Day 15: Holyhead to Trearddur Bay

Our guide book described today's part of the path as ‘one of he finest days on the Welsh coast with never a dull moment along the rugged north-western cliffs of Holy Island, with its dramatic lighthouses and bird sanctuaries’. I tend to agree wholeheartedly with this. We left Holyhead via the heather-covered shore towards the imposing face of Holyhead Mountain – the tallest mountain on the Isle of Anglesey. After walking past old limestone quarry sites and ruins we descended via a number of steps past a strange concrete shrine before descending even further to the old fog warning station near the island of North Stack.

Walking across heath land towards North Stack

A pair of beautifully crafted gates at Breakwater Country Park

Concrete shrine and surroundings

Selfie inside concrete shrine

Following the path towards North Stack

Old fog warning station at North Stack

View back to Holyhead Breakwater

We then climbed up a steep track and decided to detour off the path to go up to the top of Holyhead Mountain. The views from here were spectacular although there was a rather cold wind blowing. We the descended down the steep track and followed one of many paths across the lunar-looking common towards South Stack and its picturesque lighthouse. We detoured off the track again to descend the zig-zag steps to the lighthouse via dramatically folded cliffs. There were many bird-watchers on these steps with their binoculars and scopes looking out for puffin and other sea-faring birds.

Climbing up to top of Holyhead Mountain

View towards Holyhead from top of Holyhead Mountain

South Stack lighthouse

The tour of the lighthouse was worth the 1126 steps that it took to get there and back again. We were lucky to see porpoise swimming in the water far below us as we stood up in the light house tower.

Steps down to lighthouse weaving up to cliff top

Steps inside lighthouse tower

After a quick lunch stop at the café up on the path we walked along the cliff top edge via Ellin’s Tower and detoured off track once again to view a remarkable collection of Iron Age hut circles at Ty Mawr.

Cliffs along Abraham's Bosom

Walking along cliff top edge along Abrahams's Bosom

Iron Age stone circles at Ty Mawr

From here we continued around the many headlands and bays via heather covered heathland until we joined the road and beach promenade at Trearddur Bay. After a quick refreshment at a local establishment we made our way back to Holyhead via the local bus.

View of Trearddur Bay