Dublin – Day 3 can be found here.
After an early wake up we set off to catch the speed ferry from Dublin to Anglesey. The hotel had a taxi waiting so that part went smoothly, however the taxi driver struggled to figure out which lane went to drop passengers at the ferry terminal as opposed to boarding the ferry. With some illegal U-turns and spirited reversing we finally made it to the ferry terminal. Not to worry though, they were still checking in passengers for an earlier ferry so we definitely weren’t late.
After the passengers ahead of us finally managed to check-in their dog, our check-in process went quickly. All our large suitcases were dropped on a luggage belt so we just had our hand luggage to carry. The ferry interior was comfortable and there was an on-board restaurant selling food and snacks, including a full Irish breakfast.
Photos courtesy of Irish ferries
Considering the traffic jam outside the ferry terminal we were impressed at how quickly all those cars were loaded and we departed pretty much on time. On the speed ferry (aka the Dublin Swift) it’s a 2 hour 15 minute journey from Dublin to Holyhead. We’d worried about seasickness but we had a fairly smooth crossing and were all fine, although it might be worth taking something in advance if you’re prone to motion sickness.
Arrival in Holyhead went smoothly, though foot passengers had to wait for all the cars to offload first. The most annoying part was the impossibility of renting a car in Wales on a Sunday. We had realized this in advance but even the small independent rental were closed. Next time we will definitely plan to arrive any other day of the week.
Since we had way too much luggage (and people) to fit into a single car our children’s great-grandmother kindly found a friend help with the transportation issue.
We decided to stretch our legs and explore the area by walking down to a nearby beach.
Traeth Borth Wen was remarkably quiet for a gorgeous Sunday in June. Admittedly the water was a bit chilly but there were plenty of shells to look at and tidal pools to explore.
It was incredible how quickly the fog rolled in and it we had quite the time trying to find the correct path off the beach.
After our trip to the beach, we went out to a strawberry social which we completely forgot to photograph as this was in the days before we were actually writing a travel blog. Rest assured that the strawberries and cream were delicious, and it was a really special experience. If you’re in Anglesey in June, keep an eye out for any and all such events. They’re worth a detour.
But afterwards we were very full and very tired (and still felt as though we were moving on a very fast ferry) so it was time to head to bed after enjoying a stunning Welsh sunset.
Continue reading Dublin & Wales – Day 5.