Walks 41-46 Aberffraw to Traeth Dulas 11th-18th July, 2014

Well, a busy time since the last walk...celebrating with Julia and Richard for their engagement and visiting Hampton Court Flower Show.....now proud owners of a lovely dragon, he'll arrive during August.

Thank you once again for supporting this fundraising. We had fantastic donations on Anglesey so far, very kind. Not long to go to the final countdown so do remember why we're doing this and take a look at www.justgiving.com/Pamela-Mallpress if you can donate a little...

So Friday 11th July saw us on the road again - Aberffraw to RAF Valley
We collected a hire car again this trip as taxis were so costly so set off early to the Menai Straits. It was a lovely morning with those clouds that hang in the valleys with blue sky and sun above them...

...and Cadair Idris stood very proud today.

Picked the car up and off again across the Britannia Bridge, this time continuing up to RAF Valley/Anglesey airport where we left the hire car and off back to Aberffraw. We were on our way before 11.30 over the lovely old bridge..

...back down the other side of the river Ffraw. We looked back to the headland on the Bodorgan estate from the end of our last walk and where another iron age fort was, Trwyn y Parc which is visible back at Dinas Dinlle on the Llyn peninsula. This morning we couldn't see the hills of the Llyn as the clouds were low and lurking on the mainland.....not so with us....clear blue sky and sea on Ynys Mon! It really was a pleasant walk, a real coastal walk again. We were tempted to stay and paddle and picnic on Aberffraw sands...but we pressed on. The first beach of the day was Porth Lleidiog, so many limpet shells in particular. Lovely hedgerows of honeysuckle looking back at the last walk's view..

Soon we cam round to Porth Cwyfan. A pretty beach and at the end of the causeway, the little island, Cribinau, with its lovely old church, Llangwyfan, St Cwyfan's Church. The church in the sea...

The island wasn't always an island but the waves ate away at it and now the church is only accessible at low tide over the causeway. It was in real disrepair in the mid 19th century when a local architect built the wall around it to prevent more erosion and repaired it to make it usable again..

Some locals are apparently not too keen on its new whiteness after it was refurbished and whitewashed in 2005..

A beautiful setting but probably best visited when there are no motor races going on at the Anglesey track just above it on the cliffs. Today it was quite noisy as we ate our lunch! The circuit is owned I believe by the Bodorgan estate who reacquired the circuit from the MOD after they had used it in the war. Off after lunch up the track alongside the circuit, where fortunately it must also have been lunchtime as it was quiet now. Through some fields of clover, we soon headed back to the coast with lovely views across to Holyhead mountain.

Lots of flowers and butterflies as usual....some very strange caterpillars on the ragwort, all stripey, don't know what they were....

It was great walking here just up above the sea...we did witness a murder here when we heard the cries of a bird being carried off by a bigger bird! Perilous for young birds here! All that was left was a heap of feathers. Porth Trecastell was the next beach, as blue as the Med! We crossed the back of the beach and went down the other side heading to Barclodiad y Gawres (Giantess's Apron), a fantastic neolithic passage grave and burial chamber.

We weren't able to go inside as its opening times are limited due to vandalism! But it is in a really unique setting, lovely!

And it stands so clear and proud to be seen from quite a distance....

...even from the next beach...Porth Nobla...

A few beaches join together here at low tide so we could walk quite a way at the side of the sea, along Porth Sur, Porth y Tywydd, Traeth Llydan. Not amazingly stunning beaches, quite rocky and seaweedy but pleasant nonetheless making a brilliant beach walk up to Rhosneigr. Rhosneigr is a lovely town too and we found a cafe to shelter from the sun in for a drink and ice cream! Marvellous - we were really hot now! Then through town to cross the bridge over the river Crigyll. And now we had great views coming up to RAF Valley - well it was actually the noise we heard first - and then 3 Hawks setting off down the runway together - the noise was phenomenal...

(hope you can make out the planes there....) Once over the bridge we trekked through the dunes with their fair share of restharrow and along the perimeter of the runway and out over the dunes - there were a lot of them again - to the sea - what a sight!

The Llyn hills were much clearer now - hope you can see them. And the rocks, sea and sand between us and Holy Island (Ynys Gybi) just glistened in the sun...

