On my holidays

I am currently sitting in Starbucks at the Hafon y Mor Park just outside Pwllheli, amusing myself with a grande mocha while waiting for the kids who are swimming. Not tempted myself, the world has only just got over the shock of me in shorts, a cossie might be pushing my luck!
Due to the wonder that is wi-fi I have decided to blog. I am on my new tablet which has some  very strange ideas about predictive text so please excuse any unexpected words!
I was lucky to be able to get a day out yesterday and so headed towards Anglesey. I stopped en - route at Trefor where I have been a few times.

It's a great place and the conditions were wild today. I just love the derelict pier here and wonder why nothing has been done about it. It was very cold and windy and the seas were rough. The tide was also in a lot further than I had seen before.

I am still finding it hard to believe that it is July! It was really cold and although I have been out in much colder weather I am usually dressed in more than a light summer jacket!
A word here about the photos. I am editing on my tablet and although I am using the Lightroom Mobile software I don't like it as much as the version I have at home. You can't seem to do as much. I miss not having graduated filters and an editing brush. I will probably have to look around for a different version of something. Recommendations appreciated.

So off to Anglesey.  Crossed over the Menai Bridge. Love that bridge, so grand and beautiful.

Plas Newydd is another National Trust property. Really getting  my money's worth out of the membership! It over looks the Menai Straits with views over Snowdonia, really beautiful. 

 There is a red squirrel woodland and I have to admit to never having seen a real red squirrel before so being able to not only see one but to take a pic of 2 is fantastic. They also were kind enough to scamper into my field of vision and stay still for a couple of seconds. Really don't think I have the patience to be a wildlife photographer!

The gardens are really lovely and very well tended. We have had a lot of rain recently and although it wasn't raining then, there were loads of drops on the flowers which looked really pretty. This was a large fern bush and it looked like it was covered in diamonds!

The following plant was such an interesting pattern and I really liked it against the rustic pot.

The house itself is very different to the usual stately home in as much as it was redesigned in the 1930's to be a comfortable family home and it really is one that you can imagine real people living in. My favourite room is the study. The last Lord Anglesey died in 2013 and although the house had been given to the National Trust long before then,  the family still lived there. So when he died the NT decided not to touch the chaos that was the study but just to leave it for visitors to experience. Good choice!

Makes me feel a bit better about my craft room!

So after a great day, an evening stroll along the coast by the park and a really pretty sunset.

I am sure eventually it will get easier with the tablet but at the moment it is doing stuff I don't want it to and then not doing what it is told! This is taking twice as long as usual! Oh well, guess it's yet another learning curve.

Lessons learned: I am not as technologically minded as I like to think I am. Just because I own a tablet like the "cool young people" I am still a silver surfer no matter how much I try to kid myself otherwise!

Diet diary: Oh come on, I'm on my holibobs!

Harlech

The day dawned drizzly and dull, just about right for March. Whats that?! Its July?! Surely not! Just about resisted getting the thermals out but it was close.
Planned a day out with Carl, bit of hiking, bit of sightseeing, but that was going to have to be adapted. What to do instead? I know, Criccieth, Cadwaladers, Coffee and Cake! Yes I know I'm supposed to be on a diet, but its the holidays!
Criccieth is always fabulous but it wasn't really beach walking weather, so we had a drive along the coast and headed for Harlech. I have been to the beach there before but Carl hasn't so I thought I would show him around and hope the weather improved. It did a bit, but there was still a misty rain, not quite picnic weather, although one family didn't agree!

The most worrying thing about today was getting water in the camera. I think I need to invest in some sort of waterproof cover. 
The sky today was one of the very flat and uninteresting skies that are just a blanket of grey with little definition and I always find that a bit of a challenge in my photos. I am still trying to expose for the sky and bring out the shadows in editing, but it doesn't always work.

