18 of the Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Wales

Rhossili, Gower Peninsula

Rhossili, at the western tip of Gower, was once named the seventh best sunset location in the world. I don’t know the six that came above it, but can’t think of many to compare to it: Santorini caldera, the Grand Canal in Venice, and Sydney Harbour, perhaps. It’s where I’ve seen some of my best-ever sunsets, and you can get great sunset photos there pretty much year-round.

Starting down on the beach, a favourite with photographers is the Helvetia shipwreck, with the tidal island of the Worm’s Head behind it. It’s at its best in February and October, with the sun setting behind the Worm. You just need the weather to coincide with a receding or low tide. The wreck is around a five-minute walk across the sands from the end of the main path down to the beach from the village.

You can also capture a wonderful Worm’s Head sunset from the hill behind the beach, Rhossili Down. Climb the hill from the path near St Mary’s Church in the village. Keep going, and eventually you’ll reach the trig point marking the summit of the hill on your left. Soon afterwards you’ll also reach an outcrop of jagged rocks (a useful storm shelter if you’re ever caught up there!) and, in February and October – and probably a month either side – the sunset lines up rather nicely.

There are also some great Rhossili sunsets to be had at clifftop level. The beer garden of the Worm’s Head Hotel is a great spot for a summer sunset. And the clifftop path offers a great vantage point over Worm’s Head in the winter and spring months.

See Also: Rhossili Bay – One Of The Best Beaches In The World

Bardsey Island – Ynys Enlli in Welsh – is one of the main destinations for pilgrimages in Wales, a holy island off the southwestern tip of the Llŷn Peninsula.

This beautiful remote spot is only three miles from the mainland, but the waters of Bardsey Sound are treacherous, meaning that crossings are often postponed due to the weather.

If you’re driving, you only get to see Bardsey at the very last possible moment, at a spot known locally as St Mary’s Well, two miles beyond the village of Aberdaron.

As Bardsey is to the south-southwest of St Mary’s Well, the only time you’re likely to get any sunset action is in the winter.  I’ve also included a late evening spring shot of the island from the same spot to show you how far to the north the sun sets during the longer months of the year.

See Also: Things To Do In Aberdaron   

Caernarfon Castle is a classic seasonal sunset spot. For much of the year the most sunset action you’ll get is some lovely late light on the Castle and Town Walls from the sea side of the estuary bridge.

But during the longer months a little-known vantage point gives you some fantastic Castle sunsets. Walk away from the Castle down St Helens Road, and just past the Travis Perkins depot there’s a small gap, enough for one or two tripods, and the above view of the Castle, hopefully reflected in the waters of the Afon Seiont.

It’s one of those locations where it also pays to check your tide tables beforehand. If the water level drops too low, slightly unsightly mud banks start to appear in the river.

Where To Stay: The Black Boy Inn – 16^th-century inn within the World Heritage Town Walls, with an excellent restaurant too

See Also: 20 Best Things to Do In Caernarfon

Lake Vyrnwy is one of the most spectacular sunset locations in Wales. The reservoir is surrounded by forestry, and with the Gothic-style Straining Tower on the shore of the lake, doesn’t remind me of anywhere in Wales – more Scotland or Canada if anywhere.

My Lake Vyrnwy sunset involved some exceptional good fortune. I was visiting for a recce for a different shoot, which was rained off by a torrential storm lasting several hours. As daylight faded, I noticed a gap in the clouds and stepped outside the Hotel for a few moments. The surprise sunset was a welcome delight.

Where To Stay: Lake Vyrnwy Hotel & Spa – one of the grand old hotels of Wales, with stunning views from many rooms

Cardiff Bay and in particular the landmark St David’s Hotel has been a favourite sunset spot among South Wales-based photographers since its completion around the turn of the millennium.

