Borth beach on the mid-Wales coast carries a secret under its sand and shingle shoreline that only reveals itself at low tide. An ancient forest once grew here and now the vestiges of its trees show themselves when the tide retreats, like messengers from the past.
Storm erosion revealed the past
If it hadn’t been for a massive storm in 2014, the extent of the petrified forest might never have been discovered, but the weather event scraped tons of sand from the beach. While such erosion is itself a cause for concern in some places, here it uncovered treasure. Preserved by the local peat, which provided an anaerobic environment that prevented the remains from passing from existence, parts of beloved native species such as oak, ash, birch, pine and willow were found on the shore.
Today, they can be seen when the shallow waters that attract families to the area go out. They appear as stones, but are actually stumps of trees, some of which have been carbon dated as far back as 1,500 BCE.
Myths and legends of sunken cities
What’s more, members of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, who were inspecting the beach after the storms, found an ancient walkway, made of coppiced branches, created by inventive locals who needed a way to get around as the local peat bog habitat became more and more waterlogged.
Those signs of civilisation have excited fans of history and myths, with some believing that the sunken forest is associated with the 17th century legend of Cantre’r Gwaelod or “the sunken hundred”, a kind of Welsh version of Atlantis that is said to have been lost beneath the waves. The mysterious kingdom was supposedly engulfed by the sea when Seithenyn, the guardian of sea defences, neglected to close the gates. A forest extending as far as 32 kilometres to the west of Cardigan Bay is thought to have stood here once upon a time.
Sarah Steven, a British visitor to the beach, told Travel Tomorrow, that the trees are coated in “a tarry substance surrounding each trunk, where you nail leaves an imprint if you push it in”. Describing the bewitching character of the place, she added, “I couldn’t stop thinking about the things that are always with us but that we cannot see. And the thought that one day I too would be one of those things. I felt quite comforted.”
What else is on offer?
As well as the magical sight of trees that are estimated to be between 3100 and 4000 years old, this stretch of coastline offers swimming, sailing, fishing, surfing and windsurfing. There are Royal National Lifeguard Institute lifeguards on hand from June – September, patrolling between 10am and 6pm only. Note there are restrictions on dogs from May to September. For walkers, the beach can be a starting point or base for hiking the Ceredigion Coast Path or other routes into the Cambrian Mountains.
The nearby village of Borth offers a variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs and local services. And to the north and east, protected sites such as the Cors Goch Fochno peat bog and the Dyfi National Nature Reserve’s incredible dunes will tempt you to explore further. To find out more about the area, a seasonal Information Centre exists at Ynyslas, run by Natural Resources Wales.
