Sunday 23rd May 2010 - Trefin

We had thought about taking the bus to Trefasser Cross, walking to the coast and then along the coast path back to Trefin. However this was about 10 miles and given that it was going to be another hot day, we decided to take the Strumble Shuttle to the Tregwynt and walk back from there, a distance of about 7 miles. From the stop at the woollen mill we walked back to the T-junction and turned up the hill for a few metres until we came to the footpath to the coast. This runs parallel to the road but we had been told that it was a much more pleasant route. And it was. The track is on the hill and at the edge of the wood with glimpses into the valley below. Very clever wooden and modern sculptures line the first part of the route and there are some lovely typically Welsh cottages on the way to the sea.
The coast path here at Aber Bach crosses the Bach stream and runs along a massive bank of large pebbles. Aber Bach is swiftly followed by Aber Mawr, a popular and very pretty beach. It was very clear and the views along the whole walk were spectacular. The sea has been calm for a number of days but today it was like a mill pond, a beautiful blue and so clear that it was possible to see the sea floor even in the deep parts. Fishing boats glided across the surface, kayaks investigated the rocky shores and sailing boats were practically becalmed. There was not a ripple on the surface.
The coastline along this stretch is particularly interesting with many headlands, rock pillars, arches and stacks. This has been caused by a combination of hard volcanic rock and soft mudstones and schist. The westerly gales attack the softer sections, undermining the cliffs and causing many landfalls. Meanwhile, the harder rocks are left as headlands, often used as forts in the Iron Age. Many birds nest on the cliffs and we saw many different gulls, fulmars, oystercatchers, peregrine falcons, kestrels and others that we couldn't identify. In addition there were many other smaller birds such as skylarks, linnets, wheatears and stonechats.
The birds, wild flowers and beautiful views made this a wonderful walk.
Photos: One of many sculptures on the woodland walk down to Aber Bach; The river meets the sea at Aber Bach; Very handsome Welsh sheep – they taste very good too!; Some of the fascinating geological formations on the coast between Aber Bach and Abercastle.