Anglesey Winter Wonderland...

Hi, come on in. We've got logs on the fire and mull wine on the stove. Make yourself at home.The pond by the willow

A Merry Christmas...

Just a quick blog to wish you all a very merry Christmas. We very seldom get snow on the island, the mountains seem to grab it all, but this year has been an exception and we have been lucky enough to get a fair share of the stuff, with more to come later this week.
Just a reminder that we have a wonderful property we let anytime of the year www.thepondbythewillow.co.uk and would be very happy to welcome you to this wonderful island of Anglesey.

All the very best for 2011

That time of the year...

RYDER CUP COMES HOME...

If you're not interested in golf then look away now, cos this blog is all about the great game! Yes indeed, I did manage to get tickets for the greatest tournament on the planet and I've got the pictures to prove it; and what a tournament it turn out to be. Four days of nerve jangling excitement and what a finish. Held for the first time in Wales at the Celtic Manor near Newport it promised to be a battle of the giants, and what a battle it turned out to be, both in terms of the golf and the weather.Cameras were only allowed in on practice days and I had tickets for Thursday ( a practice day ) and Friday, the first day of the tournament. ( Less said about that the better.) The Americans went out early on Thursday and only played the front nine. Europe came out later and played the back nine. Because of problems getting to the ground I missed most of the Americans practice round. But I'm happy to tell you that I had plenty of time to follow the European Team to get some great shots of the winning side.
If you're into golf then you should know who is who, if you're not, then I'm not about to tell you, figure it out yourself.WELL DONE TEAM EUROPE!

The Right To Roam...

After a fantastic sea kayaking trip out off Malltraeth on Sunday morning I decided to explore the same coastline by foot. However, there was one small problem that had to be overcome, an old rusty sign stuck in the middle of a field which read, ' no trespassing.' Of course, if we were in Scotland this wouldn't be a problem as the 'right to roam' is statutory law, but here in Wales and England it's a little different. Needless to say, it didn't stop me, but I would advise anyone out walking, to think twice before venturing onto private land.
The area I wanted to explore is part of the Bodorgan Estate and is called Cwningar Trefri. I accessed it by crossing the Sand dunes at Aberffraw and by climbing up onto the headland at the far end of the beach. ( This being were I encounted the sign.) All I really wanted to see was the kind of coastline I'd find if I decided to paddle further out from Malltraeth with the intention of completing the journey at Abberfraw. And having made the effort to check it out, I think it will be a trip worth doing. With spectacular views across Caernarfon Bay and some beautiful sandy beaches to explore along the way, it could be a great day spent on the water. Let's hope it happens. I'll keep you posted.

Wind, Rain and Laughter...

The nice thing about living here in North Wales is that you get a chance to show it off to all your friends and family whenever they come visiting. This last couple of weeks have been rather manic, with three lots of visitors coming to stay over a two week period. The weather has been quite kind to us, although there has been plenty of wind and some heavy downpours. But, all in all, we've had more than our fair share of the sunny stuff.Most of our visitors are from the major towns and cities, so it's always a great buzz to take them out into the mountains and to watch their reactions as they take in the views and soak up all that wide open space. It isn't long before they start to unwind and relax.
Even after nine years of living here It doesn't get much better then this.

Horses for Courses...

We all love horses, although they don't always love me! But when you're given an environment like the Snowdonia National Park to ride in, then it's more then worth the effort to get to know your mare. Here in the heart of the park is a wonderful establishment that goes by the name of the Snowdonia Riding Stables. http://www.snowdonia2000.fsnet.co.uk/
Created over 30 years ago, it has some of the best trekking you'll find in North Wales. A beautiful selection of horses for all ages and abilities, and a fantastic group of leaders to take you up into the wonderful hills and mountains of Wales.I think the pictures say it all!

Mother of Wales...

They don't call Anglesey, the Mother of Wales, for no good reason. Many, many years ago, Anglesey produced much of the wheat for the whole of Wales. The climate and large areas of flatland made it perfect for growing crops. Nowadays most of the land on Anglesey has been taken over for sheep rearing, but in the last few years there's been a noticeable increase in crop growing, mainly for the bio-fuel market.However, it's the coastline that holds the greatest attraction for me. Each of the four sides of Anglesey offer a different terrain to explore and enjoy. And of course, for any seafarer - and I count myself amongst this group, being a great fan of sea kayaking - one couldn't ask for a more varied and fascinating coast to explore.
I Love it!

All in a Days Work...

Here we go again. Three locations to be photographed for Gwynedd C.C. all in the course of one day. Up at 5.30am for a one and half hour drive down the coast to Aberdaron. Need some atmospheric shots of this little village before it gets to busy with all the holiday makers.


Then on to Porthor, better known as Whistling Sands, a beautiful cove on the other side of the Llyn Peninsula. I managed to get there before the afternoon rush of sun bathers, and also before the sun decided to disappear behind a hazy summer sky. ( Blue skies are the order of the day)

Then, while we still had high tide hanging around, a quick stop at Trefor to capture this little harbour and pier, which can so easily be missed, as all there is is the tiniest of signposts showing the way to this peaceful out of the way village. By the time I got home I had been on the road for almost 12 hours, but I'm guessing that there are worst ways of earning one's keep.

I'm thinking that tonight I'll sleep like a baby.

The Sun Has Got His Hat On...

At long last, the sun has arrived and we can get down to the serious business of relaxing. And there's no finer place to do that than here on Anglesey. No matter where you drive, at some point you'll arrive at the coast and it's a safe bet that you'll find something of interest. Whether it's a coastal path to explore or a sandy beach to play on or some rock pools along the base of some cliffs to investigate.One, out of the way, place we love to visit is Porth Trefadog. With views across the sea towards Holyhead mountain and plenty of little nooks and crannies to set up a picnic to just while away the hours.We owe it to ourselves to take time out, and when the sun shines there's no better place than here.

Animals of Anglesey...

Here's a selection of animals I've had the pleasure of photographing here on Anglesey. Some just for the sheer joy of it, others as part of a commission. It just goes to show the wonderful diversity of creatures that go to make up this planet we all share. From dancing cows to grumpy pigs. To new born foals to watchful sheep. It's been a real joy.