Badger Galore
Staying ‘Up Over’ for a while.
Into the storm!
So…last weekend we had another break which coincided with the arrival of Storm Amy from the Atlantic. After the miserable weather for our Anglesey break we were feeling a bit hard done by with another terrible weather forecast. We went to Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway simply because we had a free two night stay at the North West Castle Hotel courtesy of ‘Carefree’. ‘Carefree’ is a charity organisation that provides free breaks for carers, for up to two nights, in a variety of hotels around the country. I chose the hotel in Stranraer because it had availability on a Friday and Saturday night whereas most other hotels offer only weekdays when they are quieter. As a carer you can get a free break once a year and occasionally twice if you are lucky.
We set off on the Friday as Amy approached Scotland. We called in at Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, Gatehouse of Fleet and Newton Stewart on the way. The rivers we saw were already in spate and near breaking their banks. We didn’t venture out of the hotel the first night because of the rain and wind but got out on the Saturday and despite a few apocalyptic showers managed to get around the whole of the Rhins of Galloway. We visited the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse first, which is the most southerly point of Scotland, then Port Logan but the Logan Botanic Garden was closed because of the weather. We had some lunch in Port Patrick and walked along the cliff to Dunskey Castle before heading on up to the Corsewell Lighthouse at the northern end of the Rhins. The wind was epic all day and it howled all night outside the
Special Days!
So…on the 21st September 2025 Asher Elspeth Allen-Clarke was born, a lovely new granddaughter and yesterday, 28th September 2025 my Mum was 90!
Cat Bells.
So… last Friday we climbed Cat Bells near Keswick, in the Lake District, home of Mrs Tiggywinkle of Beatrix Potter fame. The weather was kind and our legs endured but we lived to walk again.
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…
