Mike's Guide to Anglesey

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Unless you come by ferry, there really is only one route onto Anglesey, and that's along the A55, which is quite a fast moving road with some nice scenery to break the boredom. On a good run it should take you about 1¼ hours  from Chester.

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We were staying in Benllech, so we turned right after the Jubilee Bridge and headed along the A5025. Whether you are heading this way or not, Pili Palas is well worth a visit, and only about 5-10 minutes from the bridge.  It is about £4 to get in, and there are loads of butterflies, insects and other fascinating creatures. I was expecting it to be a bit boring, but it is actually very good. There is loads for the kids as well.

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Next stop for us was Red Wharf Bay, but beware, there isn't a lot there.  It's very pretty and a great picnic spot.  It's also a good spot for kite flying

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Benllech beach is one of the nicest beaches I have been to. It's very clean, with loads of parking (£1.20 per day). There's a small cafe, but there is none of the tackiness you can get with beach areas.

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On our second day, we headed for the west side of the island, travelling through Llangefni on the way. A cute place, which also has some of the main stream shops if you want to go for a look.

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Near Newborough you will find the Anglesey Model Village. Model villages are a favourite of mine, since my parents took me to one as a small child.  The novelty of this place is that it is miniature sights of Anglesey. The down side however is that there is much to it !!! It costs £4.50 and you have seen everything within 10-15 minutes, making it a fairly expensive ¼ hour.   A small play area for kids and a cute model train add little to the experience I'm afraid.  Only go if you like model villages.

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If you are on the west side of the island, this little cove should not be missed. Cable Bay is just off the A4080 near Rhosneigr and has free parking and a great beach.  An ice-cream van turns up periodically, but other than that it is very quiet, some great cliffs to shelter next to if the wind gets up. 

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The other main reason for stopping at Cable Bay is to visit Barclodiad y Gawres Burial Chamber.  You HAVE to visit a burial chamber at some point during your visit, and this one is a good as any, with a nice walk along the cliff edge to get to it.

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Rhosneigr was a bit of a disappointment.  Unless you like windsurfing, there isn't much else there to do.   There are however some amusing 40/50 somethings with long hair and baggy shorts trying to convince everyone that they are actually 19 year old back-packers !!!.  A pleasant, reasonably priced lunch can be obtained from Sandy's Bistro (turn left at the crossroads)

Beaumaris

Our third and last day was spent in Beaumaris. You should allow at least ½ day here as there is some good stuff to do and look at.  If you get here before 11.00 am, head for the car-park behind the castle, as it is only £1.20 for the day.   Any later and you'll be paying £3 to park on grass. Tourists maps of Beaumaris are available free from the tourist office on Castle Street, or you can print out the one I've supplied for you:

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This is Beaumaris castle which is quite amazing. It costs £3.50 to get in and there are loads of nooks and crannies to explore.  The park area surrounding it is very pleasant, with a putting green.

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A must during your visit is a trip to Puffin Island, which leaves from the harbour for £4 and takes about an hour.  There's some great sights on the way, including the old Priory (left) and the lighthouse (right).

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Puffin Island itself is very interesting, with it's derelict monastery and communication building.  The wildlife is also very interesting, but be advised that most of the birds are only around until the end of August, and the actual puffins are only there for July and August.

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Back in Beaumaris, this old quaint house (left) can be found on Castle Street and is worth a quick look.  Also worth a glance is the old Church (right), which is apparantly as old as the castle.

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To chill out in Beaumaris, most people gather either at the harbour or here, near the Courthouse.  To orientate you, the castle is just to the left of this photo.  As you can see from the photo, most people sit here to eat ice-cream, available from a small shop opposite the ladies in pink.  Also in this square is the Museum of Childhood.

 

Accommodation

We stayed in Benllech, as we were advised that this is the nicest part of the island.  The Woodland Guesthouse comes highly recommended for a comfy, spacious, clean room.

Eating Out

Obviously, I can only advice on places in Benllech (other than the aforementioned Sandy's Bistro) because this was our base.

The Talent House on the main road through Benllech is highly recommended.  The cheapest banquet is very nice with loads of food (enough for 2 adults and a small child).   With drinks, it will cost you around £40 for 2/3.

Also recommended is the Seaview Restaurant, which is by the beach.  There are 2 restaurants next to each other on the water front, but beware, because the 'Restaurant on the Waterfront' is very expensive, with main courses at around £15 each and no child's menu.  The Seaview is next door and has the same sea views.   The food is simple, but home cooked and very tasty.  The only let down was that our first 2 choices were unavailable (at 7 o'clock ???).  However, a meal for 2+1 with drinks cost around £18 which is great value.

Summary

Anglesey is a great place if the weather is nice.   Without the weather, there is little to do unfortunately.  Three days is all you will need to have a good look round and allow plenty of time for beach lounging.   As with most British resorts, you need the weather !!!

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