# What to do in and around Anglesey



## mattie (Mar 15, 2012)

A mate is getting married there in July and we're making a long weekend of it, so would appreciate advice on where to go, what to see and what to do.

I've been to Snowdon and experienced rain going upwards for the first time in my life, and I've 'enjoyed' the excellence that is the octagon, other than that I know nothing of the area outside of a few pubs in Bangor. I'd rather not repeat that particular weekend, so advice some more outdoorsy and spectacular things would be appreciated.

Ta muchly.


----------



## Ax^ (Mar 15, 2012)

Visit the town where the prisoner was filmed is about all can think of..


*ponders*


----------



## Utopia (Mar 15, 2012)

Ax^ said:


> Visit the town where the prisoner was filmed is about all can think of..
> 
> 
> *ponders*


 
Portmeirion.....amazing place!


----------



## mattie (Mar 15, 2012)

I love seasidey/estuary villages, so that's on list, ta muchly!

I assume north coast is worth avoiding?


----------



## Utopia (Mar 15, 2012)

mattie said:


> I love seasidey/estuary villages, so that's on list, ta muchly!
> 
> I assume north coast is worth avoiding?


 

Most of it yes, namely Rhyl, Llandudno & Colwyn bay!


----------



## JimW (Mar 15, 2012)

Conwy Castle is impressive.


----------



## mattie (Mar 15, 2012)

I actually like the look of Llandudno, it was the one tidy place I passed on train fro Manchester to Bangor.

Rhyl had miles of desolate-looking caravan parks and (I think) a rusting ship on a beach, and a reputation to rival Southend-on-Sea.


----------



## davesgcr (Mar 19, 2012)

Portmadog is decent enough ......(esp if you like steam railways) 

Criccieth


----------



## ddraig (Mar 19, 2012)

missed the 'aitch guv!
Port*h*madog


----------



## agricola (Mar 19, 2012)

mattie said:


> I actually like the look of Llandudno, it was the one tidy place I passed on train fro Manchester to Bangor.
> 
> Rhyl had miles of desolate-looking caravan parks and (I think) a rusting ship on a beach, and a reputation to rival Southend-on-Sea.


 
Fish Tram Chips is one of the nicest chip shops in the country, but apart from that (and the tram itself of course) Llandudno is just a jumped-up version of Rhyl.


----------



## teqniq (Mar 19, 2012)

Red Wharf Bay is lovely - nice pub and restaurant there too. South Stack is great for birdwatching and the walk down to the lighthouse is worth it.


----------



## mattie (Mar 21, 2012)

Ta all, a fairly comprehensive itinerary being worked up here.


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

It's not "Anglesea", it's "Anglesey".


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

I live here so here's some tips:

Best beach - Llanddwyn, though there are dozens of other fantastic beaches.
Avoid Holyhead, unless you're going to South Stack... a lighthouse with nice walks and views around there.
Porthmadog is about 40 minutes away, If you go there I can highly recommend "Snowdonia Ale", by the Purple Moose brewery. Lovely stuff, buy a barrel.
If you want to go for a trek in the mountains do the Nantlle Ridge walk, amazing.
Rhosneigr is the place to go if you're into any form of surfing. Good shop there to hire stuff and even have a lesson.

(more coming...)


----------



## mattie (Mar 21, 2012)

mwgdrwg said:


> It's not "Anglesea", it's "Anglesey".


 
That could have resulted in satnav disaster.

We're booked into a place in Trearddur Bay, most of the day will be spent in a church orunder a bar table so I'm not sure what we'll see, but should be fun.


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

teqniq said:


> Red Wharf Bay is lovely - nice pub and restaurant there too. South Stack is great for birdwatching and the walk down to the lighthouse is worth it.


 
Yep.


----------



## mattie (Mar 21, 2012)

mwgdrwg said:


> I live here so here's some tips:
> 
> Best beach - Llanddwyn, though there are dozens of other fantastic beaches.
> Avoid Holyhead, unless you're going to South Stack... a lighthouse with nice walks and views around there.
> ...


 
Ta for pointers - had a quick look at some of these and they look superb.  Which bit do you live in, btw?


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

mattie said:


> That could have resulted in satnav disaster.
> 
> We're booked into a place in Trearddur Bay, most of the day will be spent in a church orunder a bar table so I'm not sure what we'll see, but should be fun.


