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General
Acclaimed by regular users as one of the best beaches in the UK, Morfa
Dyffryn is located on the Welsh coast between Harlech and Barmouth and is
about 2 -3 hours drive from Manchester and the West Midlands. this
location has been used by naturists since the mid-1930's and it's one of
the best naturist beaches in the UK. On fine Sundays in the summer, up to
500 visitors can be found using the mile long naturist section of the
beach.
Access & Parking
The beach is off the A496 Barmouth to Harlech road about 4 miles north of Barmouth. Between the villages of Talybont and Dyffryn Ardudwy turn seawards into Fford Benar Lane (signposted "Traeth" - Welsh for beach), a small chapel at this junction makes it easy to see. One mile down this very narrow (in places) lane are toilets and just beyond a free car park, this has height barriers and is therefore unsuitable for van/campers etc. Follow the marked path through the dunes to the beach, turn right and walk for 25 mins (average), the naturist beach was once easily recognised by a WW2 pill box sticking out halfway up the dunes. [ now removed - see below]
Alternatively, use the (much nearer) car park at the Dyffryn Seaside Estate. To reach this turn right at the toilets mentioned above and drive into the Seaside Estate, turn left at the mini roundabout, past the shops and pub, through the gate to park on the grass area at the rear of the dunes, follow the path to the beach, turn right for a 15 minute walk. It is slightly quicker to walk through the dunes but not recommended for first time visitors - easy to get lost. The Seaside Estate sometimes charge £1 for access - but usually only in the high season.
in Summer 1999 a new 'board walk' was built from near the National Park Car Park through the dunes to the beach to allow disabled access although it is still a long but level trek over hard sand from there to the nude part. Makes life rather easier for those who wish to cycle too.
By Rail: the Welsh Coast line from Barmouth to Porthmadog runs just inland from the beach, with stops at Dyffryn Ardudwy and Llanbedr.
Description
Morfa Dyffryn beach itself is ENORMOUS, even the part used by naturists
is about 1 mile in length - and to the rear of that are hundreds of acres
of peaceful dunes and scrubland between the beach and the airfield. All of
this can be and is used by naturists. An enthusiastic regular vistitor
reports: '"The beach is clean, as is the sea which shelves gently so
swimming is possible - and the tide doesn`t go out miles! The main beach
is used by families, couples and singles - the usual mix in fact. The
dunes to the northern part are gay orientated and the dunes to the
immediate rear of the main beach by couples and single men. There is
plenty of room for all. The views to the rear are of Snowdonia and the
Rhinog mountains and to the front across Tremadog Bay can be seen the Llyn
Peninsular"
Facilities
None on the beach.
Water Quality
Reported to be 'good'.
Caravans and Camping
Textile camping at Benar Beach Caravan Park and Dyffryn Seaside Estate.
Informal camping at "Glyns Field"
No touring caravans or campervans at Dyffryn Seaside Estate, no caravans
at Glyn's Field but campervans are OK, both types at Benar Beach. Static
vans can be rented at the seaside estate. Tents are £3 pn at Glyn's
without facilities but the NP toilets are handy! Between £5 and 7 at
the others with toilets and showers (at extra cost). Glyn's is
predominantly used by naturists of all types.
"Glyn's Field"
Turn off the main road by the chapel, turn right towards the caravan site
and there a gate on your right a few yards after the junction. Not a lot
of facilities: the field gets mown and there's one water tap - but it's
only £3 per night! (Glyn comes round on his tractor in the morning.)
Official Designation
Following a number of complaints about incidents of "flashing" in the area adjacent to the nudist beach, in 2000 the local authority took a decision to erect notices designating a section of the beach for naturist use. This action, taken despite some local opposition to ANY nude use, was accompanied by warnings that action would be taken against anyone found without clothes outside the designated area. Some regular beach-users expressed scepticism that the designation - and consequent limitation on the area of beach available to naturists - would be rapidly followed by a complete ban. These fears appear not to have been borne out in fact - the number of complaints received in the summer of 2000 was significantly reduced and the Council has declared the designation "a success".
On Thursday 24 May 2001, the 'Cambrian News' reported:
"In 1999 the police received 22 complaints about nudists, after
Gwynydd Council adopted part of Dyffryn Ardudwy beach as a recognised nude
bathing area, the complaints dropped to just two." and quoted
local police Inspector Ellis as saying "Regulating the nudists
and having a special area for them has worked."
Assorted Map References:
Update: 2004
The council-erected signs were reportedly missing from the beach early in 2004 - although details of the beach remained in the car park. A visitor in May confirms that the signs on the beach itself have now (27/05/04) been replaced, although not in their original location. It is said that the workmen who came to erect the sign at the south end of the naturist beach were unsure where to place it, so asked the naturists for help. As a result the sign was placed near the pillbox - the traditional start of the naturist section and a considerable distance further south than the previous signs!
