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Two White Ladies Sea Marks

aka Coal Rock Beacons

Carmel Head, Anglesey

Location Guide

The two white ladies are in fact 3, 45ft tall markers in a line, two on the cliff top near Carmel Head, and the third on the small island of West Mouse. They point to the coal rock, a sea level rock further out than the small island of  West Mouse. Coal rock can just be seen on the lowest tides and is 1.5 miles offshore. There are also two other rocks in the area, all marked with black buoys.

View from the Sea  Photo from Geograph

Rear View, notice also the third marker on the island of West Mouse
Photo by Eric Jones

West Mouse in welsh its Maen y Bugael  Photo by Ian Warburton

The West Mouse marker up close looks like a chess pawn so similar to the other two but with a round head on top.

Putting a person in the photo gives a better idea of it size
Photo by Bob Shires

The History

The actual history of these markers is not clear, its said that the Mersey Harbour Board built these in the 1860's, but another person found them marked in an Ordnance Survey map of about 1840, that was a 1inch to 1 mile First edition.

Some others say they were also used in the Second World War for aircraft navigation.

Whenever they were built their function is clear, to point to a hazardous group of rocks, that are usually just below the surface of the water around 1.5 miles offshore.

Carmel Head (Trwyn y Gader) is at the extreme north west tip of Wales on the Isle of Anglesey. Offshore are The Skerries (Ynysoedd y Moelrhoniaid) guarded by the Skerries Lighthouse, while to the east of them is West Mouse (Maen y Bugael).  This is one of three small islands - East/Ynys Amlwch, Middle/Ynys Badrig and West/Maen y Bugael off the north coast of Anglesey.

The three white ladies markers, 2 on the headland and 1 on West Mouse, are also known as the Coal Rock Beacons. The sight-line through them and the West Mouse Beacon aligns with the dangerous Coal Rock, which is awash at low water spring tides.  This lies a little further offshore beyond the Mouse.  Coal Rock is the centremost of a group of three, Ethel Rock to the west and Archdeacon Rock to the east.  Coal Rock is a hazard to navigation as it lies sufficiently far offshore (one and a half miles) to constitute a danger to vessels making a passage to or from the Point Lynas/Amlwch direction and passing outside (to the north of) the Skerries. This was particularly so in the days of sail when coastal traffic was intense and the need to tack against adverse winds made diversion from a direct course necessary.

Nearby on the headland is the remains of a copper mine from the late 18th and early 19th century.

Photo by Eric Jones

The Anglesey Coastal Path    also runs past here, so its worth stopping off to take a look.


Location: Two White Ladies Sea Mark, Carmel Head, Anglesey

Grid Reference: SH297928 and SH297926 and SH303942 (West Mouse) Ceremonial County: Anglesey

Map Link: Multimap

Aerial photo: Multimap

Getting there: See map, there are small roads nearby but some walking is necessary. One route would be from the A5025 at the crossroads for Llanddygfael and Llanfairynghornwy, take the left to Llanfairynghornwy. Continue on through the village until you come to a T junction, take a left and in about 500 yards there is a public car park on your right for the National Trust Forest.

Access: Access from the car park follow the footpath along the edge of the forest and at the coast join the Anglesey Coastal Path  and open space on cliff tops by Carmel Head.
Website:
Other Useful Websites: Geograph Geograph 2 photos  Photo
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Opening Times: Open at all times

Charges: None

Nearby Locations: Cemlyn Nature Reserve and Bay
Other Location Pages: Anglesey Coastal Path 
Other Relevant Pages: Anglesey Attractions    Anglesey Attractions Map  

Notes:

 

 

 

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By: Keith Park Section: Lighthouses Section Key:
Page Ref: White_ladies_sea_mark Topic: Sea Marks  Last Updated: 07/2010

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