What did you do in Holyhead?

[sjf]

We will have a day in Holyhead in early September (ship docks 7am - 5pm). I have been scouring the net but I am not finding much of interest to do on our own to fill the whole time. I considered taking the train to Conwy to see the castle, but the trains are not very frequent. Can anyone suggest a plan? Thanks in advance!

[SueMo]

Google busybus Holyhead.  They have an excursion that leaves from the port and is fitted to your particular cruise schedule.

[John Bull]

Busybus is frequently recommended by CC members - their Holyhead tours are for cruise passengers and they can modify to suit any late changes to ships' itineraries, including full refund if the ship fails to port.

 https://www.busybus.co.uk/sightseeing-day-tour-to-north-wales-from-holyhead-cruise-terminal/                                  

 

Conwy train station is one of the smallest in the UK, I think it's still one of only a handful of "request" stops - on boarding you have to notify the guard or driver that you wish to get off there or it will thunder on through. And for the return from Conwy you have to hold out your hand as the train arrives, just like for a bus.

 

But if you check trains from Holyhead to Llandudno Junction, instead of Conwy you'll find there are just a few more trains. Llandudno Junction is the next station and is less than a mile further on. So it's a short taxi hop or an easy & pleasant 20-minute walk along the causeway & over the bridge to Conwy Castle.

 

Or change trains at Llandudno Junction for a 10-minute ride to the Victorian seaside resort of Llandudno. Mebbe visit the Great Orme (Norse word for Sea Serpent), a rocky outcrop sticking out from the north Wales coast - on the marine drive around it by vintage bus (from Llandudno pier) or ascend it on the vintage tram (five minute walk from Llandudno train station) https://greatormetramway.co.uk/en/great-orme

 

JB 🙂

[Harters]

9 minutes ago, John Bull said:

ascend it on the vintage tram (five minute walk from Llandudno train station

And, if you do, then leave enough time for a fish & chips lunch at the quirkily named "Fish, Tram, Chips", directly opposite the tramway's town station. It's some of the best fish & chips you're likely to come across. We were there only last week (no tram ride this  trip though - but it is very well worth doing). 

 

Walk from the train station is a good 15 minutes. 

[John Bull]

8 minutes ago, Harters said:

 

 

Walk from the train station is a good 15 minutes. 

 

Yep, I got it wrong.

5 minutes for Usain Bolt, 15 mins for the rest of us.🙄

 

JB  🙂

[sjf]

Thanks all. Very useful info. Particularly good to know we have the option of Llandudno Junction for visiting Conwy castle.

 

[ski ww]

Thanks for the info, we'll be there in Aug, something to think about.

[sjf]

Busybus has no availablity for 3rd September, just a waiting list 😞

But I'm now reasonably confident we could take the train to see Conwy castle on our own.

Edited May 21 by sjf

[VMax1700]

Here is a copy of a post I made on a 'Live From' after a visit to Holyhead.

Even at the port entrance it was unbelievably busy, with many, many trucks entering and leaving. I have used the port numerous times as the gateway back to Ireland after a UK visit, so,  I think if I was back there again then I would stay on the ship, unless I felt the need to visit, Boots or Marks and Spencer (in Bangor) or similar.

 

 

Copy of Post:

Day 7 Holyhead Tuesday

Pronounced Holly head!

 

This was on the front cover of the Daily Program for today.

 

 

Holland America tour buses were pulled up at the bottom of the gangway whereas all others were required to take the free shuttle to the cruise terminal to meet their private tours/taxis etc.

 

Holyhead is a very busy ferry port with numerous ferries running to various ports in Ireland.

this is the Irish Ferries 'Ulysses' doing a quick 180 before reversing into its dock.

 

 

 

Before heading down to our meeting place at the world stage we went to Dutch cafe for a quick latte.  We were greeted by a smiling Captain Eric who was enjoying a bowl of Dutch Pea Soup!