This was yet another of my favourite places, Traeth Cymyran! We enjoyed another beach walk, the tide well out, aeroplanes for entertainment and we even had a Search and Rescue helicopter swinging towards us as we waved so we could get a good photo I'm sure....

So we turned up a track at the end of the beach and headed back to the car park passing close to RAF Valley - hot and tired! A lovely day though and 10.5 miles further

Off then to our holiday house at Gwalchmai - forecast not so good for tomorrow...

Saturday 12th July RAF Valley to Trearddur Bay

Had a fairly early start today as we feared the rain was coming in in the afternoon. It was a cloudy start as we set off from RAF Valley once more.

Today though no aircraft noise apart from some of the Search and Rescue helicopters and motor bikes from the circuit for much of the morning. The morning was mostly field walking and getting around the inlets of the Inland Sea (formed by the next big cob. the Stanley Embankment, joining Holy Island to Anglesey on the A5).

There was lots of walking over boardwalks and along quite overgrown paths, brambles, nettles, willow herb, campion, bracken - some a lot higher than us!

And we spotted sea lavender again along the inlets..

Before the big cob, we crossed a smaller more modern one, a flood defence for the town of Y Fali..

Battle was done with horses and bullocks; the cows were quite acquiescent with no calves around! And so we crossed onto Holy Island, Ynys Gybi, at Four Mile Bridge which is actually only 170 metres (?) where a group of canoeists were practising..

We followed the edge of the Inland Sea for a while before heading inland and then taking a wooded, bracken filled path inside the Bodior Estate rather than road walking. And here we re-met with the ladies we had chatted to at Llandwyn - they were finishing the whole path today heading back to Burnley from Four Mile Bridge. Well done them! More field crossing followed and then we dropped down through a conifer wood where we had lunch - very tranquil! And so down to Traeth Llydan, Silver Bay - another beautiful beach!

With the rocks out at the tide's edge, it made the whole bay here almost circular - really impressive! We should have had good views of the Llyn - but too cloudy today. We could see back down to Rhosneigr and the headlands at Bodogan. It was a lovely real coastal walk again here around to Borth Wen. Before we dropped down to the beach we passed a hedge of the wild rose, rosa rugosa, and I can still smell them now when I think about them. We had seen a lot of these already around Anglesey and more followed the rest of the week...

We crossed the beach at low tide, with its seaweed covered rocks and canoeists at the water's edge.

And the little islands just out of the bay, one with a beacon, Rhoscolyn Beacon - very picturesque even through the cloud. This was a favourite place for Chris!

We climbed out of the Bay, now with a wind getting up a bit and a little drizzle falling - coats at the ready! We headed up towards an old coastguard station with good views now of the Beacon..

And then down the other side we passed another holy well, St Gwenfaen's...

...another magical place and as we rounded the headland Chris spotted a couple of goats on the rocks - hope they jumped back later - where was a goatherder when you needed one?

We soon came down to Porth Saint with its red rocks in amongst the dark ones - oh, for a geologist!

And lying on the beach.....the rocks appeared to form a prostrate dragon, or was it a slumped duck??

On around the cliffs we went and almost missed the next magical sight...the fantastic natural arch, Bwa Gwyn..white arch...

Soon followed around the next headland by Bwa Du...black arch. We really thought these just as splendid as the Green Bridge of Wales!

And then passing a lovely big house on the clifftop with its cannon pointing out to sea (there on the right..)- we wondered if they were heading off the taxman or were they announcing the arrival of Mary Poppins? Whichever they had magnificent views!

Keeping close to the sea, we came around to Porth Y Garan with its caravan park and soon dropped down to Trearddur Bay. Passing pretty Porth Castell and Porth Diana before seeing the wide sweeping sands of Trearddur.

A lovely day's walking, quite a long one at 13 miles.... and not wet at all. Still quite humid really and the South East of England had been really hot and sunny, heatwaves all round.

Lots of oyster catchers today and stonechats, swallows, egrets. So many flowers....thyme and heathers on the headlands, vetch and yarrow

Sunday 13th July Trearddur to Holyhead

Still a bit cloudy as we drove into Holyhead to drop a car with a bit of pattering rain...then back to Trearddur and now the rain had stopped. 

