Day 12 - 7/5/86 - South Stack to Rhosneigr

Distance: 28 km (18 miles)    Total Distance:    160 miles

Today was another day of beautiful sunshine at the end of which I was feeling quite burnt on the face from the wind and the sun.  The path from South Stack to the south-west end of Holy Island was beautiful -  full of little bays and spectacular scenery.  Only Trearddur Bay showed any signs of being commercially spoilt.  A film crew was busy on one of the cliff tops. 

Porth Dafach

Porth Dafach - again - I liked this bit.

Porth Diana

Rhoscolyn Beacon from Rhoscolyn Head

It was impossible to walk the path beyond Borthwen Bay. Farmland with no footpaths and then a caravan site, which made it clear you were not supposed to go through it, blocked my way.  Instead it was a walk up the country lane and then a footpath veered off to the east.  The supposed path turned out to be very difficult walking especially along the muddy estuary front and through farms.  I was relieved to get to Four Mile Bridge where I had lunch – a packet of Jaffa Cakes and a pint of milk.

The ford near Llanfairynubwll

I thought the next bit may also be tricky but it was surprisingly easy.  By the time I got to the ford at Llanfaryneubwll the sound of planes at  RAF Valley was deafening – the Red Arrows were there practicing. The herons at the ford did not seem to mind the noise. The area was littered with fly tipped rubbish and judging by some of the correspondence it was someone from Valley and included empty bottles of sedatives. I was able to walk right by the end of the runway with planes only a couple of yards overhead – a spectacular view. 

Jets taining at RAF Valley - my free air show

It was then a long slog along the beach of soft sand at Rhosneigr.  I was pretty tired by so decided to call it a day and start hitching back to Holyhead.  I was relieved to get a lift in a van at the end of my walk up to the main road in Rhosneigr which took me up to the A5.  I then got a lift in a new Talbot van to Valley and finally a a strange lift into Holyhead.  I went to my aunt and uncles house.  They allowed me to have a bath - great when you've been walking for a few days, and then generously took me out for a great pizza.  I went back again to camp that night at Penrhyn.

Day 11 - 6/5/86 - Llanfaethlu to South Stack

Distance: 28 km (17 miles)    Total Distance:    142 miles

It was a disappointing start to the day's walking. I attempted to walk south along the coast from  Bothwen but soon got defeated by signs indicating ‘Private Land’ so had to come back up to the village of Llanfaethlu through country lanes and then back to the coast again at the sandy beach of Porth Tywyn-Mawr. A path at the other end of the beach took me through a caravan site.  It was another great day for walking – almost continuous sunshine with a good breeze to stay cool. 

It was particularly impressive walking up the estuary at Llanfachraeth where the Afon Alaw flows down to Traith y Gribin. There was so much bird life there, particularly swans.  Although there was a footpath marked on the map, much fence climbing was needed on the ground.  I stocked up on supplies and stamps Llanfachraeth Post Office and then some road walking was requited to reach Valley. 

I tried to cut through some fields over a marked footpath at SH304813, up the hill and back to the estuary. That was my plan anyway.  The field contained what I thought were two cows but as I got to the far end of the field they appeared rather large and had no udders!  One field led to another with no gate between only a gap.  I had to take refuge on top of the fence.  After ten minutes of trying to make friends with them I retraced my tracks deciding that venturing onwards was too dangerous.  I thought I had tamed them but just as I got back over the gate there was a thundering noise behind me. I looked round and saw the two bulls skidding to a halt after charging me! They were just behind the gate! 

After Valley, it was a long walk along the A5 over the Stanley Embankment, the bridge between Anglesey and Holy Island and another of Thomas Telford's designs.It's actually more of an embankment than a bridge because it is solid apart from a gap in the middle were the tide rushes in and out.   At the far end I passed the old toll-house before entering the nature reserve at Penrus. 

Good old Thomas - built to last!

On the other side of the A5 was the aluminium works. This produces aluminium by electrolysis of aluminium oer.  The factory is the largest consumer of electricity in the UK.   It was then along the promenade and into Holyhead. 

Holyhead harbour

Being a bit tired I thought the best plan was to hitch back to Llanfaethnu at this stage and set up camp.  I managed to get two lifts, one from a Jehovah’s Witness who worked at Anglesey Aluminium and one from an RAF man working at RAF Valley and someone else who had given up life in England to come to live in rural Wales.  I set up camp at Penthyn on a small farm and was pleased to find it had hot showers.  I didn't have any change to give the owner the £1 and he generously let me off and told me to give a donation to Greenpeace sometime.

I then went back to Holyhead and walked around the coast from North and South Stack.  Just as I was up on top of the vantage point of North Stack a spectacular storm came in over Holyhead.  I could see where my tent was and realised it was getting soaked.  Had I zipped up the doors I tried to remember?

That's my tent over there!

 

The paths over the Stack were not well marked and by the time I was on South Stack it was pouring with rain.  From there I had to walk all the way back to Holyhead along the lanes as I could not get a lift.  I called into my relatives to say hello and to say I would call back the following night.  I then went to have an curry in Holyhead and then back to camp.

The rocky west side of Holy Island looking south towards South Stack

South Stack - end of the days coastal walk - now just to get back to Holyhead!