Free Attractions on the Isle of Anglesey
When the sun is shining, we all seem to want to go out and explore, plan holidays and weekends away. Summer can be an expensive season however, and so here are four suggestions for free days out on the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales.
Anglesey attracts thousands of visitors every year with its beaches, historic monuments and walking opportunities. My suggestions will take you outdoors and indoors, with some activities more strenuous than others. They are all excellent ways of experiencing the island and all free.
1. The Secret Castle
When I first discovered the castle at Aberlleiniog, there were no signposts and no path of any sort to guide you to it. There is something deeply exhilarating about looking for a ‘hidden’ castle, and my first view of this ruin, half-obscured by brambles and undergrowth, did not disappoint. I had climbed over barbed wire fences and stepping-stoned across a stream. The steep slope of the motte was untouched apart from sheep tracks and I had to scramble up to reach the actual building.
There has been a castle on this site since 1088 – a Norman keep made of wood and surrounded by a tall palisade fence. The motte you see today dates from this time, as do the dry moat and defensive ditches. The keep was eventually abandoned, but it was refortified in the 17th Century and during the second English Civil War played a part in the siege of nearby Beaumaris Castle.
Today, the castle is signposted. Leaflets detailing its history are available from the Tourist Information Office in Beaumaris. The path is clear, with boarded sections and railings. There is no entry fee, nearby parking is free and there are footpaths from the castle to Penmon and to parts of the Anglesey Coastal Path.
Short, gentle walk.
2. Romantic Ruins
On a bright day, when the sea at Newborough is calm and the mountains of the Lleyn Peninsula are softened by a warm haze, there are few places more beautiful than Llanddwyn Island. Wild ponies forage alongside a path made exclusively of crushed shells, a Celtic cross stands black against the sky and the remains of a church bear witness to a sad and moving story.
Saint Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of friendship and love, lived in the 5th Century and loved a man named Maelon Dafodrill. Her father forbade a marriage between them and betrothed Dwynwen to another man. Maelon was inconsolable and, in a fit of rage and passion, ravished Dwynwen and abandoned her.
Dwynwen fled, heartbroken and ashamed, and begged God to help her forget Maelon. In her dreams, an angel came to her, carrying a potion that would erase Maelon from her thoughts and turn him into a statue of ice.
God then gave Dwynwen three wishes. She wished firstly for Maelon’s release, secondly that the hopes and prayers of all lovers would be met and finally that she would never marry. God granted her wishes and Dwynwen pledged to devote herself to his service for the rest of her days. It is the remains of her church that we see today on the island.
To access Llanddwyn you can drive to the recently renovated car park at Newborough beach. Follow the signs through the village. There is a charge of £3 to enter the forest and the car park itself has picnic tables, toilets and signposted trails. If you drive through Newborough towards Malltraeth however, you will shortly come to a Forestry Commission car park, which is free. The walk to the beach through the forest from here is long but the sight of Llanddwyn as you emerge from the sleepy tunnel of trees makes it well worth the effort.
Long walk through forest, not strenuous.
3. Moonscapes and Minerals
The golden craters and undulations of Parys Mountain are like nowhere else on Anglesey. It is an exposed place, haunted by the rusting skeletons of its mining heritage and the winds that stir up the ochre coloured dust. As you wander the numerous trails, it is easy to see the legacy of Wales’ industrial revolution.
At the end of the 18th Century, Parys Mountain, or the ‘Copper Mountain’, catapulted the Anglesey town of Amlwch onto the world’s industrial stage. Copper was needed to sheath ships and up to forty vessels could be anchored at nearby Amlwch Port at any one time, ready to export the copper all over the world. Both men and women were employed at the mountain – the men mining and smelting amid the haze of sulphur and gunpowder, and the women, known as the Copper Ladies, cleaning the ore.
Entry to the trails on the mountain and the car park are both free.
There is a modern and inspired museum dedicated to the ‘Copper Kingdom’ at Amlwch Port. It is highly interactive and actually located on the site of the old copper bins. There is a small entrance fee.
Trails are self-guided over uneven ground, they can be as long as you choose.
4. Ancient Stones
From the top of Holyhead Mountain, you can see the outline of almost all of Holy Island at the tip of Anglesey. The town below, with its port, harbour and breakwater, looks quite lovely. If you turn around, the Irish Sea steers the passenger ferries far beyond the horizon. Next to the summit marker is a small excavation, which is all that remains of a 4th Century Roman watch tower. In Welsh, the mountain’s name is Mynydd Twr, ‘Tower Mountain’, and from here the Romans would have kept a lookout for pirates.
As you drive into Holyhead, follow the signs for South Stack and drive up to the RSPB café, shop and car park. There is parking further up the hill, too, but it is busy in high season. The pathway to the summit is signposted and the walk from your car and back again takes about an hour at a steady pace.
When you drive back down the hill, stop at the Ty Mawr Hut Circles sign. There is a car park opposite.
This site is a Neolithic farming settlement with some dwellings almost 4,000 years old and incredibly well preserved. It comprises around twenty stone houses, stores and workshops, and is such a special place. Walking amongst the huts you can actually imagine the community living together and interacting as a village. There are fantastic views across to Snowdonia and out to sea, and the car park and site are free, with information boards dotted here and there. When you seem to have come to the end, keep following the path as it will lead you to another farm settlement with what appears to be a paddock attached.
Mountain walk is strenuous, hut circles circuit is gentle.
Words: Lisa Savijn
Feature image: Aberlleiniog Castle (Source: castle-finders.co.uk)
First published in Welsh Country Magazine Mar-Apr 2014
