North Stack ( Welsh: Ynys Arw, meaning "rugged island") is a small island situated just off Holy Island on the north-west coast of

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

. The area has been an important location in the development of

traditional climbing Traditional climbing (or Trad climbing) is a style of rock climbing in which the climber places all the necessary protection gear required to arrest any falls as they are climbing, and then removes it when the pitch is complete (often done ...

in Britain and has several notable classic, and also extreme, climbing routes.

Description

North Stack is the site of a redundant fog warning station, comprising a number of buildings, including the Trinity House Magazine, built-in 1861, where shells for the warning cannon were stored. These buildings now house a bird-watching observatory,North Stack
holyhead.com. Retrieved 31 December 2010. giving a view of

South Stack South Stack ( cy, Ynys Lawd) is an island situated just off Holy Island on the northwest coast of Anglesey, Wales. Geology South Stack is an island known as a sea stack. It was formed by the wave erosion of sedimentary rocks that once conn ...

lighthouse across Gogarth Bay, and the studio of artist Philippa Jacobs. North Stack, or Gogarth North Stack, can also refer to the headland opposite the island.

Rock climbing

The Precambrian

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tec ...

cliffs of this headland, including the North Stack Walls and Wen Zawn, are a well-regarded area for rock climbs in Britain, and contain important

routes such as ''A Dream of White Horses'' ( HVS 4c, Ed Drummond and Dave Pearce, 1968), ''The Cad'' ( E6 6a,

Ron Fawcett Ron Fawcett (born 6 May 1955) is a British rock climber and rock climbing author who is credited with pushing the technical standards of British rock climbing in traditional, sport, bouldering and free soloing disciplines, in the decade from the ...

, 1978), ''Skinhead Moonstomp'' ( E6 6b, Andy Pollitt, 1986), ''The Bells, The Bells!'' ( E7 6b, John Redhead, 1980), ''Conan the Librarian'' ( E7 6b,

Johnny Dawes Johnny Dawes (born 9 May 1964) is a British rock climber and author, known for a dynamic climbing style and for establishing bold traditional climbing routes. This included the first ascent of ''The Indian Face'', the first-ever route at the E ...

, 1986), and ''The Hollow Man'' ( E8 6b, Andy Pollitt, 1988).

Crash site

The stack was the site of a crash of a B-24 bomber of the US Eighth Air Force on 22 December 1944 that killed the eight crew on board."Anglesey World War II plane tragedy memorial service to be held on 70th anniversary
daily.co.uk, Retrieved 17 December 2014.

Gallery

Ynys Arw - North Stack near Caergybi (Holyhead), Ynys Mon, Wales 09.jpg, The main island of 'Ynys Arw' which gave its name to the peninsula (or headland) Image:Gogarth Bay, Holyhead - geograph.org.uk - 86044.jpg, North Stack: the small island at the end of Gogarth Bay and the headland opposite Image:Trinity_House_Magazine,_North_Stack,_Holyhead._-_geograph.org.uk_-_97365.jpg, Trinity House Magazine, North Stack

References

External links

Rock climbing at North Stack
{{Islands of Anglesey Islands of Anglesey Uninhabited islands of Wales Precambrian Europe Quartzite formations Trearddur Tourist attractions in Anglesey Climbing areas of Wales