We managed to walk along the beach for a while and came to a small harbour area with some very old and worn posts covered in moss and seaweed making the beach scenes all the more interesting than just sand. Taking a good photo on a beach can be quite difficult as just sand, sea and sky can look uninteresting on a photo, but gorgeous in real life, so I always try to get some sort of foreground focal point in. Doesn't always work, but I try!

Loved this old boat which is being reclaimed by the sand and the sea, looking out upon the water as if remembering the old days when she too was seaworthy.

Saw these very interesting constructions on the beach. Large metal cylinders filled with rocks and concrete. No indication of what they are. Any suggestions welcomed.

Anyway, rain stopped play and we had to head home. Via Betws-y-coed for lunch, but you will be pleased to know, no cake and over 4 miles walked. The tube of rolo's was for the journey and doesn't count.

Lessons Learned: If you only go out in the summer when the weather is nice, you will never go out.

Have enough cake and you won't care what the weather is like.

Diet Diary: Don't really want to talk about that at the moment.

Llechwedd Slate Caverns and Zip Wire

Monday
As part of the Brand New Dynamic Me, I had decided to have a go at Zip Wiring. Zipworld in Snowdonia is the home of Velocity, the Longest Zip Wire in Europe and the fastest in the World! Also Titan, the largest zip zone in Europe where you can reach speeds of up to 70mph. I decided to start with Titan, which is 3 separate zips and, enlisting the help and moral support of Beth, booked the trip for Monday.
Monday dawned and it rained. It rained all the way to Llechwedd, it rained all the while we had coffee and it rained half an hour before we were due to zip. We were both soaked just from walking to the buildings from the car and thought that zipping was not going to be much fun. So throwing ourselves on the mercy of the organisers asked for a postponement which they very generously gave us. Booked for Wednesday.
So there we were having travelled to Llechwedd, not sure what to do. At the same site are the Llechwedd Slate Caverns which I had heard good things about, so nothing ventured and all that!

They take you in a little cable car sort of thing down to the caverns and you are escorted through the separate caves by a guide with an audio commentary at each one.

The story was fascinating. Boys would start an apprenticeship at 12 years old and then spend years working in almost pitch black excavating slate. The conditions were horrendous and the life expectancy of the workers was between 40 and 45 years. It must have been an unimaginably hard life for very little reward.

The caverns were well lit for us although it was still extremely dark down there.

My main criticism of the visit was that we were rushed. The audio presentations were on timers set at the start so we had a set amount of time to get to each one. There was no way I was able to use a tripod and set up a shot so they are all hand held with the ISO up to 12800 and fingers crossed for focussing. The lighting wasn't continuous so again it was a bit pot luck how they came out.

All through the tour you could see on the walls long thin grooves. When we got to the last cavern the guide explained that these were where the miners drilled to make holes for the gunpowder. 

Each hole took many hours to drill and were then filled with explosives and lit using a twine fuse. These were extremely unpredictable and many people were seriously injured or killed. In this over cautious Health and Safety ruled world we live in, it is so hard to imagine the way people were forced to work.

Wednesday
Our rescheduled trip to the Zip wire. Wednesday dawned and the sun shone. It shone all the way to Llechwedd, it shone all the while we had coffee and it shone all the way up to our zip, all through it and it is shining even now as I blog! The weather has been perfect with not a cloud in the sky! Such a difference from Monday.
We started off being dressed in bright red jumpsuits with a sort of large harness contraption on us which included a seat which was extremely elegant. Not! When we had to walk between zips, there was a certain amount of waddling going on!
We were driven up to the start of the first zip. You could see the top of Snowdon so clearly as there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the views were unbelievable, you could see for miles in every direction. I must add here that I didn't take my camera with me as I didn't think it would be possible to take pictures. However, I think next time I might be able to slip my old small compact in a pocket in the jumpsuit. So the next picture isn't mine, but is taken from the Zip world website

 We were strapped onto the wires very securely and at no time did I feel unsafe. Although the first "take off" was probably the hardest. The gates in front of you opened up and you just had to lift your feet to be on your way. My first thought was "don't want to" but gave myself a very quick and stern talking to and away I went. I was expecting a drop, but there wasn't. I just glided! I went fast but it didn't feel like it because it was so smooth.


