Having lived in North Wales for several years now I have become very familiar with it’s stunning mountains, valley & lakes, not to mention the endless beaches & coastline, many hidden away and often unfound by the unfamiliar visitor. In particular I have become entranced by the Isle of Anglesey, an incredible place for photography which still remains somewhat of a hidden gem. It’s an Island of endless photographic opportunities with dramatic lighthouses, historic buildings and architecture, stunning beaches, wildlife in abundance and despite the relative small size of the island a range of landscapes and seascapes to challenge any photographer.
The aim of this guide is to provide an insight into some of the best locations on Anglesey for landscape / seascape photography. The locations are all found via the official Isle of Anglesey coastal path (routes and maps available on the official website: http://www.islandofchoice.com) and to get the best from your visit to the island I would recommend you plan to do some coastal walking, many of the best locations are not fully accessible by car. To make the guide easier to follow it is divided into coastal sections, each of which can be related to the official coastal path route maps.
Beaumaris to Penmon point
Beaumaris is one of the most attractive towns on Anglesey, its location and castle doing much for its appeal to photographers. It’s situated directly across the Menai straits from Snowdonia National Park whose impressive mountains provide a stunning backdrop. It’s a particularly good location for those sunrise photographs as the sun rises from behind the Snowdonia mountains, reflecting in the Menai Straits, the Beaumaris pier itself provides a good vantage point. In the Straits themselves yachts and boats are frequently moored and can provide a nice main subject or some added foreground interest. Alongside the pier is a natural harbour, the main area for the numerous yachts and boats that visit Beaumaris, it can provide some good photo opportunities too. Within the town is an impressive 13th century castle, it’s also quite photogenic. A visit inside the castle can provide nice views from its walls across the Menai Straits and towards the Snowdonia mountains, also a few hundred yards along the coastal path behind the town is a small hill which provides the ideal location from which to capture a good shot of the town, the castle and the surrounding landscape.
From Beaumaris to Penmon point the coastal path is flat all the way as it runs directly alongside the Menai Straits - be aware that at high tide much of the path is actually underwater. This stretch of the path provides a constant vista of the Menai Straits, the Snowdonia mountains and a little distance away the imposing Great Orme, countless opportunities for photographs. The beaches themselves however are not quite so photogenic, being mainly covered in rocks and different varieties of seaweed and coastal debris. Personally if I was to choose one particular photography location along this section of the coastal path I would go directly to Penmon point, easily accessible by car from Beaumaris. Here options are Penmon priory, Penmon point lighthouse and the views towards Puffin island and the distant Great Orme, the Snowdonia mountains are also still in view. There are also some interesting rock formations a short distance along the shoreline from the lighthouse, offering the possibility of some imaginative macro shots. Penmon Point to Benllech
Heading away from Penmon point towards Red Wharf bay the coastal path starts to climb above the coastline, providing a slightly different angle of the lighthouse, Puffin Island the Great Orme, it’s worth a couple of shots. Along this stretch of the path though the best location for a good landscape photograph has to be Red Wharf Bay, again accessible by car. It is a large open bay, actually appearing much like an estuary, which during low tide is a mass of golden sand – it’s also useful to know that its character changes quite dramatically with the incoming tide. Personally I think the best time for photographs is at low tide. The small village itself is situated directly alongside the bay and has some charm. In particular the small harbour area, usually containing a yacht or two, provides good photography opportunities. Continuing along the coastal path towards Benllech now involves a walk along the beach, tide permitting. The beach between Red Wharf Bay and Benllech has golden sand and again provides opportunity for a photograph or two. Benllech itself is a large town, mainly located slightly away from the coastline, which although pleasant doesn’t in itself encourage the taking of any photographs.
