Author Topic: Walking  (Read 820830 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1830 on: April 09, 2017, 12:52:55 pm »
Taking advantage of the good weather three friends and I went to the Holyhead Breakwater Country Park to do a short but very enjoyable circular walk in that area.   The park was featured on TV last year when Iolo Williams visited it.   There are so many things to do and see there that you could spend a whole day just looking around the area.    After parking the car we set off on a steep and uneven path to North Stack where there is a site of a redundant fog warning station, comprising a number of buildings, including the Trinity House Magazine built in 1861 where shells were stored for the warning cannon.
After puffing and panting going uphill and having a couple of stops on the way we then went downhill to North Stack and as we did so the track became even worse.    It was hard to imagine how the elderly artist Phillipa Jacobs who had a studio in the main building could have driven her Land Rover to and from this property.   The property was up for sale a few years ago but I’m not sure whether it was sold or not.
There is a cave under the cliff where Grey Seals used to have their pups and then they would mate immediately afterwards.    This occurrence happened in the first week of October and for many years my friend Geraint and I would go to the spot and watch the Seals.   Near the end of the headland is a small island which is actually the North Stack and we spent some time looking at them and the Cormorants that had started nesting there already.      After that we moved on and took a lower path past another magazine house that used to store explosives for the quarry where the Country Park now is.    We found a sheltered spot in the sun and stopped to have our refreshments and watched the Ferries and the other boats going past.  The views were superb and we could have stayed there all day but after a while it was time to move on and make our way back to the Country Park.    We had a walk around the lake and places of interest there and drove to the Holyhead Breakwater.     This breakwater was built between 1846 and 1873 and at 1,5 miles long is the longest in Europe and the nearby Country Park quarry supplied the stones to build it
Nearby is the sad looking ruin of the Soldiers Point Hotel that was destroyed by fire a few years ago, I hope that it isn't too long before the site is developed and put to some good use.



Offline SteveH

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1832 on: April 10, 2017, 03:34:23 pm »
Tom.............?      ;)

Offline SteveH

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Re: Walking....Snowdon's views crowned best in UK
« Reply #1833 on: April 11, 2017, 11:56:44 am »
Tom.............?      ;)

Just reaching the summit on foot is a welcome enough sight for most.......?

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/snowdons-views-crowned-best-uk-12875959

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1834 on: May 06, 2017, 03:09:31 pm »
When I saw the forecast for the last two days was so good I persuaded action man to come with me to Criccieth for a mini break.
On Thursday we set off to walk from there to Portmadoc along the coast path which takes in Blackrock Sands and Borth-y-Gest.
It all looked stunning with the bright blue skies. What an amazing beach!

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1835 on: May 06, 2017, 03:24:00 pm »
We stopped for tea and cake at a cafe in Borth-y-Gest and then caught the number 3 bus back from Portmadoc.
A super walk of I think about 6 miles and very well signed all the way.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1836 on: May 15, 2017, 06:08:26 pm »
It was so sad hearing about another tragic death on Tryfan, it can be a difficult mountain at the best of times


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-39916813

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1837 on: May 19, 2017, 03:06:20 pm »
After seeing Hollins' lovely photo of the Bluebells we decided to visit Maenan on Wednesday and do the Cadair Ifan Goch walk.    It's a fantastic place to see  Bluebells and to smell the sweet scent of them as you start on this delightful woodland walk.    Sadly though, we were about 2/3 weeks too late and the flowers were past their best.
Nevertheless it's still a very pleasant and shortish circular walk and it wasn't long before we came to the Cadair Ifan Goch viewpoint.     It's nearly 500 feet above the Conwy Valley and there are spectacular views from it from Tyn Y Groes in the north, to Trefriw in the south and directly in front is the Carneddau.
After admiring the views we continued downhill on the well defined woodland path until we turned right at a small cottage called Plas Cwta.  Over the years we have seen the building rebuilt and it does look good but strangely there were no windows on its southern side, they must all be on its northern side and taking advantage of the views.
Shortly after some old farm buildings we crossed over a stream and then continued across open farmland covered in Buttercups and came to a clump of trees where we stopped for a drink and a bite to eat.  Along the way we had seen  many Rabbits and Uncle Albert who was slightly ahead of us also saw a reddish brown Fox running into the woodland.     Before long it was time to move on and we passed an old   neglected farmhouse that had the potential for redevelopment but it has been in that state for many years.    We carried on through the farmland and came to a lane which then took us back to the National Trust car park.    Just before the car park is Yr Hen Ysgol, the local school for the children of the area  but it looked closed and may have been converted into a private residence.   It's a nice building in a lovely rural location.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1838 on: May 19, 2017, 03:08:35 pm »
Cadair Ifan Goch walk

Offline Hugo

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Offline SteveH

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Offline Hugo

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Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1842 on: June 05, 2017, 05:59:16 pm »
On Sunday we set off from the small car park at Llyn Rhos-ddu, Newborough, Anglesey.
We just wanted a fairly short walk to build up an appetite for a pre booked meal at Marram Grass restaurant.
We walked across Newborough Warren towards Abermenai point. There is a well marked circular walk. It was lovely to see lots of wild flowers including orchids and many grazing ponies. I think it took about one hour and a half. Super views looking over towards Caernarfon.

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1843 on: June 08, 2017, 09:45:43 am »
Yesterday we managed to walk another section of the Anglesey coast path from Llanddona beach car park at the eastern end of Red Wharf Bay to Penmon.
The drive down to the car park is very hairy on a tiny, steep, bendy lane. Not the the faint hearted but worth it for the super walk.
We were lucky with the weather, the views were very clear.
I think it was about 6 miles and after a welcome cup of tea and cake at the Penmon lighthouse cafe we walked up to the other car park by the well where a farmer with a taxi business picked us up and took us back to our car to save us retracing our steps.

Offline hollins

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Re: Walking
« Reply #1844 on: June 08, 2017, 09:53:07 am »
Llanddona to Penmon walk part 2.