Distance: 4.8 kilometres / 2.9 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Location: sharp.fearfully.budgeted (what3words)

Holyhead has much to offer sightseers: from Roman ruins and medieval churches to Georgian arches and monumental feats of Victorian engineering. The busy town centre is packed with cafés, shops and pubs, but for those who may prefer a more rural walk Breakwater Country Park is just a short stroll from the Marina along the Coastal Path.

Directions

This circular walk around Holyhead can be started at any point. 

Marina to rail station

From the marina, walk along the promenade with the sea on your left. When you reach the Maritime Museum, go up the steps and turn left past the small car park.

Walk along the road past the coastguard, recreation ground and allotments.

Follow the road round to the right past a small parade of guest houses at Marine Square. Keep the long fence on your left.

Opposite a car park, behind the fence is a collection of large Grade II listed marine workshops. Soon on your right are the walls of the Roman Fort and steps up to St Cybi’s Church. Just after another car park, climb the flight of metal steps.

Turn left at the top and cross the Celtic Gateway Bridge to the Rail Station.

Rail Station to Market Square

Exit the rail station and turn right towards the roundabout, where you cross the entrance to the port.

Turn left along Turkey Shore Road past a pastel-coloured terrace of houses. Shortly you’ll see a brown sign for Skinner’s Monument on your right.

Climb the steps to visit the monument (and World War 2 pillbox) and admire the views over the town and harbour. Retrace your steps back toward the rail station but turn left once you’ve crossed the zebra crossings.

Walk up the slope towards the railway bridge. Halfway across the bridge, on your right you’ll see the clock tower.

When you’ve crossed the bridge, turn right towards the town centre.

Cross the road at the pelican crossing, and at the war memorial fork left up Market Street. (At the Anchor Memorial you could take a short detour to the left up the steep hill to admire a cluster of impressive Victorian Methodist chapels, or to visit the Ucheldre Centre).

Carry on up Market Street. On your right you’ll pass a blue-tiled passageway which is the town end of the Celtic Gateway Bridge.

Market Square to marina

When you reach the stone cross (the two stone archways to the right will take you to St Cybi’s Church) bear left then right to continue past many shops, cafés and pubs.

On your left you’ll see an iron gateway and some steps which are the entrance to the Market Hall. Carry on past the archway, the Stanley Arms pub, and follow the road round to the left.

Continue up Newry Street passing the Town Hall and a baptist chapel on your right.

Follow Newry Street past some red-bricked villas on your left, and down the hill to join Beach Road at the Dutch Naval Monument.

Turn left and walk along Beach Road past the Sunken Garden back to the marina.

Further information on this walk

Selected sites

• The Skinner Monument dominates the harbour skyline and a visit up to the obelisk provides panoramic views over the harbour and town. Dedicated to a Capt. John Skinner who, though born in the USA in 1760, fought for the Royal Navy and lived in Holyhead.
• The Breakwater opened in 1873, and at 2.75km long is still the longest in the UK. 1,300 men were employed in its construction, and the nearby quarry used to extract the rock is now a country park.
• Celtic Gateway Bridge is a stainless steel foot- and cycle-bridge built in the futuristic architectural style. Spanning 160m it opened in 2006 and connects the town centre with the railway station and ferry terminal.
• Market Hall is situated in the heart of the town centre. Built 1855, it was commissioned by the local landowner and politician William Owen Stanley. It’s been used as a market, law court, military barracks, library, and a boxing venue.
• Built within the ruins of a Roman Fort is the attractive 13th century St Cybi’s Church. The town’s Welsh name Caergybi means Cybi’s Fort. Founded in 540AD by St Cybi, a cousin of St David, the church was sacked by Vikings in the 10th century, and damaged again by the invading forces of England’s Henry IV in 1405. Also within the grounds is The Chapel of the Grave, which is reputed to be the resting place of 6th century Irish warrior and giant, Serigi.
• Now partly obscured and looking a little forlorn, the George IV Arch over on Salt Island was named to commemorate the King’s visit to the town in 1821, but was built in 1824 to mark the northern end of Thomas Telford’s mighty A5 road linking London to Holyhead. London’s Marble Arch marks its southern terminus.
• The Ucheldre Centre is a multi-purpose community space. Formerly, the chapel building of Holyhead’s Bon Sauveur order of nuns convent, it’s now an art gallery, cinema, events venue and boasts an amphitheatre in the grounds.
• Holyhead Maritime Museum is home to countless models, paintings, photos and shipping artefacts. The 1858 building is the town’s former lifeboat station and is one of the oldest in Wales.
• The building near the war memorial is the former Eagle and Child Inn built in 1770. It was the starting point for travellers making the 48-hour journey aboard Royal Mail coaches to London.