We set off around the bay heading towards a house on the clifftop described in the Anglesey path guide as a bit "spooky", Craig y Mor. Kind of knew what they meant but at close quarters it was a very impressive almost Arts and Crafts type of building. It was in a lovely situation and alongside it was an old winch....not sure for what...boats?

We passed some pretty coves - Porth y Post which as you can see below is aptly named with its post-like stack..

From here we did have to walk on the road for a little while before dropping back down to the coast and the next beach at Porth Dafarch where there were lots of divers and coasteerers. Some of the divers had chatted to Chris in the car park earlier and told him they were heading to a wreck not too far from shore, the Missouri, a ship that sank with animals aboard some time ago.

From there it was a super coastal walk all day long! We passed Copper Mine Creek with its glassy green water...

Had great views in all directions - here up to the next hill fort, on an almost island, Dinas, so we couldn't explore...

But the island did have a natural arch for us to marvel at...

And great views to Holyhead mountain - getting nearer now!

The headlands were covered in heathers - ericas and callunas - and the butterflies, particularly the common blue, loved these....CORRECTION - I discovered more recently that in fact these blue butterflies on the heath here are more likely the silver-studded blue!!

And so did another small brown butterfly - or moth...

We had views back down towards yesterday's walk, Rhoscolyn beacon and down the Llyn - and we even heard and saw the emblem of the Anglesey path - the tern. We found another favourite beach which we couldn't resist going down to...so pretty.

Following the coast around we soon came to our first view of South Stack and its lighthouse and Ellin's tower - a lookout built for the wife of a local MP in the 1800's. Don't think she'd get planning permission today!

We continued up through the heather, spotting a common lizard en route. Then headed up the road to South Stack.

We went down the path to walk right on the clifftops around to South Stack - stopping for a lunch break looking out to sea - wonderful.

We could see right down the Llyn and across the sea we could make out the Wicklow mountains and further up, the Isle of Man. As we set off again, there were choughs on the cliffside - should have my better camera for such occasions! We passed Ellin's Tower and the many photographers looking down to South Stack - the many birds were quite noisy!

As we climbed up away from South Stack and towards Holyhead mountain, Mynydd Twr, the sky was blue, apart from over Snowdonia and it was warm though a bit fresher than Friday had been - lovely! We passed the entrance to South Stack, an RSPB location, and headed up to a lookout with amazing views down to South Stack and the Llyn - and out across the sea.

It was quite rugged walking here as we first passed views to North Stack, the fog signal station which has served sailors for 200 years..

..and we could see now the lighthouse on the rocks at sea, The Skerries. We then headed up to the limestone white hill of Holyhead mountain to see its iron age hill fort, Caer y Twr. 

From up here the outgoing Ireland ferry was so tiny!

It was stunning on top of the mountain! The "official" path actually goes around the mountain via North Stack but we preferred the top of the mountain today....hill forts, as you may have noticed, are too enticing to ignore for us!

As well as the hill fort, there are also the Roman signal station remains

....and the views - well what can I say?

We headed down then and luckily found the path passing through the gateway of the hill fort! and we spotted some of the original walls enclosing the 17 acre site!

It was a pleasant, if difficult, walk down made easier by the beauty around us. The snake-like breakwater of Holyhead seems to reflect the shape of the coast it protects...

And the sky and sea were so blue looking out towards tomorrow's walk!!!

As we dropped down there was more evidence of industry - the limestone near the bottom obviously the site of quarrying and the big chimney testament to another former brickworks. As we came down to walk through the country park here to head on the low cliffs we saw a memorial to some US airmen who had been killed crashing into the mountain at North Stack..

And looking back at the mountain, the old quarry tramways were clear to see...

We headed towards the breakwater - not nearly as impressive as it had been from above and passed a few derelict buildings - old naval or old houses, not sure..

We passed the marina heading into town - a lovely promenade. Passing the old lifeboat station, now the maritime museum, and Thomas Hughes Dock, named after a 19th century mariner who had rescued a woman and child from the sea here, we soon passed through the old market square now undergoing some refurbishment and so to the church of St Cybi's which is based on the old roman fort.

And this is also the official start and end of the Anglesey path.

