Ynys Moelfre

Ynys Moelfre is a small island off the coast of Anglesey in Wales. At low tide it measures up to 261 metres long and 121 metres wide, covering just 6.6 acres. The village of Moelfre lies nearby, separated by a shallow channel called Y Swnt. This strait is never more than 194 metres wide and can be crossed at waist depth when the tide is out. During extreme low spring tides the channel dries completely, allowing people to walk across on dry land. The island has no man-made structures and supports patches of grass and wild flowers. Gulls, terns, gannets, fulmars and skuas nest among the cliffs. A colony of seals lives on the rocky shores and porpoises are sometimes spotted offshore. Locals sometimes call it Rat Island, though no rats live there. Visitors find a quiet, wild place with seabirds wheeling overhead and seals hauled out on the rocks. The views stretch across the Irish Sea to Snowdonia on clear days. At low tide the exposed sands reveal rock pools full of small crabs and sea creatures. The crossing to the island becomes a short walk rather than a boat trip.