CEMLYN BAY

Blue Skies, Wild Seas and
a Tern for the Better

Fickle Nature can welcome you to Cemlyn Bay with either the most beautiful blueness that you can bear or the wildest seas imaginable.

Its stormy seas can release the ancient romantic in your much beset soul.

The reassuring blueness of the sky and sea will release you from all that weighs heavy on your weary shoulders.

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THE DISAPPEARING POWER STATION

As I have written elsewhere, Wylfa Nuclear Power Station seeks vainly to dominate the skyline at Cemlyn.

The power station is an imposing presence on the Wylfa Headland, no doubt; however, it rapidly fades away from conscious attention.

It just can’t compete with the astonishing natural beauty and attractions to the eye, the mind and the heart.

Nuclear Power Station or no, it is the vast blueness of Anglesey’s sea and sky that dominates all. I am not misleading you.

I met a couple on the lookout for seals just on the west end of the bay. They have been bringing their touring caravan here for more than ten years.

They no longer notice the power station, other than an indication that they are near to their favourite part of the world.

At low water the steep banking pebble beach falls away to a foreshore. You won't find sandcastle sand here, but it is a place of exploration among the many large rocky outcrops that reveal themselves.

On gentle Summer evenings Cemlyn Bay is a lovely place to sit to watch the Porpoise and occasional Dolphin pod enter and cavort between some leisurely dining.

Bring a picnic and enjoy yourself.

This moon-shaped bay is a very popular venue for shore and kayak fishing as well as general coastal kayak adventures.

It is also a lovely launching or landing place to eat your sandwiches if you are kayaking around the coast as a group.

BLUE SEA AND SKY

It is quite clear from the images on this page that I visited Cemlyn on a fine sunny day during our July 2009 heatwave.

The perfect blue-ness of everything makes that abundantly clear.

But I have visited this delightful and intriguing bay on stormy and clear days in mid-Winter.

Its ever-changing aspect is its essential stable character.

In my hopelessly romantic youth I was known to pine along the rocky and boulder shelved shore to the east with Kate Bush’s ‘The Kick Inside’ guiding me gently into a wistful Pre-Raphaelite melancholia.

I feel like doing the same thing once again before my knees finally give way.

CAPTAIN HEWITT’S LEGACY
The Cemlyn Tern Colony

This is an internationally important seabird colony for a number of species of Terns.

During the breeding season you will encounter mostly Common Terns, Sandwich Terns and some Arctic and Roseate Terns.

Most of the Arctic Terns are resident in the late Spring and Summer months on the Skerries (the lighthouse island you can easily spot from Anglesey’s west coast.

While the terns teem, so do they ornithologists.

It's a lively and raucous colony during late June when the young birds practice their flight skills.

The spirit of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull lives among these young birds not yet tested by the flight to Africa and back.

There’s not another area on Anglesey that is so easily studied and with such enthusiasm and detail as this wonderful Tern Colony.

Always take time to ask about the what is unravelling before your ignorant eyes.

I have very little knowledge of birds and I am pleased to report to you that each of the ‘twitchers’ I spoke to on my last visit in June were wonderfully accommodating of my ignorance.

I asked stupid questions and they kindly shared their compendious knowledge. It was lovely to meet them.

In the summer, the lagoon is the backdrop for Cemlyn’s most famous wildlife spectacle.

Clustered on islands in the brackish water is a large and internationally important seabird colony, including breeding Common and Arctic Terns, and one of the U.K.’s largest nesting populations of Sandwich Terns.

THE ISLE OF ANGLESEY COASTAL PATH

You have left behind you the high cliffs of Church Bay and now are facing a gentle walk along rocky low-lying sea cliffs.

You will make many magical discoveries from here to Cemaes Bay, along staggeringly beautiful cliff walks to Bull Bay and Amlwch.

The Anglesey Coastal Path guides you around Wylfa Nuclear Power Station.

So there's very little chance of you finding your way into the station grounds and getting lost among the boxes of spare neutrons.

If you intend to head in the other way (back west), then please be aware that Carmel Head is closed to you during lambing season.

This piece of land is owned by Mynachdy Farm and there is clear signage. So please remember the old saying:

'If there is a lamb in the month then keep away from Carmel Head'.

It's an old Ukranian saying, I think. There again, there's also an appropriate Polish saying for Anglesey:

'If there is no wind, then row'.

I think they're talking about Anglesey County Councillors.

PETS ON THE BEACH

• No major prohibition on dogs, but please keep them on a leash - Unlike Crazy Fido here.

• Though not here at Cemlyn Bay, 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.

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.

BOAT LAUNCHING AND REGISTRATION

If you intend to launch a boat from this beach at anything other than high tide then please let me know.

I'll arrange for a crowd to be present to enjoy your escapades.

I'll bring 'Laugh' and 'Applaud' cue cards with me.

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

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PARKING

You'll find plenty of parking spaces at either end of the main beach.

The first carpark is to be found just beyond Bryn Aber's fortress walls and has ample space for beach users.

This is the carpark for those who want to have a restful day, a gentle walk or to fish the headland.

If you want to lauch your kayak then the other beach end carpark is much better suited to your needs.

To find the second carpark then leave Bryn Aber for the main track. Take a left here and it's the second turning on your left with a Dead End sign.