"A rough pacing out suggests that the county council has maintained the one kilometre distance between the posts and moved both about 350-400 yards south."
Trip Reports
September 2005
"I first got into naturism over in Gran Canaria and really enjoyed it. Since then I've been a regular at Morfa Dyffryn. It's a stunning beach and very clean. I remember my first time there - I sat next to this young couple in their thirties and they made me feel at ease."
August 2005
"I visited Morfa Dyffryn naturist beach for the first time on Tues 9th August 2005 - my first time on a nude beach in fact. It was clean and the atmosphere very relaxed, I had no worries about taking off my t-shirt and shorts. So enjoyable was this new feeling of freedom I returned the next 3 days in a row. People were easy to talk to - both male and female - with no hang-ups about being nude. There was a good mix of people on the beach with only single females under represented, come on girls! Sun bathing and swimming in the sea were the best ever, it was surprising how much room there was on the beach and the sea even emptier. I would certainly recommend Morfa to anyone and I will definitely return.
August 2005
"Went to this beach yesterday for a quick visit, never been in my life before!
What a fantastic place.....I ventured topless today with my partner naked....gorgeous! Returned again today, went back again a bit into the dunes, a few people were dotted about in the dunes mainly single guys....made me feel a little uneasy - but OK with partner there. Plenty of families and couples on the main beach though, A word of advice....take a windbreak!"
August 2005
"Since this has been an authorised naturist beach, my thought is that it has become even more of an attraction for doggers, swingers and a whole array of sex perverts. The sand dunes in particular seem to be a haven for sexual predatory behaviour for dozens of single men.... If it was in the councils best interests to authorise this beach then surely it should be in their interests to assure the safety of genuine nudists."
July 2005
"Having discovered the nudist beach at Playa Blanca on Lanzarote at the end of May, we were determined not to have to wait for holidays abroad to experience our new-found freedom.
We found your website through Google and visited Morfa Dyffryn at the end of July on a mad-hot Saturday. It was fabulous! Miles of wide golden sand and plenty of room for all. We were so happy with our own company (plenty on the beach, but it’s so BIG we didn’t notice) that I proposed, and she accepted. It was a bit pre-planned – I took a bottle of Champagne just in case the timing felt right. You’ve no idea how far a cork travels when it leaves a warm bottle of Champagne!
We’ve now figured a way to go there ‘last minute’, without the need for booking accommodation in the hope that the weather’s going to be O.K. – a tent. £50 for a three-manner (just for a bit of extra room), a few odds-and-sods and we’re able to get away at the drop of a hat if the forecast’s good. No catering – food, drink and facilities courtesy of the Dyffryn Seaside Estate (£12 a night)."
June 2005
Our first time on a UK naturist beach, we went along on a glorious sunny and hot Saturday 18/06/05.
The web page directions were very good and spot-on. The beach and dunes were in full use by all types and gender of naturists. A fantastic day at the beach. However, only marred by the very few single men who are letting the side down by openly playing with themselves on top of the dunes and in full view, there is plenty of room at this venue to go 'private' if you wish to do so.
Well recommended.
January 2005
"Last Thursday 13th January 2005 I visited Dyffryn beach. Quite warm for the time of the year and was surprised to find two naturists on the beach, one whom regularly rides his bicycle naked. After a brief chat I stripped off and we walked the length of the beach meeting a few dog walkers. The beach is almost spotless and such space! We were careful to avoid a family with young children however dad came over and told us that they were perfectly happy as the beach was designated for naturists. I can't say we had a swim as the water was rather cold, but a most enjoyable afternoom. I would fully recommend the beach and look forward to my return."
August 2004
"My wife and I visited this beach with our two sons - our first naturist beach....
We found the beach to be spotless and well used. People on the whole were very friendly and there were many families which made it an easy and pleasant first time experience. My only concerns and irritations were the odd creepy single character... These people are so desperate and make it obvious which spoils an otherwise natural relaxed experience. "
August 2004
"We have just got back from a great week away in Mid Wales. I found out about this beach just before we went and we decided that after trying our first naturist beach last year that we would give it one more go, not that we didn't enjoy ourselves in Norfolk , it was a bit unerving that we were the only couple on the beach, the rest was made up of single and male couples.
So off we went through the dunes to the beach , wow we thought we picked a great day , so off we went to the naturist section to find that it was pretty full of other likewise people, couples and singles relaxing and enjoying themselves. We stripped off and settled down to a good afternoon's sunbathing, a lovely breeze , plenty of sun and a great splash about in the sea, made sure that we will be back there again one day."
August 2002
"I visited the beach over the bank holiday alone. The camping at
Benar bay was small and friendly although the enclosed area felt a little
claustrophobic. The beach was gorgeous and long enogh to walk along to
some effect.
