Carmel Head (Welsh: Trwyn y Gadair) [1] is a prominent coastal headland on the northwest tip of the island of Anglesey.
It is a designated SSSI because of its geological interest for the Carmel Head Thrust fault where Precambrian rocks have been pushed over younger Ordovician rocks creating the Carmel Head thrust. Rock exposures along the cliffs of Carmel Head include Precambrian gneisses, which are almost certainly the oldest rocks in Wales. [2]
In the summer months the Anglesey Coastal Path passes over Carmel Head on a permissive path but in winter the path is closed to all for pheasant shooting. [3] Most of the land on the head, which peaks at 81 metres above sea level, is owned and managed by the National Trust. [4]
Off-shore from the head lie the islands of the Skerries and to the east of the Skerries three further islands, West Mouse, Middle Mouse and East Mouse. On West Mouse is a large white-painted column which is matched on Carmel Head by two further columns, known locally as the "Three White Ladies". They were constructed in the 1860s as navigation aids: lining up the three columns marks the position of a shallow reef offshore that was a grave danger to shipping. [5]
Ships that ran into problems at Carmel's Head include :
A copper mine, known as the Great Carmel's Points copper mine and also as the Gadair Mine, was sited here in the early 19th century. The copper ore vein found here was hoped to be an extension of the copper found at Parys Mountain. Work on the mine was suspended in the mid-19th century but resumed again c. 1866. Although only about 170 feet deep, levels were driven over 1500 feet following a vein some 30 feet wide, six vertical shafts connected the mining levels with the surface. [7] However, the mine never discovered the quantities of ore hoped for and was abandoned around 1880. The mine equipment was sold in 1883, and included a 30-HP beam engine with flywheel and pumping and winding gear, as well as the boiler to power it. [8] There are ruins of the copper mine and offices still in existence, including a well-preserved chimney stack.
The Skerries, coming from the Old Norse word sker, are a group of sparsely vegetated rocky islets (skerries), with a total area of about 17 hectares lying 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) offshore from Carmel Head at the northwest corner of Anglesey, Wales. The islands are important as a breeding site for seabirds, and they attract divers, who come to visit the numerous shipwrecks. The Skerries Lighthouse sits atop the highest point in the islands.
The Rothsay Castle was a paddle steamer built in 1816 for service on the River Clyde, Scotland, and was later transferred to Liverpool, England, where she was used for day trips along the coast of North Wales. She was shipwrecked on the Lavan Sands at the eastern end of the Menai Strait, North Wales, in 1831, with the loss of 130 lives.
Rhoscolyn is a village and community located on Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It is just over five miles south of Holyhead and is the most southerly settlement on the island. The name Rhoscolyn is said to mean "The Moor" (Rhos) of The Column (colyn), referring to a pillar which the Romans put up to mark the edge of their territories. The community population taken from the 2011 census was 542.
The Ve Skerries or Vee Skerries are a group of low skerries three miles (4.8 km) north west of Papa Stour, on the west coast of Shetland, Scotland. They define the southwest perimeter of St Magnus Bay.
Blackpool and the Fylde coast have become a ship graveyard for a number of vessels over the years. Most of the shipwrecks occurred at or near Blackpool, whilst a few happened a little further afield but have strong connections with the Blackpool area. For this article, Blackpool means the stretch of coast from Fleetwood to Lytham St Annes.
Trwyn Du Lighthouse, also known as Penmon Lighthouse, is a lighthouse between Black Point near Penmon and Ynys Seiriol, or Puffin Island, at the eastern extremity of Anglesey, marking the passage between the two islands.
The Isle of Anglesey is a county off the north-west coast of Wales. It is named after the island of Anglesey, which makes up 94% of its area, but also includes Holy Island and some islets and skerries. The county borders Gwynedd across the Menai Strait to the southeast, and is otherwise surrounded by the Irish Sea. Holyhead is the largest town, and the administrative centre is Llangefni. The county is part of the preserved county of Gwynedd.
The Skerries Lighthouse was first lit on the highest point of the largest island in The Skerries, Isle of Anglesey after 1716. A patent for the lighthouse was subsequently obtained in 1824. The builder was William Trench, who lost his son off the rocks and died in debt in 1725. He is said to have originally been allowed a pension from the Post Office, rather than payment from shipping tolls. An act of 1730 allowed his son-in-law, Sutton Morgan, to increase the dues charged for shipping and confirmed the patent on the light to Morgan's heirs forever.
Over the years, a number of ships have foundered off Southport. For the purposes of this article, the Southport area shall be considered as Southwards from Lytham St Annes to Freshfield.
Ulysses was a 332 GRT coastal trading vessel that was built in 1941 as Empire Creek by J Pollock & Sons, Faversham, United Kingdom. She was built for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). Empire Creek survived being bombed shortly after entering service. In 1946, she was sold into merchant service and renamed Springcreek. Further sales in 1948 and 1951 saw her named Goldcreek and Milborne respectively. In 1964, she was sold to Greece and renamed Georgios. In 1978, she was sold to Panama and renamed Ulysses, serving until she ran aground near Naples, Italy in 1979 and was wrecked.
Llanfaethlu is a village and community in the north west of Anglesey, in north-west Wales. The community population taken at the 2011 Census was 553. The village takes its name from the Church of Saint Maethlu. The community includes Llanfwrog.
The South Stack Lighthouse is built on the summit of a small island off the north-west coast of Holy Island, Anglesey, Wales. It was built in 1809 to warn ships of the dangerous rocks below.
Cylch-y-Garn is a community in Anglesey, Wales, located on the north west coast of the county, 9.0 miles (14.5 km) west of Amlwch, 12.5 miles (20.1 km) north east of Holyhead and 15.0 miles (24.1 km) north west of Llangefni. It includes the villages of Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy, Llanrhyddlad and Rhydwyn, plus Llanrhwydrys, Caerau and Cemlyn. the north west tip of the island at Carmel Head, and the offshore islands of the Skerries and West Mouse. At the 2001 census the community had a population of 675, increasing to 758 at the 2011 census.
SS Ben Doran was a steam fishing trawler that operated out of Aberdeen, Scotland. It was launched in 1900 and operated until its wrecking on the Ve Skerries, Shetland, on 29 March 1930, which claimed the lives of the full crew, believed to number nine crew members. Its wrecking has been called "the most tragic wreck in all Shetland's history".