Benllech to Amlwch
The section of coastline between Benllech and Amlwch is probably the most contrasting section of the coastal path and provides numerous possibilities for the landscape photographer. The coastal path climbs dramatically as it leaves Benllech and the view really opens out. There’s lots of interest, once again the Great Orme can be seen although a good telephoto lens is essential to capture a successful photograph. The first main focus for the photographer however is Moelfre, it is a quaint little place, having some of the appearance of a small Cornish fishing village. It’s a great place, although consequently it does get busy so early hours photography would probably provide the most tranquil shot. The only problem with Moelfre however is finding the best location from which to take the shot as it’s tucked away in a corner of the coastline and not the easiest place to get a good photo of. The best option is to carry on past the village on the coastal path and take a shot looking back into the small harbour.
The coastline onwards from Moelfre becomes flatter and there are some nicely located sandy coves with interesting features and texture. The first notable one amongst these is the beach at Lligwy, it can be reached by car too. For the photographer there’s also some added interest here in the form of Ynys Dulas, a small, rocky island some distance from the beach which has a very photogenic manmade shelter, originally built as somewhere for shipwrecked sailors to find rescue. It is some distance away from the beach though so a good telephoto lens is essential for a good shot. Follow the coastal path further and the island becomes closer in perspective, there are some good features too to make that foreground that bit more appealing.
Another great location for a good landscape photograph soon arrives as the path continues, namely Dulas. It is similar in nature to Red Wharf Bay, resembling a large estuary. It can be crossed on foot at low tide (without socks & shoes) and on the opposite side rests the remains of a large wooden boat – a perfect focus for a strong photograph. Here again the bay changes character when the tide rises, it’s also worth investigated the surrounding woodland too as it provides some good angles from which to capture the bay.
The path from here once again starts to climb above the coastline offering a wider view, it’s worth noting too that the small island of Ynys Dulas is constantly in view along this section. The view from the coastal path becomes even more impressive as it nears Point Lynas and Porth Eillan. Here an imposing lighthouse sits high up on the cliff top, it can be seen from some distance away and photographed from several different angles, the surrounding bracken and heather provide some excellent foreground too – it’s not the most photogenic lighthouse on Anglesey though. Below the lighthouse is Porth Eillan, a small bay enclosed by high cliffs, it’s another excellent location for a few photographs, perhaps a wide landscape shot or a few macros taken on the attractive beach area.
Heading on from Porth Eillan the path again provides excellent views and a few coastal landscape shots are possible, the path remains quite high above the coastline. This section finishes at Amwlch, unfortunately now somewhat tired looking after years of decline. The old port however is still a great place for photography, particularly those photographers interested in maritime history or industrial landscapes and architecture. The old port has a small, very atmospheric harbour, old lime kilns are still evident and if you find the right angle some excellent shots can be take here.
Amwlch to Cameas
Moving on from Amwlch the coastline becomes very rugged and the path rises and falls dramatically, passing through more highly photogenic industrial ruins. The photographer walking this section of the Anglesey coastal path is spoilt for choice.
The first major location after leaving Amwlch is Bull Bay, a nice enough place and a popular destination for tourists, but personally I don’t think it provides too much in the way of photography opportunities although it’s worth a visit just to be sure. From Bull Bay the path starts to climb quite dramatically and it’s from this point on that the coastline has some real inspiration for the photographer. Near the full height of the climb you arrive at the simply stunning Porth Wen, a large bay surrounded by rocky cliffs, seals are often seen here skimming the coastline for food. On one side of this bay is a disused Victorian brickworks, much more visually appealing than it actually sounds. Although abandoned the main structures remain, the kilns, chimneys and it’s own small harbour wall, previously used to load and unload the frequent cargo vessels. Porth Wen is truly a great location for the landscape photographer, particularly anyone interested in industrial landscapes.
From Porth Wen the coastal path continues to climb and the landscape becomes even more rugged and visually stunning. The photographer really is spoilt for choice, the industrial ruins continue with a series of kilns and buildings located where the path falls suddenly back to sea level in a series of valleys. It really is difficult to overemphasis just how photogenic this section of the Anglesey coastal path is. The rugged nature of the path continues all the way to Cameas, passing along the way the ‘not to be missed’ Llandabrig Church. It is perched high on the clifftop overlooking the sea and has it’s own unique character. A good wide-angle lens is essential here to fully capture the church in its impressive setting.
