At a glance
Silver Bay is a sheltered sandy cove on the southern shore of Holy Island, Anglesey — clear turquoise water, fine sand, and a quiet character compared to busier Trearddur Bay nearby. Publicly accessible year-round despite an adjacent holiday park. No lifeguard cover; best in settled summer conditions. A short drive from Holyhead.
About Silver Bay Beach
Ynys Gybi — Holy Island — is the smaller companion to Anglesey proper, connected by causeway and road bridge but retaining a distinct character from the larger island. Its southern coast, sheltered from the prevailing Atlantic by the hill mass above, produces a series of coves and sandy bays that face south and south-west into the calmer waters between the two islands. Silver Bay occupies one of these coves, its south-west aspect delivering afternoon sun and protection from north-westerly wind in conditions that leave the exposed western beaches difficult.
The water at Silver Bay has the quality that the geology and the shelter combine to produce: clear, sandy-bottomed, and coloured the pale turquoise that distinguishes Anglesey's cleaner beaches from the murkier conditions found further east along the coast. The bay is small enough to feel private even when it is not; the sandy beach reveals broadly at low tide; the approach is simple enough to allow families with young children to manage without difficulty. It is, in the vocabulary of North Wales beaches, what the island's most celebrated examples are in a smaller and quieter register.
The coastal path on Holy Island connects Silver Bay northward through Porthdafarch to Trearddur Bay and onward to the cliffs of Mynydd Twr above South Stack — a full circuit of the island's southern and western coast that passes through coastal scenery of remarkable quality. Silver Bay makes a useful start point for this walk, or a destination in itself for those who want a beach day without the infrastructure and visitor numbers that Trearddur Bay carries in peak season. The distinction between the two beaches — adjacent, similar in quality, entirely different in character — is one of those useful North Wales contrasts that rewards the visitor willing to drive an extra mile or two beyond the known.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
Silver Bay is on the southern shore of Holy Island (Ynys Gybi), the smaller island connected to Anglesey by causeway that contains Holyhead. The beach is on the sheltered south-west aspect of Holy Island, facing towards the main body of Anglesey across the Sound. It is reached by minor roads from the B4545 south of Holyhead, approximately 5 miles from the town.
Silver Bay is a small, sheltered sandy cove with clear water and a relatively private character. The bay faces south-west, sheltered from the prevailing Atlantic winds by the hill mass of Holy Island above. The water is typically calm and clear — the sheltered aspect and the sandy seabed produce the kind of turquoise water colour associated with Anglesey's west-facing beaches, but without the Atlantic exposure. It is an exceptionally pleasant bathing beach in settled summer conditions.
Yes. Silver Bay has a private holiday park on its shore but the beach itself is accessible to all visitors. Public access is maintained to the beach; visitors should use the designated car parking and approach routes rather than the holiday park entrance. The beach is public regardless of the adjacent development.
Yes. Silver Bay is one of the better swimming beaches on Holy Island. The sheltered bay and sandy seabed create safe, calm conditions in most summer weather. The water is clean and clear. There is no lifeguard cover, so swimming is at visitors' own discretion. The beach is suitable for families with children and for those who want calmer conditions than the more exposed west-facing Anglesey beaches provide.
Trearddur Bay, 2 miles north, is the most developed and popular beach on Holy Island with facilities, a lifeboat station, and reliable surf. Porthdafarch, adjacent, is another quiet cove. South Stack lighthouse and RSPB reserve is 4 miles north-west. The coastal path on Holy Island connects all these sites and makes a rewarding circular walk of several hours.
July and August offer the warmest water and longest days. The south-west aspect means Silver Bay receives afternoon and evening sun, making late afternoon particularly pleasant. The sheltered character makes it usable in more wind conditions than exposed beaches, though strong south-westerly gales will affect it directly. Spring and early summer offer fewer visitors with still reasonable conditions.