We passed through the pedestrianised town centre and headed over the new Celtic Gateway bridge which joins the town to the station and port...

...and so headed back to the car park - the Stena long stay. Passing en route the monument on the hill overlooking the town to John Skinner. an American whose family backed the wrong side in the War of Independence and so they fled to Bristol. John became master of the Holyhead packet ship but died at North Stack with his first mate when they were washed overboard in a storm. He is commemorated for his kindness to the poor families of Holyhead who he helped a lot it seems. What a sad story!

We were tired and hot now after another 11.5 miles, some of them quite steep.....so we were ready to head back to collect the other car at Trearddur. More toll houses spotted - one at a neighbouring village, Caergeiliog - and some hares in a nearby field, sunning themselves, this evening!

Monday 14th July Holyhead to Church Bay

Bit late setting off this morning really and it was difficult to find somewhere to park the end vehicle which ended up a couple of miles further than originally intended...oh well.

Returned to Holyhead and the Stena long term car park where the bus driver kindly signed our round Anglesey walk forms..another certificate in store! Set off by 10.45 and it was cloudy and pattering with rain as we began.

Not easy to find the first sign which luckily was very close to the car park...it had apparently been chopped off. Around fields and a play park at the side of the inland sea, along a very overgrown path and then across a little, pebbly beach at Penrhos and then just hugging the coastline. Ferries were coming and going and the Hawks and yellow helicopters were back in action today. For a while we feared we may be about to get wet through but the wind was blowing so much it seemed to blow the clouds away. Not altogether though, we hardly saw the top of Holyhead mountain today so were glad we'd been up there yesterday with those terrific views!

We passed an old Napoleonic battery for coast protection, holes for its cannons. It's not known whether this was actually used or whether it was just to put the French off! I thought it looked quite quirky with the chimney of Anglesey Aluminium alongside!

We went up to a good viewpoint overlooking the harbour and its breakwater and then down passing another beach and through a nature reserve park with a pets' graveyard...this is the Penrhos estate owned by the Stanley family after whom the embankment is named and I guess they may have contributed to its cost! At the edge of the park where it meets the inland sea again, is a memorial to a young man from nearby who was killed in the Falklands War at 20 years old.

Passing a toll house, now a cafe but closed today,

we came to the Stanley Embankment, the long Cob built by Telford.......

............and so forming the inland sea.

In the middle of this was a frightening sight of the sea rushing into a "plug hole".....

Amazing and quite scarey. Across the embankment we went down to the shore although the tide was still quite well in. It was a pleasant walk right at the edge of the sea, the rocks here were pretty pastel colours and there were many shells, limpets and cockles galore. We couldn't get quite as far as we wanted and were harried a bit by a black headed gull which seemed to be protecting a nest maybe (Chris says I'm a cowardly custard) so one way or another we had to go inland a bit before dropping back down to Gorad beach where we enjoyed our lunch just watching and listening to the little waves lapping up next to us. Next we had to get around the river Alaw, which forms quite a big inlet here, so inland we went following the water's edge. We found our way on quite a well kept path which is quite newly opened, to the bridge over the river and so back down the other side!

We were heading directly towards the chimney at Anglesey Aluminium and Holyhead mountain (except for the sea of course..) so kind of felt we hadn't made much headway! It was hard going here as the fields full of wavy grass were uneven underfoot. Soon we were back onto the shoreline and although the clouds threatened we kept dry if windswept.

Now we were headed in a northerly direction at least and Porth Penrhyn Mawr was the first beach we crossed looking across still to Holyhead and after a track walk, Tywyn Mawr beach followed. It is a really beautiful bay and beach but as a backdrop has many caravans. This time of year though it wasn't that busy..

Not far then to Trefadog where we would have preferred to stop today but there really wasn't anywhere to park. Not a beautiful beach, quite rocky but we did see a heron flying across to fish on the rocks....

Then along the coast we went passing a few more beaches, all quite rocky and not completely spectacular. Porth Terfyn was overlooked by a lovely big house and also a strange encampment complete with the hulk of an old boat and various rusty machines!

Then we passed Porth Tywyn.........we had to go behind the beach here

and then battled with another quite overgrown path to Porth Fudr, Porth Crugmor, Porth Tyddyn Uchaf and so to Porth Swran, Church Bay!

