Borth

Four miles of unbroken sand stretch along this west Wales coastline, where Victorian seaside ambitions met the wild Atlantic and never quite recovered. The railway line runs right behind the beach - you can literally step off the train at Borth station and onto the sand within minutes. It's that sort of refreshingly simple place.

The beach dominates everything here. Ynyslas Beach extends northward in a magnificent sweep of dunes and shoreline that feels properly untamed compared to more manicured Welsh resorts. When the tide retreats, it reveals the famous Petrified Forest - ancient tree stumps from a woodland that stood here 4,000 years ago, now blackened and sculptural against the sand.

Beyond the seafront, the countryside rises sharply into proper Welsh hill country. Peaks like Bryn-Yr-Eithin and Craig Yr Wylfa offer cracking views across Cardigan Bay, while the Iron Age Camp and Erglodd Roman Fort remind you that people have been drawn to this dramatic coastline for millennia. The contrast is striking - one minute you're on an endless beach, the next scrambling up hillsides dotted with ancient settlements.

About twelve miles south lies Aberystwyth, the largest town in these parts, with its university buzz and proper shopping. Borth itself keeps things low-key - a few pubs, some guest houses, and that magnificent beach doing most of the talking.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense. You're close enough to walk to the sand, but with easy access to explore the wilder bits inland. Plus, after a day battling Atlantic winds, returning to a heated caravan beats a damp B&B any time.