 

Today was the second of our 'cheap' tours thanks to HIA.  We went to Caernarfon Castle which was the location for the investiture of the now King Charles as Prince of Wales on 1st July 1969.   The drive there was pretty uninspiring.  A lot of flat agricultural land a few sheep some horses and a lot of cattle.  The Anglesey Agricultural Show was being held today and tomorrow near to Holyhead, but we didn't even meet much traffic.

(I will just mention here that there were no priority bus tickets for the port shuttle bus, but there was not much of a wait for those that needed them).

 

Some views of the castle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back to the ship we stopped at that village with the unpronouceable name of 58 letters.

 

 

 

An interesting enough day, but I would not feel the need to rush back!

 

[Harters]

I like Caernarfon Castle. Interesting in itself, it is also home to the regimental museum of the Royal Welch(*) Fusiliers, which was the reason for my last visit there, pre-Covid.

 

The Museum's displays record its long history, including fighting during the American War of Independence (or, alternatively, the successful terrorist attempt to overthrow the legitimate government) (**). It was at Bunker Hill and Yorktown (where it was the only regiment not to surrender its colours). My interest in visiting was the Great War, which is my military history field of study. 

 

(*) Not a typo. 

(**) joke - although I am an amateur military historian (and published author)

[sjf]

Thanks VMax and Harters. I do wonder why the cruise lines would choose to stop here.

[Harters]

1 hour ago, sjf said:

I do wonder why the cruise lines would choose to stop here.

Potentially, a lack of anywhere else for a stop in Wales - unless the ship's routing was going to take them to South Wales. A look at the ports before and after Holyhead may well give you a clue as to why Holyhead. And, if  you're doing a British Isles cruise, then I think you'd have to have a stop in the principality. 

 

Croeso i Gymru. 

 

 

[sjf]

Guess that's it!

[mrmac]

Do the ships tender or dock in Holyhead? Can you catch a taxi to the train station? Many thanks!

[Tourism Officer HH]

 

Hi everyone,

My name is Nick Murphy, and I am the Tourism Officer for Holyhead. If you have any requests or need assistance, please feel free to email me at tourismofficer@holyheadcouncil.co.uk. I will do my best to help you out!

Holyhead has a lot to offer visitors, including:
- **South Stack Lighthouse:** Stunning views and beautiful walks.
- **Holyhead Maritime Museum:** Fascinating maritime history.
- **St. Cybi's Church:** Historical site with beautiful architecture.
- **Holyhead Breakwater Country Park:** Perfect for nature walks and bird watching.
- **Ellin's Tower:** A great spot for bird enthusiasts and scenic views.
- **Penrhos Coastal Park:** Ideal for picnics and seaside walks.
- **Trearddur Bay:** Gorgeous beaches and watersports.
- **Porth Dafarch Beach:** A serene and beautiful beach.

We have a brilliant volunteer welcome group ready to meet you off the ship with all the information you need at hand. If you are on Facebook, please check out their page "Welcome to Holyhead - Croeso I Caergybi," where you will find much more information and get a good insight into Holyhead on cruise days.

Thank you!

Nick Murphy  
Tourism Officer, Holyhead  
tourismofficer@holyheadcouncil.co.uk

[Pirateskigirl]

On 7/22/2024 at 5:33 PM, mrmac said:

Do the ships tender or dock in Holyhead? Can you catch a taxi to the train station? Many thanks!

It's a tender port, so factor that in your time. 

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, Pirateskigirl said:

It's a tender port, so factor that in your time. 

Very rarely is it a tender port, usually just a mega ship or a double booking.  Most ships dock at a deep water berth and shuttle buses run from the ship to the terminal building.

 

[John Bull]

On 7/29/2024 at 10:18 PM, VMax1700 said:

Very rarely is it a tender port, usually just a mega ship or a double booking.  Most ships dock at a deep water berth and shuttle buses run from the ship to the terminal building.

 

 

Yep, @Pirateskigirl is a few years out-of-date.

Holyhead had always been an unreliable tender port, but after the aluminium works closed its pier has been used by cruise ships.