As you can see from the website pic, it ain't elegant, but I have never done anything like it. You soar over quarries and mines, down the sides of mountains and across the most dramatic and beautiful countryside. Yes, you are very high and moving fast but that feels unimportant. It feels safe, extraordinary and completely awe inspiring!

This last pic is one of mine taken from the ground. It is where we came into land and you can see the colour of the sky we had. Just perfect. 

Lessons Learned: All my life I have convinced myself that I am a coward and wouldn't do anything any more adventurous than the Peter Pan ride at Disney! I have now realised that I was wrong. I am brave, strong and have an insatiable love of life! I want to do wild things, I am going to be someone my family have to keep up with, and not the one holding the bags while they do exciting stuff!

Bright red jumpsuit with attached safety harness isn't really a good look on me! Clashes with the hair!

Diet Diary: Another 2lb down, thats 9lb in total. Just 1lb off my first camera bag! Woo Hoo!!

Criccieth and Hell's Mouth

Back to my Go To Places for a bit of Zen top up. Much as I love exploring new areas, I still have the need to revisit my favourites. Which, as we all know, are Criccieth and Hell's Mouth.
So Criccieth first. Got an early start which was great, but it rained practically the whole journey there which was a bit worrying. Whilst I never worry about getting wet (up to my bottom in water before now) my camera is not so keen! Still, someone was smiling down on me as it stopped about 5mins away and kept away the rest of the day.
The mission today was to take photographs that I'd never taken before. Looking at different views, different angles or just finding new bits I might have missed before.

The tide was quite far out and I have never been able to walk to the far end of the jetty before. So the above pic is looking up at the castle from the jetty steps.

And these are the jetty steps I was looking up from. Usually I would be waist high in water here, so this was definitely a different angle.

This is part of the sea wall and I have honestly never noticed the iron fence before. Must have been climbing with my eyes shut. It is so beautifully rusted, and the rust has spread to the boulders behind it. Absolutely fantastic textures.

This from a bit further down the beach, but picking up all the seaweed and green stuff (don't know what it is) growing along the fencing. Played around with colours a bit on Lightroom to add a bit more colour as at this point it was a very dull day.

So feeling quite pleased with myself I move on to Hell's Mouth. The Magic Seaweed forecast said 4-6ft waves so was quite hopeful of a bit of wild sea. It was wildish but I've seen it wilder and it was extremely windy. So ear phones in, Sam Smith at full blast and away I went.

Its quite difficult to take different photos here as it is only the sea that changes and I have got pics from completely flat to insanely wild. The only thing usually missing from my pics are people as there generally aren't any around, unless they are surfing and I've got loads of them!

I followed this couple along the beach for quite a bit and it was lovely to watch them walking hand in hand seemingly oblivious of the drama around them.
After a while I came across a delightful group of kids having a surfing or body boarding lesson!

 So far so good. Had a bit of time left so ventured into Abersoch. Driven through it but never really stopped and looked around.
Have you ever been anywhere where the people are all extremely "Cool" I don't mean all the beautiful young people parading around in their cozzies (although they were, but it was hardly the weather for it) but the pavement cafe's and shops were full of the effortlessly cool and stylish! I had started to think that I was becoming "cool" with my arty hobbies and my pink hair, but I don't think it is something you can become and I left with a small illusion shattered.  

Having said all that, Abersoch is a very lovely little town and well worth a visit. There is probably a restaurant, bar or coffee shop for every day of the year and more beach clothes than you can shake a stick at. Plus a Cadwaladers!

So time to head home via Criccieth for another quick look at the sea, and en-route I miss the turning again and end up in Dolgellau! I don't know how many times I have travelled that road and to get it wrong twice is completely unbelievable. Next time I am using the Sat Nav.

Lessons Learned: Having pink hair does not make me cool. It makes me a woman with pink hair!

Revisit favourite haunts but look at them with fresh eyes.

