I’ve always believed that places shape you.
I was born in Glasgow and spent my formative years in Scotland, before moving south to North Devon for a large part of my childhood. I still say I had the best upbringing: long days on the beach, winkle picking in rock pools, horse riding across open fields and enjoying more cream teas than I’d ever admit to.
These days, I live on a narrowboat in the Peak District with my partner, our cat and our rescue dog. Most weekends are spent walking canal paths or heading up into the Peaks to explore somewhere new. Being outdoors, in big landscapes and open skies, has always been where I feel most at home.
So it felt entirely fitting that I chose Wales, and Anglesey in particular, to celebrate my 40th birthday.
why llanddwyn?
Anglesey has long been one of my favourite places in the UK, but Llanddwyn Island is something truly special.
Reached via a tidal walk from Newborough Beach, it sits quietly off the southwestern edge of the island, with sweeping sands behind you and Snowdonia rising in the distance. Even on the windiest day, and it was certainly windy when I visited, it’s still a sight to behold and a walk worth walking.
The light shifts constantly. The sea feels vast. And there’s a sense of space that clears your head almost instantly.
Watching my dog charge across the sand and experience the sea and sand for the first time was pure joy. But beyond the landscape, Llanddwyn carries something deeper.
wales’ patron saint of lovers
The island is home to the ruins of St Dwynwen’s Church. Dwynwen is Wales’ patron saint of lovers, and her feast day, January 25th, is celebrated as the Welsh equivalent of Valentine’s Day.
Her story is one of love, heartbreak and devotion. After being denied her own true love, she devoted her life to faith and settled here as a hermit. Over time she became a symbol of hope for lovers, and even now there’s a small well on the island said to predict romantic futures.
Standing among the ruins, with Tŵr Mawr lighthouse above and waves breaking against ancient rock below, there’s a quiet romance to the place, and if you look closely, you might spot the island’s wild ponies grazing along the dunes. Horses have always been my favourite animals, which makes this part of Anglesey even more special to me. These are Carneddau ponies, a tough, semi-feral breed originally from the Carneddau mountains in Snowdonia, with a history dating back to the Bronze Age. They roam freely across Ynys
Llanddwyn and the wider Newborough Warren nature reserve, used for conservation grazing to help maintain the dunes and scrubland. Though they encounter humans often, they remain unbroken, ranging from shy to curious, and their small, hardy, waterproof bodies are built for the island’s harsh weather. Many are part of a wider population managed by the Carneddau Pony Society, with some brought down from the mountains to help maintain the reserve, a living piece of Welsh history wandering freely across this windswept landscape.
At Celtic Routes, I design journeys rooted in story and atmosphere, places that feel authentic rather than obvious.
For some clients, Llanddwyn becomes the backdrop to a proposal. For others, it’s an anniversary walk. And for many, particularly those visiting from North America, Wales is a beautiful surprise. Less travelled than Scotland or Ireland, yet every bit as rich in landscape, legend and warmth.
When paired with the right accommodation, private guiding or simply time to slow down and walk together (or drive!), it becomes unforgettable.
Wales was the perfect place to mark a new decade, the wind sweeping everything clean, making space for whatever comes next.
And if you’re considering somewhere romantic, meaningful and just a little unexpected around Valentine’s season, Llanddwyn Island might just be it.
I’d be delighted to help you discover it.
more about me!
Favourite Places: Putsborough & Croyde beaches in North Devon. Mam Tor in the Peak District and of course, Glasgow – all of it!
Interests: If I’m not out walking with my dog, give me a lively pub, a fiddle striking up, a bodhrán keeping rhythm and a room ready for a chorus, I’m happy.
Top travel tip: Do more than just see it. Learn the history, the legend, the culture, that’s what makes a place stick with you long after you leave.
