Anglesey/ Holy Island, North Wales.
Jun 28, 2019 18:58:01 GMT
Post by lugg on Jun 28, 2019 18:58:01 GMT
Anglesey and Holy Island, North Wales
I am lucky enough to visit here every so often to meet up with friends who I have known for 40 years plus. So whenever I go it’s a real treat for many reasons… lots of laughs and a common history; memories of some lovely childhood holidays; beautiful scenery, lots of fresh air / Vitamin Sea and walking balances some good hearty food such as great fish and chips and cake. On occasion the sun shines too. Here are a few highlights from my most recent earlier this month.
The place we stay at is so lovely set back from a quiet little cove on Holy Island – it almost seems that the cove belongs to the house. Shame about the ugly wires – if only I could photo shop! I understand that it was once owned as a holiday home by the Tate and Lyle family now divided into 3 apartments – ours is the top floor.
I could look out of these windows forever
One person was brave enough to swim – I think the sea temp was 14 at most
Heron in the cove
and horses next to the cove
We usually base our walking around the coastal path but this visit we ventured inland – all because we wanted cake. Not just any old cake but made by a person who has a very good reputation as a pastry chef, born on Anglesey he’s recently set up a business at Melin Llynnon, the last working windmill on Anglesey. We already knew that the choice of cake would be limited as his business has taken off so well he was having new kitchens put in to cope with the demand but we did not want to miss the opportunity to check it out for future visits.
So we parked at the windmill and set off for a circular walk to build up an appetite. A few photos from along the way
The windmill in the distance
A friendly bull
This watermill had been renovated and won a conservation award in the 70s but was now rather forlorn.
Anyway heading back quickly to the windmill for cake and a pot of tea, particularly well deserved as on the way a spectacular miss-step by yours truly
We stopped off for another short walk on the way back home at a place just outside Holyhead on Holy Island – mostly known for its ferry link to Ireland. (mostly to stop us feeling guilty about the cake and to work up an appetite for a fish and chips supper
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043888016_d19774e3b7_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043092993_aac2065eb7_b.jpg
It’s a haven for dog walking and so an apt place for a pet cemetery although I could not see any recent burials , it seems the last was in the 80s
Anyway much as we enjoyed the inland walk, next day we headed to the coast .
First stop …
Giants Steps (Rhuddgaer Stepping Stones) They are kind of a well- hidden secret. However once you know where they are they are easy to get to … about a 15 min walk from the road. Fortunately we met a resident close by who helped us on the right track. They cross the Afon Braint which is affected by tides from the Menai Strait and the Irish Sea We timed the tides just right, more by luck than judgement.
From here it’s a short hop to what I think is one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales. Newborough is vast and connects at low tide to another less visited beach, Malltraeth. Behind the beaches are forest and marsh areas and dunes – home to a thriving population of red squirrels; many birds and some beautiful wildflowers. The tidal island of Ynys Llanddwyn sits between the two.
Malltraeth is on the left , Newbororough on the right
Ynys Landdwyn from the beach
The causeway which separates Llanddwyn from Angelsey at high tide.
The mountains in the distance are the Snowdonia range
Llanddwyn was home to Welsh Patron Saint of Love – St Dwynwen and in medieval times was a place of pilgrimage.
More about her can be found here.
www.anglesey-history.co.uk/places/llanddwyn/
The well is the first thing you find of Dwynwens’s heritage as you walk onto the island. The stones are you can glimpse towards the top right are the well itself.
Then moving further onto the island you see more links to the islands history.
This lighthouse may remind you of a windmill without sails – it was based on the Anglesey windmill.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043656927_67bd9cb106_b.jpg
These Pilots houses may look familiar if you have seen 1900 Island a BBC programme. The houses are a row of four cottages, single storeyed, with two rooms to each house and were home to lighthouse keepers, pilots and lifeboat men. . They are absolutely tiny. There is more info about the houses and lighthouses in the Anglesey history link I gave above.
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/1900-island
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043528371_e5bd80f325_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043575338_1a292e7053_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043614648_a9406e313f_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043613248_eb4ce7fdab_b.jpg
Although we kept hoping and searching we did not get to see any seals as we walked around the islands coast but saw many birds and wildflowers on the island. The sea water was incredibly clear
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043670363_6d9810ea37_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043677292_0e65b6764a_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043687177_30f43ff12f_b.jpg
Northern Marsh Orchid
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043468342_be16454339_b.jpg
Thrift
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043448453_cff691f20f_b.jpg
Wild iris
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043534772_cc50cf7a1c_b.jpg
Good to see some bumblebees out and about
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043534313_389492f8e3_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043766082_2f6a7c350f_b.jpg
Oystercatcher guarding a nest
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043659118_a790f7c39f_b.jpg
I was so envious of these horse riders
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043578832_6ba12e8afe_b.jpg
Maybe one day .. .
