The pretty UK island 5 hours from London with gorgeous secret beaches filled with rock pools – My London

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have an island all to yourself, even just for a few hours? Forget the luxurious Caribbean private islands or your typical British seaside beach holiday. If you're looking for an unusual and adventurous day to spend while on holiday in the UK this summer, look no further than the island of Cei Ballast on the western coast of north Wales.

It's perfect for a day trip if you're in the area, and at just five hours drive from London, if you were really keen you could even make it a weekend road-trip. The island sits just a hundred meters from the busy harbour town of Porthmadog, where there are plenty of places to stay, eat, drink, and entertain yourself.

Created in the Victorian era, the man-made Cei Ballast island gets its name from the slate ballast that ships used to dump in its spot which eventually went on to form the island. Once just a flat square of industrial looking land populated by just one man, the island is now teeming with wildlife and has been entirely overtaken by nature.

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It's also deserted by humans now, with few of the thousands of tourists who make their way to the country every year having any idea that it's even there. This allows for a sense of real discovery and even secrecy when exploring Cei Ballast. To reach the island you'll have to time your visit based on the tides, with the river Glaslyn falling back and leaving a beautiful path to the island at low tide.

The best route is from the Cob by the line of the old Ffestiniog steam train. Here you'll have to cross a small tidal stream before you find yourself crossing a salt marsh and samphire beds, as well as sands full of marine life. Along the way you'll find some beautiful deep tidal pools, often warmed by the sun on a summer's day perfect for swimming.

As you near the island you'll reach the more rocky, craggy foreshore, this gives an opportunity to do some rockpooling among the colourful mix of minerals including red granite, chalk, brick, limestone, and the industrial slag which formed the island nearly 200 years ago. If you're lucky you may also be lucky enough to come across the odd piece of decorated pottery which lies among the rocks and discarded stone.

With the spectacular and colourful collage of a village that is Portmeirion nearby, you could easily enjoy a weekend exploring both Cei Ballast, Porthmadog and Portmeirion, making for a magical break from the city.

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The pretty UK island 5 hours from London with gorgeous secret beaches filled with rock pools - My London