Up above the beach is another old windmill....so many on Anglesey...

A long walk today....13.5 miles!

So very happy that the cafe, Wavecrest, was open and a coffee was just the thing! What's more, the owner gave us a big donation as we left...thank you so much!

Tuesday 15th July Church Bay to Cemaes
Left a bit earlier today on a bright and sunny morning. Feeling a bit fresher at first but it soon hotted up, in the afternoon it was baking! After car manoeuvring, which was easier today as the car park in Cemaes, our finish point, was easy to spot. Back to Church Bay, Swtan, and after observing a massive concrete job going on in the rocks beneath a house on the edge of the cliffs, off we set!

A really lovely coastal walk today, complete with ups and downs so not the easier walk we had hoped for! At times it was quite hard going dropping to coves and inlets and then up again, quite like being back in Pembroke, anyway the views were spectacular!

We could easily see Holyhead mountain today! We followed a little fishing boat for quite a way around the coast as far as West Mouse Island.

He was very busy putting his creels in the water for crab and lobster. We found another favourite spot quite soon at Ynys y Fydlyn! What a place!

With views both to Holyhead.....

....and then across to the Skerries with its (their?) lighthouse.....

....and a huge lump of an island all complete with a shingle beach and then as we were about to leave, Chris saw the amazing arch. Just a perfect place..

We then headed up the cliff again, this onto private land which is closed to the public over winter......a shooting area maybe. Anyway we were glad we could go up today - it was beautiful...

As we turned another corner, we could see the Skerries, Ynys y Moelrhoniaid, and West Mouse Island, Maen y Bugael, with its little white beacon....

And then a chimney came into view at Carmel Head. The chimney and nearby ruined buildings and winch were once part of the copper industry hereabouts.....also here are the 2 beacons, sort of triangular shaped monoliths which had been white at one time and which are known as the Two White Ladies.

These 2 huge 45 feel tall stone beacons apparently line up with the beacon on West Mouse Island to form a line and warn of Coal Rock a further 1.5 miles away from West Mouse.

We walked along beside the sea, sometimes higher, sometimes lower, passing pretty Porths along the way...

....always with magnificent blue sea to our left - and splendid views all round....

...it was hard to stop gazing out to sea, watching the Skerries and West Mouse disappear behind us.....

.......and listening to the sound of the terns which we were now watching as they dove into the sea, fishing...and we saw a group of Canada geese swimming along with a neighbouring group (flock?) of another type of goose for company......

.....and nearby cormorants were fishing too....

We came then to Hen Borth, a shingly beach which looked irresistible for lunch. As we came close to the shingle, the final field we were crossing had a bull lying in it....he was HUGE! Luckily I hadn't spotted him til the last minute so he was soon passed!

And then what a wonderful lunch setting!

We sat watching the blue waves and white surf lap onto the shingle and saw many terns diving for us! Wonderful! And a group of sheep were keen to share our lunch - I wasn't so keen on that happening...Then we dragged ourselves away and headed over another headland with the calls of the terns growing louder as we approached Cemlyn Bay.

It really was hot now as we watched the rough water over the sandbanks, an obvious good feeding ground for the birds getting noisier and noisier. And still flowers to spot.....I really must get to know the umbellifraes better...

Cemlyn Bay is a strange land formation with a shingle embankment behind which is a huge lake. The embankment is not passable at high tide but we were ok today. As we began to cross, there is a huge house on the banks surrounded by a huge stone wall - storms must be terrible here. As a backdrop to all this is Wylfa nuclear power station which I didn't think was unsightly.

The terns and the black headed gulls were really noisy feeding their young with a non-stop flight in and out by the parent birds. So many of them! Photographers and ornithologists were having fun! It was hard going walking across the mass of shingle....

And so we headed towards and around the power station..still with many busy birds to watch..

Passing its visitor centre, we thought we'd have a drink since this short walk seemed to be going on longer than anticiapated, but it had just closed! So onwards and upwards. We went through the nature trail running through the grounds of the station which has just been replanted with native trees and a new bat barn has been built....obviously trying hard to keep everyone happy!

