Llŷn Peninsula Walks
Mynydd Cilan
Date: 13th May 11
Distance: 3.7 miles
Ascent: 490 feet
Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
With: Dave
Start Grid Ref: SH295247
Walk Summary:
A nice little walk following the Llŷn Coastal Path around Mynydd Cilan, one of the Llŷn peninsula's many attractive headlands.
Route Summary: An anti-clockwise circuit of the Mynydd Cilan headland using the Llŷn Coastal Path.
Pictures:
1. Looking west towards Ynys Enlli and the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula
2. The wide sandy bay of Porth Neigwl also known as Hell's Mouth
3. The trig point on Mynydd Cilan looking east towards the Rhinogs
4. Dave on the wide grassy path just south of the trig point
5. Dave enjoying the cliff top views from Trwyn Llech-y-doll
6. Trwyn Llech-y-doll
7. A number of bluebells could be found along the route
8. The rocky bay of Porth Ceiriad
9. Much of the Mynydd Cilan headland is owned by the National Trust
Walk Detail: This was the last day of our holiday in Wales and it was nice to take the opportunity in the late afternoon to go out for a short walk and sample some of the fine coastal walking that the Llŷn Peninsula has to offer.
Earlier in the week we'd actually attempted a family walk around the dramatic headland of Mynydd Mawr at the tip of the peninsula but had been foiled by the wind which was much too strong, especially for my three year old daughter, who was convinced that we were going to be blown over the edge of the cliffs.
Unfortunately the wind was still blowing strongly, as it had done all week, but this time it was just me and Dave, my father-in-law, and after being windswept on Cnicht and Moel Hebog earlier in the week it didn't really bother me.
It was a very simple anti-clockwise route following a section of the waymarked Llŷn Coastal Path. The first half of the walk, passing the trig point marking the highest point of Mynydd Cilan (a modest 117m), provided excellent views westwards across the sandy bay of Porth Neigwl towards Mynydd Rhiw and beyond to Mynydd Mawr and Ynys Enlli.
The best close up view of the walk was as we approached the rocky cliff marked as Trwyn Llech-y-doll on the map. This was the only section where the path came dramatically close to the cliff edge.
Following on from Trwyn Llech-y-doll the next section brought into view the rocky bay of Porth Ceiriad. For the whole course of the walk we were also able to enjoy distant views a long way down the coast of Cardigan Bay with the Rhinog and Cadair Idris ranges briefly appearing out of the cloud.
In calmer, sunnier conditions, this would have been a lovely little walk suitable for everyone. As it was I still enjoyed myself and were it not for the fact that my main walking focus when visiting Wales is on the mountains I would probably really enjoy exploring a bit more of the Llŷn coast. Perhaps it is an area I need to hold in reserve for when my knees can no longer carry me up into the mountains.
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