Thursday 24 May 2012

Anglesey – day 6: Beaumaris

Puffin Island ticket booths

Beaumaris, why had it taken us so long to visit? Just when we were thinking Anglesey didn't have any great cafes to offer, or delis or butchers or ice cream parlours, it turns out they're all found in one place: Beaumaris. But first things first, we were here to visit Puffin Island, a short boat ride away on The Island Princess.

Beaumaris beach

We congregated on the pier for our 12:15 departure. Adult tickets cost £8.


Sunny and still, it was perfect for a pleasure cruise. The vessel hugged the Anglesey coastline, but we also looked over to the dramatic mountains of mainland Wales.


The tilting layers of rock are covered in greenery. Guillemots nest on the cliff shelfs and puffins nest in burrows higher up.


It was busy out there with lots of other boats. Three kayakers cavorted with a seal as we rounded the far tip of the island.


The trip could've lasted a bit longer, as we never seemed to pause long enough to view the wildlife.

Puffin Island

A quick lap and we were homeward bound, looking back on the handsome island, with its exposed hem of rock encircling its rising mound of green.

The Island Princess

Church Street, Beaumaris

A very pleasant afternoon can be spent idly wandering about the historic buildings and interesting shops of Beaumaris.

Sarah's Delicatessen, Beaumaris

We had already eyed up Sarah's Delicatessen for lunch, and we weren't disappointed. One delicious lamb kofta flatbread and one Greek salad later, and we were ready for the castle.

Beaumaris Castle

We're not huge fans of castles, although we often find ourselves exploring them, but Beaumaris Castle is well worth a visit. It looks like a castle should look, with upright, intact walls, a sprinkling of towers and countless dingy corridors to explore. What's more, you can walk along the top of the walls to take in the castle's magnificent location.

Beaumaris Castle

Beaumaris Castle


We managed to get a final look at Puffin Island before the bus came to whisk us back to Rhosneigr.

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