As we emerged from the wood, we were first of all heading for Wylfa Head but decided then that we would bypass it, it being an optional "extra" but we did in the end go around the next headland by mistake! Never mind it was such a lovely afternoon and from here we could overlook Porth Wylfa, where someone was snorkelling - looked inviting! ....and Ynys Badrig, Middle Mouse Island, just off the headland.

And here we could see on the hills around quite a lot of wind turbines.............quite ironic so close to the nuclear power station, don't you think?

Following the coast around, we came into Cemaes. A very pretty bay and a lovely little town with many of its old cottages down by the beach and harbourside. It is the most northerly village on Anglesey and has some of the most important geology in the world. As we walked around the coast on the way to the centre, we passed 3 or 4 plinths each with various rocks on them with their identification and where they had been found on the island - rocks ranging from granite to jasper.........would like to revisit them as there was too much to take in when you're tired! The growth of Cemaes had been based on limestone and marble and of course shipbuilding. Out at sea here are the Harry Furlough's rocks, named after a man who used to put the lights out on the beacons so he could plunder the ships wrecked as a result! In the bay is the fairly recently erected Time and Tide bell which rings out when the tide comes in..............

..........quite reminiscent of the bell under the harbour at Aberdovey, which serves as a reminder of the bells of Cantre'f Gwaelod, Wales's Atlantis. We were mighty relieved to get back to the car in the really hot sun!

So much for a shorter walk today............my mapping skills are a bit rubbish....11 miles further though with some serious ups and downs, but worth it! Just a shame that the Wavecrest cafe back at Swtan didn't open on Tuesdays...................

Seagulls fighting overhead, couple of buzzards today, sandwich terns, black headed gulls........cormorants, stone chats chattering, oyster catchers shrilling, swallows, skylarks......

Campion, vetch, coltsfoot, heathers, thyme, so many.....

Plenty of butterflies today and cinnabars...

Super views of Snowdon, yr Wyddfa, and his friends as we drove home down the A5 and down the Llyn past Yr Eifl and friends. 

Thursday 17th July Cemaes to Traeth Dulas

Well, if anyone tells you Anglesey is flat, don't believe them! Not on the northern coast it's not. Yesterday we had had to spend just exploring in the rain which was great as I could visit my ancestor haunts and at Lligwy the chambered burial cairn....

and iron age settlement were fascinating....

We had enjoyed a lovely meal though in the evening when the rain subsided at the Oystercatcher in Rhosneigr. A great place sponsored by the Timpson Foundation and opened in 2011 to support young people both as chefs and waiting staff in their training - what's more, the food was fantastic!

We decided it just wouldn't be fun to walk in heavy rain so today could be a long one........The day began bright and sunny with maybe more cloud in the east we hoped.....it is said that like Cornwall and Devon, the "other" side of the peninsula, or in this case, island the weather can be totally different. So off to Traeth Dulas first to drop a car then back passing Amlwch and its Parys mountain, copper mountain since Roman times, and the biggest copper mine in the world in the 18th century. It is a strange place, like a lunar surface and I think has been used to film science fiction things...

More of the more modern windmills were passed before arriving back at Cemaes....

We left the pretty beach at Cemaes by 9.45 and so the last coast walk of our week began.

Until the very last couple of miles, we hugged the coast today with all its ups and downs! And with the calling and chuckling of the gulls, the piping of the oystercatchers, the lulling of the sea, the chattering of stonechats and the chirruping of grasshoppers for company! Actually this was maybe one of the busiest bits of coastal path we've walked on for other walkers. Maybe only surpassed on the Gower. Across Cemaes Bay we said goodbye to Wylfa....

...and more of our lime kilns were passed as we approached Porth Padrig....

The uphill started heading off to Porth Padrig, known as White Lady bay with its chalky stack in the middle of the beach.

The rest of the rock here appeared totally different to the stack but there are reputedly lots of caves here made by smugglers! And here we saw another young gull being carried off by another larger bird, could it have even been a larger gull?

Off up to the headland at Llanbadrig with its 4th century church and churchyard overlooking the sea. Think the main bit of the church looked more like maybe 11th or 12th century so guess it's 4th century boast is about an original base here, probably around a well I wouldn't be surprised.

Many ups and downs started with great views and now quite a lot of harebells....

