PENRHYN BEACH
The First of the Lovely North West Anglesey Beaches

Penrhyn Beach - Porth Penrhyn Mawr

To get to Penrhyn Beach you will need to walk across Penrhyn Bay Caravan Park, which is a well managed little site that embraces the activities of a working farm.

There is a decent enough sandy beach on the left of this little bay and a small rocky bay-let on your right.

Mrs Gwen Williams of Penrhyn Farm, Llanfwrog, describes Penrhyn thus,

“We have a shell-strewn beach with intriguing sheltered coves, shrimping pools on one side and a large sandy beach on the other.”

Penrhyn Beach

It is also an interesting viewing point for the marine activities of the Port of Holyhead, with four ferries coming and going daily.

You will notice a concrete sewage outfall on the sandy beach. It does not appear that this is a regularly tested beach; however, there are absolutely no signs indicating that the beach is contaminated in any way.

Welsh Water has been spending tens of millions of pounds bringing Anglesey's pristine beaches up to a very high standard.

There is pre-treatment before discharge, which usually occurs a kilometre or so out to sea at a safe distance from beach users.

Check out the Marine Conservation Society Beach Guide for 2009 for the very best Anglesey Beaches. No tested Anglesey beaches failed in 2008 or 2009.

In the grand scheme of things I am convinced that beaches were made for having fun. That means that with 27 Anglesey Beaches that's 27 times as much fun.

Penrhyn Mawr Beach - Anglesey

PENRHYN BAY BEACH

If you check out the number of caravan and camping pitches that the Penrhyn Bay Caravan Park has to offer, then this clearly indicates that this beach is very popular with visitors.

This small, yet decent-sized bay has two contrasting aspects to its character:

Gaze Left and you have the broad sandy beach you see above.

It's the perfect mix of essential elements: sandy beach, plenty of space and a glorious panoramic view of Holy Island.

What else does a family need for the holiday? Ice-Cream? Sandcastles?

Penrhyn Beach Gaze Right and you have ideal territory for family nature exploration.

Shrimping pools mean shrimps, though I can guarantee there's plenty more beasties in there.

Inspect them with magnifying glasses by all means, but do not cook them.

For that you need a daft apron and legs like your father.

DO NO HARM to little marine beasties. Someone in the family thinks that they are the most handsome person in the pool. 10,000 little shrimpettes would miss Daddy.

PENRHYN BAY CARAVAN PARK

The general environment around Penrhyn Beach is incredibly well maintained.

And the Anglesey Coastal Path is clearly signposted.

Penrhyn Bay Caravan Park is a family run park for families, set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, between farmland and the sandy Penrhyn Beach.

The family should be congratulated for designing a caravan and camping park that fits in well with its immediate environment.

The grounds are very well maintained and the family's welcome, their professionalism and their love for the farm and Penrhyn Beach is clearly manifest.

Facilities include an indoor heated swimming pool, tennis courts, their own slipway for boats and a play area.

I believe that you will also find a decent little shop at the farm.

With such a captive market, this shop must have become a very popular asset for Penrhyn Beach.

There are no facilities whatsoever on the beach or within miles. The nearest being in Llanfachraeth on the main road.

All touring caravan pitches are fully serviced and all gather around to overlook Penrhyn Beach.

Penrhyn Beach

Penrhyn Farm also offers accredited cottage accommodation which is something you really should plan into your Anglesey walking holiday.

CONTACT - 01407 730496

PENRHYN BAY FACILITIES

Apart from the little shop in the caravan park you will find nothing here.

The closest other little shop is at Sandy Beach about twenty minutes along the Anglesey Coastal Path.

It's five minutes away by car if you want to add a Carbon Footprint to your ice-cream.

Valley Hotel

Don't be dismayed because you are well-positioned here in Penrhyn Beach to access some pretty, pretty good shopping, eating and banking facilities along the West Coast of Anglesey.

In Valley you can enjoy a pretty large sustaining meal for the family at the Valley Hotel right on the traffic lights.

Good quality food, very welcoming staff and very good prices if you've got a family to feed.

It's where I have my Sunday lunch on alternate weeks. I recommend it without hesitation.

Church Bay Lobster Pot If, on the other hand, you're really into fish and lobster, there's the excellent Lobster Pot Restaurant in Church Bay.

For information about the facilities available on the West Coast Please CLICK HERE

For information about other facilities available on Anglesey Please CLICK HERE

ANGLESEY COASTAL PATH

This is an ideal spot to spend your family holiday stay on Anglesey because you have a lovely stretch of coast to the north.

First you have Sandy Beach twenty minutes away. Beyond that is Porth Trefadog Beach, followed closely by Porth Trwyn Beach and then Church Bay.

Dulas - Anglesey Coastal
Path Of course, you have Carmel Head and Cemlyn Bay up and just and the north west corner of Anglesey.

Oops! Then again you have Cemaes Bay.

