Petrified Forest

The Petrified Forest near Borth is one of those peculiar Welsh coast discoveries that catches you off guard - literally ancient tree stumps poking out of the beach like wooden teeth when the tide retreats. You're looking at remains from around 4,500 years ago, when this stretch of Cardigan Bay was dry land and people were walking around what's now submerged forest floor. The stumps themselves are impressively preserved, darkened and hardened by time, and they tell a proper story about how dramatically this coastline has shifted.

It's not a manicured attraction with visitor facilities or gift shops - you turn up, wait for low tide, and walk out among them. That's partly what makes it worthwhile. You get a real sense of geological time when you're standing on the beach looking at these Iron Age woodland remnants. Geology enthusiasts will find it fascinating; families with younger kids might manage twenty minutes before boredom sets in, though kids who like scrambling on rocks and exploring tide pools usually stick around longer.

If you're staying at Cambrian Coast Holiday Park - practically on the doorstep - or any of the other caravan parks dotted along this stretch (Searivers, Aber Bay, or Clarach Bay a bit further up), it's worth a beach visit anyway. Check tide times beforehand or you'll be disappointed. The whole thing is free and accessible whenever you fancy it. Best visited on a clear day when the light catches the stumps properly - adds to the drama of the thing.