Not the fruit and veg man - a guest blog entry by Rich

Simon and I are about to undertake the new BCU UKCC 4* Sea Kayak Leader Award (yes, I’m aware of the ridiculous length of the title, but this isn’t Twitter), and therefore needed some trip planning practice. Someone suggested a trip from Caernarfon to Trefor, so following a detailed consultation with the charts and the tidal atlas, decided that Tuesday morning was the perfect time to do it. With a weather and wind forecast that changed by the hour and an early start to drop a vehicle off in Trefor, it all looked like the trip would be shelved but for a last minute decision to just do it.

Coed Helen

We got on the water by Coed Helen at 09.30(note to self: a great access and egress point with toilets etc.) to get to Abermenai Point for slack water at 10.40. The first bit of the trip was good fun, especially at one point on nearing Fort Belan noticing that we’d been stationary (despite our best efforts) for a good 5 minutes. One should never underestimate Spring tides in the Strait.

Approaching Fort Belan and Abermenai Point

However, once round the corner, with a quick stop by Simon to adjust his backrest, we were making good progress with the tide increasing in speed in our favour along the coast.

Simon adjusting the backrest in his Nigel Dennis Kayaks Romany

The cannons at Fort Belan

A lot of clapotic wave action due to South Sands sand-bank and the steep shingle beach added to the excitement. We stopped for a quick bite to eat and a very fast cup of tea (courtesy of Simon’s fancy new stove) at Dinas Dinlle. The landing on a dumping shingle beach added extra excitement, but the beach did provide us with a nicely-built bench to sit on.

Anglesey Stick on Dinas Dinlle beach - Simon packing away his JetBoil

From here on the weather improved steadily with Holyhead Mountain coming into view behind us, basking in sunlight (unlike us) and with the wind going round from the North-West (beam-on) to North-East (stern). The following wind and increasing tide, as well as the refreshments increased our pace and soon we were steaming along, taking in the dramatic views of Bwlch Mawr (509m), Gyrn Goch (492m) and Gyrn Ddu as well as Yr Eifl (564m), the latter of which providing us with a perfect directional beacon to our ultimate destination.

The mountains of the Lleyn Peninsula

Soon we were rounding the corner past the fish farm of Pontllyfni,

Fish Farm and Pontllyfni on the left, Clynnog Fawr on the right

past the 7th century church of St Beuno in Clynnog Fawr (an important stopping place for Pilgrims on their way to Bardsey in medieval times) before the pier and harbour wall of Trefor provided us with a glimpse of our finish, approximately 4km away.

Trefor coming into view nicely, with the pier and harbour visible

A final slog to the finish was again rewarded by a very fast cup of tea before the boats and kit were bundled into the car to set off back to Caernarfon to pick Simon’s car up. Nearly 21km of paddling in just over 4 hours on the water.

Trefor harbour with Yr Eifl in the background

A typical bank holiday monday

Inshore waters was forecasting North Westerly 4 or 5, occasionally 6 in North - i.e. Anglesey, where we were. Ideal conditions then to take out a complete beginner (aged 12) and someone who last paddled in the early seventies, and that was on a flat bit of the river Medway (aged somewhat more).

Said beginner did very well in the stealth boat, before swapping to the one with a built-in engine.

Rich and India in the Anglesey Stick Double

and her dad paddled happily away in the Wild One.

Pies and tea on Tim's Beach, with a bit more work on the way back as the tide began to ebb.

About 8k paddled.

Low tide, low key

Tide is nearly always a factor when you plan a trip on the Anglesey coast, and sometimes low tide options seem scarce unless you are happy to carry/trolley your kayak over what seems like several miles of soft sand.

Last week's option was simple - launch at Foel (by the old Mermaid), dodge through the sandbanks to Caernarfon and head off to Belan.

Caernarfon to Belan

Then across to Abermenai point (some excitement for those new to seakayaking as the flooding tide began to exercise its antipathy to the wind direction) before a blast back along the Anglesey shore with a magnificent backdrop.

