CARROG ESTUARY
Coastal walk with views across Caernarfon Bay
Just 10 minutes from The Woollen Mill, the Carrog Estuary gives you wonderful views of the mountains and across Caernarfon Bay. It’s a great place to walk the dogs and you should encounter numerous sea birds along the way. The walk is completely flat and so is undemanding. It is worth noting that the route is at its most beautiful when the tide is in. When the tide goes out, the area of water water between the start of the walk and Caernarfon bay almost completely disappears. But this does mean that when you reach the bay, there’s a nice sandy beach to enjoy that lies opposite Fort Belan. If the tide is up, you may find seals along the shore.
perhaps the best thing about this walk is the fact that so few people visit the estuary. You might find that you have the place to yourself.
Duration: 90 minutes
Terrain: Grass tracks and pebble beach
Starting Out
This walks begins at the end of the road that runs past Caernarfon Airport. The roads stops at the caravan park but straight ahead, you can see a track that leads down to a metal gate. Walk down the track and through the gate. Turn left, and follow the levee past the holiday chalets and around the corner. Continue walking until the levee ends and then turn right. Follow the path past open fields until you see a gap in the sand dunes to your left. Walk through this gap and you will emerge onto the bay opposite Fort Belan. Turn right and follow the line of the dunes towards the headland. This is a great place to swim in the summer months and there’s a sandy beach at the headland when the tide is out.
At the headland
You could spend a while on the beach, if the tide is out, before walking around the headland and taking in the views of the Bay. You can see Caernarfon in the distance and the water here is a wonderful deep blue on sunny days. There’s usually a flock of oystercatchers sitting on the promontory ahead of you. If you or your dog fancies a swim, walk out to the end of the promontory as the water gets deep quite quickly there. Walking towards the end of the promontory will give you the dramatic sight of the birds taking flight. After your swim, follow the shore back to where you walked through the gap in the dunes and retrace your steps to where you parked.
The return
As you can see from this picture of Teddy, the Carrog Estuary features wide open spaces and plenty of water. There are numerous opportunities for dogs and their humans to paddle, swim and chase balls. Well, perhaps most humans will give the ball chasing a miss! Teddy often find shoes and other bits and pieces that have washed up.
This walk seems different every time I visit the estuary thanks to the tides and the various weather conditions. I never know what I am going to see and you won’t either. Its always nice when you can look forward to a few surprises !
Directions
Drive up the lane to the B4418 and then turn left towards the coast. Follow the road to the T junction and then turn right. After a few hundred yards, turn left towards Dinas Dinlle. The turning is signposted. Follow the road to the seafront and continue until you have passed the airport. Park on the side of the road and then walk down the track that is straight ahead.
