Anglesey

I like Anglesey so far.  It's interesting, quiet, friendly and scenic.  It's also bigger than you think - if you think it's small, that is.  Bigger than it looks in the weather map.

After being impressed by Menai and Beaumaris yesterday, I can recommend Kingsbridge Campsite. Do look in if you're in the area. It's run by real people, unlike the one I stayed in last night.  I had a camping field all to myself again, and the campsite owners kindly charged by sat-nav batteries overnight.  I woke to drizzle and low cloud and had to pack up in the rain, not a great start, but it cleared up before I left.

There's a short way round the island and a long way.  The long way is very quiet, so far, and very hilly.  I went out to Penmon Point at the south east corner: a toll road (free to cyclists) where there's a satisfying rocky beach, lighthouse, island, and an end-of-the-world feel to it.  Also a cafe, but, this being early Sunday morning, it was shut.  On the way back I looked in at the dovecot by Penmon Priory - space for 946 pairs of birds, providing the local lord with a plentiful supply of pigeon meat.

Dovecot - outside

Inside

Cresting a very big hill, I was treated to a view of a golden sandy beach far below.  My plans told me there was a cafe down there.  The lane down was 25% all the way down, brakes full on and hoping I didn't meet anyone coming up.   The beach was lovely, but the cafe was again closed.   Then a very nasty surprise - there was no road along the coast (why not???), so I slogged back up a different 25% hill.

Avoided this one!

My next breakfast option was Pentraeth, with a pub and a cafe.  Both were shut, but the publican took pity on me and served me a coffee anyway. 

An exciting beach next: very isolated and picturesque with a few beachside cottages and a pebbly track across the beach, submerged at high tide, but luckily I was a bit after high tide so I picked my way through.  Another beach, Red Wharf Beach was quite different: still small and picturesque but in a touristy way: plenty of yachts, a super-enticing quayside pub, and a few other up-market eating places.  The pub was very tempting but I went on a bit and found a café at the next beach, Benllech, a bigger place.

The sun came out for the afternoon.  There followed a succession of little beaches as I made my way north.  All required a steep descent from the main road, and from most the return was back up the same steep hill.  But they were all worth the journey. 

Eventually I reached the north east corner, high on a hill with fine views of ships heading to Liverpool.  It's tea time and I hardly seem to have covered any distance: the hilliest day so far, but it's been very varied and enjoyable.  I think I'm going to be here a few days...