Walks along the Anglesey coastal path

Winter is a time for hibernation, warm soups and log fires. The winter months roll in unforgiving and hard on Anglesey, and with it, gale force winds, driving rain and grey skies.  The swell picks up and drives massive waves onshore lashing the Anglesey coast. The beaches are empty except for the dawn paw patrol walkers that we see. All with their wellington boots, rain jackets and their winter hats. Our modern day instincts are to retreat and hide from the elements, with our central heating, and open fires.

But we must not lay still, or the winter slumber comes forth and consumes us. Dogs still need walking and our bodies still need movement each day to feel vital and healthy, both physically and mentally. So it’s time to get out walking along the Anglesey coastal path and get some movement in.

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Grey wintery scene on the Anglesey coastal path.

This past week has been bliss, we have had a brief sunny period on Anglesey, I have been on the beach and have been in the water swimming at Teeaddur bay already and it has been rather delightful. But it was too good to be true, march the 1stcame and went and the next big Atlantic storm Freja rolls in.

So I was supposed to go out running, but since we are currently dog sitting we decided to go and do a loop of the Anglesey coastal path near Rhosneigr. It was during a raging storm, which made it a fantastic high energy walk , getting thrown around by the gale force winds of up to 60mph!

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The full loop of the Anglesey coastal path (we did juts a tiny part of it) see images below. Image by friendsofangleseycoastalpath

 

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Stormy seas. Walking along the Anglesey Coast path

Anyhow the walk around its about 45 minutes, to an hours in this kind of weather and the route s super dog friendly. It is an actual part of the coastal path. It’s a great little loop, a little muddy, so you will need walking boots and or wellies and take a rain jacket as even if its not raining then, the spray from the sea can get you wet!

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Porth Trecastell, Cable bay marked on the map. Image- Google.com

 

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The round robin walk we do on the Anglesey coastal path.Image- Google.com

Park at the car park at Porth Nobla in the lay-by  and you can walk around either way around the head land. You can also walk to this destination following the Anglesey coastal path from Rhosneigr.
Its hardly a big walk but you get some great views as you walk around the headland towards the Llyn peninsular and back the other way towards Holyhead mountain. The reason I wanted to do a quick blog on the site about walking the Anglesey coastal path, is that I don’t really give it much mention when I should!
We have so many readers who are dog walkers and  you guys could benefit from some of the routes that I run or walk along the coastal path as ideas for your own dog walks. So I will document a few more of them.

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Great views of the headland you get on the walk around the Anglesey coastal path.

This week we have Bolly a springer spaniel staying with us, while our friends are away on holiday we are babysitting Bolly and must walk her each day, so taking the new found responsibility seriously, my walking boots and waterproofs are out of the wardrobe and ready for action.

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Bolly the ever faithful and obedient dog.

It’s no surprise that the weather here on Anglesey is a little bit hit and miss, but that’s no excuse for stopping going out walking. To be fair Bolly the springer has been relentless in all conditions so its been ace to get out with her in the wilds and get a bit battered about in the elements. There is something so beautiful about being in the wild elements getting blown around and soaked and having a faithful companion that walks with you and gives you company.

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It Was hard at some points to even see the views the rain lashed your eyes so hard walking along the Anglesey Coast path

I used to hate the cold, don’t get me wrong I used to surf into the thee depths of winter and get in with 6mm wetsuits, but just tolerated the cold and put up with it if you know what I mean. But these days I have surrendered to it and actually embrace it. I’m not sure if its because I have been doing cold water dipping this winter, but my body is craving it and actually seeking it out more and more. Its rather liberating. I may go in tomorrow for a dip in the storm, for a bit of a kick, well see how the weather works out hey!

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The storm rolls in along the Anglesey Coast path

This walk hugs the coastal path around the headland all the way from start to finish, you walk out on this rocky peninsular that juts out from the main landmass into the Celtic sea. It’s a rugged piece of terrain and feels nice and raw. It’s particularly nice when the storms arrive as you get a good beasting from nature, plus you are so exposed, with no where to shelter! You also see the huge breakers pound the shoreline, with the surf lashing Rhosneigr beach.

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Magnificent to watch the breakers pound the shoreline looking back towards Holy Island.

It must have been pushing 50mph on the water and there where huge wind streaks, which if I’m not mistaken only occurs at about Beaufort force 8+.

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Looking back the way we came from. Cable bay / Porth Trecastell beach in the foreground.

The cool thing about this walk is that you get to see “ Barclodiad Y Gawres”  Burial chamber on the headland, some call it Cable bay burial chamber but its actual name is one above. It is translated the “Giantesses Apron full” and refers to ancient mythology about the giants that inhabited north Wales. So the storey goes, the giantess, carried the big stones that made the chamber in her apron and dropped them there.

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Entrance to ” Barclodiad Y Gawres ” -Cable bay burial chamber

So anyhow you can walk up and take a good look at this mythical site that is quite special here, there is a locked gate there, but you can see through into the set of standing stones inside. if you shine the light from your camera phone, you can see the amazing enspriptions on some of the stones there. They are really remarkable.

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The breakers on the other side of the burial chamber walking along the Anglesey Coast path

So the walk cuts back on itself, back towards Cable bay or Porth Trecastell. A lovely sandy beach with steep cliff sides. When you arrive back at the beach, you can carry on across the beach to the next headland where the Anglesey coastal path continues if you are feeling you need more of a walk. We cut back up the hill to the left, on the pavement back towards porth Nobla where we park the car.  It takes us 40 minutes ish in the crazy weather, 30 mins in good weather. There are well marked paths all around there and you can’t get lost! Sign posts for the coastal path are marked like in the image below.

 

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Coastal path markers are along the route.

Porth, literally translated from Welsh, means access point or Gateway to travel. Trecastell, means place of the castle.
You can read more about Barclodiad y gawres (a national monument) below, which is the care of Cadw.

Anglesey Herritage 

Druidicdawn

Cadw.

Go forth and enjoy your spring time walks, and let us know how the go. Remember if you are on the beach along the coastal path, take a bag with you and pick up any plastics you see on the route, it helps keep this beautiful island pristine, that we are so blessed to have- Also if you are looking for plastic alternatives, go and check out our amazon store here, where you can purchase all manner of plastic alternative items. its in the form of a blog but all items link back to our store.

Also see our plastics free anglesey blog below>
A Plastic free north Wales
For great reads, that give you a more detailed understanding of the Anglesey coastal path or just Anglesey in general, see the books below. They are linked to our amazon account and if you purchase we get (1-3%) of the purchase price. It’s one of the few ways we get supported on our blog to keep sharing info about this wonderful island! Oh and we wouldn’t recommend anything we where not impressed with, or that would befit you guys first.
 







 


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