Distance: 8.4 kilometres / 5.2 miles

Difficulty: Moderate

Bring your binoculars for this one. Not only are there panoramic views over the impressive five-kilometre-wide Red Wharf Bay from the edge of the forest, but there is also a host of wildlife to be spotted. A mostly flat and gentle walk with a climb up to the forest edge. The woodland parts of the route may be muddy after rain. 

Directions

Pentraeth to Red Wharf Bay

Start your walk from Brick Street car park in the centre of Pentraeth near the church.

From the bottom of the car park follow the sign for the Dona circular walk down Brick Street and into Chapel Street.

Opposite Chapel Bank turn right through the metal kissing-gate next to the cattle grid onto a double-track. Follow this wooded track to the next cattle grid and where the lane bends right take the footpath straight on.

Walk along the left-hand side of the fields, through a gap in the hedge to the next metal kissing-gate. There is a good view out towards Red Wharf Bay from here.

Continue along a path between two hedges to a house where you may be able to see a tower in amongst the trees on your left. Bear right then left on the track around another house and continue following the track down to Red Wharf Bay.

On arrival at Pen-y-Lon join the Coastal Path. Turn right and follow a sandy track across the narrow stone Estuary Bridge over Afon Nodwydd to the tarmac road.

Turn left over a second bridge past the memorial to Hywel ap Owain Gwynedd to the beach car park.

Red Wharf Bay to Coch y Mieri

From the beach car park follow signs for the Coastal Path to the right keeping the sea on the left.

The path crosses the back of the beach where wading birds can be seen. After the driveway to Tyn Coed on the right the path widens to a track.

Pass by reedbeds on your left and cross over a small stream. Where the track bends right, follow the footpath straight on.

Just after a small wooden chalet called Ger-y-Mor make a right turn at the waymarker and head inland.

Coch y Mieri to Pentraeth

Continue the short distance up the sandy path to the tarmac road and turn right following the Coastal Path sign along the gated farm track to Coch y Mieri.

At the property take a signed pathway to the left which follows a fence around the back of the buildings.

Continue along the path on the edge of the forest until taking a ladder-stile on the right. Follow the Coastal Path left and along the path to a metal kissing-gate.

Continue straight on following the fence line bounding Pentraeth Forest on the left and pass through a wooden kissing-gate. At the second wooden kissing-gate take the path down the slope and bear left at the waymarker.

Follow this path behind the property and proceed along the path at the woodland edge to another wooden kissing-gate.

When the track divides at the way-marker take the right-hand path downhill to a track at the entrance to Tyn Coed. Turn left and follow this track past the entrances to Tan y Mynydd and Tynddyn Waen.

At a bend in the track bear right past Tyn Gair to the tarmac road by Glan Morfa entrance. Follow this road to the junction of the beach road.

At the junction turn right towards the beach car park then at the signpost turn left back over the Afon Nodwydd at Estuary Bridge, and at Pen y Lon turn left inland to retrace your steps back to Brick Street car park.

Further information on this walk

History and interest 

• Pentraeth derives its name from being at the “head (or point) of the sands” referring to its location at the head of nearby sandy Red Wharf Bay.
• The name of Red Wharf Bay is partly derived from the colour of the mudflats, while Wharf is a corruption of Warth, a term common in south-west England meaning shore or strand.
• The Tower on private land was built in the early 19th century by a Captain Morgan, then owner of Fron Goch, as a folly and lookout tower. The Captain owned a number of trading vessels and could watch for them arriving at the quay in Red Wharf Bay.
• The Memorial in the beach car park is dedicated to Hywel ap Owain Gwynedd and commemorates the nearby Battle of Pentraeth in 1170 in which he died. Owain, a prince and a poet, fought his half-brothers for a share of the Kingdom of Gwynedd following the death of their father who ruled most of Wales.
• Pentraeth Forest is 3km² of conifer woodland and was planted in the 1950s. It was the last refuge of the red squirrel on Anglesey until their recent reintroduction.

Wildlife 

At low tide the 10km² of exposed sand and mud welcomes curlew, oystercatcher, redshank, plover, sandpipers, dunlin and, during the winter months, brent geese.

In the summer pyramidal orchids can be seen growing in the sand dunes. Otters may be spotted in the river, and Pentraeth Forest is home to the red squirrel.

Public Transport

The No.50 from Llangefni to Beaumaris; No.55 from Llangefni to Pentraeth and Talwrn; Nos.62 and 62C from Bangor to Amlwch; and No.63 from Bangor to Llanerchymedd, all run services to Pentraeth from Monday to Saturday.

Refreshments

Pentraeth has a couple of pubs serving food. There’s also a sandwich shop, and a convenience store at the petrol station.