WILD WALES

A WALK with wild coastal scenery and no crowds, following a section of the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path. Keep a lookout for seals basking on the rocks and porpoise can often be seen leaping in the surf.

Start: Begin the walk at a small, free National Trust car park near Trwyn Cemlyn. This is approached by following the lane to Cemlyn Bay

but instead of turning right down the short lane which leads to the bay, take the next right. After about 400 metres turn right down to Trwyn Cemlyn.

Map reference: SH 329 935.

Distance: 10.5 kilometres/6½ miles.

Map: OS 1: 50,000 Landranger 114 Anglesey; OS 1:25,000 Explorer 262 Anglesey West.

The walk

1. From the car park walk along the gravel track which leads onto the National Trust land at Trwyn Cemlyn. On the way, there is a stone memorial on the right to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first lifeboat on Anglesey (1828-1978).

This was founded by the Reverend James Williams and his wife Frances after witnessing the wreck of the Irish Packet 'Alert' which drifted onto West Mouse killing 145 people in 1823. The Reverend and his wife are said to have watched helplessly from this headland as the ship sank, leaving only seven survivors.

Here you can either walk over rough grass to the end of the headland for a view of the bay, or bear left following the wall to a corner overlooking the rocky shore, where a kissing gate leads into fields on your left. The path now keeps tight against the right-hand field boundary, overlooking the sea to your right. Continue along the coastal footpath passing above Ty'n Llan farm and the little church of

Saint Rhwydrus which can be seen down to the left, to the next cove (Hen Borth) a small shingle bay.

Continue along the coastal path which hugs the edge of fields almost to Carmel Head where you will see the curious stone structures known as the 'White Ladies' - almost 4 kilometres/2 miles.

Northwest of Carmel Head lies the group of rocks known as The Skerries - a Norse name derived from the word 'sker' meaning 'steep

rock'. In Welsh they are known as Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid or 'Seal Islands' and were the scene in 1675 of the wreck of Britain's first Royal Yacht, the 'Mary' presented to Charles II.

The remains of this ship were found by accident in 1971 in 12 metres of water. After a long and troubled history The Skerries became the last privately owned lighthouse in the country and was eventually sold for £444,984 11s 2d in 1841. Other links with shipping can be seen nearby in the form of the two large beacons known as the 'White Ladies'. These line up with a similar tower on West Mouse, to act as a guide for shipping negotiating Carmel Head.

Near the White Ladies, the coastal path leaves the rocky coastal edge, which swings rightwards to Carmel Head. The coastal path goes ahead and slightly left, indicated by waymarker posts, to cross a footbridge over a ditch. Keep ahead passing a tall chimney associated with local mining, and continue until Holyhead Mountain comes into view and you are forced to rise leftwards to a prominent rocky summit above the headland of Trwyn Cerrigyreryr.

The wide panorama from this hilltop was first exploited by the Romans, who are thought to have built a beacon and lookout on the summit of nearby Penbrynyreglwys, to guard the entrance to their harbour at what is now Holyhead.

2. Head back towards the mine ruins (chimney) seen earlier. These are not visible yet and there are few trails to follow, so cut across the open hillside aiming just to the right of the beacon on West Mouse but keeping to the left of the rounded flat summit of Penbrynyreglwys, until the ruins come into view. The chimney is the first to be seen along with a view east along the north coast.

Pass between the ruins on your left and the chimney on the right and pick up a grass track which contours the hillside to a gate beyond the

White Ladies beacons. Beyond the gate, follow the track through a larger grazing field to a gate and stone steps in the far corner. Bear half-right through a smaller field to a ladder stile about 150 metres away and head left along a track that soon curves to the right around a small artificial pool backed by conifer woods. Follow the track towards farm buildings at Mynachdy and pass through the farmyard to a gate immediately ahead. Go through the gate and follow the obvious track through grazing fields to a lane.

3. Walk ahead a few paces and immediately before a small National Trust car park turn left through a kissing gate. Cross a footbridge and

follow the footpath beside a stream. Go through a second kissing gate and keep ahead to join the coastal path again at the small bay of Hen Borth. Turn right and at the end of the shingle beach go through the kissing gate into fields. Keep along the field edge and after the next kissing gate bear half-right across the field to the little church of Saint Rhwydrus.

Pass to the left of the church and cemetery (where steps lead over the wall to visit the church) and walk towards the farmhouse directly ahead. Enter the farmyard and go ahead down the access road. At the end of the road turn left and return to the car park to complete the walk.

This walk is taken from the book Best Walks in North Wales by Carl Rogers, published by Northern Eye Books. ISBN 978-0-9553557-3-8. 160 pages. Copies can be ordered direct online at:

www.northerneyebooks.com

.