Walk 6 - 2 Bridges, 2 Lions, 2 Heroes walking and hiking route

Walk Instructions

A walk on the Coastal Path under the two bridges crossing the Menai Straits. This walk is a real favourite.

Start/car parking - Bulkley Car Park, High St., Menai Bridge between Dafydd Hardy Estate agents and Bulkley Arms - note that when taking the car out, you will find the exit up the slope at the opposite end of the car park.

1. Exit the Car Park back to the High Street and bear left and left again down Water Street. The road bends to the right. Turn left on to St Georges pier where the Bangor University boat, Prince Madog, may be moored. Return and turn left on the coastal path until reaching the Menai Bridge Bowling Green on the left. It’s worth popping into the Bowling Green and View Point for a panoramic view of the Menai Straits looking toward Llandudno and the Great Orme. On leaving the Bowling Green continue along Lon Cei Bont/Beach Road past the old harbour workshops to the waterfront.

2. The massive stone arches of the Menai Suspension Bridge come into view. If you have not seen the bridge close up before then it is worth doing the walk for this view alone. Pause a while and marvel at the engineering work involved in building such a beautiful structure, surely one of the “Wonders of Wales”. There is an information board at the water’s edge giving details of the history of the bridge and the method of construction.

3. The lane continues beneath one of the giant stone arches before bearing right up the hill for a few yards. Turn left and follow the coastal walk waymarkers into the small park at the water’s edge for even better views of the bridge. If the tide is high you get a close up view of the strong currents rushing through the arches. There is a mini stone circle on the right.

4. Leave the park by a gate and turn left on the road to the bend in the road. Bear left down the path to the water’s edge and continue on the Belgian Promenade, named after the Belgian Refugees who built it after the first World War.

5. There is a grand view of the Strait and the Britannia Bridge to the west, and in the foreground is the church of St Tysilio on it’s small island. Follow the promenade around the bend and cross the causeway to the island. A sign on the gate invites respectful visitors to take a tour.

6. Bear left below a magnificent old Yew tree and take the winding path to the old church of St Tysilio’s. Founded in the 7th Century it is a delightful old church and still celebrates the Christian religion. The path leads round the circumference of the island but take time to climb the steps to the splendid granite war memorial that stands proudly atop the centre of the island.

7. On leaving the island bear left after crossing the causeway following the path along the water’s edge. The path cuts between a rugby field and some private gardens before climbing steeply up a short hill to the A5 Holyhead Old Road. Turn left and walk along the A5. Approximately 1/4 km after the last house, follow the waymarker down the path to a bird hide and turn right.

8. From here the trail skirts the shoreline sometimes cutting through the woodlands, National Trust - Coed Mor. Stay on the coastal path. There are good views looking back down the Strait to the Menai Bridge and across the swirling waters to Fish Trap Island, Ynys Gorad Goch, where weirs were used to trap fish on the eddying tide. Keep on the coastal path, turning left towards the coast when opposite the island. The walk brings you out of the trees to the base of the towering Britannia Bridge.

9. Follow the coastal path (also marked with a white lion), turning right just before the bridge (The National Trust property Plas Newydd can be seen in the distance), and again turn right following the same signs up a track. Directly under the bridge turn left up a wide track with the bridge above and the railway line to the right. The 2 lions were made to protect the original Britannia bridge. As you retrace your steps, the statue of The Marquis of Anglesey (hero of Waterloo) can be seen on the skyline to the left. Turn left to follow the coastal path. Turn left on a road and go through a churchyard. When opposite the church door turn left and the statue of Admiral Lord Nelson is ahead. He described the these waters as “one of the most treacherous stretches of sea in the world.”

10. Return to the Britannia Bridge, ignore the right turn to the lions, but take the coastal path going downhill. Soon turn left on a path with a metal gate and follow the path through the woods. At a crosspaths turn left up steps (ignore the post with a lion on the right), Go up this path to a stone wall bounding the A5 Holyhead Road.

11. Climb the steps and bear right following the road back to Menai Bridge. Pause at the view point of the Menai Bridge by a large lay by - a great view at sunset. Take care at the busy roundabout where the A5 meets the B5420, then take the B5420 east back into the town centre. You will arrive at the crossroads from which the lane opposite leads to the car park.

An alternative to walking back to Menai Bridge along the busy A5 is to catch the no 4 bus which goes back to Bangor via Menai Bridge.

Disclaimer: This route was correct at time of writing. However, alterations can happen if development or boundary changes occur, and there is no guarantee of permanent access. These walks have been published for use by site visitors on the understanding that neither HPB Management Limited nor any other person connected with Holiday Property Bond is responsible for the safety or wellbeing of those following the routes as described. It is walkers' own responsibility to be adequately prepared and equipped for the ‎level of walk and the weather conditions and to assess the safety and accessibility of the walk.