Barry Island

A very pretty beach, with lovely views and safe swimming. HOWEVERI was disgusted by the amount of filthy litter left behind by people with no regard for anything except their own covenience. On 5 seperate attempts to truly enjoy the beach (going at different times of the day), we saw empty cans, disgarded fish and chip wrappers, empty bottles, and dirty nappies. one was floating in the water, so we did NOT go in. Obviously attempts to keep the beach clean are totally inadequateif you don’t believe me, visit at about 4:00pm on a warm summer day! Come on people of Barryshow some respect for the privilege of having such an asset on your doorstep!

Barry Island is one of my favourite finds of all time. Some may say that Barry Island is a little run down, that the fun fair is falling apart, but I think it’s a riot. The fun fair is being revamped now, but I quite liked it before anyway.
Me and my friend went on one of the river boat kid’s rides last year, it took some persuading to get him on it, he felt really embarrassed as obviously this ride was for kids, to make matters worse, the ride broke down. We were stuck on this ride for about 15 minutes with a boat full of kids wanting to climb out, where were their parents? So there we were trying to convince a bunch of 8 year olds that getting out of the boat and clambering amongst the plastic animals overlooking the river was not the best idea. Eventually we made it out, to be greeted by a mass of panic stricken parents, I think this was the final straw for my friend, as has never forgiven me. I still find it hilarious.
Other than the fun fair, you have amusements galore, fish and chip shops, a beach and a lovely walk along the cliff side. It’s a great place with something for everyone. Do give it a try.

Being from Cornwall I think it’s fair to say I know a bit about beaches. We have beaches of all kinds and all sizes, with as many different types of sand, water, rocks, amusements and ice-​cream that you can possibly think of.
During a rare sunny spell in Cardiff, it was suggested that we went to Barry Island for the day, and I have to admit that I didn’t relish the idea. I was expecting it to be the tackiest of the tacky, filled with undesirables and tourists, Gavin and Stacey fans and just generally not that pleasant. Still, I was missing the beach and thought I may as well tag along.
I was actually very pleasantly surprised. Obviously, not being the height of the summer holidays, it wasn’t as busy as it could have been and things were bound to be better for it, but the beach was a good size, the sand was nice, the ice cream tasty and the toilets no worse than expected. The car park was pretty tricky to find, but it was a comfortable walking distance from the beach and surprisingly not as expensive as I thought it would be.
I imagine it wouldn’t be as lovely when it’s packed with children on holiday from school, but students and anyone without kids should definitely take advantage of any term-​time sun and spend a day enjoying a nice empty beach.

Good old Barry Island, home of the greasiest chips, sweetest sweets and of course Gavin and Stacey. Now, I’m deeply patriotic and Barry Island to me is like Disney land to Americans. I love the place!
And OK, the seas a bit manky and the sand a tad dirty but its still got the old charm that a seaside should have.
Personally I like to visit Barry Island in the winter, there’s something strangely peaceful about a deserted beach, especially one that has the facilities for a full blown holiday.
The grey skies and stormy sea make for a type of ghost holiday thing… eerie to the point of fascinating.
Of course, in the summer Barry Island plays host to what feels like millions of British holiday makers that refuse to give in to cheap flights and All Inclusive deals and head to the large beach, windbreaks and buckets at the ready.
There’s something incredibly humbling about the British staying in Britain, it gives me a nice sense of pride. Cheesy I know but as I’ve banged on about previously, I heart Wales!
Ice cream is freely available in every little shop along with chips and ‘Nessa’ paraphernalia. When in Barry do as the Barry lot do… stuff on fast food and buy beach balls. But be warned you will need a little more than spare change.
The pleasure park is a bit rickety these days and a little pricey for what’s there or should I say not there but then again, I’m not a big fan of fairgrounds… reminds me too much of the Lost Boys (shudder).
Anyway, there’s lots of other stuff to keep you entertained like the million or so arcades (slight exaggeration) and crazy golf, there’s usually trampolines and general activities for the young ones and plenty for the not so young ones to.
All in all, I would definitely recommend a day at Barry Island, even if its to just say you’ve been there. But, I bet your heart will give a little gap for the quaint, seaside with the little fair… go on, you know you want to!

It seems now you can’t mention Barry Island without mentioning the popular T. V sitcom ‘Gavin and Stacey’. I’m not saying this is a bad thing because Barry Island got the recognition it deserves, as it has been a wonderful leisure park and beach that I grew up in for many years.
Where do you start with Barry Island? There are so many choices! Lets start with the main attraction in the summer; the beach. Believe it or not the beach is huge, plenty of space to build those sandcastle and then kick a ball to destroy it. I’m not going to like but the ocean doesn’t look like the most appealing water to enter in mainly because it’s brown. But that still doesn’t bother anyone because it’s Barry Island and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
There is an amusement park which was under construction the last time I visited, I wasn’t sure if it was being torn down or being rejuvenated. Some of the rides did include a ghost train and a log flume, which is great fun. Now of course I can’t forget the arcades down the island because they are such a big part of it. You have a wide choice of arcades. My favourite was always ‘The Carousel’. Finally, I need to talk about the crazy golf course they have there. This was knocked down and then rebuilt into a pirate themed course, which I had a lot of fun playing with friends.
Barry Island has now gone down as a famous tourist attraction due to Gavin and Stacey but that is irrelevant as the people who go there still have a fun day and I’m sure they would consider visiting again.

