Today’s theme was nature. Yesterday evening we saw the wild goats of the Great Orme’s Head as they roamed the hillside. They made national news during lockdown by encroaching into Llandudno town whilst people stayed in their homes and cars were left unused.
We had a good night in the van and set off towards Anglesey. We had pre-booked a National Trust property called Plas Newydd, a house and gardens on the shores of the Menai Straights. However, we had time to spare, so our coffee stop was at Llanfairfechan, just off the A55. We had great views across to Anglesey and to Puffin Island, which is a small bird reserve off the east coast of Anglesey. We researched and booked a boat trip on Saturday to the island taking the risk that the weather might not be kind! We are getting very animal and bird friendly….I think it’s part of getting older. Whilst walking in the village we saw this heron in the stream, probably the closest we have ever been to a heron.
We travelled onto Plas Newydd. The house wasn’t open due to coronavirus but the weather brightened up. Just as well because their is a link to ‘slavery’ and I wouldn’t want to endorse that period of British history for fear of being cancelled! Anglesey is a red squirrel island and we hoped that we might glance one in the woodland as the squirrels didn’t have any knowledge of the slavery connection and can’t be blamed for any of it! We maximised our time at the gardens by walking the full extent of all the paths. The views of the Menai Straits and Snowdonia were magnificent. At one end of the woodland was a fantastic colourful rhododendron area almost as good as Bodnant Gardens and at the other end the Arboretum of rare and unusual trees was interesting too. We also managed to see two red squirrels from about 10 yards. They were ahead of us on the path and quickly ran up one tree, crossed the canopies of two more trees and came down again. Sorry there are no photos but we were ‘made up’ by seeing them.
These were Monterey Cypress trees….they took some propping up!
We moved onto the proper Caravan Club site near Benllech that we are booked into. When we stay on Caravan Club sites we always have flash backs to our time working as Assistant Wardens at Ferry Meadows and the Warden, Alan! Having read the current Caravan Club magazine we noted that Alan and wife, Dee, had moved from Ferry Meadows to a site called Bearsted in Kent. Knowing where Alan is is a great relief because we know which site we need to avoid and it means we can feel free to revisit Ferry Meadows!
Sat 15th May 2021 - Benllech, Anglesey. Showery.
We were driving off the site this morning to get to Beaumaris where we will later catch a boat trip. We hoped the weather would be kind. Our immediate concern was to perform our annual (it seems that regular) hunt for a new Calor Gas bottle. Each time we need to renew our gas supply we are told that there is a shortage of the size of bottle we want. It took a visit to three dealers before we were lucky. We have heard of people buying new caravans and motorhomes and not being able to get any gas! They won’t let you buy any gas bottles unless you have an empty one identical in size!
Onward to park up at Beaumaris. The small town has a pretty castle and a great outlook over to mainland Wales. We were in plenty of time for our afternoon sailing.
I am also on the look out for the most ridiculous coronavirus restriction/behaviour of the trip. A bit like the one way system on the bridge at Conwy. We repeatedly see signs in the middle of the countryside telling us to socially distance or to ‘keep Wales safe’! Today we saw this signage on a long bench….
We will be getting instructions on a safe method of bending our knees and leaning back before we sit and then how to get up next!
I bought a warm turkey pie for my lunch (there were only a couple of pies left) and when I ate it I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a steak and kidney pie, which would have been my choice if I had a choice. It must be my lucky day, so I felt safe going on a boat trip.
Our afternoon boat trip involved two hours in the luxury ocean going cruise liner as seen below….
We were allocated our sitting positions by our skipper Haydn so that we were spaced for COVID reasons and set off for Puffin Island. The weather was pleasant and the skies were blue but we had put on plenty of layers of clothing and had our best raincoats just in case. The island was a major breeding area for cormorants and shags but had eider ducks, kittiwake, guillemot, razorbills and around 200 puffins. We saw lots of all the others and a total of three puffins but we were happy with that.
Spot the puffin. I could offer a prize for the person who places an X on the puffins beak!
We doubled back and headed down the Menai Strait and were told about where Roger Moore once had a penthouse and where the owners of ‘Tarmac’ and ‘Iceland’ stores have houses on the shoreline, then went under both the Thomas Telford and the Britannia bridges and the heavens opened. We were drenched and despite the earlier instructions to socially distance whilst on the boat the skipper told us that he didn’t care and we could all squash into his small cabin! You will be pleased to know that Janice and I stood outside the whole time….she laughed at me because I looked like someone had been throwing buckets of water on me from the side! I couldn’t get much wetter anyway although my waterproof coat did it’s job my legs were drenched. We didn’t mind getting wet as we were quickly dry again with fresh clothes when we got back to the van….it was better than having to drive back in a car in wet clothing. Janice had particularly wanted to see some puffins and although she only saw three she was still happy with the experience. The razorbills and the guillemots were great too and oops I forgot to mention that we saw several seals too. I am thankful that I lined my stomach with a ‘lucky’ steak and kidney pie before the voyage to prevent sea sickness and to ensure we came back safely (but drenched).
The last couple of days have very much involved the fauna and flora of the area and I must admit that I really appreciate our natural world more as I creep towards my next big birthday! You wouldn’t think I was that age would you?….the answer, in case you didn’t know the correct response, is no!
No comments:
Post a Comment