A TOWN in the UK has been compared to a model railway due to its natural beauty and charm.
The little toy town is even home to a small bay known to all as “the secret beach” because it’s so difficult to get to.
Barmouth is a seaside holiday town in Gwynedd, North Wales.
And while the main strip has a beach that locals and visitors love to go to on warm sunny days, it’s the secret shoreline that the town’s residents love the most.
Accessing the beach requires a lot of local knowledge, with a passageway through a railway tunnel the only way to get there.
As Wales Online explained: “This secret beach, unlike the more accessible main beach in the town centre, requires a bit more effort to reach.
“Visitors must navigate past the Cambrian Line railway and through a tunnel beneath the tracks to find this spot.
“To even get to the tunnel entrance, one must follow a path from Porkington Terrace through the gardens of Orielton Hall. But those who have discovered it insist the journey is well worth it.”
Once they’ve made the journey through the gardens and under the tracks, they’re greeted by a small stretch of sandy beach, with clear blue water stretching out in front of it.
Several of the locals from Porkington Terrace, a row of houses that can be seen stretching out behind the beach, have brought little boats down to the sea to use on warmer days.
Most read in Beach holidays
They were captured bobbing up and down by photographer Paul Turner, who shared his photos in the I Love Barmouth Facebook group.
He wrote: “Porkington Terrace with what me and my family like to call The Secret Beach below.”
Others loved his photos, and said they had the very same name for the small bay when they were younger.
One wrote: “Used to love visiting this beach as a child, there was a wrecked boat on the sand that added to the charm and the fact it is tucked away cove, always made it feel special.
Another said: “It’s been called the secret beach ever since I can remember, growing up in Barmouth. It’s not a secret anymore!
A third added: “Stunning capture. Always think Barmouth looks like a model railway. Such a beautiful little town.”
The World’s 50 Best Beaches
The World’s Best Beaches consulted more than 750 judges including travel journalists, influencers, and beach ambassadors to rank the beaches.
- Lucky Bay, Australia
- Source D’Argent, Seychelles
- Hidden, Philippines
- Whitehaven, Australia
- One Foot, Cook Islands
- Trunk, US Virgin Islands
- Honopu, Hawaii
- Reynisfjara Beach, Iceland
- Navagio Beach, Greece
- Balandra, Mexico
- Cala Goloritze, Italy
- Pipe Creek, Bahamas
- Pink, Indonesia
- Grace, Turks & Caicos
- Gardner, Ecuador
- Mcway, California
- Turquoise, Australia
- Le Morne, Mauritius
- Sancho, Brazil
- Seven Mile, Cayman Islands
- Lanikai, Hawaii
- Maya, Thailand
- Moro, Spain
- Kelingking, Indonesia
- Meads, Anguilla
- Flamenco, Puerto Rico
- Arena, Dominican Republic
- Little Hellfire, Australia
- Lazio, Seychelles
- Vaeroy, Norway
- Horseshoe, Bermuda
- Myrtos, Greece
- Hidden, Mexico
- Grand Anse, Grenada
- Xpu Ha, Mexico
- San Josef, Canada
- Matira, French Polynesia
- Capriccioli, Italy
- Pasjaca, Croatia
- Boulders, South Africa
- Salines, Martinique
- Champagne, Vanuatu
- Marinha, Portugal
- Balos, Greece
- Achmelvich, Scotland
- Kaputas, Turkey
- Radhangar, India
- Varadero, Cuba
- Piha, New Zealand
- Pink Sand, BahamasÂ
For those who can’t find the Secret Beach, there’s still plenty of joy to be had from Barmouth Beach, which picked up a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice award this year.
It’s described on the review website as having a “vintage seaside atmosphere of candy floss and donkey rides”.
The Blue Flag beach never gets overcrowded and also has trampolines, a bouncy castle and even a pirate ship during the summer months.
TripAdvisor continued: “If you want a quieter space for your picnic and to be closer to the sea, then venture further along the one-mile long promenade perhaps using the land train which runs the length of the promenade.”
Meanwhile, this hidden UK beach can only be reached on foot.
And this secret beach in London has amazing views of Tower Bridge and The Shard.