Penwythnos ar y Fenai

A weekend on the Menai Straits

There are so many areas to explore along the Snowdonia360 that it can sometimes get overwhelming trying to decide – luckily, we’re here to give you the best possible tips to make the most of your visit!

This time, we visited the stunning Menai Straits – a stretch of water with one of the strongest and highest tidal ranges in the world, and a body of water that separates Anglesey from mainland North Wales.

Accommodation in Anglesey – where to stay for your weekend on the Menai Straits

If you’re looking for self-catering cottages in Anglesey, then look no further than Menai Holiday Cottages for a great collection of self-catering cottages in Anglesey to suit all tastes and budgets. From cottages near the beach and those with sea views to luxury accommodations, or, why not treat yourself to a cottage with a hot tub? There is also a variety of dog-friendly properties in Anglesey, allowing your furry friends to take full advantage of the great number of pet-friendly beaches and pubs on the island of Anglesey.

Day One – RibRide

Crossing the Menai suspension bridge on the island of Anglesey, we head for the harbor town of Menai Bridge – home to some amazing restaurants, views, and of course, Rib Ride!

Rib Ride, our activity for the day, is a thrilling powerboat ride that (depending on your choice of tour) takes you east or west, along the Menai Straits – taking in the sights, animals, and stories that make this such a unique location.

Our tour for the morning was the Puffins and Seals ride, a 2 hour blast along the straits to the west, visiting the famous Pen Mon lighthouse, and sightseeing around Puffin Island, with its wealth of sea birds and population of seals. The journey is a thrilling ride at high speed, with the backdrop of Snowdonia National Park on one side, and the Anglesey coast on the other. Along the way, we passed industrial and wartime relics, the beautiful coastal town of Beaumaris, and much more.

At Puffin Island, we were treated to some close calls with the seals, while our skipper for the day told us stories and facts about the island’s interesting history.

Day Two – Plas Menai National Watersports Center

After an action-packed first day on the water, it was time to see what the mainland side of the Menai Straits had to offer, and there is no better place to start than at Plas Menai.

The National Watersports Center for Wales, Plas Menai is the ultimate location to get your watersports fix on the Snowdonia 360! It was an early start for us, as we had the promise of a fun-packed day on the water…

Arriving early, and having a quick coffee to set us up for the day, we met up with our instructor for the day and headed for our first activity – paddleboarding! After a quick health and safety briefing we (two adults and a 7 year old), grabbed our boards and headed down to the jetty to get started.

Our two-hour paddle boarding session consisted of a relaxing meander down east along the banks of the straits stopping at coves and beaches to try out some activities almost certainly designed to get us all as wet as possible! Upon reaching the turnaround point of the adventure, we were treated to a truly stunning sight as a pod of Dolphins passed within feet of our boards – a moment that stopped us all in our tracks and provided a memory that will surely last forever.

Back at the center, we made use of the fab canteen – ordering some really tasty food. No sooner had we sat down to catch our breath, it was time to look to the afternoon and our second activity…

…Kayaking! This time heading West, our instructor took us by powerboat to the National Trust property of Plas Newydd some three miles along the straits and across the water on the Anglesey side.

Once there, we hopped in our sit-on kayaks and ambled back to the center, crossing the amazing body of water to the mainland side and skirting the coast, passing by quaint harbor towns such as Felinheli, secluded coves where we practiced our newfound kayaking ‘skills’ and generally just enjoyed the chilled out atmosphere of a sunny Sunday on the calm seawater.

For more information on the activities in the blog,  please visit menaiholidays.co.uk, ribride.co.uk and plasmenai.wales