Coast Walking (Wales): Aberdaron to Porth Tocyn 24/6/2013**

Porth Ysgo

Gannet, Porth Neigwl cliffs

Henbane

Path (right) into hotel from coast

From Aberdaron we took the road up past the cemetery, with no access to the coast around the first headland. Roadsides were flowery as usual, including one plant of fragrant evening primrose. A footpath towards Penrhyn was blocked and we had to continue the road further to where the coast path came off right, through fields and farms, eventually coming to the coast at Porth Ysgo (National Trust), following a stream down. We saw a buzzard circling above with its mewing cry. Rounding the headland to the next valley the path returned beside a river back to the top. We had to follow further inland lanes and field paths landward of the huge headland cliffs of Mynydd Penarfynydd, rising up to around 150m, and we continued at this level with heathland sloping down to the sea and up above us. It was typical heath vegetation of bracken, gorse, western gorse, sheepsbit, heath milkwort, heath bedstraw, heath speedwell and the three heathers. Small heath and wall butterflies were flying, along with a stronger-flying fritillary at which we never got a close look. Birds included linnet, stonechat, dunnock, yellowhammer and many wrens. At the end of this stretch we had to rise a little way, returning inland to the road, past Plas Rhiw to Bryn Foulk, where there was a track down to the beach, but on the wrong side of a river. So we continued by road until the coast path led down a small lane to the top of the cliffs, although instead of leading down to the shore it had recently been re-signed along the road. We found we could make our way down the cliffs to the beach, but the cliffs were of clay prone to landslips, making the path rough and difficult, probably why the coast path was re-routed. Nevertheless, once reached, the beach provided, at least at a lowish tide, over three miles of firm flat sand to continue our walk. At the top are large pebbles that would be uncomfortable if the tide were in, and in places it seemed that the sea even reached the cliffs. At one point on the cliffs was perched a gannet that was either exhausted or injured, as it did not fly off. Towards the west end of the beach the cliffs ended in a stretch of dune with only marram, sea sandwort, very little sea bindweed, and sand sedge. Continuing to the very end we were able to go up what was now a very low cliff with ease, the headland of Mynydd Cilan now rising ahead, with a steep drop to the sea. The coast path was ambiguously signed here and we basically ended up finding our own way over the headland. This passed some large peaty pools which included water-plantain, bog pondweed, tufted forgetmenot and the uncommon lesser marshwort. There was a long view west along the long beach and beyond, but northwards it was clear enough to make out the Snowdonia range, including Snowdon itself. The path eventually led to the cliff-top, continuing south along good grassy paths to the southernmost point of Lleyn. The acid vegetation was unremarkable and degraded by over-stocking of sheep that ate many of the plants and reduced the turf to bare earth, while their droppings carpeted the ground so thickly we could not avoid trampling them and the acrid chloritic smell was very wearing. Such intensive rearing of Welsh lamb was obviously not environmentally sustainable. The views were excellent, and we saw more of the Cornish choughs that seem to be so characteristic of Lleyn. Rounding the tip, we had to leave the cliffs to go slightly inland to the road, with no access to the large beach at Porth Ceiriad. Eventually a path led to the far end of the beach and the coast walk resumed up the hill towards the point of Trwyn yr Wylfa. Up the slope the soil was very sandy and many new plants were recorded, such as viper’s bugloss, storksbill, rough clover, musk thistle and plenty of henbane. We continued round the headland, with good views of the two St Tudnall’s Islands to the east, the closest one with a landmark white lighthouse. The path continued north through more annoying flocks of sheep to where it turned inland near the hotel Porth Tocyn where we had been staying for four previous nights, with a path through their grounds conveniently coming directly from the coast path. When we got to our room overlooking the way we had come, we saw buzzards again in the trees nearby, a fitting end to the day. Alexanders has now become a frequent plant.