Mynydd Parys

The old copper mines of Mynydd Parys dominate the landscape above Penysarn like a vast, rust-coloured wound. This isn't a manicured heritage site - it's a raw, industrial scar that's been quietly healing for over two centuries. Once the world's largest copper mine, it now sprawls across the hillside as a series of dramatic pits and ridges, their walls painted in shades of orange, purple and grey by centuries of mineral oxidation.

Walking the site is genuinely striking. The scale hits you immediately - those aren't small ditches but chasms carved by hand and early machinery, some dropping sheer for 80 feet or more. There's a footpath network through the workings, though it's rough terrain rather than a tourist trail. You'll want proper boots. The views across Anglesey from the top are decent enough, but honestly the draw is the landscape itself - it feels like treading through industrial archaeology that's been abandoned, not packaged.

Historians and industrial heritage enthusiasts will find this compelling. Families with younger kids might find it a bit bleak and the walking demanding. Allow two to three hours to do it justice, longer if you're properly interested. There's free access to wander, though there's minimal infrastructure - no visitor centre, no cafe.

It sits well with a caravan stay at Gadfa or Mount View, both within walking distance. The sites are practical rather than fancy, leaving you proper time to explore this genuinely unusual corner of Anglesey.