Day1: Bangor to Nant Bychan (15 miles)
Almost exactly a year to the day I arrived back in the same spot at The Menai Bridge in North Wales. Previously, in 2021, I had decided not to cross the bridge on to Anglesey, heading round to explore the coastal lanes of the Lleyn Peninsular then on to Porthmadog instead.
On this trip I was intending to tour the coast and inland routes over on the island to see what Mona had to offer the keen bicycle tourist. The plan was to tour right around the circumference of the island and spend one or two days exploring inland around Lyn Alaw and Llyn Cefni.
I had got the train to Bangor and was taking an anti-clockwise route, trying to get to a camp site in the Benllech area before nightfall. After crossing the Menai Straight I turned right towards Beaumaris before turning left onto Cichle Hill following route five of the National Cycle Network which traverses much of the North Wales coastline. I was already spinning my lowest gear and this turned out to be a sign of things to come on Anglesey.
 |
| The Menai Bridge from Bangor |
Looking back over The Menai Straight to Snowdonia after climbing out of the town of Menai Bridge on NCN5 in Anglesey
After ascending the quiet lanes out of Menai, I ended up on the busy B5109 which is a road that runs right around the island and so is one of the busier B roads, especially during the last week of August. I decided to stay on that road and stopped off at a supermarket in Benllech to stock up on supplies. It was the Tesco Express on the corner in the centre of the town. After a quick check over the map I went off looking for the camp site, the one above the cliffs next to the sea that I had stayed at a few times before (formerly known as John Fishers).
Benllech had changed a bit since I had been there last many years before. Gone were all the old bucket and spade stores of yesteryear, replaced by antique shops and up-market eateries. I somehow missed the turn for the old camp site ( I later learned that it had changed its name) but headed on further up the coast turning right at the T-junction towards Moelfre then right again into Nant Bychan farm campsite. Don't go down into Moelfre unless you are in training for the national hill climb or visiting the excellent little cafe there, of course.
I did not have a booking but contacted the proprietors by phone when I got to the farmhouse and they agreed to let me on for the night (Cost £10).
Nant Bychan is a working farm and has a field for tents/vans and another one that has some static caravans in it. The coastal path around Anglsesey runs through the farm and it is a short walk to the sandy beach at Nant Bychan (pronounced "nant buckan" the farmer informed me).
The site was pretty busy and I was located at the top of the field near the entrance next to the shower block. I pitched my tarp and scavenged a branch from the hedgerow to prop up the back (nature always provides).
 |
| Tarp pitched at Nant Bychan Farm camp site |
 |
| A handy branch for propping up the back of the tarp was scavenged from the hedges |
After sorting out some tea I went down onto the rocky shore at the bottom of the camp field. I had packed some light fishing tackle with me but, although the tide was in, I decided that it was too late to get it sorted that day as the sun was already setting and so I watched a very chilled-out looking guy across the rock pools casting his line out into the gentle surf as the last embers of the day faded away, back-lighting the pretty coastal town of Moelfre further around the bay.
Sunset at Nant Bychan near Moelfre.
Day 1: 15 miles from Bangor to Nant Bychan Farm
Comments
Post a Comment