Barry Island has enjoyed a renewed level of visitors since Gavin & Stacey and it deserves it. Barry has a great sandy beach on offer which has the 2^nd highest tide variation in the world — although thats neither here nor there — just thought I drop it in there — as a local told me.
There is only one thing that spoil it — the people who visit there. Gavin & Stacey gently poked fun at the chavs living in and around Barry but if you happen to visit Barry on a bank holiday weekend then you will never witness so many people with tattoos with pitbulls in your life. Laughing at these people on a TV screen is all well and good but having to share a beach with them is not as amusing. I hate it when people drop litter and I constantly saw people throwing rubbish on the beach and bins where in ample supply. Don’t these thick simpletons realise its their own environment they are poisoning? They probably do but are too thick too care.
That said — its worth a visit to Barry — if you can go on a sunny weekday it will be a nicer experience than a bank holiday weekend. I’d also recommend a winters day when it as many a British seaside town seems to possess an oddly romantic if somewhat melancholic air that lends itself well to one staring into the middle distance over the grey wind swept sea.

I am a huge fan of Gavin and Stacey so I just had to visit Barry Island to see where it was filmed.
Barry beach is actually quite nice. It has lovely yellow sand surrounded by clear (but not quite crystal) blue sea. Dogs are not allowed on the beach and litter is at a minimum so overall it get the thumbs up.
On the promanade there are a few shops. From what I can remember there was a fish and chip shop, a gift shop and an arcade. All of which had Gavin and Stacey merchandise for sale in. It made me laugh when I went for a little flutter in the arcade and I saw a «Nessa’s at lunch» sign in the window. Ha Ha These guys are really trying to cash in on the success of the show… and rightly so I think!
The fish and chip shop sells fantastic food and the gravy is delicious. The only thing that would have made them taste better is if Stacey had served them to me herself!
This is a great place to visit if like me you loved the show but also if you just fancy a poodle on the beach!

Fans of the TV series ‘Gavin & Stacy’ will be pretty familiar with Barry Island Pleasure Park: a classic seaside fairground in the Welsh town of Barry with more than 50 rides and all sorts of attractions aimed at different ages. I keep hearing that it’s going to close down (again), which would be a shame because it’s become such a well-​established feature of the town. Only in 2009 the park announced its permanent closure with effect from the August Bank Holiday weekend 2009, but then in a shock u-​turn it reopened as usual for Easter 2010!
If you like this type of fairground, you’ll like Barry Island — along with all the fluffy pink candy floss, ice creams, and oversized stuffed toys associated with a seaside fairground. Sandy Whitmore Bay is right nearby, and in between the beach and the pleasure park there’s a promenade, landscaped gardens, gift shops, ice cream parlours, snack bars and bars.
Because it’s outdoors, the opening hours tend to vary according to the weather, so it’s worth calling first (1 446 732 ⁸⁴⁴⁄₇₃₂ 332) to find out when it’s open before you travel any distance for a visit. It’s roughly from about 12pm-​8pm at weekends and during school holidays when the weather is fine from Easter until September. Out of season, some rides open during peak hours.
It’s really close to Barry Island station, so from Cardiff you can easily take a trip there by train if you don’t have a car.

This is more about the Island. Have the ocean splashing all around you and feel the sand from under your feet; the salty, cold air blowing in your face and the warmth of the Welsh sun, when it appears. This summer looks promising…
An Island with the sandy beach; surrounded by the sea, with a few shops, arcades and cafes. Take long walks across the beach and chill out on some of the TV sets area where they filmed bits of the episodes of Gavin and Stacey.
There is not a great lot of things to do here; I have been to a massage place there that is a beautiful fairy and butterfly decorated house, which has been extended into a massage parlour. This is near to the shopping centre area, where there aren’t many shops either. The whole Island is half an hour to twenty minutes from Cardiff and you can get the train and a bus or coach down there.
I recommend it to all, especially for children and parents and massive fans of Gavin and Stacey.

Gosh, how ever has this managed to remain unreviewed for so long?! This is such an ingrained part of Welsh culture that perhaps it has remained overlooked? Whatever the reason, this is a great old-​fashioned water front amusement park with rides and games fit for the whole family. It really is a great day out by the sea. In fact, it’s a bit of a Welsh classic.
Barry Island is an almost-​island along the South Wales coastline that’s easily accessible by road. In fact, the island is a whole little community, not just an amusement park. Here you’ll find school, homes and shops.
Recently advertised in Gavin & Stacey, the tourism around this area has had a slight boom over the last couple of months, and that looks set to continue. With more popularity and more income, Barry Island will have the ability and the need to update itself for the 21^st century. And then we’ll have a really great holiday destination, I think.
With its entertainment halls and rides, this is a good old-​fashioned seaside resort, with ice creams, roller coasters and donkeys with the best of them.

