Big Brother...

We mustn’t forget that, for all its beauty, Anglesey is very much a part of Wales even though you could be forgiven for thinking that it is a separate country on its own. The mountains of Snowdonia stand over this tiny island like a big brother protecting his younger sister, and from just about anywhere on the island these big brother mountains can be seen standing tall and proud.
Travelling to Anglesey should always be undertaken during daylight hours and whenever possible, down the old A5 road. This brings you through some of the most stunning countryside you could ever wish to visit with plenty of chances to stop and admire the landscape along the way. Winter or summer, this journey never ceases to amaze me.

It's Never to Late...

Here’s one of my favourite paths. It leads to a bay at Rhoscolyn call Borthwen Bay. It’s where I cut my teeth when learning to sea kayak and it was here I had my first encounter with a seal that played hide and seek with me for close to an hour. Wherever I paddled he’d pop his head up just a few metres away and if I paddled towards him he’d disappear under the surface only to pop up a few minutes later. And so it went on for close to an hour until I guess, he got bored with me. But what a fantastic face he/she had with huge eyes and eyelashes any girl would die for. It was also here that I found myself amongst a flock of feeding terns. As I sat quietly flouting, they would dive-bomb into the waters around me, disappear for a handful of seconds and then reappear with a small fish wiggling in their beaks.
I may have come late to this sport but am so grateful for the opportunity it’s given me to get so close to the natural world.

A Special Place...

Smile, for your dreams await you.
Just around the corner and over the hill,
Your dreams await you with a smile.

Walk On The Wildside...

Seeing as we’re talking man-made constructions, the Breakwater at Holyhead Harbour is one of the longest breakwaters in Europe, stretching over 1.8 miles out into the sea, protecting the harbour from the wilds of the Irish Sea. This isn’t a modern construction but dates back to around 1870 when they used timber scaffolding to help construct it.
It’s now in some state of disrepair and is being maintained by Stena Ferries at a cost of £150,000 a year just to prevent further decay. Once again, there’s lots of talk about restoring it and promoting it as a tourist attraction with a small gauge railway running along its length. It is possible to walk or even cycle along it, but not recommended when those Irish Sea storms come calling.

A Bridge To Far...

There have been some mixed reactions to a new bridge and walkway recently built in Holyhead that joins the ferry port to the main town centre. Called ‘The Celtic Gateway’ it’s a wonderful piece of architecture that lights up at night and is well worth a visit next time you’re in Holyhead. But at the cost of some 6.5 million pounds it has a lot of local people questioning the use of so much money, especially when you consider that Holyhead, and Anglesey in general, is home to some of the lowest paid workers in the UK.
I’m sure the intention is to attract more tourism into the area and get them spending their cash in the local shops, but I would guess that the residents of Holyhead would have a very long list of other things they feel the money could have been more wisely spent on.
Having said that, from a purely aesthetic point of view, it really is quite spectacular. With something so modern at one end of the island and something so old and classic at the other – The Menia Suspension Bridge - we seem to have more than our share of bridges to boast about.


Just a little side-note to all you golfers, I managed my first eagle this morning on the opening par 4. It’s only taken me 17 years to achieve this. I now wait in anticipation for my first hole in one…

Over on the other side...

Over on the east side of the island things are a little calmer. Protected from the harsh North-westerly winds, the climate is softer and house prices are more expensive. Here in llanbadrig is sited the most northernly vineyard in Great Britain where Tom Barlow grows a wonderful selection of grapes for his locally produced wines; and very good they are to. Just down the road is the port of Amlwch, which is steeped in so much history I wouldn’t know where to start. Lots of pretty fishing boats and old rusty anchors to trip over. The coastline on this side of the island isn’t quite as rugged as the western side, but is still full of charm and beauty. Lots of sandy beaches and fantastic walks and the whole island is awash with ancient monuments and standing stones wherever you look. If you’re into lay-lines then Anglesey has more then her fair share. (If you’re not into lay-lines then you wont have the faintest idea what I’m talking about…)
There’s the pretty harbour of Cemaes that looks as if its been plucked straight out of a Cornish calendar, along with the wide open space that is Red Wharf Bay, which stretches for miles when the tide is out.
It’s difficult to know what it is that draws a person to a certain place. Memories of a time gone by perhaps, or a longing for change, sometimes just for the sake of it… I think that you only ever know if a place is right for you after you’ve spent time away and find yourself pining to get back. When that happens then I feel you can rightfully call that place home, and for me Anglesey, the mother of Wales, is my home.

God bless her and all who live on her.

West Side Story...

Being located on the West side of the island we’re prone to some very strong north westerly winds which blow off the Irish sea; never warm but quite invigorating, if you wanted to be kind with the description. But if you ever fancied witnessing the sheer power of nature then this is the place to be.
A walk along the cliff tops, anywhere from Trearddur Bay to South Stack when the wind gets up, will give you a front seat view of some of the most spectacular action scenes you’ll encounter this side of Bruce willis and his ‘die hard’ movies. No stunts here, just the awesome power of nature doing its thing. Not everyone’s idea of a pleasant stroll along the beach, but if you feel like blowing away some cobwebs, then this is definitely not to be missed.
( I like the idea of the life belt in the picture, not a lot of use on a day like this…)
Every year around May time an international windsurfing competition comes to town and some of the best at the sport come to Rhosneigr to show of their skills. When the conditions are right these guys just fly…I think I’ll just stick with photographing them, but it sure looks like fun.
I’ve spent to long now talking about the west side of the island so the next couple of blogs we’ll head east and see what we can find over there.