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The Best Walking Routes on Anglesey

By Dave Roberts   

on January 12, 2018    4.67/5 (6)

Posted as a walk in – Anglesey / Ynys Mon, Europe, North Wales, Wales, Wales Coast Path

The Best Walking Routes on Anglesey

Route Essentials

Route Summary

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

Ascent

Time

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

Difficulty

Hazards

Weather Forecast:

Holyhead (Isle of Anglesey)

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

The Best Walking Routes on Anglesey Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

The Best Walking Routes on Anglesey

Often overshadowed by the mountains of Snowdonia, the walking on Ynys Mon, or Anglesey shouldn’t be underestimated. Not only are there plenty of easier walks, suitable for all the family, there’s the entire coastal path to polish off! We’ve already got more than 50 routes of various kinds on the site, and still growing, here’s a section of our favourites.

The Anglesey Section of the Wales Coast Path

The Best Walking Routes in Anglesey

This has to be classed as the very best walk on the island, as it basically includes all the brilliant walking that the coast has to offer. Starting off from Caergybi (Holyhead), the clockwise route takes you towards Church Bay, Cemaes, Amlwch, Moelfre, Benllech, Red Wharf Bay, Penmon, Beaumaris, Menai Bridge, Newborough, Aberffraw, Rhosneigr, Rhoscolyn and finally Trearddur before finishing off at your starting point. It can be walked comfortably by strong walkers in a week, though blisters limited our attempt to eight days, while it is more usually walked in a more sedate twelve days.

It’s almost impossible to determine a favourite section, with the section between Church Bay and Moelfre possibly edging it, but then the next section all the way to Benllech has plenty to offer as does the final section  from Rhoscolyn to Caergybi. That leaves out the sandy beaches from Lllanddwyn on to Rhosneigr, which are unmissable. It would perhaps be easier to say that it’s all pretty good, with the exception of the section between Beaumaris and Menai Bridge, and the main road sections at Llanynghenedl and Llanfair PG that had the proper coastal path in the process of being negotiated or improved.

Mynydd y Twr – Holyhead Mountain

The Best Walking Routes in Anglesey

If you can see Anglesey from Snowdonia than you can’t mistake Holyhead Mountain. Strangely, the Coastal Path skirts to within 50m of its 220m summit rather than including it, as it would form the natural end point for the walk. It can be easily climbed from the RSPB centre at South Stack with the entire walk taking no more than a few hours.

The view from the top allows you to survey the entire island, and would make a great prequel to walking the coastal path as you can see all that’s ahead.

Ynys Llanddwyn

The Best Walking Routes in Anglesey

Ynys Llanddwyn is associated with the Welsh patron saint of love – Santes Dwynwen, and the remains of her church can still be seen on the island and it is planned to rebuild it in the near future. Many Welsh speakers celebrate her feast day on the 25th of January as opposed to the more commercialised St Valentine. Read more about her on Wikipedia.

This is an easy walk, though it can also be visited as part of the coastal path, and is a refreshing balance of sandy beaches, rocky shores and a pleasant coniferous forest.

Rhoscolyn

The Best Walking Routes in Anglesey

Rhoscolyn, at the southern end of Ynys Cybi, is well worth a visit. Quieter than Trearddur in the north, it’s a better proposition if you’re after a quieter walk.

Of course, there’s still the nearby caravan park that ensures that like most similar beaches, both Rhoscolyn and Traeth Llydan (also known as Silver Bay) will still be busy in the high season.

Mynydd ParysThe Best Walking Routes in Anglesey

This is the most unusual route in here, but this area is a personal favourite that looks alien and unlike anything else in the area. This is essentially a landscape scarred by years of copper mining, resulting in a ruddy landscape that was even used to film a western in recent years. This was quite a surprise at the time, but not as much as it was to our companion who has just decided at that moment to ‘water the cactuses’ as it were…

You can even visit the underground workings of the mine with a suitable guide, and the Parys Underground Group organise underground tours, and their website is also a mine (sorry!) of information about the mountain.

Yr Arwydd, Traeth yr Ora and Lligwy

The Best Walking Routes in Anglesey
Walk to the highest point on the main island, along with some of the finest beaches. Start off from the beach at Traeth Lligwy, which has a small cafe in season, and follow the coastal path to Traeth yr Ora, one of the hidden highlights of the entire route.

Pass through the hamlet of Brynrefail, which has the highly recommended Pilot Boat pub, for a welcome break before ascending Yr Arwydd. It’s only 178m high, but as the island’s so flat you get a view of the entire island.

Visit our Walking Routes on Anglesey for the full selection of walks.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

Route Start Location:

Distance
 Ascent
 Time

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: 

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

Check out the businesses nearby for more places to stay and drink.

Hazards

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking :

Public Transport:

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Holyhead (Isle of Anglesey)

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps: 

Guidebooks:

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

More Posts by Dave Roberts

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