Progress

Red is the path; Blue is what we've done so far.

Inland Sea

Today's walk took us along the mainland shore of the Inland Sea between Anglesey and Holy Island, on a hot, dry summer's day.

The original plan was to do Rogers Volume 2 Walk 13, but after lunch at the Valley Hotel (acceptable, nothing special), we decided to start at Four Mile Bridge instead of Cymyran. This involved walking south along the Coastal Path from the B4543 to join the Rogers walk at Tyddyn Cob. We then followed Rogers as far as the alleged cafe (of which more below), turning back then on what was his outward route.

It was close to high tide when we started. This led to some contrast in the views on the way there and back. High tide is more scenic, but there were more seabirds to be seen as the tide fell. (We also saw grouse for the first time on the Coastal Path.)

This seemed to us a much quieter part of the Coastal Path, often much less of a beaten track then we have seen elsewhere (see picture right). It was also less obviously signposted, and there were parts where we really did need the guidebook to know where to look for the line of the path.

In one respect we did find that the Rogers book (see references) needed updating. On page 73 he says, "...until you pass a small building on the right. Soon after this, bear right through a gap in the hedge/fence to join a muddy track...". We did exactly this, which essentially takes you down onto the beach. At the state of tide we encountered it was just passable - at higher tides or in stronger winds it would be more tricky. We realised later that we could have ignored going through the gap and carried on in the field higher up. In fact the Coastal Path Official Guide (same author) says at this point "bear left along a fenced track to join a muddy track...". It did seem that this was a fairly new section of Coastal Path (it's one of the permissive paths) so the "bear right" was once the best way until the new section of path was built to "bear left" onto.
Picture shows field of barley on Path


Rogers also refers to a "little cafe" although later he downgrades it to a "tea shack". It's shown as a little cup of tea symbol on the Coastal Path laminated maps, too. This being at our half-way point, it being a very warm day, and this being one of our longer walks, we eagerly looked foward to this little stop. It was closed.

Walks we did earlier (3)

North of Benllech

We did this sometime in the autumn of 2005, trying to follow Rogers Volume 1 Walk 3. He says "the area is well walked with excellent footpaths" and indeed it was along the Coastal Path itself - but on the inland return route, somewhere after Plas Llanfair, the path seemed to disappear. After retracing our steps, checking both the guide book and the OS map, we decided it wasn't our fault, that the path just wasn't where it was supposed to be.

Lligwy - Moelfre

We chose on Boxing Day 2005 to do this walk. We did the line of Rogers Volume 1 Walk 4 but left out Din Lligwy. The walk along the cliffs towards Moelfre was a good bracing winter walk along interesting limestone cliffs. You could see why the Royal Charter sank in that storm in 1859. This walk was not very long but enough to help walk off the effects of Christmas.

Cemlyn - Trwyn Carmel

This was a long and very bracing winter walk in late December. We started at Cemlyn, walking west along the Coastal Path as far as Carmel Head, where we went inland at the White Ladies to join the return path via Mynachdy, Hen Felin and Fronddu. (In terms of other people's walks this was Rogers Volume 1 half of Walk 8 combined with most of Walk 9, or alternatively Hamilton Circular Walks Walk 12 but cutting across at the White Ladies.)

We felt the cold when we stopped. But it was a lovely clear winter's day, and although we couldn't quite make out Ireland (which we had expected to see), there was no doubt about the outline of the Isle of Man. We didn't see a soul all the way but there was something quite dramatic about the remoteness. One of our best walks.

South of Benllech

March 2006. We started at the Wendon Cafe and followed the line of the Coastal Footpath to the corner of Red Wharf Bay, returning along the road. We stopped the Ship Inn for a pint, which was worthwhile, resolving to do this again when walking.

Beaumaris - Aberlleiniog


April 2006. We walked over the Mount at Beaumaris but after that this was a beach walk all the way; unusually for us, we returned the way we came. As at other parts of the path, there are several remains of the shipbuilding industry along this stretch, but in this case just a little more recent with the slipway of the former Laird's yard prominent along the beach.

Also of interest here are strange shaped cliffs close to Aberlleiniog where glacial drift has been eroded by the sea.

Picture shows a cave in these cliffs.

This completes the account of the walks we did after we decided to walk the whole path but before we started the blog: the blog is now up-to-date.

Abermenai

Today we walked to Abermenai point from Llyn Rhos-ddu. We followed the route of Rogers Volume 2 Walk 15, taking the longer option, after checking the tide tables, of course. This was a longer walk than usual for us, although actually doesn't cover a great deal of the coastal path itself. As a circular walk it is probably unique in that the loop is outside the coastal path.


The walk through Newborough Warren was notable for the flora. We are used to seeing wild flowers everywhere on the coastal path, but this area, at this time of year, was exceptional.

The tidal part of the walk was easy enough, just following a straight line over the sand; and despite the tides it was still possible to see other walkers' footprints in both directions.

After walking round the point, where the strait is surprisingly narrow, followed the long trudge back along Llanddwyn beach. It was breezy, and as we got closer what had been blobs in the sky became more and more interesting as we watched the antics of kitesurfers.

As we began on the path back inland (not so well-signed as Rogers suggests) it began to rain. This was only a fine drizzle and we were prepared for it, but we were flagging a little by now and we were glad to get back.