Holyhead Loop (Wales)

“The sky is always blue over Anglesey…”

Rambles in North Wales by Roger A. Redfern (1968)

Holyhead sits at the far west tip of Anglesey, an island in North Wales bulging into the Irish Sea. It is separated by the mainland and Snowdonia National Park by the Menai Straits. I was visiting Snowdonia in August of 2024 where I was staying in a cottage in the small beautiful village of Beddgelert. On the day after my arrival, the weather was overcast, foggy, with a spritz of rain here and there. The mountains in the region were completely engulfed by the fog, so there was little hope of seeing anything on a hike into the mountains. I looked at a map for a substitution with less collateral damage. Holyhead’s intriguing name and location attracted my attention. I quickly mapped out a possible coastal hiking route, grabbed some hiking gear and hopped in the car for the 1 hour drive.

“Holyhead is an excellent place for a holiday. You have a mountain to climb from which, on a good day, you can see Ireland; …and all around you is excellent flat walking country with a supreme view to the east of the whole Snowdon range.”

In Search of Wales by H. V. Morton (1932)

As I crossed over from the mainland to Anglesey, the skies were starting to clear and the prophecy of the first quote above was starting to come true. But it was short-lived, and by the time I arrived to Holyhead, I was in deeper fog than when I left Beddgelert.

When I set out from Holyhead on my hike, I was completely oblivious to the scenery I was going to miss out on, but there was one thing for sure. The hike was going to be atmospheric and at the mercy of Mother Nature. I guess that’s two things.

Hike Details

Starting/Ending Point	Upper Hill Street Car Park (use PayByPhone App)
Distance	15.6km
My Moving Time	3h25m

It’s Not Just a Beer, It’s a Journey

Holyhead is a harbor town with ferry service to Dublin, Ireland which sits directly west across the Irish Sea.

Perhaps the feeling was amplified by the grey skies, but I couldn’t help recalling the Miss Havisham scene from Great Expectations as I followed the coastline. It was clear that Holyhead was in an elegant state of decay with skeletons of several buildings looking like they must have once been beautiful, dotting the landscape like gems. Today they sit silent like Havisham’s cobwebbed furniture and dinner table hearkening back to better times.

When you arrive at this spot, the hike becomes a path through the stark landscape and heather along the coast. Holyhead Mountain was completely engulfed in the clouds while the wind was harsh, humid and the only sound competing with your inner thoughts. I leave the next few photos without commentary.

As you start to rise in elevation and come around to what is called the North Stack, you get glimpses of the wildness of the Irish Sea, the highway of many Viking raids more than a millenia ago.

Reaching fog elevation, the scenery gives way to a majestic atmosphere.

As you approach the summit of Holyhead Mountain, you catch sight of the ruins of a Roman watchtower called Cael-y-Twr.

Unfortunately, due to the thick fog, it was impossible to get a view of the South Stack Lighthouse. So I reluctantly started my way back to Holyhead.

Arriving back to Holyhead, I found the village didn’t betray the sense of decay that I was feeling when I started out on the hike. The fact that it was Monday clung to this impression like a moss. Fortunately, there was one cozy pub that was open for business.

This was purely a locals bar and not catering to those in search of unique local beer. I had to settle for this Worthington’s Cream Ale. But the vibes were warm and friendly and it tasted refreshing after the blustery hike.

There were a couple of other potentially interesting pubs, but on a Monday afternoon, the city was a ghost town.

Final Words

For an unplanned hike with no expectations, this was spectacular. It was disappointing to be forbidden the views of the lighthouse and sea, but the atmosphere was haunting and engaging. The trail at times was a little difficult to follow when ascending the mountain, but you never felt like you could get lost. The day didn’t do any favors to the village of Holyhead. Under a blue sky, it is quite possible that there is still some charm left in its weathered façades. It was a great start to a week of hiking adventures in North Wales, a region which has rapidly become a personal favorite of mine. Meanwhile, the entire day continued to remain blanketed in clouds with occasional rain. Later, I settled on the couch of my cozy cottage in Beddgelert wondering what the next day would bring.