The Llŷn Peninsula

Simply stunning sums up where I live. The Llŷn Peninsula nestles craggily between the Irish Sea and Cardigan Bay and is caressed by the Gulf Stream.


View Llyn Peninsula in a larger map

In the map above, the Llŷn Peninsula is to the west of the A487 road highlighted in yellow. It’s only 8 miles wide where we are on Garn so we can usually see the sea wherever we are.

Cardigan Bay & Snowdonia
Cardigan Bay & Snowdonia viewed from Garn

People often joke about the wet weather in Wales. On the Llŷn  we are lucky, the Gulf  Stream keeps us warmer than other parts of the UK. Our average temperatures range from about 5-18°C with minimum temperatures rarely below freezing or above 30°C. Manchester has more rain than we do and London is often colder.  Our major problem is the prevailing South-Westerly wind which has a reach over the mid-Atlantic before it reaches us. We often have  gale force winds with winter gusts regularly over 100mph (160kph). Because we’re so close to the warmth of the sea, we harldy ever get snow. However, the winter of 2010/11 was an exception.

Winter snow on Llyn

Where we live on the Llŷn, we are on some of the oldest pre-Cambrian rocks in the world. The area has evidence of human activity dating back to more than 4000BCE and there are cromlechs & dolmens thought to have been made from then to about 2000BCE.

The natural beauty and special fauna & flora of the Llŷn have been recognised by national and European governments . The Llŷn is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the sea surrounding it is a Special Area Of Conservation and the tip of the Llŷn is a Special Protection Area for wild birds.

Holly Blue butterfly
Holly Blue butterfly

We have craggy outcrops, plentiful sandy and stony beaches, dunes & marshland and panoramic views.

The Llŷn’s major economic activities are agriculture and tourism. Culturally, it is at the heart of the Welsh language with nearly 80% of the population speaking Welsh.

The area is very rural. Our closest city is Bangor with a population of less than 14,000 and about an hour or so away by car. Journey times to major cities  include:

  • Manchester 3 hours
  • Cardiff 4.5 hours
  • London 5.5 hours
  • Glasgow 6 hours
Our Llyn Garden
Our Llyn Garden
The view from Pwllheli Beach east to Snowdonia
The view from Pwllheli Beach east to Snowdonia
Sunrise over Snowdonia
Sunrise over Snowdonia
Llyn sunset
Llyn sunset

Comments

12 responses to “The Llŷn Peninsula”

  1. Jane Shutt Avatar
    Jane Shutt

    Beautiful – and not too far from us. We’re just across Cardigan Bay.

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      I’ll wave Jane 😀

  2. Susan T. Landry Avatar

    i am so excited to have found your blog: food/gardening/the Llyn peninsula–all in one place! my husband and i are planning a walking adventure of the coastal pathway for june 2013…

    can’t wait! thank you for adding to the excitement!

    –susan

  3. Cat Avatar
    Cat

    Oh wow, you live in a gorgeous part of the world. And your garden is amazing! I hope I can have something like that in the not-too-distant future.

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Thanks Cat, we really like it here. Hope you find yourslef something great soon 🙂 Thanks for popping by

  4. Claire Avatar

    Gosh that is taking me back a bit to family holdays as a kid, lovely part of the world. and the veggie garden looks splendid snow or non-snow!

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Thanks Claire, just catching up. It is a delightful part of the world. We try not to take it for granted 🙂

  5. Sue Meager Avatar

    Hi Carl

    Wonderful photos. I spent 3 very happy holidays in a cottage in Rhiw with my parents in the late 1950s. So many memories! I shall browse the rest of your site and take myself off on a nostalgic trip. Thank you!

    Sue

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      Hi Sue

      So glad I was able to bring back some happy times for you. From where I am in my kitchen writing I look out on to Rhiw, so it’s a part of my usual day.

      I hope you enjoy the rest of the site. Do let me know what you think.

  6. ian bradshaw Avatar
    ian bradshaw

    Hi Carl

    Just a quick hello, hope u are all well?? Happy Christmas

    🙂

  7. carla tomasi Avatar
    carla tomasi

    just beautiful.x

    1. Carl Avatar
      Carl

      It is nice, we think so anyway 🙂