South Stack and Holyhead Mountain
Sea cliffs packed with breeding seabirds, a lighthouse on its own island, and the highest point on Anglesey behind them.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 50
- Ascent
- 200 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
From the RSPB centre, paths run along the clifftop and climb Holyhead Mountain, returning across the heath past the hut circles. The lighthouse steps are a separate out-and-back and there are four hundred of them.
Worth knowing
- Guillemots, razorbills and puffins on the cliffs from April to July. The RSPB has telescopes set up.
- Choughs are resident and often on the short turf near the car park.
- The lighthouse steps are steep and closed in bad weather. Check before descending.
What you’ll see
Seabird colonies, the lighthouse, Iron Age hut circles, and Eryri across the water when it is not hazy.
Background
The lighthouse was built in 1809. The hut circles at Ty Mawr below the mountain were occupied from the Neolithic through the Roman period.