Pleasant Ranch

Small, quiet, and sheltered east facing Traeth Bychan beach south of Moelfre on Anglesey is reached down a winding country lane off the A5025. come here and you will appreciate some beautiful coastal views from the peaks of Carneddau on the mainland, to Puffin Island, Llanddona heights, Great Orme and Liverpool Bay.

Traeth Bychan is rocky on each side of the cove, giving way to a mixture of gravelly sand and small pebbles as the beach reaches up to the small stone and concrete boat park. This quiet location is the home of Red Wharf Bay Sailing and Watersports Club, and when we arrived on this occasion there were a number of dinghies and motor craft being towed up from the water, while a fishing boat waited for its trailer to arrive.

We saw some tired young sailors help guide a tractor down the beach from the slipway and to the water’s edge and align the boat onto the trailer. Given that this beach faces east and Anglesey’s south westerly prevailing winds, this is an ideal place to launch sailing boats and other craft. Here you will see Toppers, Lasers, GP14’s, Mirrors and other dinghy classes.

Above the Traeth Bychan beach are thick grassy slopes which cover some interesting looking rock formations. The Anglesey coastal path runs along here on its way between Moelfre in the north to Benllech. If you would like to enjoy some views from the coastal path, it is easy to join. As you approach this cove there is a gate just behind the beach cottage, built above the high water mark, which takes you onto the footpath.

Traeth Bychan cafe is about 25 or so metres up from the beach on your left and it sells ice cream, cold and hot drinks and snacks. You will also see the public car park adjacent while on the bank behind the cafe as well as on the opposite side of the lane are static caravans. These are a good spot for those wanting to walk the coast or get to the beach quickly.

Come and enjoy the fine sea views and coastline walks from this peaceful beach in the winter and autumn seasons, when there will be very little if any boating activity here. This beach at Traeth Bychan has a particular piece of maritime history attached to it not known to many people.

On 1 June 1939 HMS Thetis, a “T” Class submarine built at Cammell Laird ship yard in 1938, left her mooring in the Mersey with 103 crew aboard to carry out some trials in Liverpool Bay. Tragically, due to some unusual extreme events the sub never resurfaced and all crew bar four were lost. A few months after this tragedy, Thetis was brought to the surface and beached on Traeth Bychan beach, here on the east Anglesey coast.

In summer sunshine this sheltered beach is bustling with energy as dinghies and power craft are launched and recovered from the sea, while on a crisp, fresh winter morning it holds a special tranquility. And all along, the memory of the Thetis and her crew remains.

The author, David Phillips, comes from delightful Anglesey island off North Wales, and owns a helpful website covering local information and events. Enjoy amazing sea and mountain views, or sail your dinghy from sheltered Traeth Bychan Beach near Moelfre.

For some people, fishing is a pastime. For others among us, it is a serious sport. However you perceive it, fishing is enjoyable when you’ve got the proper accessories to use. Here is a list of some considerations to think over.

Often there is a nice spot to fish from the shore of a pond, lake, stream or river. Other times, you will need to consider what kind of transportation you will need to get over the water. The canoe is the oldest craft. It is the traditional vehicle of the American Indian and has great traditional value, but that does not mean it is the best kind of water transportation available. A canoe can be tippy at the best of times and especially hard to handle in the wind but paddling or drifting along makes it easy to approach good spots to fish undetected.

A small rowboat without a motor is considered the best kind of boat to use since you can stand up in it to cast. Although it is best to row to the spot where you intend to fish, a small trolling motor is handy for travelling some distances. Larger pleasure boats with outboards are also recommended, but a boat with high sides is best as big lakes and broad rivers are prone to winds that can whip up big waves.

You will also need to pick out some quality footwear. This becomes especially important if you are going to fish by the side of a lake. Hip boots are the most practical for this as they can be rolled down if you’re not wading. While hip boots can also be used for stream wading, chest or hip waders are traditionally best here. When choosing chest or hip-wader boots, select ones that have a loose fit. Having waders that are too tight could restrict leg motion and undue stress on the seams could leave you wet.

The proper jacket is also a necessity. Jackets come in two basic lengths: Long and short. The long style is designed for fishing from a boat or wading in shallow water. If you are planning to use chest waders, it is recommended you use a short jacket since the bottom of a long jacket would drag in the water. You should select a jacket with generous pockets for carrying lure boxes and other accessories. A hat with a visor is another good idea because you will have your eyes on the water and need some kind of shade.

The avid angler has three stashes of lure and tackle-box containers. The first stash is for the home stockpile, the second and larger one for the boat, and a third stash is for the car. That way, you will always be covered in the event of a loss or other mishap. It is a good idea to buy a large supply at the beginning of the season too so you will have lots on hand, especially if you like to fish at night.

With the right fishing accessories and gear, you can turn your fishing experience into a better one. The last thing you want when the time for that perfect catch nears is to realize you are missing an important piece of equipment. Preparedness is among the most important aspects of fishing, so make sure that you have all of the gear you need to have the best experience of your life.