 
Treaddur Bay is where a lot of holidaymakers go. I've never been to the beach there as I'm closer to some far quieter ones. It's close to South Stack if you like coastal walks and birdwatching (there's an RSPB centre there). A couple of miles down the road is Rhosneigr which is where a lot of surfers go. THen a mile or two down the road is Trac Mon (car racing track if you're into that type of thing), Then a mile further is Aberffraw, a small village which has a lovely walk to the beach and amazing sand dunes to play in.


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

mattie said:


> Ta for pointers - had a quick look at some of these and they look superb. Which bit do you live in, btw?


 
I live in a tiny village, which I'd rather not name on these boards


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

There's a Llanddwyn thread on these boards, let me dig it out...


----------



## mwgdrwg (Mar 21, 2012)

Some South Stack pics by me included on this thread...

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/anglesey.253025/#post-9227682


...and Llanddwyn ones:

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/so-i-went-camping-to-wales.220296/page-2#post-7947682

(blatant self promotion hehe)


----------



## Infidel Castro (Mar 30, 2012)

Shit, it's mattie!  Mattie, make sure you stick around, yah?  Get over to the rugby thread....


----------



## Mrs Magpie (Mar 30, 2012)

mwgdrwg said:


> It's not "Anglesea", it's "Anglesey".


Sorted.


----------



## William of Walworth (Apr 12, 2012)

Beaumaris is surely worth a visit, what with its castle and views over to the mainland ...


----------



## mattie (Apr 13, 2012)

William of Walworth said:


> Beaumaris is surely worth a visit, what with its castle and views over to the mainland ...


 
Nice, I'll put that onto the list of places to go. Some of the google images, from certain angles, reminded me of Wells 



Infidel Castro said:


> Shit, it's mattie! Mattie, make sure you stick around, yah? Get over to the rugby thread....


 
 I wouldn't know where to start. Or stop.


----------



## Infidel Castro (Apr 14, 2012)

Pah!  Just do it


----------



## mattie (Jul 1, 2012)

Right, we've wangled a few more days for this, so plan is to stop on way up - somewhere like Portmerion or Harlech - and maybe similar on way home as well as a few days on Anglesey.

Any suggestions for decent hotels or (preferably) b&bs at any of the above, or failing that anywhere in general environs?

Usually we just rock up and find accommodation, but not sure that'll work in tourist country in high season.

All advice greatly appreciated.


----------



## starfish (Jul 1, 2012)

Go to Llanfairpg. & lie on the sign  at the train station. Criccieth Castle is nice to visit as is Caernarffon Castle.


----------



## Bernie Gunther (Jul 1, 2012)

mattie said:


> <snip> Rhyl had miles of desolate-looking caravan parks and (I think) a rusting ship on a beach, and a reputation to rival Southend-on-Sea.


 
Mate of mine got sliced with a Stanley there, resulting in 20-odd inch scar snaking down his back (he was running like fuck at the time and thought it was just a punch at first)


----------



## Fozzie Bear (Jul 2, 2012)

Got in-laws round there, who have mentioned the Centre for Alternative Technology: http://www.cat.org.uk/ (I've not been).

Anglesey itself has some nice beaches and is ok for a wander around iirc.

Looks like there is a not-very-interesting jazz festival this weekend www.plasnewyddjazz.com


----------



## mattie (Jul 3, 2012)

Ta all - looking forward to this.

Any recommendations for B&Bs, by any chance?  Portmerion looks an unlikely place for us to try and stay, prefer the more personal.


----------



## mattie (Jul 12, 2012)

Right, the decent thing to do would be to give some feedback - ta to all for inputs.

All went well, save for biblical rain when we were on the way up which ruined views through Snowdonia - we stayed at Llandudno for the first night, so weather was perhaps a warning from 'im upstairs. I quite like faded glory Victorian resorts so I enjoyed it. Had a tidy dinner at the Albert - seems quite appropriate to mention that here - and a few pints of Celtica which went down very nicely indeed.

On Anglesey, South Stack lovely, but with mates and their baby so didn't go to lighthouse - they had an RSPB 'event' on with loads of spotters' scopes giving really good view of the birds. Trearddur Bay has a superb beach but we hardly saw it, spent most of a very enjoyable night sat on a jetty by a remote boathouse drinking beer with mates and enjoying the view.

Portmerion is weird but wonderful, had a night in Harlech where we had an excellent Caribbean meal, went on the Porthmadog - Blaenau Ffestiniog railway and had a look round Caernarfon (Caernarffon?) where we had a few very decent beers in the Black Boy pub. Stopped at Centre for Alternative Energy, which was interesting of sorts, the displays of MSc coursework were pretty damn impressive in places.

All in all, very good, and a nice change to our usual Brecon/Pembrokeshire Wales trips.


----------

