A Church Bay Circular

WALK DETAILS

START 

From the car park go left down the lane towards the sea. When the tarmac ends just before benches, an information board and a ramp down to the sea, go half right through a kissing gate to take the Coast Path and climb above the beach. Continue rising on the enclosed path to pass through a kissing gate and continue on the Coast Path with a fence and hedge left. When you pass through a low wall gap leave the Coast Path and go right to follow a wall and cut left around the field passing cottages on your right. Continue to take a rising path through gorse bushes and higher up rise by a fence towards telegraph poles and overhead cables. Rise to a stile right and cross it. Walk a few paces ahead to go left on a tarmac track. Rise past a cottage and a telegraph pole and stay ahead at a junction left just after the cottage. Shortly, as the track bends left near a marker post, go right to cross a stile left. Follow the path half left to cross another stile at a field corner. Cross the right edge of the next field and cross an awkward stile in a field corner. Continue over the next field aiming for a stile left of the house ahead. When you reach this cross it. Descend half left to reach a marker post and track. Follow the track to curve right through a hedge gap and then pass through a gate near a house. Follow the rising track beyond and stay ahead at a track junction in front of the house. Stay ahead towards overhead wires to reach a lane.

Points of interest on this section

  • Church Bay or Porth Swtan has a lovely unspoilt pebble and sand beach with attractive rock pools. It is popular with water sport enthusiasts and is backed by cliffs
  • The Anglesey Coast Path runs for 118 miles/200 km around the edge of the island

2) Go left to descend the lane past the farmhouse. Wind a way down the lane to pass a campsite lower down. Continue to bend left then bend right towards a white cottage to go left into a car park.

3) Pass through the car park and exit it via a kissing gate. Follow a sign for the Coast Path to take a track and continue on this to cross over a track using either stiles or the electric fence crossing points. Continue on the track and as it becomes grassy a coniferous plantation appears over right. Keep ahead when the track bends uphill left towards an old brick building. Continue towards the sea passing the plantation and keep ahead to the hidden cove of Ynys y Fydlyn.

Points of interest on this section

  • Ynys y Fydlyn is a hidden and secret cove with crystal clear water and a shingle beach. It is only accessible on foot and makes a great spot for lunch. The dramatic sea stacks above the cove are popular with birds

4) Leave the beach heading back the way you came, but at a fence corner above the beach go right to take the Coast Path steeply uphill and pass through a kissing gate. Beyond this continue to climb the narrow path and follow it as the angle eases. Soon rise again with odd markers showing the way. Continue on the Coast Path to soon descend again. Pass through a kissing gate and go left to go right over a bridge and round a cove. Continue down with the cove right and a fence left to pass through a fence at a crossing point and reach a track.

5) Continue on the track over a bridge and as it bends left leave it to go through a kissing gate and go ahead climbing the Coast Path beyond. Continue past coves right on a vaguer path to pass through a fence gap and continue on the Coast Path rising up and down gently. Soon rise up more steeply to a marker for the Coast Path. Pass a cairn viewpoint (which is worth detouring to) and continue on the Coast Path to descend through a kissing gate and cross a bridge. Cut right with the Coast Path to pass through a kissing gate and continue with a fence left and the sea right. Cross another small bridge and continue past more coves to cross another small bridge. Pass through a kissing gate to follow the Coastal Path beyond and curve right above the sea. Continue over a bridge and through a kissing gate to follow an enclosed section of path and curve left above the sea. Enter National Trust land at Clegir Mawr and descend and rise up steps to continue above the sea past more coves. Cross a bridge and pass through two more kissing gates. After the second kissing gate cut up half left to rise steadily next to a fence. As Church Bay comes into view continue to rise to soon descend and pass through a kissing gate. Follow an enclosed section of path above sea cliffs and rise to pass through a kissing gate. Beyond it descend and follow the path which opens out to a field. Head towards the buildings of Church Bay to re-join your outbound route at the wall gap and follow it back through two kissing gates to the lane where you go left back to the car park

A WORD OF CAUTION

Walking in the outdoors can be a strenuous activity and it is up to you to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the route described and to approach the venture with caution and care. You should wear appropriate footwear and suitable clothing, take along food and drink plus carry the relevant map and a compass and be able to use it. The details given here are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. However, neither North Wales Magazine nor the author can accept responsibility for inaccuracies encountered. 

Route map

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