As we came around to the first of the northerly beaches, our legs were quite tired already!

The most northerly beach is Porth Llanlleiana. An amazing place with its old industrial heritage still there.

This had been a porcelain mine! Incredible to believe now but for the old chimney and big industrial building and a watchtower or beacon up above. Up once more next to see the hill fort, Dinas Gynfor. Sadly not really much to see now especially with the bracken so high. Soon we came round to Porth Cynfor, otherwise known as Hell's Mouth because it is a stormy, windy place .....but not today, it was more like its name related to the heat!

Another climb from the beach up along the cliff, maybe you can get some idea of the steepness here.....still with Middle Mouse Island peeping round...

Soon we were dropping down to Porthwen. There were the 2 huge chimneys shooting out beneath us..........

so we had to go down through the gorse and brambles! And it is unreal to see the disused brickworks and its harbour sitting at the side of the sea! How on earth did the workers get there?

A bit like a mini Porthgain which we passed back in Pembrokeshire.

Another walk around the head of the beach and the views back to the brickworks. The harbour wall was built alongside a natural arch in the cliff..

and just by the side of its own shingle beach....

and then uphill again around a lovely cliff walk where we soon had our lunch stop..meltdown! Continuing, we soon came around to Bull Bay which is quite a walk around!

But a pretty bay where we saw lots of fishermen! Some in boats even too. And its prettily planted boat on the shore...

And then around the headland, passing a very unpretty and now disused chemical plant, to Amlwch Port. On approach we saw another old windmill..

....and statutory Anglesey horses....

...must get a better picture before we leave the island! Amlwch was the main port in the 19th century for exporting its copper.

We had visited here about 11 years ago too and it still is an interesting place, now quite a modern marina and still complete with its huge lime kilns!

And also a lovely cafe, the Sail Loft, which also doubles as a heritage museum where the people really spoiled us getting us cold drinks, hot drinks, newspapers to read and even a huge donation...thank you so much! This was where we would have stopped yesterday, but due to adverse weather, now we had to carry on.. Still clinging to the coast, it was a really lovely walk and we met other people here too who live in Bull Bay and had a good chat. The lady is an Owen so could be my relative - and she has given a kind donation on JustGiving - thank you so much! My great grandparents came from Amlwch and Llaneilian which was our next Porth and where we had visited its church yesterday, a really interesting old church well worth a visit, where my great grandparents married.

Before passing Porth Llaneilian, we passed its well. Again the early holy well of St Eilian.

We could have walked around Point Lynas stretching out from Llaneilian but as it doesn't form a necessary part of the path, today we decided against it.

Point Lynas looked lovely  both on approach and as we left it behind...

More lovely Porths were passed and we met a young chap who kindly donated. He was from Cardiff area...and his cousin was a little way behind following him. They were on their way to Amlwch to camp for the night. It was a little easier walking here, well at least not as steep as the northerly beaches part but still quite hard in the heat. And here we could now see the north coast of Wales east of Snowdonia, though a bit hazy....nearly the end of this 870 mile walk!

Soon we had to head inland to walk around the Dulas estate, they must not approve of a coastal path! And this was the worst bit today. No sea to see, going steadily up through fields in heat and marauded by horse flies! It seemed to go on a long time, avoiding the estate, and then we dropped down through a field toward Llangwenllwyfo church, a modern one and in the field,we saw a hare! I hadn't imagined it the other day! And a pheasant flew over, we have heard them here and there over the last few days. So we came finally to the Dulas estuary, phew! Complete with its old hulk...

We wandered up the side of the marshy estuary to the calling of a sea bird and were very pleased to see the little car! 15 miles!! Finished walking at 7pm!!

On the way home saw a flock of soay sheep, or some similar breed, with horns and a flock of Jacob's sheep......

Weather all over the UK has been tropical it seems and the south east in particular so thunder and lightning due there tonight!

Today's flora and fauna: Scabious, sage, heather, harebells at the northerly beach! Heather, willow herb, ragwort, silver weed (has been a lot of that this week), tormentil, orchids near Llaneilian....

Choughs....one feeding a young one on a headland and another one ringed! I like choughs!

So home in the morning - waiting til September for the end of Anglesey and beyond......keep in touch, pamelamallpress@btinternet.com