Diet Diary: Weigh in today and 4.5lbs off! Thats 7lb in 3 weeks which I am really thrilled with, bearing in mind I put on last week. So determined to keep this going now.

Mini Adventure Day 2

So day 2 started off with a full english breakfast and you can't get a much better start than that!
Weather was a bit drizzly but looked like it might clear so decided to go with original plan and head for Devil's Bridge. This is home to the Three Bridges, which are 3 bridges built one on top of the other.

They cross over a narrow ravine and the story goes that a woman wanted to cross the ravine so the devil said he would build a bridge for her but he would then own the soul of the first living thing that crossed it. She agreed and he built the bridge, but before she crossed it, she threw a loaf of bread across and her dog chased after it, leaving a very unhappy devil owning the dog's soul instead of hers. Why they built the bridges on top of each other is not mentioned in the folklore!

Beneath the bridge the fast flowing water has carved bowls out of the rock and it looks very dramatic. Again it was dark and so very challenging to photograph but I think it came out ok.

There is a walk which follows the stream down the ravine over a series of waterfalls and is 600 steps down and 600 back up!

Its not easy going, but well worth it for the views. Met the following friendly chap on my travels and he very kindly posed for me.

This is one of the bridges that crossed the stream and I thought it so attractive and interesting and almost industrial.

It has been wonderful getting to some new places this trip. I do have my favourites and tend to go back to the same places a lot. I think it is a comfort thing, enjoying the familiarity, so going somewhere new is pushing the boundaries again and I think I need to do that more often.

On the road by the bridge is the AA Box. You don't get to see many of these, in fact I have only ever seen one other which was in North Wales. Bygone era, when you used to have the AA badge on your car and the AA men would salute as you went past. I must add here that I am not old enough to remember that, but have been told about it!

So onwards with the trip. Heading towards Machynlleth. Pass through Furnace and just have to stop. It is starting to drizzle but it was such an interesting place it was worth the dampness.

There was a thriving silver industry locally and a huge smelting furnace was built here, giving the town its name. It was powered by a waterwheel run from a nearby stream. I very much like turn of the century industrial at the moment. Sort of a steampunk feel, very interesting to photograph.

I was drawn to the waterfall by people making an awful lot of noise. When I got there, there was this very enthusiastic chap in the water with his tripod shouting to his friend for instructions, who was sensibly sitting on the bank. There were some colourful insults flying back and forth and it was very entertaining to listen to. Not really one for eavesdropping, but couldn't resist this double act! He was trying to set up a 70 second exposure and I couldn't see how that could possibly work in these conditions, but don't really know enough to venture an opinion. Just would have liked to see the finished results, but still not confident enough to strike up conversations with strange men, and they don't come much stranger than these two!

Decided to head home now as the weather was worsening, but as someone easily distracted by something interesting I did make one more stop. The Osprey Conservation Centre. An RSPB run establishment committed to protecting the osprey and establishing a safe haven for many species of birds.
There are a couple of hides where you can watch birds feed and I believe the ones in the following pics are spinnets.

I know as much about birds as I do trees and flowers, so they could actually be anything!
You then walk about 500m to the next hide which is the observation point for the Ospreys. The nest is a long way away and you can't see much with the naked eye. The following pic is taken using the zoom but again you can't get close.

However, in the hide are a couple of very powerful telescopes aimed at the nest and you can see the baby birds very clearly. It is a beautiful sight with the parent on the perch looking over protectively. I have never really been that interested in birds, but there is something very compelling about watching these wild creatures.
By this time it is really raining, so I think I have to draw the trip to a close and head home.
Its been a fabulous couple of days and I have discovered some wonderful places and people. Can't wait for the next one.

Lessons Learned: Being adventurous isn't something you do once. It is an ongoing process and a full blown lifestyle change. It may not always work, but when it does you will discover a whole load of new places and things to experience.

Diet Diary: Its been ok I think. Bit extra to eat but loads of hiking, so keep fingers crossed for Tuesday.

