Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus — one of the world’s rarer seal species, and Britain has a big share of them) are around Anglesey all year. You can see them bobbing in a bay like a wet labrador’s head, or hauled out on rocks at low tide, drying off in a banana-shaped curl. Here’s where to find them and the one time of year that’s special.
Best places to see seals
From a boat off Penmon and Puffin Island
The most reliable sightings come from the water. A Puffin Island boat trip out of Beaumaris (Biwmares) passes the seal haul-outs around Ynys Seiriol, where dozens rest on the rocks at the island’s base. Boats keep a respectful distance, so bring a zoom lens or binoculars.
Llanddwyn Island
Walk out to Llanddwyn Island at the end of Newborough Beach and scan the rocks and water off the southern shore — grey seals are regular here, especially around low tide. The volcanic skerries give them somewhere to haul out away from people.
South Stack and the Holy Island cliffs
Below the South Stack Lighthouse on Holy Island (Ynys Gybi), seals patrol the base of the cliffs. The view down from the 400 steps or the clifftop path often catches them in the clear water. The Rhoscolyn coastal walk further south is another strong bet, with hidden coves where seals shelter.
Penmon Point
The rocky shoreline at Penmon Point, looking across to Puffin Island, gives you a land-based chance — scan the water near the lighthouse and the tide line.
When to go: the autumn pupping season
You can see seals any month, but September to November is pupping season, when females come ashore to give birth to white-coated pups on quiet beaches and in sheltered coves. This is the most rewarding — and the most sensitive — time to watch.
A few coves on the wilder north and west coasts become temporary nurseries. If you’re lucky enough to find one, the rules matter.
How to watch seals responsibly
Seals are easily disturbed, and a frightened mother can abandon a pup or stampede into the rocks. Follow these:
- Keep your distance — stay well back and use binoculars or a zoom lens rather than approaching for a closer look.
- Never get between a seal and the sea, and never touch or feed one. A pup alone on a beach is usually normal — its mother is often feeding offshore.
- Keep dogs on a lead anywhere seals haul out, especially in autumn.
- Stay quiet and low, and back off if any animal looks at you, raises its head repeatedly, or starts moving toward the water — those are signs you’re too close.
If you find a pup that looks genuinely injured, thin, or in distress, don’t intervene yourself — note the location and call the RSPCA or British Divers Marine Life Rescue.
Make a wildlife day of it
Seals pair naturally with seabirds on Anglesey. Combine a Penmon or Beaumaris seal trip with where to see puffins on Anglesey at South Stack, or the tern colony on the Cemlyn Bay walk. Bring binoculars, pick a calm day, and the island’s coast will rarely send you home without a seal.