Thank you for booking to stay at Bodnolwyn Wen.

We have put together a few points of local interest to help you enjoy your stay without having to travel too far. Although some of these may be primarily of historical interest, they all involve being out and about in our beautiful countryside.

There is a footpath through the farm, so from your cabin, you can walk up the track and past the farm buildings. Once you reach the top of the track (there is an old style footpath sign here), you should stop a while to take in the view.

This is particularly beautiful at sunrise or sunset, and if you’re lucky, you will see one of Anglesey’s renowned red skies.

From here you can see Parys Mountain to the North East, with the famous copper mine windmill on the summit, and the winding gear from the more recent mine.

To the west you can just about pick out the sails of Anglesey’s only working windmill (not open in the winter season). Beyond that to the left you can see the large chimney from the Aluminium Works at Holyhead and   Holyhead mountain.

More locally, you can see down the length of the five mile reservoir, and if you turn to look south, you are looking at Cors Y Bol which is a low lying peat marshland of great historical interest.

There is evidence of 2 burial mounds from 3000BC, one of which may have been a settlement, 2 examples of Rock Art from the same period and we believe that the track from where you are standing down to the water board road is the ancient roman route to Parys Mountain. The Romans were particularly interested in Anglesey, as Parys Mountain was the largest source of copper in the world.

The footpath continues down to the waterboard road adjacent to the reservoir. There is unrestricted walking there, and although what once used to be a tourist attraction offering fishing and picnic areas is now deserted and overgrown, it is more tranquil and you probably won’t see anyone else. It is ideal to walk and swim the dog. Take a can of beer, and in season, a bag to pick blackberries, sloes, damsons, rosehips. For a longer walk turn right towards the pumping station and follow the road past the noisy water works and carry on to the small dam.

You can walk over the top of the dam and down the far bank. This is even more private and on a sunny day it is lovely to take a picnic with you and enjoy any of the small pebble beaches on the shoreline.

Unfortunately you cannot walk round the whole reservoir as there is a nature reserve at the far end.

An old 6^th century Anglesey legend tells of 2 saints, St Cybi from Holyhead and St Seriol from Penmon Priory According to legend, Saint Seriol and Saint Cybi were good friends, and would meet weekly near Llanerchymedd, at the Clorach wells. Saint Cybi would walk from Holyhead, facing the rising sun in the morning and setting sun in the evening. Saint Cybi was known as Cybi Felyn (Cybi the Tanned), as he was tanned during his journey. Seiriol, travelling in the opposite direction, from Penmon, would have his back to the sun. Thus, he was known as Seiriol Wyn (Seiriol the Fair). 

The footpath running through Bodnolwyn Wen is the ‘Saints Trail’ and can be followed from Holyhead in the west to Penmon in the east.

Walk down the driveway and onto the road turn right, cross the bridge over the river Alaw and take the path on the other side of the road up through the field. This path takes you through a property called Glan Alaw and follows the farm track to the road at Elim. After Glan Alaw and in a field to your left is Branwens Grave this is particularly interesting as Branwen is one of the more important characters in The Mabinogion, first written in the 13^th century although believed to date back to stories from pre Christian Anglesey and Roman times to the 6^th century.

These tales are very closely linked to characters and events mentioned in the Tales of King Arthur. They are rich in Welsh lineages and place names as well as illusions to actual historical events.

The site of the grave is over the field on private property but the farmer doesn’t mind if you want to walk over to have a look.

This walk can take you to Llynon Mill which is Anglesey’s only working windmill and also at this location are two staggeringly beautiful reproduction Iron Age Round Houses. These are a simple wooden structure covered with wattle and daube and topped with an elegant thatch made from water reed. These house’s are the hidden gems in Anglesey’s countryside and are worth a trip to Anglesey alone.

 There is also a very nice café, but dogs are not allowed.

Follow the road from LLanddeusant towards Llantrisant and find Melin Hywel (water mill). It’s worth taking time to walk round and see the old water wheel.

Another footpath from Hen Bont (Old Bridge) in Elim, across the fields and through Bodnolwyn Groes, will bring you out at the small cottage called Bronwen on the road to Bodnolwyn Wen. As you walk down the farm track between Bodnolwyn Groes and Bronwen, be aware that an ancient hill fort has been discovered on the hill top to your right. Y Werthyr dates to the Iron Age period 800BC – AD43.

 Standing stones:-            1)  Bodeniol

                                                2)  Tregwehelydd

Burial Chamber:-              3)  Presaddfed

Churches:                             4)  Llantrisant Old Church (Friends of Friendless Churches)

                                                 5)  St Pabo’s Church, Llanbabo

                                                 6)  St Marys Church (ruin), Rhodogeidio

                                                 7)  St Ceidio’s Church, Llanerchymedd