From the east side, between the Norwegian Church Arts Centre and the Atradius building, it’s one of the great grandstand sunsets in Wales. The line of dock moorings in the foreground add to the visual interest, while the hotel roof crest is lit white. While sunset turns to dusk and then twilight, the whole effect is magical.

My home city can be a bit soggy during the winter months, but on those occasional sunny days, it certainly knows how to put on a show.

Where To Stay: voco St David’s Cardiff by IHG – iconic Cardiff hotel in one of the best sunset locations in Wales

See Also: 20 Famous Landmarks In Cardiff

Pen y Fan is the highest of the Brecon Beacons mountains range, 2,907 feet above sea level and one of the most famous natural landmarks in Wales.

Pen y Fan (its name means ‘top of the beacon’) is connected to the second-highest peak in the range, Corn Du, by a half-mile-long ridge, which faces north-west, which means it’s not the easiest sunset subject.

That said, it can look magnificent in the winter from Mynydd Illtyd, the ridge above the village of Libanus – especially if there’s snow on the mountains.

And during the summer months, you get a great view of Pen y Fan and Corn Du silhouetted against the sunset sky from the southern end of Pontsticill Reservoir, close to the Brecon Mountain Railway terminus.

You obviously need to head west if you’re looking for sunsets, and the westernmost point in Wales is a real gem hiding in plain sight.

While living in Wales I often headed for the coast on sunny winter days, seeking a dopamine antidote to the often glum weather. And somewhere I had in mind for years was Ramsey Island (Ynys Dewi), off the coast of St David’s in Pembrokeshire.

The island is just to the southwest of Whitesands Bay, the main beach around St David’s. At beach level the scene is too flat – you need some elevation. So I followed the coast path towards St David’s Head (Penmaen Dewi), eventually turning right uphill towards the summit of Carn Llidi. The volcanic hill with a rock summit is a superb viewpoint, and the shot above was made somewhere just below the summit rocks.

Where To Stay: St David’s Cross Hotel – great hotel on the city’s square, a three-minute walk from the Cathedral

See Also: 15 Best Things To Do In St David’s

South Stack lighthouse, a short drive from the port of Holyhead, is one of the best sunset locations in North Wales.  The west side of Ynys Gybi – Holy Island – has some of the most spectacular coastline in Wales, and South Stack is the most dramatic spot along the way.

The lighthouse is on a rock islet at the base of 250-feet-high cliffs, and I’ve found that the best time of year to capture a sunset there is during the spring and summer months (May to August) when the sun sets to the northwest.

The shots I have included here are from the coast path a few hundred metres to the south of Ellin’s Tower, which hosts the RSPB Reserve’s small exhibition.

Between Harlech and Portmeirion, a steep minor road climbs from the A496 coast route through woodland, past a lake and eventually to open, high ground. There the church of St Tecwyn stands alone, with one of the best unknown views in Wales.

From the high ground you look over the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd, to the Italianate village of Portmeirion, with the hill Moel y Gest looming above beyond the peninsula.

This is a winter or early spring sunset ideally, and I chose a day on which the tide was out, which gives the estuary more detail.

While working in the old Wales Tourist Board, I was sifting through some very old images and noticed a shot of a church with a tall Celtic cross on a tombstone.  A lightbulb came on in my head. Within moments I was looking at the local Ordnance Survey map. I had been looking for a Celtic cross sunset location for some time, and this might just be what I was looking for.

A recce trip a few days later confirmed it, and I waited for the next sunny day to coincide with a low tide.  And it worked beautifully. Three or four book covers later followed from the shoot, which was very pleasing indeed.

The church is in the hamlet of St Ishmael, overlooking the Tywi (Towy) estuary from the east side. The nearest village is Ferryside, which also has a train station. The beach there is a good vantage point for Llansteffan Castle, just across the Tywi.

The Glamorgan Heritage Coast is one of the unheralded wonders of Wales. It’s a fairly short stretch of coastline to the southwest of capital Cardiff, and some of my fellow photographer friends from that part of the world often call it ‘the Arizona of Wales’ – a nickname it deserves.

