Once upon a time, the Llyn was a centre for commercial fishing and boat-building. In recent years, the fishing industry has narrowed to lobster and crab fishing only, while the boat-building has all but dried up. But this maritime expertise hasn’t gone to waste. The Llyn’s economy is still tied in tightly with the sea, but in a 21st-century, leisure-orientated way. Whether you’re a novice or an old hand, the Llyn provides a huge variety of watersports, all taking place against a sparkling backdrop of blue sea.

1 Beaches
Being a narrow peninsula and therefore free of big ships, the Llyn has cleaner coastlines than any similar stretches in Europe. A list provided by local tourist offices details more than 20 award-winning beaches.
A busy beach with a lovely climb up onto the headland is available at Llanbedrog. If you want mod cons nearby, such as the odd shop, café, pub or restaurant, then go for Aberdaron, Pwllheli or Cricieth. If you prefer solitude, almost all of the others will do. Look out for signposts that read ‘Traeth’ – Welsh for ‘beach’.

2 Surfing
Whether you’re into surfing, sailboarding, wakeboarding, kiteboarding or para-gliding, Abersoch is the place to head for. Every other shop is a surf store. Californian-style youngsters – and oldsters – stride along the beach with boards under their arms. Offaxis, a watersports business run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, offers a completely integrated service. There’s a shop in the heart of Abersoch and a speedboat based at Pwllheli Marina.
You can browse, ask for expert advice, and hire or buy equipment.

3 Sailing
The Llyn offers opportunities for sailing at any level of experience. On both north and south coasts, it has numerous beaches from which small sailing dinghies can be launched, not to mention the two superb marinas at Abersoch and Pwllheli. The new Hafan Pwllheli marina is already full and has over 300 on its waiting list – there’s now talk of substantial expansion. Had Manchester’s bid for the 2000 Olympic Games been successful, the sailing events were to have taken place at Pwllheli.

4 Boat Trips
If all you want is a taste of sea life, there are lots of boat trips available. You can charter a boat, or plump for a fixed trip along the coast. A good example of what’s available is provided by the Shearwater, which operates from Hafan Pwllheli. A twin-engine fast catamaran, it does two trips a day – a two-hour visit to St Tudwal’s Islands and Hell’s Mouth in the morning, and a longer one out to Bardsey Island in the afternoon.
The skipper, Alan Gray, is a dab hand at tracking down dolphins, seals and porpoises. He can also be chartered by divers, and runs fishing trips ending in an on-board barbecue of the day’s catch.

5 Fishing
The Llyn is a fisherman’s paradise. In addition to sea angling, there are many freshwater lakes and rivers, for which fishing permits can be bought. Sea fishing from boats is well catered for, and there are miles of beaches and rocky headlands from which to cast. Local angling associations allow visitors to fish in the area’s rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Permits are available from local fishing shops. Keep an eye out for privately-owned fishing lakes, and take care not to fish in them.
An excellent guide to freshwater and sea fishing is available from the tourist information centres in Pwllheli and Porthmadog – it not only lists rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and places where permits can be obtained, but also advises on fish, bait, flies, and the best times to fish.

6 Diving
If you’re more interested in getting in among the fish, look no further. Whether you’re diving or snorkelling, dropping in from a boat or wading in from the shore, the Llyn has all the diving sites, air suppliers, diving shops, charter-boats and slipways that you’ll ever need. For information on all this and more, The Essential Underwater Guide to North Wales by Chris Holden is a must. It’s available in diving shops all over the area. Also look out for wrecks – you can even adopt one! The best shore diving on the Llyn is undoubtedly off Trefor Pier, on the north coast.

7 Maritime Museums
For those who seek more sedate marine activities, a gentle stroll around the peninsula’s two maritime museums is just the thing. The Llyn Historical and Maritime Museum is housed in St Mary’s church, in the oldest part of the village of Nefyn. You can’t miss it – the weather vane is unusually shaped like a full-rigged three-master. Exhibits introduce you to the village’s fishing and boat-building heritage, as well as ordinary life in the late 19th century.
The Porthmadog Maritime Museum is lodge more appropriately in an old slate shed on the quay. The excellent displays deal with the town’s shipbuilding past – and we’re talking magnificent three-masted schooners here. Maps, models and artefacts give a real sense of the town’s heritage.
The Llyn’s two museums of the sea are tiny in comparison to the Greenwich’s Maritime Museum. But both retain a charming local feel and are filled with oceans of interesting stories and information.