Bangor to Caernarfon

From the car park take the road signed posted as cycle route 5 to Bangor Pier. The pier is a fabulous example of Victorian iron work and for a modest sum you can walk along it to the café at the end – not now though as we have a walk to complete.
From the pier we will drop down to the water side and traverse the water’s edge for 500m before traversing back up towards the road and by some impressive houses before once again dropping down to the shoreside and taking a well-marked path between fences with an option of taking a more undulating nature reserve path nearer the water’s edge. (Can be muddy in parts)
After 2km this path brings us back to the A5 coast road which we follow to some Bangor University accommodation blocks. At low tide it is possible to descend to the water by taking the path between the accommodation and teaching blocks and traverse the beach to eventually come out near to Menai Bridge – not for us today with high tide at 13:00 which means we take the path adjacent to the A5 road to Menai Bridge.
Straight through the Menai bridge arch to good paths in a wooded section between the Menai and Britannia Bridges with great views of the Swellies. Signs say look out for red squirrels! Slim to fat chance I suspect but live in hope.

After the Britannia Bridge we continue on a mix of fields and made paths through woods with great views of the Menai Straits which are just over a wall on our right. Challenge is to spot some very large Lion statues !
Other things to spot on this impressive section are a peace statue, a tree you can stand inside, outsized benches, Nelsons other column and the inevitable dog poo bag swinging in a tree (Why do people do that?)
We are now 5 miles in and approaching Plas Dinorwic and the town of Y Felinheli with its impressive harbour. There are also public toilets available on its sea front. Good lunch spot.

Half a mile out of Dinorwic at the top of a steep bit of road (200m) is a bus stop. Here is an opportunity to board the 5C bus back to Bangor for anyone who doesn’t wish to go further.
For those happy to proceed we now join the old railway line (now a pedestrian tarmac path) that for the next 3.5 miles will take us into Caernarfon. To be brutally honest it isn’t the most inspiring path but runs flat and straight with views across the Menai Straights still possible but we are no longer adjacent to the water. There is another bus stop option as the path meets the A497 briefly.
On entering Caernarfon on the old rail line, we again get close to the shore and arrive at a new marina development (Victoria Dock) from where Welsh slate was transported worldwide in its heyday. Moving into the walled town centre and turning left up High Street we can get a bus either at the Chinese takeaway at the top of High Street or a street further on at the bus station.
Here we have two options – The T2 or the 5C buses. Both take you back to Bangor bus Station outside the M&S foodhall for the princely sum of £2.20 (Card payment taken or cash) The bus takes between 20 and 30 minutes. Buses run every 30 mins on a Sunday.
Once back at Bangor a 10 minute walk (follow signs to the pier) takes us back to the cars.