The Heritage Coast is a photographer’s and geologist’s paradise, with stratified cliffs and wave-cut platforms sculpted into all kinds of abstract patterns by nature.  The two best places to see this, and enjoy a sunset, are at Nash Point and Southerndown.

I’ve tended to head to Nash Point more during the winter, and always at low tide.  I’ve always preferred the sunset light on the cliffs, and the reflections in the rockpools, rather than the relatively featureless sunsets out to sea there.

World Heritage Conwy Castle looks fantastic in late summer evening light, the pink rays of the sun glancing off the top of some of the turrets of this sublime Castle. You can capture this from across the river (as I did) or while sitting on Conwy Quay enjoying fish and chips, a beer, or both.

Conwy Castle also looks wonderful at dusk in the winter months, with a hint of sunset afterglow in the sky. My shot above was made with the temperature at -12°C, and people were trying to walk around with crampons at sea level!  The viewpoint is wonderful at any time, and the mountain behind it does a lot to make the shot.

See Also: 11 Best Things To Do In Conwy

19^th-century writer English writer John Ruskin famously said, “Only one other journey in the world had views to compare with the one from Dolgellau to Barmouth, and that is the one from Barmouth to Dolgellau.” Sunset over the sublime Mawddach estuary is often stunning, and there are several places from which you can enjoy it. I recommend the high viewpoint across the river close to Llynnau Cregennen, two of the most beautiful lakes in Wales.

I also love the views you get from road level of the iconic bridge. I had always wanted to capture a sunset of the bridge in silhouette, and got lucky with a completely clear sky turning orange one frigid January evening. Years before I had also shot through the steel girders of the bridge from close-up. Ruskin was right – wherever you look, it’s one of the most beautiful places you’ll ever see.

Where To Stay: The Tilman – Barmouth’s superb 5-star Hotel

See Also:  14 Best Things To Do In Barmouth

Your first sight of Newgale will likely take your breath away. As you take a left corner on the A487, you’re greeted with the vast expanse of St Bride’s Bay, and the miles of cliffs of the St David’s Peninsula beyond.

It looks wondrous at any time, but a Newgale sunset is something very special. For the best view, climb the coast path at the north end of the beach for a higher vantage point. At the top, you can see the jagged rocks and islets all the way to the end of the peninsula.

If it’s a clear day, all you need to do is wait for the sun to sink behind them and the horizon. I shot the images above in March, though in April, late August and September the sun would set at a similar latitude.

See Also: Pembrokeshire Road Trip – 5 Days In Glorious West Wales

If you were to ask me to compile you a Top 5 Places To Visit In Wales Bucket List, I would include Llanddwyn Island. It’s a small tidal island off the southwest coast of Anglesey,  which involves a 4-mile return walk along Newborough Beach, one of the most sublime stretches of sand in Wales.

The island is named after Santes Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers. A 15-minute stroll across the island (which is cut off an hour either side of high tide) takes you past a ruined chapel dedicated to her to two superb beaches, each with an old white lighthouse overlooking the scene.

I’ve lived in numerous countries around the world, and visited around 40 countries in all, and I have to rate Llanddwyn among the top 10 most beautiful places I have ever visited.

But it’s not the best sunset spot, surprisingly. The island ‘points’ almost due south so classic sunset shot opportunities are limited. However, I still recommend heading there for the golden hour, when the landscape is lit by some astonishingly beautiful late light – particularly around 10-15 minutes before sunset. This works most times of year, but your vantage point would vary depending on when you’re there. The shot I’ve used to illustrate this section was made in early May.

And I’ve also seen a shot of the Celtic cross at Llanddwyn, which is close to the Chapel. The photographer managed to capture a fine sunset sky, with the silhouette of the simple hilltop stone cross in the frame as well. This would have been shot during the winter months.  

