Not to put too fine a point on it, the infrastructure deteriorates steadily the further you are from Liverpool. Liverpool is well served with motorways, rail connections to Scotland and all (English) points South. Liverpool Airport has some services to most parts of the country. Manchester Airport, however, is less than an hour away by road from Liverpool and is a major international airport, with regular flights around the UK, into Europe and across the Atlantic. Liverpool is also a major ferry port for Ireland.
Heading West towards Anglesey from the Welsh border at Queensferry, the A55 "Expressway" (a dual carriageway which frequently grinds to a halt with the weight of traffic) leads across the Britannia Bridge at Bangor onto the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Mon) and proceeds along a relatively new, quiet, dual carriageway to Holyhead. Menai Bridge to Holyhead used to take up to an hour - now it's more like 20 minutes - but watch out for speed traps; the police use the road as a revenue generating opportunity. The town of Beaumaris and the home of the North West Venturers Yacht Club is just a few miles east of Menai Bridge along a winding but picturesque road.
Rail services west from Liverpool are also 'difficult'. The fast trains from London to Holyhead lose their motivation at Chester (missing out Liverpool altogether) and stop at almost every station in North Wales before arriving at Holyhead, whilst the link between Liverpool and Chester tends to rely on commuter services.
The coast south of Caernarfon can really only be accessed by car, leaving ample time to negotiate the villages en route. Picturesque and well worth a visit, but not if you're rushing to change crews.
Whilst the marina at Pwllheli is reasonably close to the station (and easy to locate by road) it is not well served with trains from the inhabited regions of the UK. Conwy Marina really needs a taxi or tri-athletic qualities to reach it from the station. Access from the A55 is well signposted, though car parking can be a problem with a public house having acquired a large proportion of the marina's car park. Holyhead Marina is much better served with car parking facilities, but the mile walk from the station can stretch the arms and legs.
It is worth remembering that this region is heavily committed to using Welsh place names, which are not always spelt the same way! Most of the time, they are sufficiently close to the names on English road maps to cause no problem to navigation, but the town of Port Dinorwic (between Bangor and Caernarfon) is notable because it is locally known only as Y Felinheli (or Yr Felinheli or Felin Heli or ...!). This can be confusing since both the town and its marina are known simply as PD.
Further down the Lleyn Peninsula, the lovely anchorage at Porth Dinllaen is referred to as PY!!
All in all, excellent sailing grounds once you get there.
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There is nowhere in the region which is equally easy for both the yacht and land transport. Liverpool is the obvious spot for travellers, including those from Ireland. However, it is at the least scenic end of the cruising grounds and exiting the River Mersey in a north westerly can be character forming. The marina is only accessible at half tide. Mostyn is a No-No for yachts and is a long way from any useful cruising grounds. You would have to travel east to Liverpool or west to Conwy to find a place to leave the boat - though if you want to get sailing more quickly, a slightly longer land trip to one of the boarding places in the Menai Strait might be seen as advisable. Conwy can also be 'interesting' in heavy weather, particularly from the NW - but once in the marina you are safely tucked away from absolutely anything.
The Menai Strait teems with moorings from Caernarfon in the west to Beaumaris in the east. Access to the Irish Sea from the Caernarfon end (west of the Swellies) is made more interesting by Caernafon Bar, which typically makes the eastern end more attractive to yachts - but less attractive to boarding them! For short periods, however, Dickies yard at Bangor, the boatyard at Port Dinorwic and the 'marinas' at Port Dinorwic and Caernarfon can make excellent crew changing venues.
Holyhead offers a better option for the yacht, with the marina capable of accommodating yachts of virtually any length and weight; and moorings at Holyhead Sailing Club for those who are nervous about pontoon berthing. Nothing, however, is perfect and and stiff NE is uncomfortable on the moorings (but not in the marina) and the tidal gates at South Stack and Carmel Head can restrict departure in strong winds from any direction.
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North Wales is a thriving region with 24 hour supermarkets in most of the major towns between Pwllheli and Rhyl and on the Isle of Anglesey itself - though the Outer Reaches around Holyhead only manage 'All Day' opening hours. All offer the fullest range of food and drink - fresh, preserved & frozen and some will deliver to the boat. (Try www.tesco.com). Calor gas bottles are generally easy to find at the supermarkets, garages and the many chandleries.
Gwynedd, some may remember, was one of the last counties in the UK to be 'dry' on Sundays - an interesting piece of legislation which led to numerous 'private clubs'! Many of these are now no longer 'private', which means that the walking distances between watering holes can be very short indeed.
Restaurants are of variable quantity and quality and a trip around the North Wales Index would be useful if you are looking for good eating.
The area around the town of Menai Bridge is particularly well served with easy to find, reasonably priced pub-grub, with the trend extending towards Beaumaris. Beaumaris, as well as being the home of the Club, has many excellent pubs with good grub. Elsewhere along the Strait (both sides) there are some excellent restaurants and B&B's which need a little research to find and which may be full. As with the supermarkets, the further you progress into Anglesey, the more 1950's becomes the service. Pubs and restaurants close earlier, some don't even open on Sunday (!) and 'value for money' tends to fall off.
The distance between Conwy marina & the town makes for a brisk trade in the public house built in the marina complex, though pubs and restaurants do exist in the town if you have a car (or taxi).
Liverpool, of course, is a well known centre for hedonistic activity and there are sufficient restaurants, take-aways and public houses within easy staggering distance of the marina (not to mention the marina Clubhouse itself) to satisfy most crews.
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Diesel (red) and water are generally easy to obtain at docksides throughout the region, though petrol may involve a walk. Obviously the major marinas (Pwllheli, Holyhead, Conwy & Liverpool) offer all services, but the area in between is much encumbered with Nature Reserves and other similar restricted areas and water-side petrol sales are verboten. By arrangement with the harbour master bunkering supplies may be available from Holyhead Harbour.
The Menai Strait had never been a good place to refuel, the mechanism being to fill a 5 gallon can to the top and say “That’s about 25 litres”. It got worse when the government insisted on accurate measurement and some suppliers decided it wasn’t worth the effort, including ABC Power Marine at Gallows Point. It has now improved enormously with a new (red) diesel pump which meets regulations AND is accessible from the sea, for direct filling of fuel tanks at Porth Daniel Boat Storage, Menai Bridge to complement Dickies in Bangor. Ashore, you can still carry cans to Castle Garage in Beaumaris. All this will undoubtedly need updating when the derogation rules become either known or established.
Calor gas (Blue) is widely available at virtually any outlet near the water (or a caravan site), though Red gas is less widely available and it's best to have sufficient onboard to allow time for reseach (and a move) before running out.
Similarly, most chandlers and yacht clubs have a water tap, though piped supplies are relatively scarce. To the best of our knowledge, apart from the marinas, between Pwllheli and Liverpool only Dinas Boatyard (PD), Menai Bridge pier, Dickies of Bangor and (with difficulty) Holyhead Sailing Club can offer water via a hose. There is a tap on Beaumaris pier for the stout hearted.
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