Holyhead Breakwater Country Park and South Stack Cliffs Nature Reserve 22nd June 2024.

Sight and sounds of the sea.

Looking across the bay to Soldiers Point and Holyhead.

Porth Namarch.

The trig point on Holyhead Mountain.

On the coastal path.

On the way to Holyhead.

North Stack ahead.

Canoes on the sea.

More canoes on the sea.

North Stack.

The magazine store at North Stack.

South Stack from North Stack.

Guillemots on the cliffs at North Stack.

Fulmars on the cliffs at North Stack.

Nesting Great cormorants or are they Shags?

Two ferries and a Cruise liner ay Holyhead

Two walkers approach the trig point on Holyhead Mountain.

South Stack.

Is that a Puffin coming into land?

Guillemots at South Stack cliffs,

South Stack again.

More Guillemots on the cliffs at South Stack.

Distant views of Yr Eryri.

"I think this is the path we want!"

Holyhead Breakwater.

Walk Stats:
Distance: 7.8 miles. Climb: 1467’
Time: 5 hours 36minutes.
On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.3 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17.1 Celsius. Max – 20.6 Celsius
Beaufort Wind Force: 3, a very pleasant Gentle breeze as we approached South Stack and for much of the afternoon. Felt more like a Moderate breeze when we descended the steps towards the South Stack Lighthouse.
Group: Martyn and Ed.
The weather forecast today was looking good. In fact, it was better than forecast as we had blue skies all day.
We started at the parking area near the entrance to Soldiers Point. As usual we completed the walk in an anticlockwise direction, following the coastal path with its superb views over the sea.
On this occasion we decided to visit North Stack rather than climb to the top of Holyhead Mountain.
We surprised to see the number of orchids still flowering close to the coastal path, At North Stack, we had good views of nesting Guillemots and Fulmars.
We stopped for lunch at South Stack, where we heard Red billed choughs calling nearby, but never close enough to photograph.
After lunch we set of down the South Stack steps in the hope of seeing a Puffin, but we didn’t see any with any degree of certainty.
We took the inland route back to the start, determined this time to find the path that avoided dropping down to the road.
Birds seen or heard today: Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Raven, House sparrow, Dunnock,
European robin, Common blackbird, Stonechat, Chiffchaff, Winter wren, Common whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Meadow pipit, Barn swallow, Common pheasant, Guillemot, Great cormorant, Oystercatcher, Herring gull, Ganet and Kestrel.
Overall, an enjoyable walk, despite not seeing a Puffin.
After walk drinks today had to wait until we were back at home.