Pop quiz: Which European town boasts the longest name in the atlas, and where will you find it?
A tube of Smarties if you know it’s Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch – and the entire sweetshop if you can say it! Most of us know it by the less cumbersome ‘Llanfair PG’ and, of course, you’ll find it off the North west coast of Wales, a quick skip across the Menai Strait from Bangor.
Under 300 square miles and with 125 miles of coastline, Anglesey is familiar to families across the wilds of Wales. Small it may be, but there are oodles of things to do, whether it’s history, wildlife or landscapes you’re craving. When you take the time to savour the array of sand dunes, coves, cliffs, pretty villages and pebble beaches, you’ll understand why the Isle of Anglesey was designated an area of natural beauty.
Where to stay
Pen-y-Llyn, Llanfair-yn-Neubwll, Holyhead
Pen-y-Llyn is a caravan park for adults only, so if you’re looking for a break from kids, even in the height of the summer holidays, this is the place to be for a peaceful haven to recharge your batteries and breathe the clean, fresh sea air.
Gadfa Touring Park, Gadfa
Bijou is the best description for the Gadfa Touring Park. This is a small, very select and beautifully peaceful caravan and motorhome site near Parys Mountain. With just five touring pitches (three grass and two gravel hardstand), you’ll need to plan ahead if looking for a peak time stay.
Home Farm, Marian-glas
Home Farm is a delightful, family-friendly holiday location that offers pitches for motorhomes and tents as well as privately owned luxury holiday lodges and holiday homes. Nestled in the tranquil scenic countryside on the east coast of the Isle of Anglesey, it’s far away from busy roads but still only five minutes from several sandy beaches and stunning coastal walks. If seclusion and serenity are your bywords, this might well be the place for your holiday on Anglesey.
Isle of Anglesey Days out
Best for families: Plas Newydd House & Gardens
Plas Newydd House & Gardens offers families a feast of history, culture, beauty and relaxation on the shore of the Menai Strait. This 18th Century estate is now managed by the National Trust (though you don’t need to be a member to visit) and offers visitors a military museum, an Australian arboretum and an exhibition of Rex Whistler paintings circa 1930. And when the kids are cultured-out, there are games of frisbee golf in the Dairy Wood to wear them out.
Best for wildlife: The Dingle Nature Reserve
The Dingle Nature Reserve is an ancient 25-acre wooded valley vibrant with nature’s colours. Time your visit well and you’ll find carpets of bluebells, flashes of kingfishers and the familiar flight patterns of woodpeckers. Though tucked away and almost mystical, the bridges, walkways and picnic tables make this an accessible and inclusive day out for all the family.
Best for history: The Copper Kingdom
Returning to the unique landscape of Parys Mountain, Amlwch boasts what was once the largest copper mine in the world. Back in the late 1800s, close to 10,000 people lived in Amlwch – and that was about half the population of New York at the time! There’s no better place to find out about a few of them, copper mining and the sailing ships of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Isle of Anglesey Beaches
Best for families: Benllech Beach
Benllech Beach is one of the most popular family beaches for paddling and swimming due to its fine golden sand and clear Blue Flag waters. The low tide sand stretches for miles, providing ample space for building sandcastles and burying siblings while the intrepid head to the water to swim, windsurf, sail or opt for a few hours of sea fishing. And when the afternoon sun subsides, the plentiful rock pools are a haven of crabs, starfish and small fish for the children to enjoy at close quarters.
Best for dogs: Llanddwyn
If you’ve brought Fido and Rover with you on your Anglesey adventure, Llanddwyn is the beach for you with its sandy stretch backed by forest and extensive dunes. The beach is home to Llanddwyn Island, which is actually a narrow peninsula that juts out into the Irish Sea. And if you just want to stretch your (and your dogs’) legs, Llanddwyn Beach reaches out for a mile and is one of the largest areas of sand dunes in the British Isles.
Best for seal and dolphin watching: Lligwy Beach
Not content with being named by Coast Magazine as one of the ten best picnic spots in Great Britain, Lligwy Bay’s sheltered cove on the North East of Anglesey is also a hotspot for sightings of seals and dolphins.
See This
The Menai Suspension Bridge
If you’re heading to the Isle of Anglesey, there is little hope of missing the Menai Suspension Bridge as, hopefully, you’ll have driven your motorhome across it. Once upon a time, Anglesey farmers seeking to sell their cattle in the mainland markets would have to persuade the cows to swim across the strait. Fortunately for us, in 1826 Thomas Telford constructed the world’s first modern suspension bridge, predating Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge by some 38 years.
Beaumaris Castle
Renowned for the scale of the ambition and the beauty of its proportions, Beaumaris Castle is, alas, famous for being the greatest castle that was never built. Envisaged by Edward I, with trouble brewing in Scotland, funds were diverted, prompting a pause in construction that was never resumed. However, incomplete as it is, Beaumaris Castle is well worth a stop on your journey.
Do this
Visit South Stack Lighthouse
Some joys in life have to be earned, and a visit to the historic South Stack Lighthouse is one of those delights. It’s situated on a small island that is accessible by descending 400 steps down the steep mainland cliffs. Once there, having toured the former lighthouse engine room, you’ll face another climb (naturally) to the top of the lighthouse to take in the view. But what a view! South Stack is renowned as a fantastic place to watch thousands of breeding seabirds, including guillemots, razorbills and puffins. And then, when a mug of tea beckons, you can savour the descent of the lighthouse and the 400-step ascent back to your camp.
Take a RibRide
If it’s speed and adventure on the water that you’re after, the famous RibRide has your name all over it. Bouncing across The Swellies (a stretch of the Menai Strait), you’ll see puffins, seals and an alternative view of the Isle of Anglesey. For the more sedate tourists, there are gentler paced boat tours available.
Eat this
Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt
We’re not proposing you have an entire meal of salt, but with Anglesey being known for its locally produced sea salt, it would be remiss of you not to glimpse behind the scenes to discover the history of salt and find out how it’s produced, followed by a tutored salt tasting. But fear not, there is more than salt on offer in the visitors’ centre, shop and café.
Anglesey Farmers Market
Plan your visit to Anglesey well in order to visit its farmers’ market, held on the third Sunday of every month. Based at Prince’s Pier, Menai Bridge, there’s a vast array of diverse, locally grown, produced and caught vegetables, breads and fresh crab on offer so come armed with a BIG shopping basket.
Drink this
The Ship Inn
Over the centuries, countless mariners passing through the port have stopped at this 16th Century whitewashed house for a tankard of ale. Originally known as Cei Bach (Little Quay) and later as the Old Quay, The Ship Inn sits on Red Wharf Bay on the north coast, overlooking the harbour that frequently bustles with small boats. As you’d expect, there is an outside seating area that offers drinkers terrific views of the bay.
The Wavecrest Cafe Tea Garden
Our other top tip for things to do in Anglesey that involve food, drink and fantastic views across bays is the Wavecrest Café, which overlooks West Angle Bay. It could be the views and the five-minute stroll to Church Bay that has us sold on this café, but we’re actually citing the bottomless pot of tea, the cream teas with the biggest and best scones on the island, and the G&Ts and craft beers that you can enjoy (repeatedly) in the tea garden.
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