8 Free Places to visit on the Island of Anglesey, Wales
8 Free Places to Visit of the Island of Anglesey
WALES ON A BUDGET
The Island of Anglesey is a photographer’s dream.
Filled with wonderful wildlife, a scenic coastline, and historical buildings, we can’t stop returning.
What’s more, our favourite things to do on the Island are free, which is always a bonus when it comes to traveling. A forest filled with rare red squirrels, a coastal path hugging the entire island, and surreal multicolored mountains is what’s in store for your next visit.
So if you find yourself on this delightful island off the northwest coast of Wales then below is a list curated for you.
PARYS MOUNTAINS
When travelling to a new destination, we always want to find unique places to visit and the Parys Mountains definitely ticked that unique box for us!
This colourful landscape uncovered from the excavations is like no other we’ve seen before. With multiple shades of reds, yellows and oranges, these vibrant colours just can’t be appreciated enough through photos!
The Parys Mountains is the site of one of the largest copper mines in the world and was used in the 18th century. Now disused you can follow the rugged pathways through a colourful network of walks, admire the array of colours and learn about the history of the mines. These mines transformed the local town from a small fishing village to one of the countries most industrial towns of the 18th and 19th centuries.
You can head to the nearest town of Amlwch (a 12-minute drive away) to visit the Copper Kingdom exhibition centre. Here you can learn more about the mine owner himself, Thomas Williams, better known as the “Copper King” and the history behind the mine.
The Parys Mountains are free but the Copper Kingdom exhibition centre has a charge. (Adults £7, child £5)
2. PORTH WEN BRICKWORKS
Porth Wen Brickworks is a disused Victorian brickworks set on the edge of the Traeth Porth Wen Beach. These abandoned buildings set next to the clear turquoise water are definitely an off-the-beaten-track experience and one to visit when on Anglesey. The location for the brickworks was chosen due to the high amount of quartzite - a component of fire bricks - amply available in the quarries nearby.
Exploring the remains of these buildings including the three surviving kilns and the machinery left behind definitely brings out the inquisitive child in you. The brickworks is now a Scheduled Monument (a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection)
There are no signposts so we’d suggest using Google Maps and visiting from a public footpath on the road which eventually takes you down a stone walkway to the brickworks below. Or you can visit by walking east on the coastal path from Cemaes Bay which is a longer but much more scenic route.
The beach itself is a beautiful one so if the sun’s out grab a picnic and take your swimwear!
3. SOUTH STACK LIGHTHOUSE & ELIN’S TOWER
Located off the northwest coast on Holy Island, this photogenic lighthouse stands tall on the summit of its very own islet. Built in 1809, this lighthouse has the job of warning ships about the dangerous rocks below.
From the cliffs, take a wander around one of the high coastal pathways and you can experience a stunning view looking down at the lighthouse, with the winding white walls leading up to it. Or you can walk down the lighthouse via the decent of 400 steps down the steep mainland cliff.
The sunset here is a beautiful one. Visit later in the day to watch the sun trail off into the distance and set below the sea in front of you. If you get the right weather conditions it’s worth staying for!
A short walk from the lighthouse is Elin's Tower. An old Victorian stone tower that is perfect for bird spotting and provides a fantastic view of the lighthouse. You can hire binocular at the visitors center or watch the live TV camera feed from a nearby nesting site. If you’re fortunate enough to visit in spring and summer then you can watch thousands of breeding seabirds like puffins, razorbills, and guillemots!
The tower was used in the first and second World Wars as a coastal observation tower but has since been restored. The main visitor center is next to the main car park is just a short walk uphill from the tower and is used by the RSPB as an information center, cafe and shop for the nature reserve which it’s situated in.
Take a visit to the South Stack Visitor Centre, just a 3-minute drive to the car park closet to the lighthouse. Here you can learn more about the coastal reserve and nature trails along with the birds who call South Stack their home.
4. PENMON POINT
Surrounded by seals and dolphins jumping into the soft sunrise light, Penmon Point is a definite must when visiting the island.
Standing on the rocky coastline, on the left, you have the black and white lighthouse, in front, you’ll find Puffin Island and to your right is the Snowdonia National Park mounting range. All lit up perfectly by the sun.
The Trwyn Du Lighthouse, one of only 5 working lighthouses on Anglesey, stands out with its unconventional black and white stripes looking out to the puffins and seals on the small island in front.
If you’re an expert kayaker and enjoy water sports then you can kayak out to Puffin Island from the mainland. Keep your eyes out for dolphins and harbor porpoises bobbing along the shore in the summer! From the mainland, during low tide, you can see a colony of seals who usually inhabit the island resting on the shore or catching fish.
Beaumaris to Penmon Point is a lovely coastal walk (part of the Anglesey Coastal Path) and is roughly 4.5 miles / 7.25 km long. The town of Beaumaris itself is worth a visit with its Georgian architecture, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the hometown for Puffin Island tours.
