With the summer holidays now in full swing, here’s a guide for the best family-friendly activities across the Wales Coast Path and Welsh National Trails, suitable come rain or shine.

Offa’s Dyke Path circular walks

Walk a section of the historic Offa’s Dyke Path. Spanning a total length of 177 miles, there are plenty of short, circular routes to choose from, suitable for children, or for those who are looking for a more relaxing walk rather than a day-long hike.

The path, which straddles the border of Wales and England, is named after, and often follows, the spectacular dyke that King Offa ordered to be constructed in the 8th century, probably to divide his Kingdom of Mercia from rival kingdoms in what is now Wales.

Talacre BeachTalacre Beach (Image: Paul Steele)

First opened in the summer of 1971, Offa’s Dyke Path links Sedbury Cliffs near Chepstow on the banks of the Severn estuary with the coastal town of Prestatyn on the shores of the Irish sea.

With plenty of routes to choose from, and a selection of these starting and ending at train stations, this could be a ready made day out for the family. Why not try the Chirk circular walk, exploring the estate surrounding Chirk Castle? Or the Chepstow Castle route which follows the Wye Valley to the Tintern Abbey ruins.

Bird watching on the Dee Estuary

Estuaries are natural wonders where rivers meet the sea, and North Wales’ Dee Estuary has one of the most extreme tidal ranges of anywhere in the UK.

Hilbre IslandHilbre Island (Image: Paul Steele)

This creates a fascinating natural phenomenon known as a bore wave where the tidal flow meets the freshwater river, and the tide is so strong that is sends a wave up the river in the ‘wrong’ direction.

During the summer months you can expect to see birds in abundance. July marks the end of the breeding season, meaning a large influx into the estuary, especially gulls and terns which use the sand banks and calm seas of the estuary as a post breeding gathering place.

Expect to see the wading birds of Oystercatchers, Curlews and Redshanks, and sea birds including Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and Artic Skuas.

Glyndwr's WayGlyndwr's Way (Image: Celtic Trails)

Wales Coast Path’s sacred heritage walks

Explore the ancient links between the Wales Coast Path and the spiritual places which lie scattered along its route. Wales Coast Path and National Churches Trust have teamed up to share a series of walks across the Llyn Peninsula, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. These include:

St Dogmael’s Abbey circular walk, Pembrokeshire  

An invigorating walk through coast and countryside that takes in an array of significant religious sites, plus some of Pembrokeshire’s most spectacular clifftops.

Church of the Holy Cross circular walk, Ceredigion

This short circular walk takes in sweeping views of Cardigan Bay as you reach Mwnt’s Church of the Holy Cross. Sat above a Bronze Age barrow overlooking the sands of Traeth Mwnt and the Irish Sea, the whitewashed stone building began life as a chapel-of-ease for sailors.

St Tanwg's church, Llŷn Peninsula

Nestled amid the dunes just metres from the sea, St Tanwg’s church is knitted into the coastal landscape, reached by a walk through a the Morfa Harlech National Nature Reserve. Keep your eye peeled for swans, seabirds and the occasional seal along the Artro river and estuary.

Offa's Dyke PathOffa's Dyke Path (Image: National Trails)

Walk a short section of Glyndŵr's Way

It’s got history, heritage and scenery to spare. And still most walkers haven’t caught on to this 135-mile National Trail through Mid Wales. The Glyndŵr's Way National Trail is all about getting off the beaten track and connecting with Wales' historic past.

Glyndŵr's Way forms a satisfying circuit with the Offa’s Dyke Path and jigsaws between the popular landscapes of southern Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons).

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With 135 miles to choose from, there’s paths suitable for all along Glyndŵr’s Way. Why not try one of the most loved watery walks along the path, the Clywedog short circular, taking you alongside the Clywedog reservoir dragon’s back ridge giving spectacular views. At 3 miles long, it’s a great one to do as a family.

Take part in the Wales Coast Path citizen science initiative

The Wales Coast Path is part of a worldwide citizen science project called CoastSnap – a community research project into the effects of climate change on beaches and the coast. Countries including Australia, France and Netherlands are all involved in the project.

Look out for the CoastSnap phone cradles – literally a ready made frame in which to position your phone to take a snap - on your next walk along the Coast Path to get involved.

All CoastSnap locations overlook areas of the coastline, you'll just need a phone with a camera and have access to Wifi or mobile data to take part, you can then share your snaps to the Wales Coastal Monitoring Centre website.

The cradles are installed across all areas of Wales along the Coast Path, but look out for these particular spots on Beaumaris pier in Anglesey, Talacre beach in Flintshire, Llandudno promenade in Conwy, Criccieth Castle view and Criccieth West beach in Gwynedd.