Coastal paths, dramatic lighthouses and stately homes – Victor Charles finds Anglesey a land of contrasting delights
WE ARRIVED AT Plas Uchaf Caravan and Camping Park, a family-run campsite on Anglesey, on a sunny day in June.
We were immediately impressed by the tidiness of the site and the well-maintained, modern facilities. Usefully, we were told we could choose a pitch to suit our needs, and that meant one with a shady spot for our rather poorly pet guinea pig, Charlie.
We pitched up by a hedge, close to the facilities blocks, while Charlie was peering out of his carry case, clearly itching to get out and explore. We constructed his run and let him out to graze. He thought the grass was great, and spent the next hour munching, while we set up the caravan.
Once settled in, we secured Charlie’s accommodation and went out to see the local attractions, visiting three of the beautiful local beaches and some shops. There are cafés and bars nearby, too.
The next morning was drizzly, but the forecast was for a mostly dry day; so we ventured north to see Porth Eilian Beach and Point Lynas Lighthouse, and follow the coastal path past dramatic landscapes, along clifftops and through fields of sheep.
Cemlyn Bay
At Llanbadrig, we visited the fifth-century church that appeared in the spooky 2006 film Half Light, starring Demi Moore.
Further along the coast, we discovered Cemlyn Bay, a nature reserve with a shingle spit running from one end to the other, which has made a lagoon cut off from the sea. Birds nest on the shingle in spring. The lagoon was created by pioneering Welsh aviator Captain Vivian Hewitt, a keen birdwatcher, in the 1930s.
He built a dam and a weir at Cemlyn, turning the saltmarsh into a freshwater lagoon, which still attracts a huge variety of nesting birds today.
We walked the length of the headland and part of the shingle spit, then returned to the site along small, winding roads.
Charlie was pleased to see us and keen to get out of his hutch and onto the lawn.
Next morning, the skies were grey and gloomy, so we headed for Anglesey Sea Zoo. This aquarium is a great family attraction, with rescued sea turtles, octopuses, rays, dogfish, flat fish, crabs, starfish, jellyfish, lobsters and a seahorse colony.
Some of the creatures seem to enjoy human interaction. Rays swam close to the edge of the tank when people were near. I love watching the rays and I find jellyfish fascinating, too. The tanks housed young
