Another Adventure

Whenever I have a chance of a few days away, I do seem to head into Snowdonia. I have my favourite places there and at the moment I am taking comfort in familiar surroundings. However, I do still have the need to do some stuff outside of my comfort zone, more on that later.
I booked to stay in the converted Shepherd's huts overlooking Moel Siabod again as the welcome is always warm and the setting just glorious. The weather was a bit unpredictable with thunderstorms forecast, but the thing about getting wet is that you'll dry out eventually!
Visited many places over the 3 days, but will just pick out the highlights or else we will be here all day!

First day involved a visit to Bodnant Gardens and a stroll through the Laburnum arch. It is amazing to walk through it with thousands of yellow blossoms cascading above you. 
At this time of year most of the colour elsewhere in the gardens is fading, waiting for the summer flowers, but it is still a fabulous place to wander, even in the rain.

Next stop on the itinerary is Surf Snowdonia. I may have mentioned previously that I love it there but this time have arranged a catch up with my favourite photographer!. Took loads of pics, but this is my favourite, of 4 times Welsh Champion Jo Dennison performing a ballet on the waves. Glorious to watch.

I am enjoying the surf photography and getting some cool actions shots, but the quality of the picture isn't brilliant. I may need to look at upgrading my lens to get cleaner detail. Looking into that one, its not going to be cheap!

Day 2 started off with a walk part way up Snowdon. No intention of getting to the summit, just as far as the top lake. I had seen recently on Countryfile a floating art installation on one of the lakes and was intrigued to see it in person. 

It is about 3 miles to the top lake and the walk to it was just gorgeous. Some very low clouds, but it was warm and dry along the Miner's Path.

The art is actually on the middle lake, Llyn Llydaw and was quite surreal to see a painting just floating there. A fabulous concept.

The climb was made complete by a Mountain Rescue helicopter on manoeuvres, swooping in over the lake and then just hovering, really low and making the water dance.

I made it up to the top lake and the heavens opened and it poured! Had waterproofs with me, but in my backpack, so by the time I got them out and put them on I was already soaked. It then rained heavily for the whole 3 miles back down again. There was so much water in my boots that it was actually frothing through the breathable liner! And lets not even mention the state of my socks! But the crazy thing was it was exhilarating! The rain was relentless and there was thunder in the clouds but I think there is something very special about battling through the elements! No? Just me then!

The afternoon called for a long hot shower at the hut and a curl up with a book for a couple of hours. Yes, I know, hardly Dramatic and Dangerous, but sometimes a girl needs to chill!

The evening was spent in Conwy. Firstly just wandering the streets and the harbour taking a few snaps. Its a beautiful place, well worth a visit if you've not been there. A gorgeous harbour and a fabulous castle. 

The second part of the evening was sitting having a drink with a really good friend, watching the sunset and letting the conversation flow. A perfect end to a wonderful day.

The third day was the challenge. As part of my desire to do something daft or dangerous every month, I had booked a Kayaking lesson on Llyn Padarn. 

I haven't been in a kayak since Girl Guides and the event traumatised me so much I had no wish to do it again. Until now. All about conquering fears at the moment. 

I had got myself quite a bit stressed about this activity, so with much trepidation, I turned up at Surf-lines at Llyn Padarn and checked in. Explained that I was working through a bucket list, had never done this before and really wasn't sure why I was doing it anyway! My instructor Dan was brilliant (and incredibly handsome which always helps). He put me at my ease straight away and said we wouldn't be doing anything I felt uncomfortable with. 

Although the first thing I felt uncomfortable with was putting on a wetsuit. Never worn one before and there is definitely an art to getting into it. Then had to get kitted out with all the flotation devices, avoiding any mirrors that may have been around!

We choose a wide bottomed boat for me to paddle, not, you understand because I am wide bottomed myself, but because they are more steady for a beginner. And I am launched.
And it is the most incredible and amazing thing I have done for ages. I seemed to take to it really quickly and before long I was skimming across the water. I could turn, reverse, stop and loved every second of it. Dan was fascinating too and we spent most of the 2hrs paddling and chatting. The weather was gorgeous and the scenery completely breathtaking.
It was the perfect way to end what had been a completely fabulous trip and it all was just what I needed.

Lessons Learned: I am fearless, I am unstoppable and I am unbelievably awesome! But I still don't want to see my reflection in a wetsuit!

Diet Diary: I have lost my 2nd camera bag! Meaning I have lost 20lb. I am now the lightest I have been for years and am now not officially overweight! Still got a little way to go to be really happy, but completely on track and dedicated. Personally I think the abject terror of the impending kayaking dropped a few pounds on its own!

Rambling Record: Standing at 554 miles, 74 miles ahead of schedule. Like I said, unbelievably awesome!

Prize Winning Photographer, Llandudno and Bodnant Gardens

I have had the most brilliant few days. I have been on some fantastic trips but on Friday evening I was informed that my photo of Swans at Sunset at Ellesmere had won the Ellesmere Visual Arts Festival Photography Competition and would be displayed over the whole bank holiday weekend as part of the festival.

I was so surprised and completely thrilled. I am now a Prize Winning Photographer! I have only just stopped grinning to myself, starting to get some very strange looks.

Anyway, I have got a bit out of sequence. On Wednesday I decided to go somewhere new again. I planned to start in Llandudno (finding the Cadwaladers there to tick off my list) then head to Bodnant Gardens where I have never been.

Llandudno was actually very quiet and it was lovely being able to walk along the prom, although being blown along was probably more accurate as it was very windy. Still managed to get a couple of shots.

This is the bandstand on the front and it is completely charming. It is quite wide and not very high, so when I tried to get the whole thing in, it didn't quite work, but I am now looking at details and so capturing just part of it works for me.

I like photos of random people doing ordinary things, but still feel awkward taking pictures of strangers. I feel it can be seen as an intrusion, but if you ask if you can take the picture, then you lose the naturalness. I try to take them from a distance so I can pretend I'm photographing something else entirely. Anyone else have this problem?

What nearly did spoil the day is that they have closed the Cadwaladers! Apparently it has been a couple of years, so I am a bit behind the times! Completely gutted!

So on with the adventure, to Bodnant Gardens. You have got to go if you haven't already! It is the most beautiful place you can imagine. Going in May, all the azaleas and rhododendrons are out and the colours are quite breathtaking.

There is a whole new area opened this year and you can walk for miles. The sun had come out and it was a complete joy to walk amongst the gardens and woodlands. I won't pretend to know anything about plants. Its a standing joke in my family that you don't give me anything to grow because it will be dead in a fortnight and the same goes for my husband and pruning! I love the idea of a beautiful garden, but if I'm honest, don't have the knowledge or inclination to do anything about it. So I just wandered around thinking "that's pretty" rather than knowing if it was a hybrid strain of the Blue Balkan Bears Breeches (real plant). 

This last photo was taken in the Dell and is my favourite. Trying to think about leading lines and have focal points off centre. Strangely enough, I found it quite hard to take photos I was really pleased with as there is such a riot of colour and you are surrounded by flowers, shrubs and trees so it is difficult to pick out a proper focal point. Sometimes a photo just can't capture the impressiveness (is that a word?) of what you see.

This is the entrance way into the family crypt. It was called POEM when it was built and no one is completely sure why. One theory is that is stands for Place Of Eternal Memory, which is quite lovely. It's in the middle of woodland, surrounded by beautiful flowers and I can think of a lot worse places to end up!

A wonderful day is completed by stopping for Mango Sorbet at Cadwaladers in Betws-y-coed!

Lessons Learned: You don't have to be knowledgeable about things to be able to appreciate them.