Further down the cliffs from the church is another section of coastline not to be missed. A large, rock strewn beach appears, the appeal of which to the photographer is the large section of cliff that has broken away from the mainland, standing in the centre of the beach as a sort of rugged monument. It really does make a great subject for the landscape photographer. Continuing along the beach the path climbs back to the cliff top but gradually falls as it approaches Camaes. This quaint little harbour village has lots of character and certainly provides the photographer with opportunities. Unfortunately though, just around the bay from Cameas things get distinctly less photogenic in the form of a monstrous nuclear power station, this is actually seen occasionally on the approach from Porth Wen but fortunately not too often too detract from the otherwise stunning coastline. I cannot recommend this section of Anglesey coastline enough, in its relatively short distance it provides the photographer with a wealth of opportunities.
Holyhead to Treaddur
Holyhead itself is an interesting place, although certainly not the most photogenic location on the Isle of Anglesey. It does however have a hidden gem in the form of St Cybis church. Dating back several centuries this ancient church is worth a visit by the photographer, it is really the only interest in Holyhead though, unless shipping is one of your passions.
As the coastal path leaves Holyhead the first location for a photograph arises on reaching Breakwater Country Park, it contains some interesting rocky coastline but perhaps more interesting for the photographer is the actual breakwater itself, a massive manmade wall designed to protect the main port from the ravages of the sea – this could well provide a few photos with a little bit of ingenuity. Leaving the Breakwater Country Park the coastal path rises with the cliffs and the view opens out and the scenery improves. Holyhead mountain appears on the left, worth a shot or two itself if you can find an interesting angle. From the top of the mountain the view looking back across Anglesey is substantial, perhaps though to the landscape photographer too lacking in distinctive features to be worth a shot. However looking seaward the coastline is more dramatic and the radar station at North Stack catches the viewers eye. In fact it’s possible to reach this quite comfortably via a lane and worth a visit as with some imagination a great photograph or two can be achieved, perhaps more effectively when the sea is at it’s most energetic.
Climbing back up the coastline from North Stack the path follows a distinct section of rocky scenery, again worthy of a few shots. However the main benefit of taking this route is that the path arrives above one of the most dramatically located lighthouses you will probably see, South Stack. It is also perhaps one of the most photographed too, it’s worth noting that it provides a fantastic focal point for sunset shots, at least in summer when the sun sets directly behind it. The lighthouse is several hundred feet below the main cliffs on it’s own small island and can be approached via a set of steps and a robust metal bridge (for a small fee of course). Visitors can take a tour inside, I’ve tried it & would recommend it. Stood on the island also provides the photographer with a good viewpoint from which to capture the dramatic cliffs that surround it, the cliffs abound with numerous forms of wildlife too. Climbing the steps up from the lighthouse the coastal path now heads downhill and on its way passes the distinctive RSPB viewing tower situated on the cliff tops, worthy of a shot or two itself. From here the coastal path continues along the clifftops, which remain impressive, towards Treaddur. A frequent look backwards will provide numerous views of the lighthouse at South Stack and the difficulty is in not taking too many. Eventually the lighthouse is out of sight and the rocky coastline continues, more photogenic rock formations appear and are definitely worth photographing however it’s the main approach to Treaddur that provides the better images as the coastal path passes a wonderful series of small rocky bays covered with golden sand, each of them somewhat different and worthy of a photograph. I think the best time for photography in these bays however is at low tide as they become very small any other time and opportunities for foreground interest, sand textures etc are greatly reduced. The town of Treaddur itself is a modern, tourist orientated place and doesn’t really provide much in the way of photographs although it does has a very nice beach situated in a wide sweeping bay which is quite photogenic.
Rhosnegr to Aberffraw
Rhosneigr is a very popular tourist destination, particular with anyone interested in watersports, this makes it a great place for photographers who like capturing windsurfer shots and the like. The village itself doesn’t really have anything distinctive enough to warrant a photograph, but the surrounding coastline and beaches provide more than adequate compensation. The main beach at Rhosneigr has far and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, worthy of more than one shot.
