 THE ROMANS did not like Anglesey. Of all the many lands they conquered, this little island off the North Wales coast was one of the most troublesome. The invading army were met at the Menai Straits by huge gangs of violent druids and tribesmen waving cudgels. Wild women painted in blue woad danced madly along the shore, shrieking weird incantations at the enemy. A Roman commentator described his men "watching fearfully, their limbs shaking in terror". A great deal has changed in the intervening 2,000 years! The modern visitor to Anglesey will be met by nothing more than beautiful coastal scenery, interesting tourist attractions and historic monuments. Today, the warmth of the welcome from the island's residents is the equal of anywhere in Wales and there is hardly a woad-painted woman or violent druid in sight.
 Visitors have been enjoying the mild climate and beautiful coastal scenery of Anglesey for hundreds of years. Now, emerging from the devastation wrought by foot and mouth, it is as good as it ever has been - and the A5 road cutting through the island has been upgraded to allow easy and fast access to even the most distant section of coastline. The island is dotted with signs of its ancient past. Prehistoric standing stones and mysterious burial chambers are everywhere. The depth of the history is astonishing. Near Traeth Lligwy, for instance, a five minute walk will take you past a 4,000 year-old burial chamber, an 11th century church and a 2nd century village. Llys Rhosyr, the site of the court of a medieval Welsh prince, has been discovered near Newborough. While Beaumaris, another of Edward I's famous castles, is a short drive from Menai Bridge. Anglesey's recent history is also fascinating. At the height of the industrial revolution, the town of Amlwch had thousands of residents, all dependent on nearby Parys Mountain, then the biggest coppermine in the world. | 
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