Looking across Newborough beach to the Snowdonia mountains

Walk through the forest at Newborough Warren and along the beach to Llanddwyn Island. Tony Bowerman explores one of the most beautiful places in Wales

Wonderful coastal forest and island walk

YNYS LLANDDWYN AND NEWBOROUGH WARREN together form one of the most spectacular locations in the whole of Wales and are becoming increasingly popular. No wonder the area is becoming so popular on Instagram.

Walk to Ynys Llanddwyn

Distance/time: 9.5 kilometres/ 6.5 miles. Allow 2.5 hours.

Start: Forestry Commission car park in Newborough Forest. Fee payable on entry to the warren.

Grid ref: SH 405 633

Ordnance Survey Map: Explorer 263 Anglesey East: Beaumaris, Amlwch & Menai Bridge

After the walk: Picnic area at the car park. Cafes in nearby Newborough village.

Newborough Forest is one of the UK’s rare and beautiful coastal woodlands

Sunlit forest

Backed by the vast sunlit plantations of Newborough Forest, with the extensive Cefni estuary to the north and the extensive sand dunes of Newborough Warren, this is one of the loveliest and wholly unique locations in the land of Wales.

Newborough Forest is one of the UK’s rare and delightful coastal woodlands. The vast conifer plantations were established in the 1950s to stabilise a vast area of moving sand dunes formed over the last 700 years by prevailing south-westerly winds. Today, it is a working forest producing over 10,000 tonnes of timber per year and has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Keep and eye out for the growing population of native red squirrels in Newborough Forest.

Wonderful Llanddwyn Island

Along the large open beach is beautiful Ynys Llanddwyn. The island is named after the Celtic female Saint Dwynwen, who is said to have retreated to this remote corner of Wales after a failed love match with an infatuated Welsh prince. The shrine she established attracted love sick pilgrims throughout the Middle Ages. Today, visitors are more likely to be attracted by the stunning views and spectacular location. Watch for inquisitive grey seals around the island’s rocky coast. A large colony of cormorants nest on one of the offshore skerries.

Please note: Dogs are not allowed on the island between May 1st and September 30th.

Walk outline

From the forest car park the route heads out across the beach to Ynys Llanddwyn, one of the most dramatic island locations in Wales. After a circuit of the island and a section of beach, the path heads into the conifer plantations of Newborough Forest with its rare wild flowers, ravens and red squirrels. Some rough sandy tracks will be encountered on the edge of the forest.

For full details and clear walk directions, buy a copy of the lovely pocket-size Top 10 ’ book: Isle of Anglesey, Circular walks along the Wales Coast Path.