Mini Adventure Part 2. Aberdyfi and Borth

Working my way along the coast and have found a walk from Aberdyfi on my Snowdonia App called the Gwelfor Walk, promising great views and a secluded bay. However, although it was still very warm, I could see storm clouds approaching over the sea and so decided not to venture too far.
Aberdyfi, or Aberdovey, they seem to spell it both ways, is completely gorgeous. The beach is very wide and sandy and the sea sheltered and so calm.

So off came the shoes and some intensive paddling was done. I had actually ventured out in shorts in the morning so the flash of white seen in the distance wasn't lightning, just my legs seeing the sun for the first time!
The beach was a little strange, the sand very uneven. Not sure at all what caused it, but it made it look very interesting.

I walked for quite a way but could see storm clouds rolling in from the sea. It was very dramatic, but unfortunately none of the pics came out. Decided it might be prudent to head back to the car. Didn't quite make it and got a bit wet, but not too bad.

So decided to head to Borth and my hotel room. I had booked the last remaining room in the premises and it was the family room, so I had 4 beds to choose from, a double, a single and bunks! The room was incredible. There were boxes of toys, full book cases and a crate of teddies in case I needed something to hug during the night!

Mine was the yellow one.

This unfortunately was the highlight of Borth. It is a surfing hotspot and I'm not really sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I found. I think I envisaged something like Abersoch which is very pretty and has a chic lively feel about it. Borth on the other hand felt shut! 

To be fair to it, the weather was horrible and the tide was right in so I didn't see it at its best, but I can't see it being much better in the sunshine.

However, determined to make the best of it, I decided to walk the beach and just give it the benefit of the doubt. There were a few light showers but they were manageable until I got as far as I could and decided to turn back. Then the heavens opened and I got completely drenched. The water was literally running down my legs and I zigzagged all the way back between shop awnings and bus stops! It was only when I was about 50yds from the hotel that I remembered I had a brolly in my camera bag!

Needless to say that I didn't take any photos at the time but took this the following the morning. Seen at its best from a distance!

There was no way I was going to be spending the evening in Borth so headed to Aberystwyth which is fabulous! Headed to the sea front. The waves were wild and the sun was breaking through the clouds doing some very beautiful things.

Aberystwyth is a very beautiful place. I think because it is a University town it has a certain artistic chic feel to it. They really seem to have made an effort to make it appealing. At one end is a small harbour with many yachts moored and a fabulous array of what I think are lobster pots.

This is the sea front and I just love the colours of the buildings. The evening was getting quite dark by this point so I have had to edit a bit, but this is what it looked like.

The pier took a bit of a hammering during the storms earlier in the year and you can't go too far on it. It does unfortunately look a little sorry for itself! Thought the black and white looked more dramatic.

When you get a place that has so much character it is easy to find loads of things to photograph. I'm not saying they are all good photos but I find them very interesting. I loved the shabby bench within an alcove in the wall. There were a series of them picking out different aspects of the city.

The following pic shows stairs leading from the prom area down to the beach, but because the tide was in so far they only led to the sea and the sea was wild!

The rain held off all evening and just when I didn't think the evening could get any better, I spotted surfers! 4 brave souls in the water

They were very good and it was a challenge trying to photograph them. Had to have the speed as fast as possible but because it was dusky, had to have the ISO up high and keep the aperture open, but didn't want to risk losing too much depth of field. So if you look really closely, they are a bit grainy, but why would you want to do that!

I was very interested to see how one chap surfed in flippers, but according to an expert (thanks Stewart) he was body boarding, which if I understood correctly, is surfing for beginners!

So all in all a pretty good day. Walked over 10 miles and finished up with chips on the sea front!

Lessons Learned: Things will always get better. If you don't like the situation you find yourself in, move!

Chips taste so much better from a chippy and to eat them at the seaside is perfection.

Diet Diary: Ok I realise that I have just admitted to eating chips, but I did hike a lot during the day and a girls got to eat!