Leaving the village along the Anglesey Coastal path heading towards Aberffraw immediately brings you to a stretch of golden sand, half way along which are some good rock formations – foreground interest is no problem here. On leaving the beach the path continues along the coastline cliffs, passing on its way an ancient burial chamber (another opportunity) and 2 small sandy coves – the larger of these in particular is worthy of a photograph. After this the path passes through a few fields with no real particular views or worthwhile features, it then arrives at Anglesey Racing Circuit. Here’s the ideal opportunity to try out those motor sport shots. The circuit holds events but is frequently open to the public and numerous motorbikes and high-powered cars are easily photographed.
In a complete transformation about half a mile further down the coastal path photographers are provided with a somewhat unique opportunity. On arriving at a small sweeping bay just on the outskirts of Aberffraw an ancient church can be seen isolated in the sea on its own small island. This is the church of St Cwyfan, dating back to the 12th century. It is actually accessible but only at low tide via a small rocky causeway. This is another ‘not to be missed’ photographic opportunity. Personally I think the best photograph of the church is taken when the tide has just started to recede, leaving the route of the causeway uncovered but the church still surrounded by the sea. This location can actually be accessed by a very narrow track from Aberffraw but be warned in busy periods progress along it can be slow, walking the short distance from Aberffraw is probably preferable.
Having exhausted all photographic possibilities at the church the coastal path continues on to Aberffraw, the approach to which is particularly pleasant. The village itself sits at the outlet of a river and this provides a good subject. A little experimentation is required to find the best angle to a rewarding photograph will be the result. On the opposite side of the river approaching Aberffraw is also a nice stretch of golden beach, certainly worth another photograph.
Aberffraw to Llandwyn
The coastal path between Aberffraw and Llandwyn is the most unspoilt and visually attractive area of the Isle of Anglesey, it’s also my own personal favourite photography location in North Wales. After leaving the beach at Aberffraw behind the coastal path passes through a few fields which don’t particularly provide any photographic interest. However on reaching Maltreath the situation improves dramatically. From here all the way to Llandwyn the beaches are just stunning, miles of beautiful, unspoilt sand – a landscape photographers paradise you might say. The greatest opportunities for the photographer though appear on the approach to and arrival at Llandwyn Island.
Although know as an Island, Llandwyn is actually only isolated from the mainland during high tide and for a short time. Although any photographer trapped here for two days certainly wouldn’t run out of ideas. The main features of the island are provided by 2 excellent lighthouses, both provided with stunning backdrops by the mountains across the sea on the mainland of Wales. Of the two lighthouses I personally prefer the newest one, it’s located on the very end of the island and the beach below provides an ideal position from which to get that perfect shot. In summer the sun also sets directly behind the lighthouse presenting further interest. This is not to say the other lighthouse is not photogenic, it certainly is without a doubt.
Other features of Llandwyn island include the ancient ruined abbey and the more moderm, but ancient looking crosses, one Celtic and the other Latin, both of which hold prominent positions and provide even more creative options for the photographer. The all-round view from the island is simply stunning too, particularly when looking towards the mainland of Wales and the numerous mountains which crowd the coastline. As an added bonus, the island (and Llandwyn beach itself) is a perfect place to take both sunrise and sunset photographs. For those interested in wildlife photography it’s also worth noting that the island is inhabited by its very own wild horses, which if you are lucky, will pose nicely whilst you take their photograph.
Leaving Llandwyn island and following the coastal path along the beach doesn’t mean the photographer needs to put that camera away. The beach is full of character, perhaps moreso at low-tide. Large sand dunes line the beach and the nearby forest continues right alongside. When the tide recedes the beach is a mass of sand, much of full of textures and detail certain to capture the landscape photographers eye. Once again the search for good foreground interest is a very short one. The drama of the beach is multiplied by the ever present mountain backdrop provided by the Snowdonia National Park. Towards the end of the vast beach, as it nears the Menai Straits the mountains appear much closer in perspective, a good wide angle lens capturing some great detail and contours. Across the Straits Caernarfon and it’s castle can also be seen, although at a distance requiring the use of a powerful telephoto lens to capture a noteworthy photograph.
