out and about - 2014
11 January 2014 ............ Rhoscolyn Head
In amongst all the January gales, there was a day of quite different weather - clear blue sky, bright sunshine, but a cold cold wind.
So I went for a walk around Rhoscolyn Head on the coastal path.
If you have come from Treaddur Bay, the coastal path has mostly kept you away from the actual coast, but eventually you run out of houses, head down a field and join the coast beside a rather scruffy and very rocky bay.
At the far side of this bay is the first of three arches along this bit of coastline.
This is the Black Arch, it is possible to paddle through it, but only at high tide levels, as much of the bay dries out. But watch out for the swell.
Beyond the Black Arch, you climb up a bit onto some elevated ground, and get a good view looking northwest along the coast past Treaddur Bay towards the flat area of the Penrhyn Mawr peninsula and Holyhead Mountain.
You don`t go too far until you get to the White Arch - this is the first view of the outside of it.
Here is what it looks like from the other side, and as you can see, I had quite a problem with the bright sushine reflecting of the white rock, just above the darker rocks below in deep shade.
You can walk out over the top of the arch and down that peninsula heading off to the left. This rather odd picture is looking down on the sea in the outside bit of the arch.
After the White Arch, the coastal path takes you round a headland, then round another rather scruffy bay.
What you don`t really see from the path is the odd rock formations around the outside of the headland. The cliffs are much bigger than they look in this picture, and are quite fascinating to paddle around. Wide angle lenses shrink everything.
The path wanders along the tops of the cliffs - sort of - with a high wall on the inland side of you.
At some point you actually go across the top of the third arch along this bit of coastline, but you don`t realise you have done it, because the inland side of the arch is a swallow hole on the other side of the wall.
All this time, the view out to sea is just - sea.
However eventually you head up and over a hill, and round a corner, and suddenly you are exposed to what must be one of the most impressive views on the whole of the Anglesey coastal path.
Loads of rocky islands, Rhoscolyn Beacon, and the whole of the LLeyn Peninsula are in front of you.
Here is a closer view of Rhoscolyn Beacon and some of the hills on the Lleyn Peninsula.
As you head along the coast there are some deep gashes into the cliffs -
Eventually you climb up to an observation building, which is sometimes manned. There are good views from there.
Looking further on, Rhoscolyn Bay is the small bay in the front, and you can see how sheltered it is. But be aware that there are strong tidal currents just outside the bay.
Beyond Rhoscolyn Bay lies the much larger Cymyran Bay, with the town of Rhosneigr at the far side.
Beyond Rhosneigr, you are looking right down the southwest coast of Anglesey - in this picture the first headland is I think Braich-lwyd, with the island of Carreg-y-trai.
Beyond that is the peninsula/island Llanddwyn Island, or Ynys Llanddwyn, and beyond that the upper part of the LLeyn Peninsula.
A bit round to the left, and Snowdon is trying to hide behind some cloud.
Just because it is a fabulous view, another look out to Rhoscolyn Beacon and the Lleyn Peninsula -
- before the setting sun says it is time to head down to Rhoscolyn.
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