I last went to Anglesey in 1991 with three friends from my course at University. It was a post exam trip; we stayed in a Youth Hostel and visited a National Trust Property - Plas Newydd; famous for its Whistler mural and fantastic views over the Menai Straits. We also went to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysiliogogogoch and stood under the railway sign like hundreds of tourists before and since!
My only other experience of Anglesey was in about 1993; when I went to Ireland with a friend and we got the ferry from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire. My memories from that trip; were that we failed to find the fast North Wales Express way and nearly missed our ferry!
Anglesey is a place much loved by Mancunians; I hadn't quite appreciated how close it was! (It only took just over two hours to get there!) Every person I spoke to before we went had advice about what to do; best beaches; best wet weather activities!
I was looking forward to going to Stone Science; a museum of the geology of Anglesey; but we never had a day wet enough to do it!
The place we stayed was a 10 minute walk from the beach; great body boarding beach and it had a stream running from the village to the sea that was perfect for wading; swimming and kayaking.
I loved the view from the beach; the mountains on the Llyn Peninsula. (I am sure I could see the mountain we had camped at in 1981 when we did our first family trip to Wales) It was also possible to see the edge of Snowdonia from the village. I don't think we saw Snowdon the whole week we were there; it was always shrouded in cloud.
The children; my friend and I went for a hack along part of the Menai Straits; we had amazing views of Caernarfon.
It was a relaxing and enjoyable week; the coast paths were studded with fantastic flowers and lots of unusual butterflies. We found Neolithic Burial Chambers and churches only accessible at low tide. Castles that were almost in the sea.
On the day we left; we met some other friends in Caernarfon and looked back over at Anglesey; We could see the riding school. It was a great way to finish the holiday!
My memories of Caernarfon had been that it was a grey town with an imposing castle; I found old photos from my trip there in 1981; we had obviously been there on a very rainy day and it does look grey and quite bleak. Thirty plus years later; on a sunshiny day it was glorious! It reminded me of the French City of La Rochelle. It was apparently based on Byzantine Castles.
I wonder what memories my children will have laid down during this holiday. I hope they remember some of the stories their Dad has told them about the history and legends of Wales. (I hope I remember them too!)
Beaumaris; nearly in the sea.
Aberffraw Beach
A random bit of Yarn Bombing near the neolithic tomb
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