From the summit of Mynydd Bodafon, the 360-degree views stretch across Anglesey to the mountains of Snowdonia beyond the Menai Strait. There are also walking routes of varying grades and historical traces dating from prehistory to rural settlements. Mynydd Bodafon offers practical options for a getaway on Anglesey if you would like to combine landscape and culture.
Landscape and Summit
Mynydd Bodafon is part of the Isle of Anglesey National Landscape and lies within a protected inland landscape that forms an important backdrop to the Anglesey coast. The area’s thin soils are associated with its heathland and moorland vegetation. The rugged rocky outcrop of Yr Arwydd—also known as Mynydd Bodafon or Bodafon Mountain—is 178 metres high and the island’s second-highest point.
The summit is an isolated mass of Precambrian quartzite. The Bodafon to Moelfre Geotrail begins here; its geological features include a quartzite scree slope formed by frost shattering during the last Ice Age. Footpaths lead to the summit. As access conditions can change, check the current path conditions before setting off.
Comparing Two Walks
The Bodafon to Moelfre Geotrail is 8 miles long, graded moderate and described as taking approximately four hours. Weather and walking pace affect the actual time. Another option is the circular walk near Brynrefail, which is about 8.3 miles long and graded challenging. The two routes are therefore similar in length, but differ in their stated difficulty. Check the circular walk’s length and grade before setting out.
The circular walk near Brynrefail connects farmland, low coastal cliffs, moorland and Bodafon Mountain. On the section from Brynrefail to Bodafon, the route follows footpaths through gorse, crosses a footbridge and passes through boggy heathland; ground conditions can change seasonally. GPX and KML map files for the circular route are available to download. Check the route resources and path conditions before setting off.
The bus service may also be useful for planning: Brynrefail is on route 62 between Bangor and Amlwch. As bus services can change, check the current timetable if you are including the village in your travel plans.
Archaeological and Historical Traces
Nearby is Din Lligwy, with well-preserved stone huts within an enclosure dating from the Romano-British period. Finds there include Roman coins from the 3rd and 4th centuries, pottery, glass and a small silver ingot. Smelting furnaces and iron slag suggest that the site was used for metalworking. These remains offer insight into a range of activities without requiring the site to be attributed to a single use.
Also nearby is Capel Llugwy, a ruined 12th-century chapel overlooking Lligwy Bay. It is probably the only surviving evidence of a larger community that was eventually abandoned by its inhabitants. On Mynydd Bodafon, the Bodafon Mountain Early Medieval Homestead consists of rectangular huts and enclosures with terraces and boundary walls. The site was probably an early medieval residence and is of national importance for its potential to expand knowledge of early medieval settlements.
The Plas Bodafon standing stone is also part of the mountain’s landscape history. It stands in a wood on the lower east-facing slopes and probably dates from the Bronze Age, around 2300 to 800 BC. The monument is an important example of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Ty Croes, Newborough, Cemaes Bay, Beaumaris, Amlwch, Llanfaethlu, Llanfechell, Llandegfan
For the main travel overview: Isle Of Anglesey.