A date with Gavin & Stacey on Barry Island! They didn’t show and couldn’t find Nessa or Bryn, (must have been on tea break).
What did show was a huge beach (Whitmore Bay) with sand going on foreverer as the tide retreated.
Bound by a promenade (fairly recently re-​done and nicely too) and 2 rocky headlands, the excellent beach expanse ideal for doing safe beachy things, with easy access to food, drinks, showers, toilets and beach hardware and of course alternative amusements if needed.
OK, the alternative amusements a bit tacky, but this is real traditional stuff.
And then, all you have to do is walk round the headlands to visit beautiful Jackson’s Bay or Friar’s Point on the other side.
When the tide is out, possibly hike across to the Knap and squint through the sunny glare at the huge curved pebble beach backed by the park and lake — no end of fun and amusements for a day trip to Barry Island — highly recommended.
Hope this is useful.

The beach is the main attraction with its soft sand and lots of space.
It is typically a tourist attraction with its candy floss stalls and beach side shops.
A great place to go on a hot summers day but get there early as it will be packed!
Parking is generally good and you do not need to pay.
Child friendly.

The beach itself is deserving of 5* due to the great work done to keep it clean and also the ‘front’ has had a good tidy up and a new ‘Crazy Golf’ experience has been put in. Unfortunately the owner of the Island amusement park is seriously letting the side down. In the not too distant past it was a place for families to while away a few hours, now however, it is somewhere that many go for a nostalgia trip only to come away with a certain sense of disappointment, and nothing else if they are lucky
Of course it has had a recent revival due to the hit show ‘Gavin and Stacey’ having a number of scenes set on and around the seafront.

This is a good family beach with clean, soft sand all enclosed in a sheltered bay. There are good facilities nearby (café, toilets, souvenir shops, fast food etc) that make this a great place to have a traditional bucket and spade day by the seaside. The water is never really warm due to the inclement British weather. However, it also never gets really cold as this coast is protected by the warmth of the Gulf Stream. The beach is a good one to use for swimming as it slopes gently into the ocean with no sudden increases in depth. As a result there are always lots of people swimming in the sea here, even on Christmas Day when a swimming race is held. The beaches here have Blue Flag rating and the local council works hard to keep them clean for all the visitors who flock to Barry Island every summer. In the winter months the beaches are still well used by local people for taking a bracing walk.

Barry Island has two gorgeous beaches with soft sand — Whitmore Bay is huge and lies between the two peninsulas of Friar’s Point (a nice walk in itself) and Nell’s Point (now residential), and the other is the smaller and secluded Jackson’s Bay around the headland and cliffs, connected by Clement Coley Walk — a lovely cliff path with stunning views back to the beaches and out across the water. There are always ships and boats to see as well. You can do a nice circular walk which takes in both beaches and a few streets inland. There are lots of take-​aways and bars, cafes and ice cream kiosks. A few tacky places too, like amusement arcades and shops selling plastic souvenirs and toys, beach balls and flip-​flops. Of course, the fairground is a big attraction but it seems a bit run down and past its best (whatever that was like). The gigantic log flume (waterfall boat slide) — the first thing you see when approaching the island across the causeway is really ghastly! However, apart from a few moans about the tacky touristy side of things, it is a lovely island and well worth a visit to walk on the beaches.

I love the place! I love the winter and the coastal walks from Jacksons, over to Whitmore Bay and then into the Old Harbour. When the tide is out you can make it over to the Knap and beyond.
The arcades are fine for a night out with the kids — open all year round it can be a bit of a fun evening out. It’s just a shame that the cafes/​chip shops close in the evenings out of season.
The cazy golf is now popular again due to recently being refurbished. It looks great and i hope this is a sign that the whole area can be given a new facelift!
The fairground needs a lot of work and the Dolphin Bar has much potential. I feel if these areas were much improved and utilised better, then the whole area can become much improved. With more people deciding to holiday home in the UK, seside resorts like this are becoming ever more popular. I just hope that Barry Town Council will see this and act on it!

You can’t call yourself a South Walian until you’ve visited Barry Island. I guess we’ve all seen Gavin and Stacey by now, we’ve all seen how tired and dishevelled Barry Island is (in fact so much so that they created a tv comedy out of it!) but Barry Island has got real character. You don’t need to visit the arcade, you don’t need to visit the funfair, just wrap up and go for a walk on the beach in the middle of December. It’ll be bracing but you’ll love the sound of the waves and the fact that you’ve got the beach almost to yourself apart from a few dogs! I wouldn’t recommend Barry Island in the summer though!