SUP The Stacks
On Anglesey’s west coast two prominent headlands project boldly into the Irish Sea, focusing wind and tide in a turbulent marine environment. North and South Stack are famed for their sea conditions, with powerful tide races guarding access to the wild and isolated Gogarth Bay. As sea kayakers we know this place very well, but had never paddled our SUPs into this remarkable venue. We hatched a plan, and waited for the perfect day…
We were seeking an ideal set of conditions - light winds and low sea state, combined with a small tidal range and ideal timings to allow us to avoid the tide races that make the outer coast of Holy Island so challenging and committing. Our chosen day arrived, bright summer sunshine warming us as we drove to a hidden access point 2km from South Stack - here we could inspect the conditions beneath the sea cliffs of Abrahams Bosom. Calm seas greeted our arrival - we were good to go! We hastened to prepare the kit and carefully carried our craft down an awkward narrow track to reach a small storm beach hemmed between steep rocky walls. Have SUPs, will travel!
We headed north beneath soaring sea cliffs and entered a stunning world of hidden inlets, narrow channels, deep sea caves and enormous rocky outcrops - amid Anglesey’s most dramatic coastal scenery, we were delighted to tackle this grand SUP adventure. In spring and early summer thousands of guillemots and razorbills nest on the inaccessible ledges of these huge sea cliffs - on this mid-summer day the crags were empty of seabirds once more, permitting us to paddle wherever sea conditions allowed. We continued towards the impressive bulk of South Stack and ‘threaded the needle’ through a narrow rock-strewn gully into Gogarth Bay. We paused a while here, enjoying an intense sense of isolation in this stunning coastal environment.
Good tidal planning was vital - a small tidal range and perfect timings allowed us to paddle onward towards the enormous walls of Main Cliff, where Anglesey’s deepest sea caves awaited. Checking for incoming swell from passing Irish ferries, we explored these dark labyrinths - familiar to us in kayaks, but a ‘personal first’ on our SUPs. With few landings along this exposed coastline - and no easy escape - the exciting commitment of this trip simply added to our feeling of adventure and challenge.
We arrived at North Stack and paddled into the stunning rock architecture of Parliament House Cave - this was the limit of today’s journey, the moment to retrace our paddle strokes before the increasing tide brought new challenges. We stopped to admire the view along the north side of the headland - at other times we encounter a powerful tide race here, but not today. We drifted a while, admiring Carmel Head’s distant headland and the low outline of the Skerries across Holyhead Bay - an enticing destination for future SUP adventures, perhaps?
We headed back across the bay with a gently assisting tidal stream, past a small anchored yacht enjoying its own day of Gogarth adventure. We remained a few hundred metres offshore to savour the sight of north Wales’ most impressive and powerful sea cliffs. Our tidal timings were again ideal as we paddled around the outside of South Stack and beneath its towering lighthouse, with no more than a weak current assisting us back towards our launch point. In such calm conditions, the contrast with Gogarth’s more common tidal turbulence was striking.
We shaped a course beneath the mighty cliffs of Castell Helen and weaved our way home among the same fabulous rock formations that we had encountered at the start of our trip. A handful of Atlantic grey seals observed us as we floated by, tracking our progress for a while before disappearing silently again. Our Abrahams Bosom inlet reappeared, still tranquil and deep enough to permit a simple landing. We hopped ashore and climbed carefully back to our roadside lay-by.
Gazing back towards South Stack, we enjoyed the satisfaction of a well-timed trip that combined good trip planning, local kayaking knowledge and a careful approach afloat. Our 9km circuit transited Anglesey’s wildest and most committing coastline, in a brief few hours of adventure and exploration - we’ll be back again, when the weather gods allow!
Overview
This Stacks trip visits a stunning coastal environment that is on the bucket list of many active sea kayakers. In the right conditions, good timings can reduce or avoid significant tidal streams that are a near-constant presence at South and North Stack. The coastal scenery between Abrahams Bosom and North Stack is spectacular - this is a committing environment with few landings and no easy escape. Visitors need good experience, judgement, equipment and preparation.
When to avoid?
Larger tidal ranges create a dynamic environment of turbulent water that complicates paddling plans in this area - avoid SUP trips to this coastline unless absolutely confident of your tidal planning. This exposed coastline offers little shelter in any wind direction, and forms significant sea conditions in any onshore winds. SUP paddlers should steer clear of this venue in anything other than light winds.
In spring and early summer many sea cliffs are teeming with nesting seabirds - give them a wide berth and avoid their disturbance. In autumn and early winter, Atlantic grey seal pups remain on isolated beaches in this area, and are vulnerable to disturbance. Avoid this area unless willing to remain afloat for the duration of your trip.
Other options?
If conditions are unsuitable for this trip - an all too common event! - Trearddur Bay offers a less committing option in relatively light winds (see our destinations blog). The Inland Sea and Holyhead Harbour each provide paddling potential without the challenges of an open sea environment. Holy Island is exposed to all wind directions - in stormy weather, seek alternative inland venues within Eryri / Snowdonia national park.
Ashore
There are great cliff-top hiking trails above Gogarth Bay, taking in the spectacular summit viewpoint on Holyhead Mountain. The Breakwater Country Park has a fascinating interpretive centre, while South Stack RSPB is an excellent place to observe nesting guillemots and razorbills on their precarious cliff-ledge nests.
Trearddur Bay is heaving with refreshment options - its great collection of cafes, restaurants and bars includes the Sea Shanty, The Stores pizzeria, Scarlett’s fish & chips, Lola’s coffee shop, the Ocean’s Edge and the Seacroft bar. On storm-bound days, you’ll be spoiled for choice!