Read our article “A GUIDE TO VISITING PENMON POINT, ANGLESEY” for a more detailed breakdown of Penmon Point.
In the summertime, we’d definitely recommend booking a tour to Puffin Island, also known as Ynys Seiriol in Welsh. This island is the ninth largest off the Welsh coast and you can take a boat trip to explore the seabirds including the guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and of course the puffins. These trips run from the town of Beaumaris during the months between April and July and prices range from £10 to £20 depending on the duration.
5. NEWBOROUGH NATURE RESERVE
A long sandy beach right on the doorstep of a dense forest is such a unique location on the south-western tip of Anglesey. The cherry on top is the truly photogenic lighthouse standing proud overlooking the choppy waves below.
For us, this is the best of both worlds. Start the day with a lovely stroll through the forest, keeping an eye out for red squirrels (which is what this nature reserve is well-known for), then have a chilled picnic on the beach, exploring the sand dunes and watching the waves. Then to end the day watch the sunset behind the Twr Mawr Lighthouse and take a stroll along the beach back to the car park.
Newborough Forest
This extensive pine forest is the largest forestry on the island at over 2,000 acres in size and it’s also one of the most important red squirrel conservation sites in the UK.
Miles of paths meander through the ivy-covered trees with the distant view of the sandy beach in the background. With multiple trails to choose from which vary from easy to hard, these are colour coded along the way and easy to navigate. While on one of the wonderful walks you can witness the rare red squirrels which are low in number in the UK. There are a few locations on Anglesey and Newborough Forest is one of them!
Llanddwyn Beach, also known as Newborough Beach is a Blue Flag beach that is flanked by the forest. With miles of soft golden sand, it’s no surprise that it’s renowned as one of the finest beaches in Britain. The beach is framed with incredible views of the mountains to the left and the Llanddwyn Island and lighthouse popping up in the distance to the right. Have a paddle while gazing upon the impressive views of Snowdonia or even try your hand at windsurfing which this beach is increasingly becoming more popular for.
A forest, mountains, lighthouse & sandy beaches = the perfect combination for a day out!
6. LLANDDWYN ISLAND & TWR MAWR LIGHTHOUSE
Sitting on the tidal island coming off of Llanddwyn Beach is the ridiculously photogenic Twr Mawr Lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1845 and was modeled on traditional Anglesey windmills.
Along with the lighthouse on Llanddwyn Island, you’ll find ruins of an ancient church, rolling dunes, and sandy beaches. On the coastline, you can find seals enjoying the waters along with various birds such as oystercatchers, cormorants, and crossbills.
The island is coastal and remains attached to the mainland but be careful not to get stuck at high tide! You can check the tides here. We’d say this location it’s best enjoyed at sunrise and sunset when you have good weather.
7. BLUE FLAG BEACHES
Being an island surrounded by 125 miles of unspoiled coastline, it's no surprise that Anglesey has an abundance of sandy beaches, 6 of them being recognized by the Blue Flag award.
This award recognizes beaches for their high environmental and quality standards. Being an internationally recognized award this keeps beaches to a high level and reassures visitors they’re clean, safe and promote sound environmental management.
The Llanddwyn beach mentioned above is one of these award-winning beaches. Along with Porth Dafarch, Church Bay, Benllech, Llanddona, and Trearddur Bay. You can view an interactive map of all of the beaches here along with additional information about each beach.
So go horseback riding along the shore, surf the waves or just dip your toes in! Whatever you do, you can’t visit Angelsey and not experience the wonderful beaches.
8. THE ANGELSEY COASTAL PATH
How many islands can you say you walked the entire border of?
The Anglesey Coastal Path is a scenic route that follows the coastline for over 130 miles (200km) and is popular with outdoor enthusiasts. This circular path covers the whole of the island, taking an average of 12 days to complete and starting in Holyhead. With such scenic views and stunning landscapes, this path falls within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which isn’t surprising if you’ve ever visited one of the many beaches and bays on the island. You can find a detailed map of the route here.
What better way to explore a new destination! This coastal path also takes you through every point in this article apart from number 1.
The path takes you through cliffs, farmland, dunes, coastal heaths, and small pockets of woodland. The highest point along the journey is 4,174m on Holyhead Mountain not far from the South Stack Lighthouse and a highlight along the route. Other highlights include the idyllic sea arches at Bwa Gywn, the impressive Menai Suspension Bridge, and the small village by Cemaes Bay.
Enjoy the wildflowers, the fresh air, the seals, and the sea birds! What’s more, if you complete the full 130-mile route you can be rewarded with a special badge and certificate to celebrate the achievement!
We always love our time on the island of Angelsey! We hope this article has inspired you to visit for yourselves and will be helpful for your next trip!
Have you visited Angelsey before? If you have any recommendations you’d like to share then please do! Let us know in the comments below.