I do hope that you're catching the very heavy hint.

Choose any spot on the Anglesey Coast and it's an ideal place to start a journey, safe in the knowledge that delightful character-ful beaches are within easy walking distance.

As I write above, this area overlooks Holyhead harbour and you can while away the hours waiting and watching the next ferry to and from Ireland.

TOILETS AND PARKING

Toilets:

NONE. At least there are none of the usual well-maintained and quality Anglesey County Council toilets near the beach.

I've noticed that caravan parks do not begrudge visitors using their facilities as long as you buy some stuff in the shop.

You didn't hear that here, but it does seem like good manners. And good manners will take you a long way.

Parking:

Pretty limited on the whole.

It seems that most of the people who use this beach stay at the caravan park and therefore enjoy good parking.

Day visitors tend to park on the road leading down to the farm.

PUBLIC? PRIVATE?

The Porth Penrhyn Mawr Beach lies off the small Penrhyn Farm Caravan Park and there is clear signage stating that there is no casual visitor parking allowed.

Because of the working farm and the caravan park you do get the feeling that this is a private beach.

This is not the case. It is a public beach.

BEACH SAFETY ADVICE!

On the entrance to Penrhyn Beach you will notice a STENA FERRIES Warning Sign.

When ferries enter Holyhead Harbour, they have been known to generate unexpectedly high waves on all the beaches along this coastline. Even as far as Church Bay to the north.

KEEP AN EYE OPEN IF YOUR KIDS ARE SPLASHING ABOUT.

FISHERMAN! YOU ALSO KEEP ON YOUR GUARD. THERE HAVE BEEN LOSSES OF LIFE OFF THE LEDGES.

CONTACT ME

I would love to hear from you about your stay in Anglesey or to try and answer any questions you may want to ask in preparation for your visit.

Maybe you are one of those visitors who has been visiting Anglesey for decades. You're not the only one. The same families have been visiting Anglesey for over sixty years.

Please tell me what makes Anglesey a special place for you.

Maybe you have special advice - or even warnings.

Please feel free to share by CLICKING HERE.

PETS ON THE BEACH

There is a pet restriction in the caravan park. However, there is none on the beach. Negotiate that conundrum.

After all, Penrhyn Fawr is a working farm, and I can understand their concern.

• So, no major prohibition on dogs on the beach, but please keep them on a leash - Unlike Crazy Fido here.

• Though not here at Penrhyn Beach, there are Seasonal Prohibitions on dogs on certain Anglesey beaches.

• Always bring a doggie poo-bag with you because the little dears can't always help themselves. Sandy Beach Speeding Doggie

Imagine specific matter oozing from between your tanning and sandy toes.

Imagine a worse scenario; it’s your child.

• The main concern regarding dogs on Anglesey beaches is a health issue.

Doggie poo can blind for life.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DOG RESTRICTIONS ON ANGLESEY BEACHES PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Anglesey Launching
Fees

BOAT LAUNCHING AND REGISTRATION

The County Council requires you to register powerboats over a certain horsepower and also lists the required qualifications.

Please CLICK HERE for all the above information and about launching fees on other Anglesey beaches and slipways.

GETTING TO PENRHYN BEACH

This is one of those anxiety provoking “Have I taken the right turning?” kind of roads. Keep your nerve.

Road traffic warning

You will undoubtedly come across drivers who continue to employ their city-style neurotic-aggressive driving. They are just a bit too fast for Anglesey and certainly for the Penrhyn Beach area and the narrow roads with blind corners.

Take care. And, if you are one such driver then remember, first of all, SLOW DOWN and, most importantly, YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY. For Heaven’s sake!

Simple Directions:

• Travel on the A55 Expressway toward Holyhead. Come off at Junction 3 for Valley.

• Head into Valley and Turn Right at the traffic lights.

• After about 1 mile you will pass through the hamlet of Llanynghenedl.

There is a 40mph speed limit and you should adhere to it, as cars can pull out of a blind spot on your left.

• Carry on through the village of Llanfachraeth with all its traffic signage on the outskirts.

• About 100 metres outside of the village Take the left hand turning for Llanfwrog.

The sign guides you to both Porth Penrhyn Mawr and Sandy Beach (also known as Porth Tywyn Mawr).

• Llanfwrog is about mile and a half down the road ahead.

It is a state of mind rather than a place but head in that direction anyway.

• Pass the church on your left and about 100m down the road you will notice the telephone box in someone’s garden on your right. Turn left opposite the telephone box.

• Just over half a mile down this road you will come upon a fork in the road. The left road is signed Penrhyn and the right for Sandy Beach.

• Take the left fork and a mile down the road you arrive at Penrhyn Bay Caravan Park.

Parking is rather awkward at Penrhyn Beach because of the No Parking signs. Some people choose to park on the roadside.

You could always park at Sandy Beach and walk back along the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path. It’s not very far.