New festival to celebrate Anglesey pilgrimage route

A new festival celebrating Anglesey's Cybi a Seiriol pilgrimage route will take place this summer, with walks, talks, music and heritage events held in churches across the island.

Organised by the Diocese of Bangor, Gŵyl Cybi a Seiriol will be held from 3–5 July and is the first festival centred on Llwybr Cybi a Seiriol, a 57-mile pilgrimage route inspired by the story of the sixth-century saints Cybi and Seiriol.

The festival programme includes guided pilgrim walks, a cello recital at Penmon, talks on local history and sacred landscapes, a performance exploring the Royal Charter shipwreck, and a pilgrimage service and blessing at Penmon.

Inspired by the story of the sixth-century saints Cybi and Seiriol, the pilgrimage route stretches from Holyhead to Penmon and passes through some of Anglesey's most important religious, historic and natural landmarks. According to tradition, Cybi and Seiriol established religious communities at opposite ends of Anglesey. Cybi settled at Holyhead, while Seiriol founded a monastery at Penmon. Legend says the two saints regularly met near the centre of the island for prayer and fellowship.

Highlights along the route include St Cybi's Church within the Roman fort at Holyhead, the coastline around Rhoscolyn and St Gwenfaen's Well, Wales's last working windmill at Melin Llynon, the 5,000-year-old Lligwy Burial Chamber, the Royal Charter shipwreck memorial near Moelfre, the Iron Age hillfort of Bwrdd Arthur, St Seiriol's Holy Well and Penmon Priory.