Badger Galore
Staying ‘Up Over’ for a while.
Anglesey.
So…recently we got away to Anglesey for a few days. For those not in the know, Anglesey is an island off the coast of North Wales and it is a place I visited lots as a child on family camping holidays. We stayed in a converted shipping container near Llangefni on a beautiful property overlooking Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales, which rises up on the mainland. Unfortunately we didn’t get to enjoy the view because the weather during our stay was dreadful, misty, overcast and frequently wet and windy. We managed to get around most of the island in two days there. The first day we explored the southern side visiting Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber, Ynys Llanddwyn by Newborough Forest, Barclodiad y Gawres (another burial site) and South Stack Lighthouse, up near Holyhead, where we were troubled by wind! The second day we explored Cemaes, Amlwch*, Porth Eilean (this was where we camped all those years ago) and Point Lynas Lighthouse where we saw dolphins and seals. Then it was on to Din Lligwy, an ancient village and the Lligwy Burial Chamber before getting soaked walking at Red Wharf Bay. We ended that day with fish and chips in the car at Benllech Beach. On our way home we stopped off at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the town with the longest place name in the UK which translates as ‘St Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio near the red cave’. We also popped into picturesque Chester for lunch.
*As an addendum, in Amlwch we wandered into a shed on the harbour with a display of geological rocks from all over the island and were pounced upon by an enthusiastic volunteer who was lurking at the far end. He proceeded to tell us, at great length, about the geology of the island, who discovered it (some bloke who was a friend/mentor of Darwin’s) and I feared we would never get away unless we knocked him out with one of the rocks at hand. We were his 3rd and 4th victims of the day and escaped after being forced to sign the visitors book.
The way ahead and other scenes from recent wanderings.
So…when the weather is kind Will and I take it in turns to get out and walk for exercise and our sanity…
Lowther and Swindale.
So…Will has been contacted by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) to help run a nature course in October. The course will be taking place at two sites, one by the River Lowther and the other in Swindale by Swindale Beck. They are interested in the work Will had done with his sound recordings of rivers and would like him to show course attendees how he does it and help them to make sound recordings of their own. The two sites are RSPB nature reserves so when we had a bit of free time we went to check the sites out beforehand to see the ‘lie of the land’, so to speak. We had some lovely surprises. Firstly, we did not know that at the Lowther site beavers were reintroduced about 6 years ago, we didn’t see any but found evidence of them and secondly, Swindale was beautiful. We had both never been before and it is reached by a road, not unlike those on Mull (!), single track and winding. It is definitely a valley we will return to, to explore some more…
Edinburgh.
So…after our three nights on Mull we headed to Edinburgh. We camped in Dalkeith Country Park just outside Edinburgh and caught the bus into the centre for a day at the Edinburgh Festival. We saw five shows and also visited the National Gallery of Scotland for the Andy Goldsworthy exhibition, which was amazing…
Mull.
So…after Iona we braved more of the single track roads on Mull and practically drove around the whole of the island finishing up in Tobermory, the main town on the Island. We visited the Loch Buie Standing Stones after visiting Iona on the first day. On the second day we drove around the other side of Loch Scridain to Loch Na Keal but then found the road closed so had to drive back around to Craignure and then onto Salen before heading back to Loch Na Keal and on past the Ulva Ferry and the Eas Fors Waterfall, past Treshnish, Calgary and Derveig to Tobermory. The next day we packed up our tent and headed back to Craignure to catch the ferry back to Oban and journeyed on to Edinburgh. Here are scenes from Mull…
