Morfa Aber Nature Reserve

The estuary at Morfa Aber is one of those places where you round a corner and suddenly understand why people move to North Wales. Saltmarsh and reed beds stretch inland from the beach, with the Aber stream winding through it all, and on a decent day the views back towards Snowdonia's peaks are genuinely arresting.

This is a working nature reserve, so you're not paying for manicured paths and visitor centres. What you get instead is proper habitat - the kind of place waders actually use, where you might spot redshank or curlew if you're patient. Birdwatchers will find plenty to occupy an afternoon; casual walkers get a lovely hour-long circuit without breaking a sweat. The sandy beach at the mouth is fine, though nothing spectacular compared to Anglesey's other coastal spots.

The nearest facilities are in Llanfairfechan, a small seaside town just south, which keeps things refreshingly low-key. Most people coming here are staying at one of the caravan parks within five miles - Three Streams or Kingsbridge are closest - and treating it as a morning walk before heading elsewhere. It's not a destination in itself, but it's absolutely worth the detour if you're based nearby.

Go in spring for migrating birds, or autumn when passage waders come through. Summer's pleasant but you'll share the space with families. Allow two hours maximum, bring binoculars if you've got them, and don't expect facilities beyond a car park.