| Trips - Anglesey |
Dave Button. Email: secretary@warwickclimbingclub.co.uk
Anglesey Outdoors Centre, Porthdafarch Road, Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales, LL65 2LP. (£3.95 per head per night)
The campsite is part of the Anglesey Outdoor Centre which is situated on Holy Island Anglesey between Trearddur Bay and Holyhead. This area offers some of the best outdoor activities to be found anywhere in the UK both on and off the water. Being on anglesey, the sea is never far away, Porthdafarch Bay is the nearest beach and is only about a five minute walk from the campsite with Treardur Bay about 20. There are separate male and female shower facilities, and a washing up area. All site users have access to a Drying Room, the Paddlers Return Bar & Cycle Store.
Follow the M6 north-west and leave at junction 10a on the M54. Continue west on the M54 and then A5 until Shrewsbury. Stay on the A5 until Bangor then take the A55 North to Holyhead. Anglesey Outdoors is located approx 2Km from the main A55 Holyhead exit. Arriving at the last roundabout from the A55 you will see MacDonalds and Netto supermarket on the left hand side of the road. Take first left off the roundabout (signed to Trearddur Bay B4545) Immediately take the first right turn between the Angel and The Foresters Pub, (approx 20yds). This turning is before the pelican crossing you see ahead of you. Continue out of Holyhead along this road for 1.5 miles. There is a made up road on the left called Mill Lane. Immediately after this, there is a track to the left signed to ANGLESEY OUTDOORS and Paddlers Return Bar. The reception is on the ground floor of the main centre.
Local maps can be found on the Centre website by clicking here
There are several crags on the Island, each with its own atmosphere and rock character.
Gogarth - The Gogarth sea cliffs offers a unique climbing experience. Almost universally bold, sparsley protected, and sometimes on suspect rock, Gogarth requires a greater degree of climbing competence and a cool head. Yet, the area sports some of the all-time classic routes unrivalled in the UK, such as "The Cad", "A Dream of White Horses", and "Mousetrap". Many a born-again trad hard man has cut his teeth on Gogarth rock. Gogarth is not the place for leaders operating at grades less than HVS. Due to the salty atmosphere, pegs found in-situ should be treated with the utmost suspicion.
Castell Helen - Features the most solid stretch of rock on the South Stack cliffs, with good qiality routes, often powerful, and with reasonable protection. Starts of some routes can be affected by tide; all access by abseil - note that the easiest way out is of VS standard.
Holyhead Mountain - A very different experience from the Gogarth sea cliffs, but the Holyhead Mountain crags provide some good, albeit short, routes of all grades on variable quality rock. Some parts of the crags covered with grey lichen, which can make the rock slimy when damp. However, the rocks still dry out reasonably quick on a windy day. Mainly single-pitch routes to 40 metres. Mixture of slabby buttresses and steep walls, mostly on solid and clean quartzite, up to 130 ft. Good for a relaxed day or mileage, or just some short but quality extremes or lower grade stuff. The harder routes should not be unerestimated though. Some of the best short pitches in North Wales too, I kid you not... Best routes:- Candlestick (HS 4a) Curtains (VS) Cursing (VS4c) Teaser (VS 4c) Tension (VS 4c) Black & Tan (VS 4c) King-Bee Crack (HVS 5a) Bruvvers (HVS 5a) See Emily Play (HVS 5a) Breaking the Barrier (E1 5b) Bran Flake (E2 5b) Echoes (E3 6a) Sai Dancing (E3 6a/E4 6b/E3 6b/E4 6a???) Skinned up (E4 6b) Katana (E4 6a).
Rhoscolyn - A mixture of rock-types, not dissimilar to that of Gogarth South Stack. Focus is on single-pitch Extremes with big Gogarth feel, yet without the grip-factor experienced elsewhere on the Gogarth cliffs. A selection of fine easier-grade climbs exist too. Mainly single pitch routes to 50 metres.
Anglesy is famous as a sea kayaking venue but also offers some surf and playboating.
| Surf Spots: | Cable Bay | Rhoscolyn Bay | Treadur Bay | Porthdafarch Bay |
| Playboating: | Stanley Embankment |
| This is a tidal race in North Wales located between Anglesey and Holy Island. It forms a wave which is perfect for flatspins and in a long boat, very big air is the order of the day. It is formed by a high tide squeezing through a three meter tunnel and forms an absolutely gorgeous playspot. There are a few safety points to consider. As long as you are on the A55 side of the bridge and the tide is flowing towards you, then you're fine. Don't paddle through the tunnel unless you're very early in the tide. If in doubt, paddle round to access the spot from downstream because a nasty stopper can form upstream of the playspot. Also, don't bother to try and get it when the tide's flowing the other way. The wave's goes from impossible to catch to swimmer-retentive in a couple of minutes. If you're not sure, find a local who knows - there are normally plenty, especially at weekends when the rivers are low. | |
| Penrhyn Mawr | |
| Tidal Race and overfalls off the North West Coast around South Stack. |
There is Mountain Biking on the Island, though it is, on the whole, prety tame, save for the area around Holyhead Mountain where some greater sport can be found.
Times in GMT, heights in metres above chart datum. For times in BST, add one hour. Predictions DO NOT include meteorological effects.
| Date | High | Low | High | Low |
| Sat 23rd | 01:56 | 08:09 | 14:23 | 20:34 |
| 5.32m | 1.26m | 4.92m | 1.54m | |
| Sun 24th | 02:51 | 09:06 | 15:25 | 21:44 |
| 5.00m | 1.62m | 4.68m | 1.83m | |
| Mon 25th | 04:04 | 10:24 | 16:50 | 23:16 |
| 4.68m | 1.93m | 4.54m | 1.94m |
GuidebooksGogarth - Climbers Club (1990) |
MapsOS Landranger 114 (1:50,000) - Anglesey |