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Around Holyhead Mountain

Recommended by

Our view

"Holyhead Mountain offers a fantastic coastline stroll"

Walk directions

Take the path for the RSPB at Ellin’s Tower, a small white, castellated building, then climb the path above the cliffs back to the road. Follow left along to its end.

If you’re not visiting the lighthouse, climb right on a path to pass a stone shelter and then a wooden pole. Pass just right of the BT relay station to round the aerials and dishes. Keep ahead on the path, then take the left fork (the right is signed Summit). Ignore the next left (a dead-end path) and continue following waymarkers over the north shoulder of Holyhead Mountain.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Well-maintained paths and tracks, sometimes rocky

Landscape - Heathland, coastal cliffs and rocky hills

Dog friendliness - Dogs should be on a lead at all times

Parking - Ellin's Tower car park (free)

Toilets en route - At RSPB Visitor Centre (during opening hours)

Walks in Gwynedd Dog-friendly walks in Gwynedd

About the walk

Anglesey is flat, and when you motor along the fast and busy A55 to Holyhead the flat fields flashing by the car window confirm the fact. It comes as a surprise then, that when you leave the main road and pass Trearddur Bay, the green fields turn to rugged heathland that rises to a rocky hillside.... The locals and the map-makers call it Holyhead Mountain, and it matters little that it rises to a mere 722ft (220m) above the waves, because this mountain rises steep and craggy and looks out across those waves to Ireland. Breeding grounds The path from the car park heads straight for a white castellated building known as Ellin’s Tower. This former summerhouse is now an RSPB seabird centre. The surrounding area is a breeding ground for puffins, guillemots, razorbills and the rare mountain chough; a closed-circuit video camera shows live pictures of these birds. Outside you can look across to the little island of South Stack, with its lighthouse perched on high cliffs. Although the cliff scenery is stunning, a stark, stone shelter and the microwave dishes of a BT station spoil the early scenes, but they’re soon left behind as you head to that rocky mountain. Across the heath and North Stack In this area the footpath traverses splendid maritime heath dominated by ling, bell heather and stunted western gorse. The rare spotted rock rose also grows here – it looks a little like the common rock rose, but has red spots on its yellow petals. The footpath eventually climbs over the shoulder of a ridge connecting the summit and North Stack. You’ll see a direct path heading for the summit when you reach this ridge. It’s a bit of a scramble in places, but worth doing if you’re fit and there are no young children in your party. Otherwise, the best route for the more sedate rambler is to head along the ridge towards North Stack. After a short climb there’s a big drop down a zigzag path to reach a rocky knoll with a splendid view down to North Stack, another tiny island. On the mainland, adjacent, there’s a Fog Signal Station warning of the more treacherous waters. The boats to Ireland Now the walk cuts across more heath along the northeast side of Holyhead Mountain. From here you’ll be looking over Holyhead town and its huge harbour. Once a small fishing village, Holyhead came to prominence after the Act of Union 1821, when its convenient position for travel to Ireland made it the ideal choice for shipping routes. The big ferries and ‘cats’ will be a feature of this last leg, for you’ll surely see at least one glide out of the bay.

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About the area

The county of Gwynedd is home to most of the Snowdonia National Park – including the wettest spot in Britain, an arête running up to Snowdon’s summit that receives an average annual rainfall of 4,473mm. With its mighty peaks, rivers and strong Welsh heritage (it has the highest proportion of Welsh-speakers in all of Wales), it’s always been an extremely popular place to visit and live.

Route details

Difficulty:

Medium

Gradient:

Moderate

Distance:

5 miles (8kms)

Ascent:

1230ft (375m)

If you like this walk, you can try more routes in the area.

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Around Holyhead Mountain

Recommended by

Our view

"Holyhead Mountain offers a fantastic coastline stroll"

Walk details

Difficulty:

Medium

Gradient:

Moderate

Distance:

5 miles (8kms)

Ascent:

1230ft (375m)

Walk directions

Take the path for the RSPB at Ellin’s Tower, a small white, castellated building, then climb the path above the cliffs back to the road. Follow left along to its end.

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Ignore paths leading off right to the summit, but keep left on a good path heading north towards North Stack.

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Go over a rise and through a grassy, walled enclosure. The path descends in zigzags down steep slopes. Before reaching a track, go left to a rocky platform, where the Fog Signal Station and the island of North Stack come into full view. Retrace your steps back up the zigzags and down to level heathland.

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At a junction turn sharp left across the heath. Go right at the path’s end, contouring the eastern side of the mountain. Keep right at a fork and then ignore another summit path from the right. Beyond the mountain, as the path comes to a wall, keep to its right and follow the path downhill towards walled enclosures.

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Go down a grassy walled track before turning right along another, similar one. This soon becomes a rough path traversing more heathland, now to the south of Holyhead Mountain.

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Keep right at waymarked junctions and approach craggy cliffs, then bear left away from them on a wide path towards the relay station. Just before meeting your outward route, swing left on another wide path. When it reaches a service track, bear left again onto a tarmac path. Descend this, emerging at the end onto the road opposite the main RSPB Visitor Centre.

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Turn left along the road to return to the car park.

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Location

Starting point

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Well-maintained paths and tracks, sometimes rocky

Landscape - Heathland, coastal cliffs and rocky hills

Dog friendliness - Dogs should be on a lead at all times

Parking - Ellin's Tower car park (free)

Toilets en route - At RSPB Visitor Centre (during opening hours)

Walks in Gwynedd Dog-friendly walks in Gwynedd

About the walk

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

About the area

Gwynedd

Around Holyhead Mountain

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Around Holyhead Mountain

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