I am lucky enough to visit here every so often to meet up with friends who I have known for 40 years plus. So whenever I go it’s a real treat for many reasons… lots of laughs and a common history; memories of some lovely childhood holidays; beautiful scenery, lots of fresh air / Vitamin Sea and walking balances some good hearty food such as great fish and chips and cake. On occasion the sun shines too. Here are a few highlights from my most recent earlier this month.
The place we stay at is so lovely set back from a quiet little cove on Holy Island – it almost seems that the cove belongs to the house. Shame about the ugly wires – if only I could photo shop! I understand that it was once owned as a holiday home by the Tate and Lyle family now divided into 3 apartments – ours is the top floor.
I could look out of these windows forever
One person was brave enough to swim – I think the sea temp was 14 at most
Heron in the cove
and horses next to the cove
We usually base our walking around the coastal path but this visit we ventured inland – all because we wanted cake. Not just any old cake but made by a person who has a very good reputation as a pastry chef, born on Anglesey he’s recently set up a business at Melin Llynnon, the last working windmill on Anglesey. We already knew that the choice of cake would be limited as his business has taken off so well he was having new kitchens put in to cope with the demand but we did not want to miss the opportunity to check it out for future visits.
So we parked at the windmill and set off for a circular walk to build up an appetite. A few photos from along the way
The windmill in the distance
A friendly bull
This watermill had been renovated and won a conservation award in the 70s but was now rather forlorn.
Anyway heading back quickly to the windmill for cake and a pot of tea, particularly well deserved as on the way a spectacular miss-step by yours truly
We stopped off for another short walk on the way back home at a place just outside Holyhead on Holy Island – mostly known for its ferry link to Ireland. (mostly to stop us feeling guilty about the cake and to work up an appetite for a fish and chips supper
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043888016_d19774e3b7_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043092993_aac2065eb7_b.jpg
It’s a haven for dog walking and so an apt place for a pet cemetery although I could not see any recent burials , it seems the last was in the 80s
Anyway much as we enjoyed the inland walk, next day we headed to the coast .
First stop …
Giants Steps (Rhuddgaer Stepping Stones) They are kind of a well- hidden secret. However once you know where they are they are easy to get to … about a 15 min walk from the road. Fortunately we met a resident close by who helped us on the right track. They cross the Afon Braint which is affected by tides from the Menai Strait and the Irish Sea We timed the tides just right, more by luck than judgement.
From here it’s a short hop to what I think is one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales. Newborough is vast and connects at low tide to another less visited beach, Malltraeth. Behind the beaches are forest and marsh areas and dunes – home to a thriving population of red squirrels; many birds and some beautiful wildflowers. The tidal island of Ynys Llanddwyn sits between the two.
Malltraeth is on the left , Newbororough on the right
Ynys Landdwyn from the beach
The causeway which separates Llanddwyn from Angelsey at high tide.
The mountains in the distance are the Snowdonia range
Llanddwyn was home to Welsh Patron Saint of Love – St Dwynwen and in medieval times was a place of pilgrimage.
More about her can be found here.
www.anglesey-history.co.uk/places/llanddwyn/
The well is the first thing you find of Dwynwens’s heritage as you walk onto the island. The stones are you can glimpse towards the top right are the well itself.
Then moving further onto the island you see more links to the islands history.
This lighthouse may remind you of a windmill without sails – it was based on the Anglesey windmill.
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043656927_67bd9cb106_b.jpg
These Pilots houses may look familiar if you have seen 1900 Island a BBC programme. The houses are a row of four cottages, single storeyed, with two rooms to each house and were home to lighthouse keepers, pilots and lifeboat men. . They are absolutely tiny. There is more info about the houses and lighthouses in the Anglesey history link I gave above.
www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2019/1900-island
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043528371_e5bd80f325_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043575338_1a292e7053_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043614648_a9406e313f_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043613248_eb4ce7fdab_b.jpg
Although we kept hoping and searching we did not get to see any seals as we walked around the islands coast but saw many birds and wildflowers on the island. The sea water was incredibly clear
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043670363_6d9810ea37_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043677292_0e65b6764a_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043687177_30f43ff12f_b.jpg
Northern Marsh Orchid
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043468342_be16454339_b.jpg
Thrift
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043448453_cff691f20f_b.jpg
Wild iris
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043534772_cc50cf7a1c_b.jpg
Good to see some bumblebees out and about
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043534313_389492f8e3_b.jpg
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043766082_2f6a7c350f_b.jpg
Oystercatcher guarding a nest
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043659118_a790f7c39f_b.jpg
I was so envious of these horse riders
live.staticflickr.com/65535/48043578832_6ba12e8afe_b.jpg
Maybe one day .. .