09/09/18 - Holyhead Mountain

Distance - 3.5 Miles
Geocaches - 10
Walk Inspiration
First Cache

The fastest road on Anglesey, the A55 dual carriageway, whisks us to the place where most of the Island's geocaches are hiding - Holyhead Mountain.

So, who are the mountaineers?

Mrs M - Nervous of controlling a 6 month old guide dog in training near cliffs
Daughter #1 - Scared of heights, thistles, wasps, nature in general.  I neglected to inform her about the adders.
Son #1 - Wearing my old brasher boots, ill fitting on him and with toes taped in an attempt at blister avoidance.
Yours Truly - Mountain leader and eternal optimist

The plan is to walk five mile detailed in a route found on the BBC website - It should bag us most of the 20 caches available on a trail.

The start, Break Water country park - the old quarry workings of Europe's longest breakwater - observed later in this walk.  Geocaching teaches you all you need to know.

Mountaineering Team Assembled

The plan is to head up to North Stack, see what a fog signal station looks like and then head across the flanks of the mountain to South Stack and it's lighthouse.   I should point out the use of the term mountain is loose - 584 feet is somewhat short of the 2000 feet required.   Its still high enough to scare the bejesus out of Daughter #1.

Photo opportunities are endless.   Weather reaches "Blow Mappiman's expensive Fjallraven Hat off" on the hurricane scale.

Here are the highlights;

Getting going and wondering if its safe to let the dog off the lead

North Stack Fog Station and increased choppiness.

Where the quarry workings ended up

Ferry comes into dock through the heather

South Stack Lighthouse

As a mountain leader, choices have to be made.   Following the stiff climb from the fog station, where Daughter #1 asked for the keys so she could meet us back at the car, I decided that the last loop of South Stack would remain for another day.  Those three left potential geocache finds will forever haunt me.

One stop to reapply bandages to Son #1 tootsies.

The dog was well behaved, although she did find out what a goat's defence mechanism is on the return.   A full on Glasgow kiss, expertly delivered.

Cute, the kids exclaimed.  Stitch that, said the goat moments later

2 hours and 3 mins to walk 3.5 miles is slow going but at least we all got back in one piece.

Complete with my expensive Fjallraven hat.

Team Holyhead Mountain and the headless dog