SHORE FISHING

I invariably sidle up to anglers on the Anglesey coast commenting on the cut of their jib and on the beautiful location.

All the while I am eager to learn from them so that I can share their local knowledge with you.

I have discovered that this is a very watchful breed, initially reluctant to share.

However, once a gentle chat is commenced they reveal themselves to be very generous with information they share.

The gentleman I sidled up to at Cemlyn had brought his wife and daughter with him all the way from Tregele (a mile away) in order to catch their favourite marine prey: Sea Bass.

It seemed like his every other sentence contained the words ‘Sea Bass’.

The advice is:

Cemlyn is an excellent location for catching sea bass, as is the local coastline all the way down to Church Bay.

There are plenty of rocky coves and ledges to fish off.

They’re a bit of a hike to get but worth the walk, as well as the anticipation of discovering a private mark.

During mackerel season you’ll be fighting off other fishermen at Aberffraw, Ty Croes as far up as Mackerel Rock at Porth Dafarch.

The quiet coves mentioned above assure a bit of privacy.

Obviously, you need to exercise a great deal of caution when there’s a big swell. However, I’ll assume that you have enough common sense to realise that sea bass are wonderful but not worth dying for.

ALWAYS let someone know where you’re going and at what time you’ll be back. In fact, don’t fish alone.

The very best mark is on the headland to the left of the main beach.

Come out of the carpark by Bryn Aber and turn left when you hit the beach.

It’s only a few hundred yards to the lookout on the headland.

Although you may be a nature lover, you’ll probably grow to despise the seals. Enough said.

You can catch dogfish off the sandy beach at low tide and joey bass make an appearance as well.

If you’re a dolphin or porpoise lover, then you won’t be for long. They come in with the tide to entrance visitors and to steal your catch.

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KAYAK FISHING AT CEMLYN BAY

For very useful information about kayak fishing around the coast of Anglesey I heartily recommend that you have a look at the Link Below.

You’ll learn at this particular site that the main catch in the bay is whiting, dabs, small codling and dogfish.

If you paddle around toward Wylfa Power station outfall then this is the place for sea bass.

In between you’ll find Pollack, wrasse, codling, coalfish.

Check out the experts above and follow their safety advice to a T. Click here for the link connection.

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U-BOATS AND ESPIONAGE AT CEMLYN

My father used to tell me a story that used to prevail about Cemlyn during the Second World War.

It was rumoured that German U boats used to rise to the surface on dark nights to recharge their batteries. Also, that spies used to come ashore here as part of their nefarious enemy activities.

The latter I find amusing, as did my father, because if they ever managed to find a road sign in an attempt to guide them on their way I doubt it helped them.

Once you have visited this lovely but once quite isolated area of Anglesey you will know about the twisting and confusing roads.

You'll have travelled here along the A5025 Coastal Road.

It used to be a very poor artery road from Cemaes and wasn’t upgraded until they started construction on Wylfa Power Station in 1963.

The first sign, if any, you would have encountered would have been for Llanfairynghornwy. Apart from a small gathering of cottages it has never been much more than a ‘state-of-mind’.

There was also a very strong local belief that the master of Bryn Aber, Captain Vivian Hewitt, was also a spy.

Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Captain Hewitt arrived in Cemlyn in the 1930s, a wealthy and eccentric individual who had a very deep interest in birds.

In 1912 he was the first an to fly from the UK to Dublin, taking off at Holyhead. He was also the equivalent of today's Formula One drivers. A pretty astonishing guy worth a fortune from the family's brewing company.

He constructed the above weir and dam in order to create a permanent lagoon of brackish water for wildfowl.

If you have a good look at the fortress-like structure of Bryn Aber then you can understand why locals were convinced that dark activities were linked to Captain Hewitt and his house.

The large wall was constructed in order to create a windbreak for trees growing in the grounds. These trees were here in order to attract birds that could be studied from behind an inner wall with spy holes in it.

LOCAL FACILITIES NEAR CEMLYN

The operative word in the above title is 'NEAR'.

This beautiful beach and coastal area is isolated- like a few of the beaches down the north west coast of Anglesey.

Cemlyn rewards you with peace and beauty.

However, the price is that the beach is removed from immediate shopping and eating opportunities.

In the first instance, you can head back to the main road and the Tregele Garage for some very basic shopping, unless you're after bait for fishing, as I mentioned in the fishing section above.

Just up from the garage you'll find the Douglas Inn. Contact (01407) 710724.

It's an immediately warm and welcoming place with good robust food and a decent pint.

For information about other shopping, food, cashpoint etc then please click below to learn about Cemaes Bay and then all the way down the coast to Valley and beyond.

Please CLICK HERE for Cemaes Bay Facilities

Please CLICK HERE for Facilities from Cemaes Bay to Valley and all points south.

For information about facilities in other parts Anglesey Please CLICK HERE.

GETTING TO CEMLYN BAY

There are two obvious routes and one gorgeous narrow coastal road from Church Bay.

Route 1:

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Route 2 - Coming from Cemaes Bay

Pass the entrance to Wylfa Nuclear Power Station.

It's the next turning on your right opposite the Douglas Inn.

Just follow the signs to the bay and keep an eye out for the National Trust signs as above.

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