23rd April day 413

I'd slept well and was eager to get going. Following breakfast i headed over to the boathouse to say goodbye and to get a photo and take a look aboard the Severn class lifeboat stationed there. When i arrived brian, the coxswain was hoovering and getting the station ready for a school visit so i got us a coffee and waited for the chief mechanic ian to arrive.

Comparing the Severn to the tamar class lifeboat it was immediately apparent they were from different eras. The tamar I'd been shown around at the Barrow station was very high tech and looked like something from a scifi movie, this boat was more traditional in its appearance with banks of lights and switches. Its like comparing the enterprise from star trek with captain james t kirk with jean luc piccards sleak starship in the next generation.

Before leaving holyhead brian offered to arran for my pack to be taken on to the  trearddur lifeboat station a mere 3 miles away by road while i headed of around the coast which was about three times further.

With excellent weather and no pack my hike would be easy, an enjoyable stroll away from the boathouse around the mountain and back down to trearddur bay. A short way from the station i passed a few derelict buildings which unfortunately i was unable to gain access to. The buildings were built to house the construction workers of the breakwater in holyhead. The breakwater is the longest in Britain stretching an impressive mile and a quarter out to sea.

Reaching the holyhead mountain, which to be honest isn't really much of a mountain and only 700' high i began to follow the maze of trails left by walkers and climbers who regularly visited the landmark. It was very easy going and with the cliffs plummeting beneath me i was as close to the coast as i could possibly wish.

Coming down from the mountain i could see trearddur bay ahead. Again it was a simple case of following the coastal path around the cliffs. Out to sea i could see the raf rescue helicopter performing routine training exercises and as I'd hiked a little further was lucky enough to be in the right cove as they decided to head in and perform a short excercise on the rocks. Watching the team so close was fascinating and an experience i will never forget.

After watching the expertise of the pilot and crew i set off feeling quite chirpy and soon arrived at the trearddur lifeboat station where the crew had arrived for their weekly training. An actor from coronation street who'd been made an honoury crew member was also present, purely by chance. I'll be honest i don't watch soap operas and really had no idea who he was.