Anglesey North Wales| Ynys Môn Gogledd Cymru

The Island of Anglesey - Ynys Môn in North Wales - Gogledd Cymru

Following the Royal Wedding on the 29th April 2011, Anglesey in north Wales could get more visitors trying to spot the Royal couple who live on the Island.

Simon Calder the Independent's travel writer had an interesting artcle in The independent on the 27th April entitled A fresh angle on Anglesey which can be viewed on line at The Independent's website by following this link to the image further down the page.

Like many visitors to the Island I often drive through it on the A55 on my way to and from the rather expensive car ferry to Ireland from Holyhead listening to a Duffy cd.

The A55 has certainly improved transport links cutting through the island with a well kept dual carriageway which is a great improvement on the old winding A5, however if I am early for the ferry, will often still take the A5 from the Menai bridge. Driving along this route you pass (what is quoted in Simon Calder's article) "The undisputed longest valid domain name in the world is llanfairpwllgwyn gyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysilio gogogochuchaf.org.uk", for the Anglesey village more concisely known as Llanfair PG" and this is only a mile or two from a village known as "Star", quite a contrast.

Back in July 1969 I spent a most enjoyable stay at a self catering holiday rental and we hired a black and white TV set and watched Neil Armstrong taking the first steps on the moon on the 21st July. The spacious bungalow at Maltreath was and ideal location for touring the island and also parts of north Wales. Caernarfon Castle is very close on the mainland Wales side of the Menai Strait (Afon Menai) and in 1969 the current Prince of Wales, HRH Prince Charles’s investiture took place here.

Left: Holyhead 1969 and Right: 2010

Little island in North Wales’ ready to reap Royal dividend - Wales on Line - May 2-2011 Read More Here

More information about Anglesey

Anglesey is joined to the mainland by bridges crossing the Menai Straits - road and rail. (Britannia road bridge and Telford rail bridge) People drive through the centre Anglesey without really taking too much notice of it as it is the connecting point via the excellent modern dual carriageway A55 from the mainland to the car ferry terminal at Holyhead - Caergybi.

If you are taking the car ferry service to Ireland (Stenna or Irish Ferries) it is\well worth allowing additional time to look at the local heritage. Better still if you are taking a holiday in North Wales spend some time looking around.

What to see:

Holyhead Maritime Museum - Amgueddfa Forwrol Caergybi

Swtan - The last remaining thatched croft house cottage on Anglesey

Llynnon - An iron age village with two prehistoric roundhouses and a windmill

Copper Kingdom - Y Deyrnas Gopr - at Amlwch Seawatch Centre - Canolfan Gwylfan Moelfre - and lifeboat station

Tacla Taid Anglesey,s Transport Museum - Amgueddfa Drafnidiaeth Ynys Môn - Great collection of old vehicles, a 1940's cobbled street with two houses, a shop and traditional garage.

Beaumaris Gaol and Courtroom - Llys a Charchar Biwmares - Victorian jail

Lligwy a Din Lligwy - Burial chamber and fortified village dating back to the latter part of the Roman occupation.

Aberlleiniog Castle - Castell Aberlleiniog - Norman Castle

Penmon Priory - Priordy Penmon - Monastery

Point Lynas Lighthouse - Goleudy Trwyn Du - Built in 1835 by the Trustees of Liverpool docks.

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Anglesey - Experience its Award Winning Beaches By David M Phillips

The beautiful island of Anglesey is found off the North West coast of Wales. One of its main attractions are its exceptionally fine sandy beaches and sea views. In fact the beaches are perfect for swimming, sailing and a whole range of water sports.

Here you will find clean, blue waters which can attract even the most sceptical of beach visitors. The highly respected European Blue Flag Award Scheme has again given top marks to a number of Anglesey beaches.

So whether you are an international traveller or from elsewhere in the UK, when you see the Blue Flag you can be confident the waters are of the highest standards for bathing. And support facilities are also excellent which means a visitor can have further confidence in what’s on offer.

On Holy Island, a smaller island off the West coast of Anglesey, is Trearddur Bay beach. This vast south-west facing beach is popular with swimmers and sailors. If you prefer a swim, that’s fine. You’re safe from power boats and jet skis which have to observe speed restrictions and stay outside a line marked by buoys.

Behind the concrete promenade is the Millennium Cross which was erected to commemorate AD 2000. The cross bears the name St. Ffraid, the patron Saint of Trearddur. Originally, from Faughart in Ireland, legend has it that St. Ffraid was carried across the Irish Sea on a green square turf.

Moving further along to a smaller beach called Porth Diana you will find a slipway for the sailing dinghies and other craft which use these coastal waters. One of the most spectacular sights is when all the different sail boats gather during the Annual Regatta in August. The sea is full of colour.

Here you will see different shaped sail boats, white, green, and yellow sails and spinnakers against a steady blue horizon to the west. It was the red sails of these boats that inspired the famous song “Red Sails at Sunset”.

To the south of the island is another Blue Flag winning beach called Llanddwyn. Approaching from the famous village of Newborough, you can choose to walk through a fascinating coniferous forest with its abundant wildlife a stimulus to the senses.

Emerging from the forest, you will witness a wide panorama with the blue sea before you and the soft earthy browns and greens of the Snowdon mountain range touching the horizon to your left.

Then there is the famous Llanddwyn Island, with its old church ruins and a white lighthouse at the southernmost point. This is where Dwynwen, patron saint of lovers is said to have been buried. And it was here that Demi Moore filmed “Half Light”, a film soon to be released.

On the eastern side of Anglesey is the Blue Flag Beach at Llanddona. To approach this beach you need to drive down some narrow country lanes, as the village by the same name is one of the highest points on the island.

It’s well worth taking the time to appreciate the magnificent and breathtaking views from the top before you descend to the beach itself. To the left is the red Wharf Bay and the nearby coastal village of Benllech. Looking further north along the coast, the eye reaches Moelfre, famous over the years for the heroics of its Lifeboat crew in some mammoth sea conditions.

Facing the east, Llanddona beach is sheltered from the prevailing south westerly winds, and its great for family watersports. From here you may well see on the horizon a distant ship on passage to Liverpool.

So, whether you want to swim, sail, jet ski or just visit interesting sites and take in the beautiful sea views, Anglesey’s clean, quality beaches have much to offer the international traveller.

David M Phillips is with Anglesey Today, a journal and news resource on Anglesey life at http://www.anglesey-today.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_M_Phillips

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