Penmon Lighthouse was my destination. I have seen some amazing photos of it and needed to get there.
There is a toll road charging £2.50 which leads up to it. It is worth paying as it is a fairly long walk otherwise.
I was early so again the only person there. I really am going to struggle when the day trippers start. If you see someone scowling at everybody, its probably going to be me.
Penmon is exactly my idea of a lighthouse. It is round and striped and looks like everything a lighthouse should be.
I would like to have got right up to it, but the rocks were very slippery so I wasn't able to. You can't walk far along the coast here as it is so rocky which is a shame for the walker, but very dramatic for the photographer!
Right opposite is Puffin Island which I had planned to visit, but unfortunately the boat trips don't start until April. A week too early!
I had now been joined on the beach by a very nice young man who was about to kayak across to the island. He told me that there are grey seals there as well as puffins and other birdlife. If there had been room for 2 in his kayak I'd have hitched a lift!
He did actually tell me about other places in the area to visit which was very interesting. Apparently there is a disused brickworks by the toll booth so that was where I was headed next.
The booth is situated right outside Penmon Priory where there is a sacred well. The picture shows the priory and the dovecote to the right.
This is the well and as far as sacred monuments go, it wasn't overly inspiring. It looked to be in an outhouse and was a hole about 2ft wide and about the same deep. I guess there must be some deeper meaning to it that I am missing completely as it does still seem to be visited.
So now to the brickworks. The lady in the toll booth pointed me in the right direction and I aimed for the tall chimney I could see. Unfortunately what everyone had failed to mention is that it is actually on private land and I got shouted at by a man on a tractor. (He was a handsome young man too but it doesn't count because he was mean!)
While driving away I noticed a load of derelict industrial brick buildings, all with very large Private Land Keep Out signs by them. I think it is a shame that there isn't a better balance between exploring Anglesey's heritage and trespassing!
Lessons Learned: If I am going to do these exciting trips, I really must do my research properly!
I mustn't get angry when being shouted at, after all he's not to know that I really am quite a nice law abiding person, aside from the trespassing of course!
Unfortunately it's the nature of the game when you visit sites like the brickworks. Either they are on private land or there are signs saying no entry etc. usually it's because the landowners are scared of Elfin Safety. There is another brickworks you can visit but I don't recommend it as a solo visitor, The path is steep and overgrown in parts. One thing I would recommend if you are going solo and a path or trail looks dodgy. Check you've got a phone signal. I have a mantra now that I stick to, especially when I'm on my own "No photograph is worth putting yourself in harms way for".
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky to meet the tool booth lady. Usually it's the fella and he can be a grumpy sod at times.
Thanks Mike. I am always conscious of the fact that I am a lone female out exploring lonely and wild places and do try to be as careful as possible. I have a whistle and always have my phone to hand and leave the 3G on. Because I am doing this solo I have to find a balance between being safe and actually exploring new places. I don't take unnecessary risks, but have to push the boundaries a bit!
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