Wales Coast Path 2024

Yesterday, 28 May, we did this walk. Parked in Trearddur and took number 4 bus to Holyhead to restart walking.  The weather had looked a little gloomy but the forecast for Holyhead was good, and turned out to be right: once again we had a walk in blue skies. It was going to be a long walk, but the transport logistics didn't really allow for shortening it.This also became one of the more strenuous walks, once we started rising round the side of Holyhead Mountain. The Coast Path doesn't quite reach the summit, although it would be a fairly short diversion to do that, but there were good enough views in all directions from the height that we reached.  We started in view of the Skerries. We saw North Stack from the east side, later from the west side. We approached, then passed, South Stack. The Skerries once again were back in sight, but eventually were lost from view as we approached the end of the walk. By then, most of Eryri, and the Llyn peninsula as far as Ynys Enlli/Bardsey...

Llanfachraeth, today's starting point is, like many similar names, named after its saint Machraith who founded the church (Llan) - not, as my guide book would have it, named after a small beach. We took the 61 bus here from Holyhead, and walked down to the footbridge over the Alaw to rejoin the Coast Path, along the way spotting a water vole diving in the river. The first part of the walk had been recently strimmed of vegetation. This was a good job, as there had evidently been tallish nettles and other growth across the path, although it did at times obscure the uneven stones underfoot. At Newlands Park, we had two options - along the shore, or inland behind the houses. We chose the latter. At the end of this stretch, we very nearly went the wrong way, where the arm of the sign was missing and the book wasn't clear enough (two right turns at the top of a hill easily mixed up). We quickly realised the mistake, and wouldn't have gone far wrong anyway. The Stanley Embankment ...

Today was another two-car walk - but chosen to end at Llanfachraeth to enable a public transport link next time! After four weeks, the vegetation has changed. Primroses almost all finished, sea kale in full flower, and thrift thriving: despite continuing dry weather, there were, overall, more in in flower.  Most interesting today, and mainly at the start of the walk, were the gossamer-like webs of the Orchard Ermine moth. These caterpillars were feeding selectively on blackthorn, other plants nearby being untouched. Caterpillars of varying sizes could be seen, and had evidently stripped these bushes almost bare of leaves; no doubt they will recover.  A very short diversion from the map took us to Castell Trefadog , a late medieval fortified house, now partly eroded by the sea. We were fortunate that it has recently had vegetation cleared, allowing the overall shape of the site, and the depth of the ditch, to be appreciated. There is also a new interpretation board. As we appro...