Walk On The Wildside...

Seeing as we’re talking man-made constructions, the Breakwater at Holyhead Harbour is one of the longest breakwaters in Europe, stretching over 1.8 miles out into the sea, protecting the harbour from the wilds of the Irish Sea. This isn’t a modern construction but dates back to around 1870 when they used timber scaffolding to help construct it.
It’s now in some state of disrepair and is being maintained by Stena Ferries at a cost of £150,000 a year just to prevent further decay. Once again, there’s lots of talk about restoring it and promoting it as a tourist attraction with a small gauge railway running along its length. It is possible to walk or even cycle along it, but not recommended when those Irish Sea storms come calling.

A Bridge To Far...

There have been some mixed reactions to a new bridge and walkway recently built in Holyhead that joins the ferry port to the main town centre. Called ‘The Celtic Gateway’ it’s a wonderful piece of architecture that lights up at night and is well worth a visit next time you’re in Holyhead. But at the cost of some 6.5 million pounds it has a lot of local people questioning the use of so much money, especially when you consider that Holyhead, and Anglesey in general, is home to some of the lowest paid workers in the UK.
I’m sure the intention is to attract more tourism into the area and get them spending their cash in the local shops, but I would guess that the residents of Holyhead would have a very long list of other things they feel the money could have been more wisely spent on.
Having said that, from a purely aesthetic point of view, it really is quite spectacular. With something so modern at one end of the island and something so old and classic at the other – The Menia Suspension Bridge - we seem to have more than our share of bridges to boast about.


Just a little side-note to all you golfers, I managed my first eagle this morning on the opening par 4. It’s only taken me 17 years to achieve this. I now wait in anticipation for my first hole in one…