Car Hire Holyhead

Make the short trip across the Irish Sea and you’re perfectly poised to explore the island to your heart’s content. This really is the gateway to Wales - with car hire from Holyhead, there’s no end to the touring adventures you can have.

Head for the neighbouring island of Anglesey. From Holyhead you can jump straight onto the A55 and head over the bridge to the mainland. As you drive from one attraction to the next, you’ll pass areas of outstanding natural beauty. Just roll down the windows and let that fresh country air stream in.

Hop from one island to the other and head into mainland Wales. You can either take the North Wales Expressway or the B4520 and go across on the Menai Suspension Bridge, into Bangor over the Menai Straits. A listed building, the bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and has been taking traffic to and from the island since 1826.

Get back on the North Wales Expressway and venture along the coast to discover the cream of North Wales. Turn off at junction 17 to discover historic Conwy, a walled town with a harbour, suspension bridge and a wonderful 13^th century castle. Alternatively, exit at junction 19 to experience the 19^th century charm of Llandudno, the country’s biggest seaside destination. In the opposite direction, journey down the A487 to visit Aberystwyth and Fishguard, among many other glorious towns and villages.

Driving around Anglesey and North Wales is very similar to driving in Ireland. You’ll drive on the left-hand side and speed limits are amply signposted. These vary dependent on the road, from 112 km/h on motorways and dual carriageways to 48 km/h in built-up areas. Due to its rural nature, traffic tends to be light in this part of the country, meaning the roads are often yours to explore at your leisure.

Use Holyhead as a springboard to explore Anglesey and the north coast of Wales. As you drive along you’ll be treated to dramatic mountainous scenery, stunning coastal views and sweeping landscape vistas. You’ll also have access to ancient buildings and castles that reveal the tumultuous history of the area.

Follow in pre-historic footsteps

Begin your adventure at Beaumaris Castle. Head across its moat and into the World Heritage Site, thought to be one of the preserved in the country. Marvel at the views of the surrounding countryside as you make your way along its 12^th century walls and notice the arrow slits in the walls, once used to protect the stronghold. There are also ‘murder holes’ through which boiling oil could be poured at anyone with designs on invasion.

Cross into mainland Wales in the direction of Caernarfon Castle. Here you can experience more majestic splendour – walk along the walls and venture up to its unique polygonal towers for dramatic waterfront views. Further down the coast, Conwy Castle is equally impressive. Let your imagination run wild as you explore the nooks and crannies of this fairy tale castle. Up on the battlements, drink in the views of medieval Conwy.

A craving for the coast

Wild coastline attracts thousands of visitors to this part of the world every year. Join them and explore the gems of Holyhead and Anglesey.

Drive to the South Stack Cliffs Nature Reserve just outside of Holyhead. Scale the steps down to the suspension bridge and make your way over to South Stack Lighthouse. From here, you can enjoy mesmerising views of the cliffs and surrounding heathland – try to spot local birds swooping in to nest.

Venture to the east coast of Anglesey to visit Red Wharf Bay. Take off your shoes and walk bare foot along this wide sandy beach. Savour a picnic here before setting off on a coastal walk through nearby Pentraeth Forest – this lush trail offers even more vistas of the picturesque bay.

Snowdon’s spectacular summit

Drive deep into Snowdonia National Park and hike up Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. Trek along rugged terrain to reach the summit – from here, high above the village of Llanberis, you can see right across Snowdonia, Anglesey, Pembrokeshire and even back to Ireland. If you want to enjoy the spellbinding views without the climb, hop aboard the mountain’s dedicated railway.  

There are adventures aplenty in this national park. Experience what it feels like to fly at Zip World near Bethesda. Soar through the air, feeling the wind ripple through your hair as you exceed 160kph at 500ft above the ground. Swap the skies for a subterranean experience at Llechwedd Slate Caverns. Descend into this dark mining network and scramble through eerie tunnels.

Car rental in Holyhead affords you the latitude to stay on the island or dive into the wonders of Wales.