By Portia Jones

Copyright walesonline

Just because summer is over doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Wales’ sandy shores in the months ahead. Our craggy coastline is amongst the most beautiful in the world and can be enjoyed year-round, especially in autumn when you can traverse the coast path and have hot chocolates in cosy beach cafes. One of my favourite beaches to visit in autumn has coastpath access, a lovely sea view cafe and a wood-fired sauna that’s perfect for warming up Porthcawl’s Rest Bay is a popular spot for swimming, surfing, and sweating in a sauna. It is still as beautiful in the fall season when the air is crisp and the waves are fierce. The beach is part of a glorious sweep of coastline that runs from Sker Point to Ogmore, with Porthcawl sandwiched between Port Talbot and Ogmore-by-Sea. For keen surfers, autumn is a brilliant time to ride the waves at one of the more consistent Surf Beaches in South Wales. The award-winning Porthcawl Surf School offers surf hire and year-round classes, as well as stand-up paddleboard training, come rain or shine. But this surfing hotspot hasn’t always been known for its epic board riding opportunities. According to historical information provided by Bridgend council, in 1878, it was better known for sea air and convalescence than carving waves. The name comes from a ‘resting house’ built to help injured workers recover by the sea; even Florence Nightingale was apparently a fan. The site was used as a hospital during both World Wars before becoming a luxury apartment complex in 2018. Porthcawl’s links to golf also have a long history. Here, a Cardiff businessman set up a nine-hole course on Locks Common in 1895. Eventually, it moved to its current position, grew into Wales’s first 18-hole course, and gained Royal status in 1909. It has since hosted major tournaments, including the Senior Open, where Bernhard Langer won in 2014. By the early 1900s, charabancs and trains were delivering eager day-trippers to the coast, and by the 1960s, Porthcawl was buzzing with surfboards and speedboats. One of the UK’s oldest surf clubs was born here in 1969, and the town’s strong lifeguard tradition soon followed. Today, Rest Bay is still riding that wave literally and figuratively, with a brand-new watersports centre leading a fresh chapter in its seaside story. Along with surfing, the beach also offers a lovely spot for walkers as it’s right on the Bridgend Coast path. You can stroll along the golden sands, or hop onto the waymarked coast-hugging path and walk towards Kenfig Nature Reserve. On this easy route, you’ll pass shipwrecks, rare orchids, and some of northern Europe’s highest dunes. Depending on where you begin, it’s a linear walk that starts or ends with a cafe stop at the Rest Bay Cafe, where you can have a brew with a view or a cheeky glass of wine overlooking the sea. Lush. It’s a relatively straightforward stroll along the coast, but you can also download the All Trails app for guidance. If you’re starting in Rest Bay, you can follow the path and head towards Kenfig Nature Reserve , one of Wales’ top sand-dune reserves and rich in wildlife. The reserve was once home to one of the sixth most significant towns in Glamorgan, but now makes up part of the most extensive active dune system in Europe and features a diverse range of plants, animals and birds, attracting bird watchers and walkers from across Wales. The land was designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) in 1989 and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2003. These designations help to protect rare habitats and species, such as the Fen Orchid, which is found here and at only two other sites in Wales. Today, the 1,300-acre site is home to a Reserve Centre, Hyde Out Cafe, and is a convenient hopping-on point for the Bridgend Coast Path and for reaching the remote Skeer Beach. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Before you reach the reserve, you can also explore the quiet Skeer Beach. This vast sandy expanse is worth visiting for a spot of solitude. Hope off the path and step down the pebble bank, and you’ll be on firm sand that seemed to go on for miles. To your left is a rocky headland, and to your right, the steelworks loom in the distance, giving a Blade Runner vibe. In 1947, Skeer was the scene of a famous shipwreck, when the steamer Samtampa was driven onto the rocks by a storm with the loss of the entire crew. At Sker Point, you can also take a short detour from the path for a closer look at Sker House. It inspired R.D. Blackmore’s novel The Maid of Sker, which is said to be haunted by ghosts. Upon your return to Rest Bay, I recommend booking a steamy session in the Hikitalo Sauna, one of the beach’s newest additions. Set just above the golden sands, this authentic Finnish-style wood-fired sauna has a full panoramic window that beautifully frames the ocean view. Unwind with pals or newfound friends in the steamy warmth as the waves roll in, the salty air mixing with the distinctive scent of burning wood. This Sauna is the brainchild of William Jenkins, who’s helping to bring a touch of Nordic soul to the Welsh coast with bespoke saunas now at two locations, Rest Bay and Sandy Bay. Hikitalo is part of a small but growing sauna movement in Wales, focusing on physical health and deep, meaningful connection with fellow wellness converts. What started as personal healing for William has since evolved into a wider mission: building community, creating space for connection, and harnessing the power of heat and stillness to combat the loneliness so many people feel today. According to William, regulars at Hikitalo are already forming friendships. Summer sauna events and full moon gatherings are in the pipeline. While the sauna is great for your body, the social warmth tends to linger. William sees it as an antidote to the decline of traditional third spaces like pubs and community halls, where people previously came together. While the emotional warmth of sauna culture is undeniable, the physical benefits are just as compelling. Saunas have long been used to relieve aches, ease tension, and support everything from cardiovascular health to stress relief. For many, it’s an almost spiritual ritual, an intentional pause in a world that rarely stops spinning, and I’m here for it. I’ll be honest. I’m in my sauna era and was peachy keen to try out this ocean-view sweatbox and have a post-sauna sea swim in the frothing waves of the adjacent Bristol Channel. Despite usually rolling my eyes at anything remotely woo-woo (healing crystals, drum circles, energy healing), I’m convinced that saunas are magic. The healing powers of sweating out all my anxieties and most of last night’s wine cannot be overstated. For me, it’s less about chasing medical claims and more about switching off. Ignoring the relentless ping of emails and WhatsApp groups, I let the heat do its slow, steady work as I stew in my own thoughts and breathe in the earthy tang of scorched wood and rising steam while gazing out at the gorgeous ocean view. The saunas can accommodate up to 10 guests, with 55-minute private or communal sauna sessions for up to ten guests. You can book here . After a steamy session, I recommend grabbing a warming hot chocolate at the glass-fronted Rest Bay Cafe Bar , which has a commanding position over the shoreline. Sit on the balcony with a brew or a wine and watch the waves roll in. Hungry? Breakfast is served until 11:30 and includes’ Eggs Surfer’ poached eggs, granary toast, guacamole and salsa, pancake stacks, and granola bowls. For lunch, there are sandwiches, salads, burgers and more. I personally recommend the Teriyaki Salmon or the three bean chilli and cheese for a lovely spicy kick.