Eirias Park

The Conwy Estuary is where Eirias Park does its best work - a proper nature reserve that gives you the North Wales coastline without the fairground crowds of Llandudno just down the road. You're looking at saltmarsh, mudflats, and if you time it right, wading birds by the dozen. It's the kind of place where you can actually hear yourself think.

What you get here depends entirely on when you visit. Spring and autumn are cracking for migrating birds; winter brings overwinterers that make twitchers very happy indeed. Summer's quieter for wildlife but the light's better and the walks are more pleasant. Allow a couple of hours to properly explore the reserve - it's not massive, but it rewards a slow meander.

This is absolutely the spot for birdwatchers and anyone after a decent coastal walk without the tourist circus. Families with patient kids will manage fine; toddlers might lose interest after twenty minutes. The terrain's flat and accessible, which counts for something.

Staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - Dinarth Hall or Tan Y Bryn are closest - puts you minutes away. Combine it with a proper day in Llandudno if you want shops and beaches, or keep things quiet and use Eirias as your main event. Worth doing if you're in the area and nature's your thing. Skip it if you need interpretive signs and a visitor centre explaining everything.