Behind the beach proper it was different. There were mainly men in the
dunes. However behind the beach itself there were a number of men playing
themselves or with each other and it is quite common it seems to find
couples both mixed and male gay having sex and willing to be watched.... I
was approached by several men myself.
This was a bit of a shock"
August 2002
"[I] have visited the beach twice in the last few weeks & it is
indeed as mentioned, quite huge. My most recent visit was Aug' 25th Bank
holiday so I was expecting lots of people there, but not a bit of it. By
the end of the day I would've said there were no more than 150 people or
less using the nude section. Is this Britains best kept secret or
something? Croatia would kill for a beach like this & it would be the
nudist tourist destination in Europe.
The designated area, in my opinion, is well big enough to cope with the nudists that use it, though having said that, the notice could easily be moved back half a kilometre at least as the people that turn up to use the regular beach congregate only on the first few hundred yards (too idle to walk any further??) which is probably the beaches worst section.
The mix of people is still as mentioned previous, though I thought there seemed a lot of men, be they singles or gay couples with just a smattering of straight couples/single women (come on girls, f'chirstsakes!). Anyway, the beach is well worth a visit, it's clean, safe, vast and believe me you'll never feel more naked walking the flats from post to post. Check it out."
January 2001 The Liverpool Daily Post reported on the 14th
December 2000 that the number of complaints about the naturists on this
beach has dropped from 20 in 1999 to only 1 in 2000. This has been
attributed to the designation of a naturist area, and the patrols on the
beach.
The local council are delighted, and the designated area will continue.
24/1/ 2000
"The new board walk from the SNP car park appears to have escaped
the winter storms so far unscathed. The pill box has disappeared - just a
hole left in the sand where it used to be and a coil of rusty barbed wire
marking the spot. I presume it has been demolished by Gwynedd Council."
23 April 2000
Recent Developments
"The start of the naturist area used to be marked by a 'pill box'
(actually a bunker from WWII). In early 2000 the bunker was, thankfully,
demolished by the local council. For the 2000 summer season, the local
council has decided to erect sign posts deliminating the naturist area.
This is probably a bad decision, since it may attract poor publicity to
the beach, but the council is the council and we'll have abide by them."
"The reasons why the council has been prompted into erecting sign posts are not completely clear. But they may have received complaints from those who live locally, and from textiles complaining of naturist intrusion into the textile beach. There have also been one or two articles in the Welsh press on the beach, including one in a Welsh language magazine. Overall though the beach is, like most naturist beaches, safe. There has never been a serious incident at Morfa Dyffryn - paedophiles and the like are far more likely to use conventional textile beaches where they can remain inconspicuous."
August 2000 - the signs marking the 'designated area' have now been erected. Not only do they significally reduce the 'traditional area' and threaten any naturists outside the marked zone with prosecution, but they also - according to reports - specifically fordbid nudity in the dunes (an area not in the control of the local authority) Many Morfa regulars fear the worst...
July 1999
"A week or so back I posted a report on Morfa Dyffryn beach in which
I mention recent incidents of "flashing" in the area adjacent to
the nudist beach. Following on from this the Gwynned weekly newspaper the
Cambrian News published on 22nd July 1999 led on it's front page with the
large headline "Beach Shame Exposed". This was accompanied by an
editorial on an inner page. Briefly, since Easter the local police have
received a number of complaints of indecent exposure towards young
children in the area of the Dyffryn Ardudwy beaches. These have all been
in textile areas but the police and local people alike believe that these
"flashers" are using the proximity of the nudist beach as an
excuse. It gives them an "out" so to speak because the naturist
beach is unofficial and therefore the area not designated or signed. I
suppose it works along the lines of "I had no clothes on because I
thought I was on the nudist beach" It now seems that local
councillors, local people and the police are pushing Gwynedd Council very
hard to "designate" the nudist area by the erection of signs and
very quickly indeed. The only reason this has not yet been done is because
of what the Council describe as "difficult legal issues". I
haven't a clue what these issues are and the article does not help in that
respect. Both article and editorial are well balanced with, there is no
objection to the nude beach, those using it or it's continued existence,
the only concern is to keep us corralled into our own area and those
caught straying will be prosecuted. It is basically pro-nudist and
mentions nude use as long ago as the 1930's.
The Future of Dyffryn
"The effect the sign posts will have on naturism at Dyffryn remains
to be seen. The council has said the naturist area will be 1km in length -
somewhat less than the 1 mile length traditionally used. Up to 2000,
naturism at Dyffryn has been enjoyed by all communities - single, gay and
hetrosexual couples. It is hoped this will continue to be the case well
into the future. Dyffryn is an important beach to the UK's naturist
community, and must have greatly advanced UK naturism down the years."
30/05/2000 - the decision to officially designate Morfa Dyffryn was been confirmed.
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