Holyhead Outskirts

I followed the Anglesey/Wales Coast Path signs past the docks and on to an open grass area which separated a housing estate from the coast. The area was disappointingly strewn with litter. Somebody had pitched a tent on one edge of the area and the resident had gone over to some bushes to have a pee. A large chimney dominated the eastern end of this area and the path headed towards it. The OS map showed that it was an Aluminium Works. At Penrhos Beach a dog owner was throwing a tennis ball for his dog to chase. Each time he threw it, the dog had to scamper through the effluent from what looked like a sewerage overflow outlet. Given the amount of rain we'd had this morning I hoped the owner would give his dog a good bath after the walk.

Napoleonic Battery

The path ascended a little to the remains of a Napoleonic Battery. Openings in the sea-facing wall were presumbably for the canons. The cannon's range must have been pretty good since it is a massive bay leading into Holyhead harbour. Looking across to the docks I could see that one of the ferries was making a move across to Ireland. I hope the passengers were well supplied with sea sick pills. Even from this distance I could see enormous waves breaking over the north breakwater. 

The number of people got exponentially larger when I reached Penrhos Coastal Park. I watched a middle aged couple try to fly a small kite. The husband was on kite fetching duties while the wife dealt with the string and provided instructions. Repeatedly the husband would let go of the kite, it would fly 20 yards up into the air and then fly in downward circles until it nose dived into the grass. There is a massive stone seat on the highest point of the cliff and is know as Tunnicliffe's Seat. This is to commemorate the wildlife artist, Charles Tunnicliffe. In 1947 he bought Shorelands, a house at Malltraeth...yes, that very same Malltraeth where I was forced to abandon my walk this morning (see Malltraeth Dripping Cob). Fate's fickle wheel is obviously at play here. 

Penrhos Country Park

I turned my back on the kite flyers at their 35th attempt to get the thing airborne and headed south alongside Beddmanarch Bay. It really was quite pleasant walking along there with great views across the bay. The path delivered me to the main carpark for the Penrhos Country Park and it looked pretty much full. No wonder there were so many people walking around here. I wandered over to the Stanley Embankment that stretches across the bay. This was built by Thomas Telford as part of the London to Holyhead road. There is a small commemorative stone placed at the start of the embankment by the Institute Of Civil Engineers. A road runs across the embankment now with a much larger dual-carriage way and railway bridge running parallel to it. 

Return To Holyhead Suburbia

I followed a cycle route back through the woodland of Penrhos Coastal park and this returned me to Penrhos Beach. The man who had earlier been playing fetch with his dog near the sewerage overflow outlet wasn't there now; he was probably at the nearest vets getting antibiotics for his pooch. 

I wandered back through familiar streets to the hotel feeling as though I was a local now.  The walk had been a lot more enjoyable than expected having quite a lot of points of historical interest. The weather had been stunning on the walk; blustery, cold and lots of sun. There hadn't been one spot of rain either.