Holy Island, Anglesey facts for kids
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Native name:
Ynys Gybi
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A map showing the Isle of Anglesey and Holy Island
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 Holy Island
Location in the United Kingdom
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| Geography | |
| Location | Irish Sea |
| Coordinates | 53°17′N 4°37′W / 53.283°N 4.617°W |
| Archipelago | British Isles |
| Area | 15.22 sq mi (39.4 km2) |
| Length | 12.3 km (7.64 mi) |
| Width | 5.6 km (3.48 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 220 m (720 ft) |
| Highest point | Holyhead Mountain |
| Administration | |
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Wales
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| County | Isle of Anglesey |
| Largest settlement | Holyhead (pop. 11,237) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 13,659 (2011) |
| Pop. density | 346 /km2 (896 /sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Welsh people |
Holy Island (called Ynys Gybi in Welsh) is a cool island off the west coast of Anglesey Island in Wales. It's named after Saint Cybi. A narrow channel separates it from Anglesey.
The island is about 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) in size. It's called 'Holy' because it has many ancient religious sites. You can find standing stones and old burial places here. Sometimes people also call it Holyhead Island. In 2011, about 13,659 people lived on Holy Island. Most of them (around 11,431) lived in the biggest town, Holyhead.
Contents
Island History
Long ago, after the Romans left Britannia, Irish pirates attacked Anglesey. A leader named Cunedda started fighting them. Later, another leader, Cadwallon Lawhir, finally defeated the Irish on Holy Island.
Nature and Features
Holy Island has many different natural areas. You can find mudflats, sand dunes, marshes, and beaches. Most of the oak forests that once covered the island are now gone. This happened after early farmers arrived.
The western part of the island is home to Holyhead Mountain. This is a high area with heather plants near the sea. It's the tallest point in the county, reaching 722 feet (220 meters) high. Close to the coast by the mountain are two smaller islands, North Stack and South Stack. A famous lighthouse stands on South Stack.
Most of the coastline is rocky. But there are sandy beaches at Trearddur Bay and Penrhos Country Park. Because of the rocky coast, many shipwrecks have happened here over the years. The area between Holy Island and Anglesey is a special place for nature, called Beddmanarch–Cymyran.
Getting Around Holy Island
Holy Island is connected to Anglesey by two main road links. The first is the Stanley Embankment. This has causeways for the A5 and A55 roads. The second link is the older Four Mile Bridge.
The Stanley Embankment also has a railway line. This line ends at the island's only train station in Holyhead. From the Port of Holyhead, you can take ferries to Dublin Port in Ireland. Buses on the island can take you to places like Amlwch, Llangefni, and Bangor.
About 30 miles (48 kilometers) of the 125-mile (201-kilometer) Anglesey Coastal Path are on Holy Island. Two national bike routes, National Cycle Route 5 and National Cycle Route 8, also cross the island. The closest airport is Anglesey Airport, which is on Anglesey mainland. It has daily flights to Cardiff. The nearest big airport is Liverpool John Lennon Airport, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) away.
Sports and Fun Things to Do
Holy Island has three soccer teams: Holyhead Hotspurs, Caergybi, and Trearddur Bay. The New Oval ground is where the Ynys Môn football team plays. It also hosted the finals of the 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament. There's also a rugby union team and a golf course.
Holyhead Park has lawn bowling greens, public tennis courts, and a skate park. Just like the rest of Anglesey, surfing is popular here because the island is open to the Irish Sea.
Many people visit Holy Island for a short time before taking a ferry to Dublin Port. Because of this, the biggest hotels are near the main roads. There are also many smaller bed and breakfast hotels and caravan parks around the island. These are great for people who want to stay longer.
Fun places to visit include South Stack Lighthouse and the nearby RSPB nature reserve. You can also explore Breakwater Country Park, visit the RNLI museum, or hike up Holyhead Mountain.
Schools and Local Government
Holy Island has six primary schools and one secondary school, Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi. This school claims to be the first Comprehensive school in England and Wales. For higher education, students can go to Bangor University, which is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away on the Welsh mainland.
Holy Island is part of the Ynys Môn UK Parliament constituency and the Ynys Môn Senedd constituency. Locally, the island is managed by the Isle of Anglesey County Council. Holy Island sends 6 out of 30 councillors to the county council. Three are for Caergybi (Holyhead town centre) and three for Ynys Gybi (the southern parts of Holyhead and rural areas). The Holyhead Town Council has 16 councillors from seven areas. They choose a mayor each year.
See also
In Spanish: Isla Holy (Anglesey) para niños
