Tourist Information
Below is an example of some of the tourist information we hold here on holyhead.com
South Stack
This breathtaking cliff-top site on Holy Island boasts walks, a visitor centre and closed circuit TV to view nesting birds. In summer over 4,000 pairs of seabirds nest at South Stack cliffs. From Ellin's Tower visitor centre you can watch puffins, fulmars, guillemots and razorbills, using binoculars and telescopes, and see live pictures of the birds on the cliffs. Superb bird watching opportunities are not the only reason to visit South Stack. The cliffs contain some of the oldest rocks in Wales, dating back nearly 600 million years to a geological period called the Precambrian. The extensive folds in the cliff face bear witness to some of the earth movements and forces that have shaped Wales. The layering of different materials making up the rocks is clearly visible. The sandstone (brown-orange) and mudstone (lighter grey) layers have acted differently as they've been folded.
Holyhead Mountain (Welsh: Mynydd Tŵr, meaning tower mountain) is the highest hill on Holy Island, Anglesey, and the highest in the county of Anglesey, north Wales. It lies about three kilometres west of the town of Holyhead, and slopes steeply down to the Irish Sea on two sides. There is a late Roman watchtower, called Caer y Tŵr (Tower Fortress) on the east side of the hill. Holyhead Mountain also has an Iron Age Stone Circle settlement and the material for the Breakwater was quarried from the Mountain too.Holyhead Mountain attracts many visitors, and it is also located close to South Stack lighthouse; many people come to see the variety of birds which nest along the cliff faces near South Stack.
BREAKWATER COUNTRY PARK is situated at the foot of Holyhead mountain.Follow the sign posts to the Holyhead quarry which supplied the 2.4 mile-long breakwater with the building stone.Many different plans were proposed for the New Harbour at Holyhead amongst which were those from Captain H. Evans-Holyhead Harbour Master, J. Walker C.E. to the Admiralty, Captain Beechy R.N..The successful application was made by J. M. Rendell C.E. of Westminster, who proposed the splendid design we see today. It consisted of a breakwater 5,100 feet long, from Soldier's Point to terminate at the Platter's Buoy, and a 2,100 ft pier from Salt Island, enclosing an area of 316 acres, three quarters of a mile long, at an estimated cost of 700,000 pounds. The contractors were Messrs. J. and C. Rigby, London,G. C. Dobson was the resident engineer, G.F. Lyster the Assistant Engineer, Mr. J. Radford - General Manager and Mr. R. Cousins - engineer for the contractors.The work began in January 1848. It took 12 months to lay down railway lines to the quarries, erecting stages and other necessary preparations. Broad gauge was used for the railway as this enabled the contractors to bring heavier stone on to the site. An average of 1,300 men were employed on this project. The Moelfre quarry from which Limestone was produced and Holyhead Mountain from which was extracted schistus quarts - were the quarried used. The work was very hazardous and more than 40 men lost their lives between 1849 and 1852.In May 1853, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert together with other members of the Royal Family witnessed 20,000 tons of rock being brought down by 400lbs of explosives.The largest explosion of all took place when 16,000lbs of explosive removed 90.000 tons of rock!The work took 28 years to complete, and ended in 1876.
Many different plans were proposed for the New Harbour at Holyhead amongst which were those from Captain H. Evans - Holyhead Harbour Master, J. Walker C.E. to the Admiralty, Captain Beechy R.N.The successful application was made by J. M. Rendell C.E. of Westminster, who proposed the splendid design we see today. It consisted of a breakwater 5,100 feet long, from Soldier's Point to terminate at the Platter's Buoy, and a 2,100 ft pier from Salt Island, enclosing an area of 316 acres, three quarters of a mile long, at an estimated cost of £700,000. The contractors were Messrs. J. and C. Rigby, London,G. C. Dobson was the resident engineer, G.F. Lyster the Assistant Engineer, Mr. J. Radford - General Manager and Mr. R. Cousins - engineer for the contractors. The work began in January 1848. It took 12 months to lay down railway lines to the quarries, erecting stages and other necessary preparations. Broad gauge was used for the railway as this enabled the contractors to bring heavier stone on to the site. An average of 1,300 men were employed on this project. The Moelfre quarry from which Limestone was produced and Holyhead Mountain from which was extracted schistus quarts - were the quarried used. The work was very hazardous and more than 40 men lost their lives between 1849 and 1852. In May 1853, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert together with other members of the Royal Family witnessed 20,000 tons of rock being brought down by 400lbs of explosives. The largest explosion of all took place when 16,000lbs of explosive removed 90.000 tons of rock! The work took 28 years to complete, and ended in 1876.
