Anglesey - island in north-west Wales, UK

Anglesey, just off the coast of northwestern Wales, is the largest island off southern Great Britain at 276 sq mi (714 km²). Well worth a stop when travelling between the UK and Ireland, and in its own right, Ynys Môn has a dramatic coastline, historical sights, and is a stronghold for the Welsh language.

Towns and villages

Towns

• Llangefni 📍 — county town

• Amlwch 📍 — the most northerly town in Wales

• Holyhead 📍 (Caergybi) — port town with frequent ferries to Dublin

• Menai Bridge 📍 (Porthaethwy) — town near the suspension bridge connecting Anglesey to the mainland

Villages

• Aberffraw 📍 (Aberffro)
• Benllech 📍
• Brynsiencyn 📍
• Llanddona 📍
• Llanfaethlu 📍
• Llanfairpwllgwyngyll 📍 (Llanfairpwllgwyngyll for short) – village with the second-longest name in the world after a place in New Zealand.
• Moelfre 📍
• Newborough 📍 (Niwbwrch) – town closest to Llanddwyn Island
• Rhoscolyn 📍
• Rhosneigr 📍
• Valley 📍 (Y Dyffryn)

Other destinations

• Church Bay 📍 (Porth Swtan)
• Llanddwyn Island 📍 (Ynys Llanddwyn)
• Penmon 📍
• Red Wharf Bay 📍 (Traeth Coch)
• South Stack 📍 (Ynys Lawd)
• Trearddur Bay 📍 (Bae Trearddur)

Understand

The Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has one of the most distinctive, attractive and varied landscapes in the British Isles. Anglesey was designated as an AONB in 1966 in order to protect the aesthetic appeal and variety of the island's coastal landscape and habitats from inappropriate development. The AONB is predominantly a coastal designation, covering most of the island's 125 mile coastline (including Llanddwyn), it contains rocky headlands, golden beaches, dunes, heaths and fine green countryside. Some of the beaches are recognised as being amongst the best in Great Britain and Europe. The AONB supports a wealth of wildlife such as choughs, grey seals, red squirrels, sea lavender and silver-studded blue butterflies. There are also many areas protected for their nature conservation value, such as Newborough Warren National Nature Reserve, and several Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Anglesey also hosts a large number of holiday homes, which is controversial with year-round residents.

Get in

By plane

Citywing operates a twice daily air service (Monday to Friday) to Anglesey Airport (IATA: VLY) near Valley from Cardiff Airport (IATA: CWL). Manchester Airport (IATA: MAN) and Liverpool Airport (IATA: LPL) are less than two hours drive from Anglesey.

By train

Holyhead's status as an international ferry terminal means it is served by direct trains to Chester and London.

By car

The main bridge crossing from mainland Wales is via the A55 with a smaller road crossing on the old A5 at Menai Bridge.

By bus

National Express and Arriva from across the UK to Holyhead

By boat

Ferry port at Holyhead with a regular service from Dublin and Dun Laoghaire

Get around

By car

The easiest way to get around the island. The A55 cuts straight across the island parallel to the old A5 route, providing a quick route to Holyhead ferry port. To see the island though, the A5025 taking you north round the island and the A4080 taking you south round the island are a better options.

Hertz have car hire services in Hollyhead and Valley airport

By bus

There are numerous bus services between the towns and villages on the island, with timetables on the county council's web site

By foot

Anglesey Coastal Path. Fairly easy 130 miles / 200km walking trail around this island off the northwest corner of Wales, with diverse coastal scenery which is 95% within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and 20 attractive villages en route.

See

Historical buildings

• Beaumaris has a number of attractions, the most obvious one being the large ruins of Beaumaris Castle. Also open to the public is a 17th Century courthouse and well worth a visit the 19th century gaol.
• Porthwen Brickworks Built in the Victorian times, was a brick works on the beach Porth Wen located near Cemaes.
• Plas Newydd Country House and Gardens near Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
• Lighthouses: Skerries Lighthouse, The Skerries (reached via Holyhead); South Stack; Trwyn Du Penmon; Point Lynas Amlwch, Llanddwyn Island Newborough
• St Cwyfan, church in the sea near Aberffraw
• Penmon Priory and dovecote, Penmon

Historical sites

• Holyhead Mountain Hut Circles. Site of village dating back to Middle Stone Age, South Stack
• Din Lligwy, Neolithic, Roman and Medieval, near Moelfre

Industrial heritage

• Menai Suspension Bridge. Designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1826, Menai Bridge
• Llynon Windmill, Llanddeusant near Llanfaethlu
• Copper Kingdom Centre Amlwch

Museums and Galleries

• Oriel Ynys Môn in Llangefni

Natural history

• Anglesey Sea Zoo near Brynsiencyn
• Pili Palas Butterfly Palace near Menai Bridge
• South Stack RSPB reserve
• Valley Wetlands RSPB reserve

Do

Beaches

Llanddona, Benllech, Church Bay, Porth Dafarch, Trearddur Bay and Llanddwyn (Newborough) are all designated Blue Flag (dead link: January 2023) beaches.

Beaches that have received Green coast and Seaside awards are: Aberffraw; Borth Wen, Silver Bay (Rhoscolyn); Porth Trwyn (Llanfaethlu); Porth Ty’n Tywyn, Cable Bay, Porth Nobla, Traeth Crigyll (Rhosneigr); Cemlyn Bay; St David's (Red Wharf Bay); Sandy Beach, Llanfwrog (near Llanfaethlu); Lligwy Beach, Dulas (near Moelfre).

Other top beaches: Cemaes (Amlwch); Traeth Bychan (Llangefni); Moelfre.

Hiking

• The Anglesey section of the Wales Coast Path
• Anglesey Walks, Valley LL65 3DN, info@angleseywildlifewalks.com. Discover the unique wonder of the Isle of Anglesey through beautiful guided walks.

Horse riding

There are a number of equestrian centres on the island offering riding lessons including the chance to ride along the beach. These include the Isle of Anglesey Riding Centre in Tal Y Foel near Brynsiencyn.

Photography

• Cheryl Hamer Photography, Penmon, +44 7837 014534, hello@cherylhamer.com. M- Sa 09:00-20:00. Offers courses in (landscape) photography in the Anglesey and Snowdonia scenery. You can choose from small group courses or individual tuition. £99 for a full day

Motor sport

Anglesey Circuit, west of Aberffraw hosts a number of car and bike racing events as well providing performance driving training courses.

Sleep

As well as the hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation in the towns there is a good choice of self-catering cottages and caravans in the area. There are a number of specialist providers for Anglesey and the surrounding area, such as Menai Holiday Cottages and Wales Tourist online. Properties on Anglesey include those in the heart of the popular resorts of Trearddur Bay, Red Wharf Bay and Rhosneigr, as well as ones nestled in the countryside or located in picturesque fishing ports and historic towns.

Eat

Apart from the restaurants in the towns it is well worth hunting out the country pubs in the small villages.

Drink

Visit one of the pubs in the villages.

Go next

• Gwynedd in particular
  • Caernarfon
  • Snowdonia National Park