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The Elusive Anglesey Stepping Stones

With the silhouette of the Snowdonia mountain range as a backdrop, these giant stepping stones located near Newborough, form an exciting man-made addition to the stunning natural beauty of the Anglesey coastal path.  The stones are impressive in their own right, but it is their context  in the landscape, together with the adventure involved in locating them that make them truly memorable.  Whilst I am not aware of any existing mythological back story, the potential of this untapped canvas for storytelling is vast – and I am sure it is just a matter of time.  Trolls, giants and dragons have to be the primary candidates to feature – but I am ready to be surprised. 

Whilst they are all significant sized chunks of rock, the stones vary considerably in height, width and placement.  This means that there are sizeable gaps between many of them and smaller children will need a helping hand. 

On a sunny winter’s day, the snow capped mountains make the landscape feel more like New Zealand than North Wales. It is a truly dynamic landscape and no two visits will ever be quite the same.  The crossing experience changes with the weather, the seasons and the time of day.  The stones traverses a span of tidal water, so the timing of your visit really will impact on the experience.  When the tide is higher, the stones seem shorter and squatter.  At peak tide they become completely submerged, whilst at the  other end of the spectrum, at the  lowest extreme of the tidal range, the stones take on the appearance of a mini giants causeway.   

Something for Everyone 

People of all ages will take something from a visit, either as a self-contained destination, or as part of a larger walk.  And as the video below illustrates – featuring my eldest son testing out his parkour skills  – adrenaline junkies and athletic types will relish the challenge of a new playground. 

Anglesey Giant Stepping Stones sprint Video

So Why Are The Stones So Elusive?

Anglesey has been my family’s second home for 12 years now.  We have spent numerous weekends and school holidays exploring the island from our static caravan base camp.  Yet only recently did we find out about the stepping stones located on the East coast of the island.  Many of Anglesey’s full-time inhabitants remain unaware of them.  Even when you do know they exist,  the directions online are so vague and contradictory that we struggled to find the site on a number of occasions.  It got to the point where we were starting to think it was some sort of cruel trick that  locals played on English tourists.  Perhaps this was North Wale’s answer to Nessie or Bigfoot.  It was only by asking locals in the Newborough area – right on the stones doorstep – that we were finally able to track them down.  Yet as I have already alluded to, somehow the experience and difficulty in locating them, added to their mystique and to our satisfaction when we finally succeeded. As is often the case, the journey can be as enjoyable as the destination.  With this in mind,  I won’t spoil it for you by making it any easier!  This is a quest for you and you alone. 

This also begs the question, what other hidden local gems and treasures are lying right under our noses on our door steps? 

Why should I add this experience to my Bucket List?

Bucket lists don’t need to restricted to just the extreme and the exotic.  I believe that they should be as much about doing things that you haven’t done before, or simply doing things that provide a high value, memorable experience.  In this broader and richer context, finding a hidden gem closer to home is the perfect bucket list item.  One that has a low barrier to entry in terms of cost and travel time – whilst still being unique and fun. 

Happy hunting and please do get in touch and let me know how you get on.  Dominic Watson 

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