Anglesey Easter Weekend Day 1, Sandy Beach to Church Bay by Andy Bond

Six keen LCC paddlers assembled at Bangor Services at 9am for an early morning coffee: Ian B, Andy and Christine B, Eamon, Ella and Catriona. We reviewed paddling options as the wind and rain swept across the car park, and decided that a location on the west coast would offer the best protection from the prevailing F4/5 easterly wind. Eventually, settling on a trip from Sandy Beach up to Carmel Head, we set off and prepared to launch from near the Sandy Beach caravan park (Porth Tywyn-mawr) in light rain and an overcast sky.

With HT Liverpool at 14:53 (Holyhead 14:13) and a flooding tide, we headed northwards following the coastline and made good progress. Most of the team took advantage of the occasional rock-hopping opportunities, some with more daring than others! Although all were safely executed. For Andy and Christine, this was their first visit to the area and a welcome opportunity to explore a new stretch of the Anglesey coastline.

We passed Carreg-y-fran and soon approached Church Bay, then headed northwards to land just south of Porth y Nant, a short distance south of Carmel Head. The rain persisted, but somehow it didn’t seem to dampen the mood as we consumed lunch and hot drinks, fortified for the return journey. After lunch, we continued for a short while towards Carmel Head, reaching Ynys y Fydlyn before turning south and heading back to our launch spot.