For Aberffraw/Traeth Mawr, see the Anglesey South coastal tour.

From Aberffraw the A4080 takes you to Porth Trecastell, also known as Cable Bay. It’s a perfectly formed little beach (there’s a car park behind the beach).

From here, you can walk around the headland (it’s about 2 miles/3km, there and back) to Porth Nobla, another attractive small beach. It’s a particularly scenic stretch of the Anglesey Coastal Path with the added advantage of giving access to Barclodiad y Gawres, one of the island’s most impressive Neolithic tombs (stiff competition – there are lots to choose from). Its name, meaning ‘The Giantess’s Apronful’, expresses its impressive size. Look out for the rare examples of prehistoric art carved into the stone.

If you prefer, you can drive to Porth Nobla on your way to Rhosneigr, a well-known seaside resort with a nicely subdued character characteristic of the island. There’s an interesting approach to the resort as the main road loops around between the dunes and reedy shores of Llyn Maelog.

Rhosneigr is blessed with a bounty of broad-sanded beaches. To the south lies Traeth Llydan, while north of the craggy offshore reefs there’s Traeth Crigyll leading on to Traeth Cymyran. Take your pick.

Continue along the A4080, turning onto the A55 Expressway for Holyhead. When the road crosses the Stanley Embankment you’re on another island, Holy Island, a small offspring that’s part of a larger mother island.

Just before entering Holyhead take the B4545 for Trearddur Bay, another of those charming little seaside resorts that are seemingly an Anglesey speciality. It’s attractively set along a sheltered, sandy bay that takes a deep bite out of a rocky, serrated shoreline, with pleasant walks along the coast path in each direction.

Lunch: Trearddur Bay, is a feast of good food, great sea views and varied menus.

On leaving Trearddur Bay northwards, turn left off the B4545 along the minor road that follows the coastline to Holyhead Mountain and Holyhead itself. There’s much to explore en route, including the island’s iconic South Stack Lighthouse and Ellin’s Tower RSPB Visitor Centre perched on a savage, exposed cliff-backed shore where the mountain plunges into the sea.

Two more natural attractions await in the Irish Sea port town of Holyhead: the Breakwater Country Park and Penrhos Coastal Park.

Back on ‘mainland’ Anglesey take the A5025 north through Llanfachraeth, turning left along the minor road that ends at Porth Tywyn Mawr (also known for good reason as Sandy Beach), a wide expanse of dune-backed sand.

Re-join the A5025 for Llanfaethlu, turning off onto the minor road for Porth Swtan, otherwise known as Church Bay. There’s nearby parking for a beach of pebble, sand and rock pools. Call into Swtan Heritage Museum for a look at life on Anglesey in bygone times.

Re-join the A5025 once again and on the approach to Cemaes (at Tregele) turn left onto the minor road for Cemlyn Bay (there are car parks either side of the bay). It’s very different to the rock-bound coast that dominates these parts. Here, a natural barrier of shingle has created a lagoon that attracts huge numbers of seabirds, including one of the UK’s largest breeding populations of the rare sandwich tern.