A slightly longer wild weekend break

With the last day of my annual leave I decided on a long weekend staying at one of my favourite air bnbs at Conwy on the North Wales coast. I arrived on a Friday night and every time I step off the bus and directly into the cottage I am instantly relaxed and can't wait for a coastal hike with plenty of unexpected wildlife encounters. We decided on a having a long walk at a new place I have never visited on Anglesey.

 The walk was from Beaumeris town to Penmon light house it was about a 5 mile walk along the coast and below I have a few photographs taken on my brothers camera I took some and he took the rest. Either way encounters or not the scenery delivered and the sun came out with blue skys and a calm breeze a winter day turned into a very springy day.

 I also wanted to find an area to wild camp for a few evenings as in the Summer as some nights a special natural event happens on this part of the coast and if I can predict when it happens it would be epic. I think I foundthe perfect spot undisturbed with a view of the beach and sea incase the event happens or doesnt I can see from a distance.

Bioluminescent Plankton

After arriving at the stony beach we found a spot to sit with the bank at our back and Puffin island and the light in view it felt very postcardy and must of been photograph a million times in the past, while taking a sneaky toilet break I spotted a very confident little bird in some sea water filled pools on some rocky edges by the sea. It seem undisturbed and seemed to just want to be feed I am always amazed when you find a bird that takes you years to see then you walk upon one like this and you get the best views and photographs you could have got.

I was so confused by how confiding this Purple Sandpiper was but after looking back at the photographs I noticed that one of its feet were nobbly with no toes so being at a disavantage its lost its fear and must keep feeding even when potential predators are around.

On the walk back we spotted a flock of Brent Geese with a few Curlew flying then grazing on local fields

Flocks of Knot and Sanderling were in good numbers as the high tide reached its peak

A Velvet scoter was also a nice surprise pushed in by the wind

 

Not to long till I go back as its the place I love and always surprises me epecially 

when you go to some of the quieter palces not often visited except by only a few.

Thanks for reading

Mike

Cottage with a wood burner and Marine watch

At the beginning of November, I had a last-minute trip for 2019 to spend some time back on Anglesey as this year I have really fallen in love with the island and next year I hope to explore more of Wales as well as revisit Anglesey as the wild camping this year gave some beautiful moments in Nature. Rather than wild camp, we decided to book 2 Airbnbs one at Amlwch for 3 nights and one at Newborough for 2 nights. At our Almwch cottage which was located right next to the coastal path and one of my possible living locations with some amazing views and close to some really good marine mammal spotting locations at high tide the creatures are pushed a few meters from viewing areas thanks to the deep water. We were up before the sun rose to get as much light watching the sea especially as the wind was fresh and the days are shorter.

 The paths were quite muddy but as always with these trips, I prepare for everything and thanks to our new walking boots our feet were well protected. While laying against a rock and watching the sea the seals caught fish and kept us entertained for many hours.

Seals and Porpoises were great things to see but the one time a mother and calve popped up my lens blurred and I just missed my best shot of a Porpoise.

On our second part of the holiday, we decided to get the bus from Amlwch to Menai bridge for a cup of tea I made before leaving the cottage for the last time and some chocolate digestives we sat by the straits near the Britannia bridge and watched the sunrise higher in the sky let the 9am rush pass by before getting our next bus to Llangefni where we bought some.  breakfast and supplies for the day.
We ended up walking from Llangefni to Maltraeth to Newborough via one of the Red Squirrel forest areas, one thing I had not noticed before was a rope over the road from the larger Newborough forest to the smaller area of forest opposite allowing squirrels and maybe pine martens a safe route across avoiding the road.
View of the hills/mountains of North Wales

On our only full day at Newborough we headed through the forest along the sun-soaked yet empty beach to the Island and I ended up getting impatient waiting for the tide to go out I walked through the shallow water soaking my shoes through but it proved to be worth it. We walked to the further point with the highest unused lighthouse and less than a half a mile away we spotted a large pod of Dolphins I was hoping Rissos but they ended up being Bottlenoses and the closest I have seen through my camera for a while. One had a very unique cut in its fin but seemed very straight and long unlike the other members of the pod but as you can see below they were very active.

A great week and the last week away till April 2020 as I have got lots of things to do over the winter.
A lovely Autumn kayak was a lovely first trip out once I returned home this year I hope to kayak in the snow which would be amazing on this river.

Enjoy the beginning of Winter and hopefully plenty of frost and snow to come....

Regards

Mike

Marine life and time to move!!!

Well its been a month or two since last posting but there has been a good reason for it as I have been searching for my perfect home closer to the coast. I've started my search near wild coastal locations for doer uppers or something that needs a little bit of work. From the edge of Anglesey to the edge of Wales/Cheshire. Ive been working extra hours and prepping things for the day when I do finally make the move so when I find my dream place I can keep my orignal job and get things going for my future move.

While on Anglesey Wild camping last week we had some amazing locations to sleep at plus our wild camping kit/clothing is so refined now its quite a pleasant expirience sometimes I wish I could do it for a few months at a time.

Newborough at 6.30am on a late summers morning

I did some research on when the Rissos Dolphins show up in the area and previous years its been late August to end of September and we just missed them after sleeping one night off the coastal path with the previous afternoon and next morning we got some lovely encounters which you can see below including Porpoises with calfs, Seals and the odd Gannet.

 

Mother and calf

Seals coming close to the rocks where we waited for the marine life to breach

We did 5 nights camping 2 at one place, 2 at another and one at a new site but I won't reveal any of there locations as it took me a long time to find these spots where we can camp without being disturbed or disturbing anyone else so proper stealth camping.

Leave footprints take memories

When I got back from my trip I went up to Shining tor in the Peak District it has wonderful views and I felt so far from home even though it was about 2 hours walk from the bus station where I caught the bus to Macclesfield. I hope to do more Tors(Large hills) in the area over the Winter months. 

I saw my first CHESHIRE Wheatear in the area and heard from somewhere there are Choughs ringed on Anglesey have been in the Peak district area of Derbyshire so that would have been a alovely thing to hear.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the start of Autumn

Regards

Mike