For much of the year the fantasy village of Portmeirion isn’t much of a sunset spot. For much of the year, the village is closed before sunset,  as the sun sets far over to the north of its peninsula during the longer months.  But in the shorter autumn and winter months, the sun sets to the southwest, so the sky is often filled with warm sunset colours. Between November and March, the Village is open until 5.30 pm, giving you plenty of time to capture the sunset.

For a Portmeirion sunset, head down towards the estuary, where Hotel Portmeirion looks wonderful subtly lit, with the woodland and sunset hues behind. And if you go right down to river level, you can shoot beyond the concrete boat sculpture to the Observatory Tower 100 metres or so away.

Where To Stay:  Portmeirion Village & Castell Deudraeth – luxury rooms in the riverside Hotel, in cottages in the village and the restored 19^th-century castle hotel at the entrance to the village.

See Also: Things To Do In Portmeirion

Newport may be one of the more unloved places in Europe, somewhere most visitors tend to pass on their way elsewhere. But it does have pockets of real beauty, including its1906 Transporter Bridge, one of a handful left in the world.

It was built to carry heavy industrial traffic across the River Usk, which it does on a gondola that is carried back and forth across.

As the Bridge crosses the river in an almost northwestwards direction, this sunset only really works well in the long summer months.  Head along Stephenson Street, and then to the unoccupied ground adjacent to the river. If the weather plays along,  you could reap a wonderful reward.

Harlech Castle isn’t the most obvious sunset location, because unless you stumbled on the vantage point by accident (as I initially did many years ago) you would be very unlikely to find it.

Views of the Castle are fairly restricted anyway.  If you wonder why most shots are from the same viewpoint – a small park called The Graig – with the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) behind the Castle, that’s because the only decent viewpoint in the town. The others are much harder to find.

You can get some amazing sunset light on Harlech Castle from the Graig viewpoint, both in summer (as shown above) and in winter.

But if you want sunset behind the Castle (with Tremadog Bay and the Llŷn Peninsula as backdrop) you need to climb up the hill behind the Castle.

At the main junction in the middle of the village, walk or drive up the hill (Pen Dref), taking the narrow left fork, continuing 100 metres or so until you reach the Chapel on your left. There is a single parking space next to the Chapel, and a couple more outside the cemetery just behind it.

The view from Capel Rehoboth is one of the best in Wales, looking over the Castle to the hills of the Llŷn Peninsula beyond. It’s an astonishing sight, and even better if you’re passing this way in late winter or early spring. Wait for the dusk afterglow, and the Castle’s lights to be turned on, for the full stunning effect.

See Also: Things To Do In Harlech

Best Places To See Sunsets In Wales – Final Thoughts

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article, and that it inspires you to visit some of these places. For more ideas on places to visit in Wales, take a look at some of my other articles:

20 Best Castles In North Wales

32 Best Beaches In North Wales

23 Best Seaside Towns In Wales

22 Most Beautiful Landscapes In Wales

58 Famous Landmarks In Wales

30 Best Things To Do In Anglesey

33 Best Day Trips From Cardiff

35 Best Castles In South Wales

Cambrian Mountains – 28 Wonderful Places To Visit

27 Best Places To Visit In North East Wales

Best Places To Visit In The Welsh Borders

And check out these articles on sunsets around Europe:

25 Best Sunsets In Europe

Santorini Sunset

20 Magical Spots To Watch Sunsets in London

10 Breathtaking Places To Watch Sunset In Venice

11 Magical Places to Watch Sunsets In Prague

About the Author: David Angel, a Welsh photographer, writer, and historian, has over 30 years of experience exploring and photographing Wales. As former Art Director and Commissioning Editor for Visit Wales, he has explored every corner of this extraordinary country, climbed its mountains, and walked hundreds of miles along the breathtaking Welsh coastline and landscapes. He now uses a lifetime of experience to write comprehensive guides to help people like you discover and explore the best of Wales.  He is a native English speaker and fluent in Welsh.

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