Beauty all around

It was yesterday, Monday, following a meeting of the Anglesey Committee for Macmillan Cancer Support, that I discussed with my predecessor as Secretary, the beauty of this georgeous island. Each of us has exactlty the same feeling about Anglesey as we drive round it. It wraps itself around you and gives you such a clean feeling of pleasure as you soak in the thousands of views.

The view in this photo is of Point Lynas, near
Lllaneilian, the area in which Penysarn, my village, sits. All around are spectacular and colourful views you might never see if you came for the occasional weekend break. My brother and his partner stayed with us this weekend and we drove out with them to Porth Trecastle on the south coast of Anglesey. We arrived to find the weather was deteriorating and an uncomfortable wind was blowing. We did not stop and went, instead, to park up and eat our lunch overloking Treaddur Bay. After lunch we took the coast road round to South Stack lighthouse. The coves were appreciated as we drove along. We turned up and climbed the lower slopes of Holyhead Mountain to reach the car park. On leaving the car we could hear the lighthouse fog warning sounding. A great mist wrapped itself round the lighthouse so that for a time we could not see it.

We then drove to Holyhead, noting the new footbridge from the ferry and rail interchange into the town centre. At Valley crossroads we turned along the A5025 and headed for Llanfaethlu. Once there we took the route across the fields to Porth Trefadog. There the beach was deserted but covered in seaweed of many different colours. It was fascinating to see the seaweed and the different sorts that had been washed up.

Our next port of call was Church Bay where we all scanned the menu outside the Lobster Pot. There is no finer expert than the owner/chef when it comes to cooking lobster dishes. From Church Bay we turned left and took the road which joins the A5025 at Llanruthladd. We had called at Cemaes the previous day so drove past and across to Llaneilian with its 360 degree views. We took a peek at Porth Eilian and then returned to Penysarn via Nebo.

Our visitors declared they had benefitted from the poor weather as they had been treated to a tour of places they would never otherwise find. No doubt, if it had been hot, we should have remained on the first beach selected.

If you drive over to the coast that looks across the Menai Strait you find it full of the most surprising vistas. A trip to Black Point on a windy day will blow away all your cobwebs as you look across to Ynys Seiriol and the Great Orme at Llandudno. Shoot down to Newborough and then take the toll road into Newborough forest. At the end of the winding forest road is a car park and then a long walk which takes you to Llandwyn Island. Down to your left is the corner of the island that looks across to Caernarvon and its great castle. In fact, I really love to go to Caernarvon just for the views of Anglesey from the coast road there.

Wherever I drive around I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place.