Borth, mid Wales.

The beach at Borth stretches for miles along Cardigan Bay, backed by a shingle bank that's been holding back the sea for centuries. It's the sort of place where you can walk for hours without seeing another soul, which is either brilliant or tedious depending on your mood.

What you're actually doing here is walking. Lots of walking. The sand is firm and wide at low tide, the shingle ridge behind it peppered with pebbles and the occasional piece of driftwood. On a clear day you can see across to the Preseli Hills. On a grey one - which is most days - it's just you, the bay, and the sound of the waves. Proper restorative stuff if you like that sort of thing.

It works best for walkers who don't need manicured paths or visitor centres. Families with younger kids might find it a bit bleak after an hour or two, unless they're the type who'll happily hunt for shells and skip stones all afternoon. History buffs should know there's a drowned forest buried here - medieval oak stumps occasionally revealed by storms - which adds a touch of drama to the flatness.

Borth itself is a tiny village with a few shops and cafes. The holiday parks nearby - Cambrian Coast is closest at just over a mile - make decent bases for a Cardigan Bay break. It's quieter than Aberystwyth down the coast, which some will appreciate and others will find dull. Worth a morning's walk if you're staying in the area, but don't expect crowds or infrastructure.