 

JB 🙂 

[Planning to cruise]

On 5/22/2024 at 1:56 PM, VMax1700 said:

On the way back to the ship we stopped at that village with the unpronouceable name of 58 letters.

Perfectly pronounceable if, as I do, you can speak Welsh!  

 

The name place was invented as a tourist ruse many decades ago.  It is a sentence of individual words that describe a place.   It begins   the church of St Mary by the white pool .....  

 

Holyhead is in Wales.  Whilst in the UK it is not England, nor Scotland or Ireland.  It is a different place with its own language.  Holyhead is in an area where Welsh is the first language of many although these days everyone will also speak English.    

[John Bull]

39 minutes ago, Planning to cruise said:

 

 

Holyhead is in an area where Welsh is the first language of many although these days everyone will also speak English.    

 

True - but don't panic 😮.

Unless the locals want to impress or confound you they'll speak to you in English.

You're far more likely to struggle to understand English in a Scouse (Liverpool) or Geordie (north-east England) or Scottish accent. 😄

 

iechyd da'

 

JB 🙂

ps  looking-up the correct spelling of iechyd da' I came across Croeso, which I always through was "Wales" cos I see it on a sign every time I drive across the border. In fact Croeso means "Welcome". We live and learn

[Planning to cruise]

Maybe Holyhead is a port in which to do a tour. 

Public transport is not great.  It is on a main rail line but frequency is limited.  I might be nervous of a longer train trip because of possible delays or cancellations.  

 

It would be a pity to stay on the ship and miss visiting Wales, a different part of the UK.  It has a different culture a d its own language.  You will notice road signs are in both English and Welsh. 

 

You should really get out of the town which is an industrial ferry port.  Further afield are castles, villages, beautiful coastline.  Just go somewhere.

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

ps  looking-up the correct spelling of iechyd da' I came across Croeso, which I always through was "Wales" cos I see it on a sign every time I drive across the border. In fact Croeso means "Welcome". We live and learn

I'm pretty sure that Wales is Cymru (pronounced, if I remember correctly like Camry the car).

Edited July 31 by gnome12

[Harters]

2 hours ago, Planning to cruise said:

Holyhead is in an area where Welsh is the first language of many

I remember a few years back being in a hotel bar in rural mid-Wales. Two couples sat on the next table. Their conversation, over the half hour we were sat there, moved seamlessly between speaking Welsh and English. Nothing that I could work out seemed to trigger the change but something must have done it for one of them. So they would all follow the chat in English for a few minutes  then there must be another trigger and they'd move back to Welsh.

 

An ex-colleague of mine was Welsh but could only speak English. I recall chatting with her once and she mentioned that around the town where she lived (Wrexham), one village might speak English as a first language but in the next village it would be Welsh. 

 

I suppose it's a good indication of the diversity of our country that folk are comfortably bi-lingual. I see similar in my part of the world where we have many folk whose parents or grandparents emigrated from South Asia. You'll regularly hear folk speaking Urdu to each other but. they also speak English and speak it  with a local accent. 

[Harters]

14 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

I'm pretty sure that Wales is Cymru

It is. But you will usually see it as Gymru on "Welcome to Wales" road signs. Something to do with grammar I understand (not that I actually understand any detail of that). 

[Globaliser]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

I remember a few years back being in a hotel bar in rural mid-Wales. Two couples sat on the next table. Their conversation, over the half hour we were sat there, moved seamlessly between speaking Welsh and English. Nothing that I could work out seemed to trigger the change but something must have done it for one of them. So they would all follow the chat in English for a few minutes  then there must be another trigger and they'd move back to Welsh.

 

Maybe they changed to speaking in Welsh whenever they were talking about you? 😉

 

Many years ago, I went to North Wales for work (also on Anglesey, as it happens). When I walked into the room, all of the people already there were having an animated non-work chit-chat that didn't concern me and which could and did carry on without involving me at all. But they all immediately switched from Welsh to English so that I could understand what they were talking about. It was a startling but enormously welcoming gesture, which (as you can see) I've never forgotten. Nor the subject-matter: it was about an incident involving sheep, but I should say no more.