Often described as the Land’s End of Wales, Holyhead Mountain and the towering, twin-pronged promontories of South Stack and North Stack form the western tip of the Holy Island, itself the western tip of the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Mon). The vertiginous cliffs, heathery heathland and crashing surf combine to produce some of the most dramatic coastal scenery found anywhere in the principality, and it’s a superb place for a walk. Especially in the evening when the sun sets over the two picturesque lighthouses that bookend the bay. This is quite a short walk, but it’s not that easy with some steep stepped ground to negotiate and a confusing maze of paths leading in all directions. Odds are most walkers will end up doing something slightly different to the itinerary described. But all will end up back in the right place without too much bother.
Distance: 7km (4 miles)
Time: 2 hours
Start & finish: South Stack RSPB Visitor Centre SH208820.
Paths: Clear paths but confusing in places. Some steep sections and some near cliff edges.
Maps: OS Explorer Series (1:25 000) 262 Anglesey West.
TIC: Holyhead TIC is no longer open Visit: www.visitanglesey.co.uk
Your route…
Leave the car park by the obvious path in the top left hand corner and walk down to the lovely Elin’s Tower. Turn right here and follow the path back up, above huge cliffs, to join the road. Turn left onto the road and follow it to the end where you keep right (unless you want to visit South Stack lighthouse) to clamber up to the ruins of an old coastal lookout.
Now continue easily along with great views towards the headland of North Stack and also up to Holyhead Mountain, where you’ll finish the walk later. The path eventually climbs to a tarmac track and you keep the dishes to your left to join a good footpath that leads towards the obvious crags of Holyhead Mountain. A waymarked fork directs you left, away from the summit, and you can then climb steps, swinging first left then right, to a small summit with great views.
Drop steeply down the other side and you’ll meet a broad track that will take you left to North Stack. Retrace your steps back up to the junction and continue in the same direction until you reach a narrow path on the right, immediately before the main track drops. Take this and follow it up over a shoulder, keeping all the time to the main path. As it levels, and you get views over the west coast again, turn right onto another narrow path and follow it up onto the summit of Holyhead Mountain. This is an amazing viewpoint, well worth savouring. On a clear day you’ll catch a glimpse of Ireland over the Irish Sea.
Leave the summit to the right, keeping well to the right of the cliffs you were looking at earlier. And follow one of the narrow paths steeply down to rejoin the main path you followed on the way out earlier. Turn left and follow this path back to the dishes where the easiest course of action is to follow the tarmac track down to the road. Turn left to return to the car park.
Words & Images: Tom Hutton
First published in Welsh Country Magazine Nov-Dec 2014
