THE GOLDEN GATE
‘NARNIA’ GATE ON BEACH CAPTURES INTERNATIONAL IMAGINATION
IT’S just a photo of a gate but it promises so much more: summer days on the beach, sand between toes and the smell of the sea. The evocative picture, taken on Anglesey, has become a viral online hit with hundreds of people expressing their admiration for the elaborately carved gate and the beach that lies beyond.
Since being posted last month, on Facebook’s Gate Appreciation Society page, it has gathered more than 42,000 likes from around the world. Some gave it the imaginary title of “gate of the year”, most simply waxed lyrical about the “gateway to Narnia” and pledged to seek it out. Among those hankering after a visit was a resident of South Africa.
“Not so much a gate as a portal to a magical world,” sighed one woman. Another added: “That is one of the best gates I ever saw.” A man suggested it was “the kind of gate you would see in a Disney film”.
Decorated with Celtic motifs and elegant lettering, the wooden gate is one of several guarding Ynys Llanddwyn.
For visitors, one magical attraction is the wild Welsh ponies that venture onto the island’s beaches. Introduced to help manage the island’s valuable
Hence the carved gates and rustic fences alongside Anglesey’s coastal footpath, which only add to the island’s allure. Some gates lead straight onto the beaches, others have pretty pebbled paths with crushed seashells surrounded by colourful wildflowers.
Carving the “beautiful” gates, some years ago, was Dafydd Davies-hughes, an accomplished woodworker, carpenter, poet and storyteller from the Llŷn peninsula.
Footpaths across North Wales are studded with examples of his incredible craftsmanship, all fashioned from Welsh oak and chestnut.
His company also constructs timber framed buildings, some quirky, all beautiful.
Amongst his most famous was a stunning Hobbit-like hideaway built for a millionaire in Llanegryn, Gwynedd.
At the time it was described by a leading authority on architecture as an Arts and Crafts marvel that recalled “the artistry of Antoni Gaudi”.
Dafydd’s gates are in demand by homeowners wanting bespoke and charming entrances to their properties.
Many feature Celtic swirls reminiscent of Maori “Koro” designs.
Some are more ornate, such as the eagle and thrush motifs sourced from Mabinogi mythology that were carved into a double gate at Aberdaron, Pen Llŷn.
Another was a grotesque but stunning “gargoyle” gate made for a theatre designer’s home.
But it is Llanddwyn’s carved oak gates that have captured the imagination of people dreaming of lazy summer days on the beach.
“Takes me back to the excitement of a seaside holiday as a child,” said one woman.
Another added: “It’s such a beautiful little gate, just wishing I was going through it.”
Ynys Llanddwyn forms part of the National Nature Reserve of Newborough Warren with its vast sandy beach. This is a place where you get the best of both beach and woodland, with coriscan pines backing onto flower-rich sand dunes.
Visitors wanting to check out the island and its Insta-friendly carved gates should consult tide times. They should also be aware that, amid its beauty, danger lurks too: Natural Resources Wales warns people “not to touch any military debris” washed up on beaches as it “may explode”.
It’s no idle threat. Last weekend, Traeth Llanddwyn was cordoned off by police as Bomb Squad officers carried out a controlled explosion of World War II ordnance (see page 6).