Introducing the legends of Ynys Enlli / Bardsey Island

Once upon a time Ynys Enlli – also known as Bardsey Island – was known as the Isle of Twenty Thousand Saints. 

An ancient centre of power, and once regarded as one of the holiest places in Britain, it has been a destination for Christian pilgrims since the 6th century. Nowadays Enlli is home to abbey ruins, a bird observatory and a wide variety of flora and fauna. 

Packed full of legends, culture, and Welsh history, the island lies just a couple of miles off the southern tip of Pen Llŷn. It is a great place to explore during your next trip to North Wales.

Read on to find out more about the beautiful – and intriguing – Ynys Enlli.

Ynys Enlli might be the real Avalon

Legend has it that Ynys Enlli is the true Avalon, and the final resting place of King Arthur who retreated there after being wounded in battle. Another legend says that it is the final resting place of Merlin, who sleeps in a cave on the island, guarding the ‘Thirteen Treasures of Britain’.

The island has heavenly powers…

In the 6th Century, St Cadfan founded a monastery on Ynys Enlli. Cadfan’s successor St Leuddad cultivated the idea that anyone who died on the island would not go to hell. It was a PR success: by the early Middle Ages, Enlli was regarded as one of the holiest places in Britain and attracted hundreds of pilgrims each year.

… which may explain why it’s known as the island of ‘20,000 saints’

The island became a focal point for the Celtic Christian Church, attracting devout monks and pilgrims. The well-known reference to the island as the burial place of 20,000 ‘saints’ dates from the early Middle Ages, when three pilgrimages to Bardsey were said to equal one to Rome. Twenty thousand graves may seem like a stretch for landmass that measures just 1.5 miles by half a mile, but its centuries of importance means the real number could well be close.

The island had a king called ‘Love’

A hundred years ago, there was a 200-strong community of fishermen and crofters who lived on the island. As was customary on small islands at the time, the island community elected their own ‘king’. The last King of Enlli was crowned in 1918, and his name was Love Pritchard. He died in 1927 and is buried in Aberdaron churchyard near the beach.

Honey, it’s now a SSSI

Like many of Britain’s islands, Ynys Enlli is now a national nature reserve and a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). Home to a farm with couple of hundred sheep, some cattle, and a few beehives which produce Enlli honey, Bardsey is also the last working island in Wales. The only permanent human residents on the island, are its two wardens.

You can visit Ynys Enlli by boat

Run by a local family who have been lobster fishermen and Bardsey Island farmers for generations, Bardsey Boat Trips will take you across to the island from Porth Meudwy, near Aberdaron. On your way you’ll take in some of the most stunning coastal scenery the UK has to offer. Boat trips operate seasonally, weather permitting, from March – October. Visit Bardsey Boat Trips to find out more. 

A picnic on the Mynydd Mawr headland will give you the best island view

From Aberdaron, follow the Wales Coast Path to Porth Meudwy, before crossing the Mynydd Mawr headland to enjoy spectacular views to Ynys Enlli. Enjoy a picnic and return to Aberdaron along the coast path with fine views along this beautiful coastline. It’s around 7miles in total. NB – the sunsets from this westerly facing headland are fantastic.

You can drink an Ynys Enlli-inspired beer

Craft brewery Cwrw Llŷn produces the deliciously earthy bitter Brenin Enlli (King of Enlli) at its HQ in Nefyn. Brewed using Goldings hops, and described as a malty and slightly spicey bitter, it is available at a good number of restaurants, pubs and retailers around North Wales, or can be bought and tasted direct at the brewery’s tap room in Nefyn. We have a feeling Love Pritchard would approve.

Looking for a holiday cottage near Ynys Enlli?

You can’t stay on Ynys Enlli itself, but you can stay nearby. We recommend checking availability in the beautiful seaside village of Aberdaron. If you’d prefer to stay near the Cwrw Llŷn brewery, which is just a few miles up the Llŷn coast, take a look at our delightful selection of beachy cottages in Nefyn.