A stunning walk along a section of the Wales Coast Path.

An excellent section of coastal path, typical of Lleyn's unspoilt northern coast, followed by a rise onto Mynydd Anelog with its wide views to Bardsey and southeast across the walled fields of Uwchmynydd. A return is made by farmland footpaths and quiet lanes.

Distance: 4½ or 3¾ miles

Start: There is ample parking space and WC facilities in a large National Trust beach car park at Whistling Sands (Porth Oer). A parking fee is required.

Grid ref: 166 295 (Landranger 123, Explorer 253).

The walk

1. Walk down to the bottom of the car park and take the signed coastal path by the toilets. (It used to be possible to access the coast path from the beach but you can't do this now due recent land slips.)

Whistling Sands gets its name form the curious 'whistling' or 'squeaking' sound that the sand makes when walked on. This is caused by the unusual shape of the sand particles and is achieved by lightly striking the sand with the sole of the foot as you bring it forward with each step. It only seems to work on the hard, partly dried out sand.

Go through the kissing gate above the beach and follow the coastal path for about 1 mile, passing the two islets of Dinas Bach and Dinas Fawr.

There are small sandy coves around these islands which can be reached easily at low tide and make fine picnic spots.

(Just beyond Dinas Bach the route can be cut short by turning left onto the field path to Mynydd Carreg [the little hill on the left] to join the lane. Turn left to return to Whistling Sands, a circuit of about 1½ miles. This is National Trust property and was earlier used as a jasper quarry.)

2. Just beyond Dinas Fawr there is an inlet and a small but distinct valley running inland - this is Porthorion. The path veers leftwards here and a link path leads inland to the road, but our way turns right at a marker post down into the valley to cross the stream by a small wooden footbridge. Rise directly up the slope from the footbridge to the corner of a field on the left.

Walk ahead with the field to your left and in the far corner go through a gap and keep ahead on the rising path. This path makes its way directly through an area of rough open grazing land with a small farm away to the left. Keep ahead to a ladder stile over a wall. Cross the stile and continue straight ahead on a prominent, gently rising footpath, until you reach a grassy track in about 350 yards with a small cottage just over the rise to the left.

(For a shorter round which avoids the climb to Mynydd Anelog, turn left here and follow the grassy track to the road. Turn left and walk back along the lane to the car park - 3¾ miles.)

To continue on the longer walk, bear right and follow the track as it curves up the hill. Keep right where the track forks and ignore a track on the left soon after.

At the top of the rise, there is a glorious view ahead along the cliffs to Mynydd Mawr, with Bardsey peeping over its shoulder. Nearer at hand you will see a small cottage with a wall-enclosed field immediately in front on the slopes of Mynydd Anelog. Follow the track to the cottage.

Keep to the right of the cottage, then, at the end of the wall, bear half-left onto a rising diagonal footpath which traverses the slopes of Mynydd Anelog. Pass above the cottage and continue until the two islands at Aberdaron come into view. To reach the summit take one of the narrow paths which rise to the right.

The summit is an excellent vantage point with wide views to the south and southwest of the wall-enclosed fields of Uwchmynydd - the 'Land's End of Lleyn', and the island of Bardsey (Ynys Enlli), isolated by the chaotic tides of Bardsey Sound. East lie the wide bays at Aberdaron and Hell's Mouth, while northeast the view takes in the rocky coastline back to Whistling Sands and the headland of Penrhyn Mawr near Porth Iago. The pointed tops of Yr Eifl and Carn Fadryn can be seen in the distance.

This western extremity of Lleyn is characterised by an almost complete absence of trees - only the occasional hardy stump, often leaning dramatically inland, can stand against the harsh winter gales which blow in from the Irish Sea.

From the summit take the narrow footpath which heads in the direction of the two islands at Aberdaron.

Lower down rejoin the traversing path above a small cottage surrounded by iron sculptures and turn right. About 100-150 yards after the cottage turn sharp left onto a footpath which passes through an unusual gate (immediately before power lines) into a small field. Go ahead to pass through another decorative gate and beside a second cottage on the right. Follow the obvious footpath ahead (ignore minor paths on either side) down towards cottages. Go through a gate and follow a path beside a cottage to join the access track. Follow this track to the road.

3. Go right along the road and after about 100 yards, turn left onto a farm track which leads past a farmhouse ('Gors') and into fields by farm outbuildings.

The right of way now takes a direct line through a number of fields and is well supplied with stiles which mark the route. Sometimes you follow the field edge, sometimes you cut through the centre of the field.

In the last field as you approach outbuildings and houses, cross a stile immediately before the outbuildings and turn left up the field to enter a lane by a stile. Turn left, then immediately right, signed to 'Whistling Sands'.

The lane can now be followed back to the car park at Porth Oer, but if you want to get off the tarmac as soon as possible, turn left up the track to the National Trust land at 'Carreg'.

This leaves the lane immediately before bungalows on the right and farm buildings on the left. At the end of the track a kissing gate leads into fields.

Walk ahead down the field to an enclosed footpath which takes you back to the coastal path. Turn right to return to Porth Oer to complete the walk.

This walk has been taken from the book: Top 10 Walks on the Wales Coast Path: Lleyn Peninsula by Carl Rogers, published by

Northern Eye Books (ISBN 978-1-902512-34-1). This is one of a series of 10 guidebooks to circular walks along the entire Welsh coast. An Official Guide to the Lleyn Peninsula section of the Wales Coast Path is also available:

www.northerneyebooks.co.uk