A Quick Guide to LLanddwyn Island, Anglesey
Located at the far end of Llanddwyn Beach, you’ll find Llanddwyn Island (Ynys Llanddwyn); a truly magical place once inhabited by the patron saint of Welsh lovers.
This Island is one of the best hidden gems in Britain. With its beautiful coves, sandy beaches and magnificent views of Snowdonia and the jagged mountains of the Llŷn Peninsula, it is a photographers dream. Llanddwyn Island is home to a variety of seabirds, as well as the seals, keep an eye out for their heads bobbing in the water, or them basking on the nearby rocks, and if you're really lucky, you may also spot dolphins!
We have visited many places in the UK but Llanddwyn Island has to be one of the best days out in we’ve had in Wales, and indeed the UK. In our opinion, if you don’t visit Llanddwyn Island whilst in North Wales you are missing out big time! It is one of the most beautiful places in the UK.
How to get to the Llanddwyn Island?
Llanddwyn Island is located at the far end of the beach near Newborough Warren, along the south west coast of Anglesey, a bigger island just off the mainland of North Wales. To reach Llanddwyn Island you must go by foot from Newbrough car park.
Here’s the address: Newborough Warren & Ynys Llanddwyn, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, LL61 6SG.
From the car park you can either go through Newborough Warren, on one of several forest walks, or along the beach. Llanddwyn Island is technically a tidal Island, meaning it is only accessible by foot during low tide, so make sure to check the tide times before you visit.
The walk to Island (or Ynys Llanddwyn to give it it’s Welsh name) will take about 30-45 minutes at a gentle walking pace, and it is well worth the walk.
The History of the Island
This Island has a lot of history, and with myself (Beth) being a huge history nerd I fell even more in love with the Island.
This enchanted island was once said to be the home of Saint Dwynwen, the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers. According to legend, Dwynwen, was a 5th Century princess, one of 24 daughters of the Welsh King Brychan Brycheiniog. She had fallen in love, but her father had already promised her hand in marriage to another. Dwynwen, distraught that she could not marry the man she truly loved, fled to the woods to weep, and begged God to help her. She was visited by an angel who gave her a sweet potion to help her forget the man she fell in love with, which happened to turn him into a block of ice.
There are many stories which differ, but the outcome is the same in that Dwynwen prayed to be allowed to live unmarried, and lived as a recluse on Llanddwyn Island until her eventual death in 465 A.D. Her church on the island became a shrine in the Middle Ages, together with a well on the island which was said to predict the destiny of lovers depending upon whether fish swam in its waters.
Dwynwen became known as the Welsh patron saint of lovers, making her the Welsh equivalent of St. Valentine. Much like St. Valentine, who is celebrated on February 14th, Dwynwen is often celebrated by the Welsh on February 25th with cards and flowers.