Snowdonia backdrop

and return to Foel as the light was fading.

Foel, Anglesey

about 12k paddled.


Always happy to paddle the straits and look at the wildlife, and in this instance help Frank get to grips with an Anglesey Stick. The route needs no explanation, so I will let the pictures do the talking.

Trying out Frank's Delphin - good fun

Riding the tide at Felinheli

Frank getting into the rhythm

Grey Heron

Similar Seal

Clear water and sky

Another pleasant evening paddle, this time from Porth Trecastell (Cable Bay) to Porth Terfyn (near Aberffraw). As nearly always, the first section (passing another Porth Terfyn) was lumpier than the general conditions would have suggested

Near Porth Trecastell

but pretty calm after Ynys Meibion, with ample opportunities for rock hopping.

Rich's Stick

Not a bad view from the beach

Porth Terfyn

With plenty of clear water - bit of an idyllic spot really, and felt like paddling in Greece with the sunshine.

Thought this channel was a bit narrow on the way back - especially after losing my transit on the old Anglesey Aluminium chimney

Narrow Channel

About 11km paddled.

A quiet evening out

A warm sunny evening, so Emma and I went for a quiet paddle out to Pilot's Cove. Just before we left the beach, we were warned that "the wind is offshore, you know". Now, you will be pleased to learn that I already has some idea that this was the case. Apart from having checked the forecast, is was - how can I put this - bleeding obvious. Actually, the wind was pretty light (N2/3) - and we were in real sea kayaks (unlike the person issuing the warning), and generally well equipped. Even well offshore, the sea state was only slight.

Llanddwyn, looking towards the Lleyn

Very pleasant paddle in the warm evening sunshine, and some fun rock hopping along the shoreline.

On the return journey, we met a couple of paddlers, heading out. She was clearly a beginner, and he was intent on fishing. They were somewhat further apart than you would have expected.

Do you think we should have told them about the wind?

A Trip of Two Halves

James was keen to take his esteemed Chinese visitor paddling on the Menai Strait. A combination of work and other commitments presented some logistical problems that were solved by Rich meeting us at Pwll Fanogl.

Annie and James leaving Foel

With hot weather and SW2/3 the trip from Foel to Menia Bridge was a relaxed affair, with wind and tide doing almost as much to push the boats along as muscles. Plenty of birds to look at (Curlew, Oystercatcher, Heron, Shellduck), but very quiet otherwise. I wonder how Plas Menai survives when there seems to be so little going on.

Traditional trip with an extra tea stop for Catherine, visit to the Plas Newydd cave, etc, with Rich's Landrover coming into view about the same time as Nelson.

Pasties, sausages and tea on the beach, then a quick re-arrangement of kit for the return leg.

Wind had been building all the time we were stopped, and of course the tide was now ebbing strongly, so paddling back was a bit wet, but fun - just over 9k in an hour - almost exactly a 5 knot average, and well over the 'speed limit' at Felinheli.

Do SeaKayakers Ferry Glide?

A couple of spare hours Thursday afternoon - enough time for a quick blast over to Caernarfon - basically a 2km ferry glide against wind (SW4) and tide (Rich's idea, after he realised that we had never visited by kayak) which was a good workout, and blew the cobwebs away.

Did a tour of the harbour (plenty of grockles), and then down to Plas Menai surfing on the following sea, and testing out a prototype paddle:

Yes, it is ugly, and made of scrap (stitch and glue plywood with a bit of mat and resin), but worked very well, and rather proved Robin Ruddock's theory about Irish paddle profiles.

Tea and scones, and some entertainment from beginner windsurfers and sailing instructors, before starting back to Foel with the tide now ebbing and steepening the waves as the wind picked up and gusted more strongly. A familiar effect as South Westerlies are funnelled into the Menai Strait.

Some of the waves were a bit more challenging than others  - as Rich said, they seemed to be 'hunting in pairs' - but then, that makes it proper sea kayaking.

About 11km paddled in 3 hours door to door.