy searching in the numerous rock pools that are exposed at low tide as well as building sandcastles or having a paddle. There are also a few small coves and rocky islets around the beach.
For water sports enthusiasts, Borth Wen beach is ideal for surfing, wind surfing, kite surfing, sailing, and kayaking. It’s also a great place for diving and snorkelling with lots of marine life and a few wrecks to explore.
From 1830 to 1929, there was an RNLI lifeboat station located on the beach. In 1920, the Timbo, a small steamship on her way to Ireland from Liverpool got caught in a storm and began to drift towards the rocky coast. Borth Wen’s lifeboat was launched and after failing to get a line aboard the Timbo, capsized on its return journey. 5 of the 13 man crew were lost, and some time later 4 men from the Timbo too. A memorial to the crew can be seen in the cemetery at St Gwenfaen’s Church in Rhoscolyn.
The lifeboat station was replaced with the Rhoscolyn Beacon, a navigational marker located on one of the rocky islands forming Ynysoedd Gwylanod or ‘seagull islands’ just off the coast.
Today the lifeboat station is a holiday home, while the slipway is still in use and ideally placed for launching boats to access both North Stack and South Stack, as well as the entire rugged coastline of Holy Island. To use the slipway, boat owners need to pay a registration fee and a daily charge.
The Anglesey Coastal Path runs past the beach along the top of the cliffs which offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape and rock formations. There are areas of heathland and scrub that support stonechats, wheatears, and whitethroats, while breeding birds include shags, choughs, peregrine falcons, ravens, and kestrels.
The top of the cliffs is also a great place to spot seals which can often be seen bobbing about in the sea. And look among the dunes for a variety of wildflowers including the spotted rock rose.
Alternatively, a sign-posted circular walk takes you from the beach through Rhoscolyn village, the perfect opportunity to stop off at the White Eagle for something to drink and a bite to eat. Supposedly a favourite of William and Kate, Prince and Princess of Wales, the pub serves plenty of local seafood, as well as traditional pub grub including a good range of vegetarian options. It also has a well-stocked bar and you’re welcome to take your dog.
Access to the beach is via a very narrow lane with lots of sharp corners and few passing places. There is a small pay and display car park by the beach which gets full on sunny days, so it’s often better to park in the village and walk down a footpath from behind the church. There are also public toilets and cold water showers available.
