Caves around Holyhead?

Rikaaay1

New member
I'm planning on going to Holyhead next month and wondering if anyone knows if there are any caves around the area? Had a scout around online but not much luck, only found a few around Mold. Mainly looking for caves around grade 2/3.
Any help appreciated
Thanks
Riki
 

nearlywhite

Active member
There's karst on Môn but nothing on Cybi itself. If you want tourist trips there's a lot to pick from:
- for caves I'd go on caves of North Wales; now on the Cambrian website https://cambriancavingcouncil.org.uk/registry/CoNW/CoNW.htm
These are mostly in the East in the alyn and minera limestone

- for mines then there's a huge volume. Parys is fantastic (in the middle of Môn) but you'd be surprised how little time difference there is in getting to the mines on the mainland now with the A55. Personal favourites are the great orme (penmorfa), cwmorthin, Benallt, but there's a lot to choose from. I'd have a look on the archived pages of aditnow and see where groups like 'the Thursday nighters' have been and what they've enjoyed.
 

Stuart France

Active member
Wrong kind of rock at Holyhead for caving. Although it looks white from some distance away, the local rock isn't limestone and it's a very hard material. I believe they used it to form the ferry harbour breakwater, hence the disused quarry remaining at Breakwater Country Park.
 

nearlywhite

Active member
There are 2 main geological formations on Cybi - the quartzite which is what Stuart is referring to and makes up the big lump of 'Holyhead mountain' and the alternating siltstone and sandstone that make up the South stack area and rhoscolyn which is where you can find many of the sea caves as these are much much softer.

There is a climb in the mountain (elephant's arse I believe?) that's the closest you'll get to a traditional caving experience and some of the coasteering around rhoscolyn has echoes of the caving experience if you're truly desperate.

A lot of Môn is limestone, just sadly doesn't seem to concentrate water to form much karst.
 
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