Oh Canada

Miss Glis posted a comment on Facebook this morning:

“We’ve finally arrived [in Whistler]!!; So excited!!” 

The latter part of that posting must be the understatement of the year!  Despite her and Alex’s understandable nervousness over going on an adventure to another country without the parents, it’s another fantastic opportunity for her and Alex and one we are wholeheartedly behind as Canada is an amazing country. In our experience, it’s culturally closer to the UK than the USA with an attractive social culture that is welcoming, progressive and celebrates diversity.  As a place to work and live, it’s hugely attractive.

Fisher folk!

I’d never have “cast” Nerea as a “fisher-person” but during our Welsh week, Alex was keen to undertake a spot of fly-fishing so we headed off to Dragonfly Fishery near Corwen.  The fisherfolk set up on the side of the lake while Nerea had a lesson and Grandma and I watched from the tea-shop terrace.  With a little help, Nerea soon had a trout on the line which was swiftly despatched!  Lesson over, she moved to another part of the lake and before long, had landed another fish. The less said about the prowess of Andy and Alex, the better!!

Nerea's first catch

Dragonfly Fishery

Newborough Beach

From the Beach

Sea weed fights

Newborough Beach on Anglesey is one of our favourite places, made all the more special by our inability to make anything more than infrequent trips.  All three of us enjoy the sea; there being no doubt from where Nerea has inherited that particular gene as it’s certainly in my blood, reared on the Fylde coast. And what could be more appropriate for a daughter sharing the name of a sea nymph? But back to Newborough.  A haven for geologists, the area is littered with interesting coastal landforms and metamorphically altered rocks known as the “Mona Complex”. It’s an extraordinary place.

Pillow Lava

 Llanddwyn Island Melange

Pilot Cottages

A humbling reminder

On the tramway

We’ve climbed many of the most famous mountains in Wales but our route up to the modest summits of Moel Yr Hydd and Moelwyn Mawr, is definitely up there with the best. Taking the derelict tramway from Tanygrisiau, our climb rewarded us with stunning views over Blaenau Ffestiniog and the excitement of a short scramble through the tunnel.  The poignant relics of an industrial past defined the walk; our recreational journey made through a starkly beautiful landscape, shaped in recent history by men who had literally worked themselves into an early grave.  It was a humbling experience for us all.

Mouth of the Tunnel

Alex

Industrial dereliction

Slate Mine

Light Shaft

Moelwyn Mawr

Ice cream castles

Who lived here?

Rhosydd Quarry Barracks

Shaped by industrialisation

Restoration in Wales

Above Corwen

Seaweed on Newborough beach

Cnicht from Moelwyn Mawr

Despite 20 years’ worth of visits to Wales, we still found time to discover some new places on our recent holiday.  The summit of Moel Yr Hydd and Moelwyn Mawr were conquered, trout were caught by Nerea, if not by the rest of the party and a delightful walk high above Corwen in Denbighshire gave us some new landscapes across to the Berwyn Hills to admire. But there was also time for re-visiting our old favourites; the beach at Newborough, a very damp Caernarfon and a wander round Conwy.  Our annual Bryn Dowsi retreat truly is a magical, restorative sojourn 

From Caernarfon harbour

Conwy

It's the little things...............

Small things can make a genuine difference, as happened to me on Wednesday morning.  The wind was howling, the rain was horizontal and I was swaddled in wet weather cycling gear.  Somewhat frustrated, I wrestled with the heavy, wooden garden gate which had swollen with the rain and had twice blown out of my hands.  As I heaved it towards me for a third time, I raised my head and caught a glimpse of colour.  The black-eyed Susans were still flowering, their bright orange faces cheerfully resisting the wind.  The colourful display lifted my spirits and improved my mood immediately

 

 

It's a North South divide thing

It’s a North South divide thing, I’m sure of it.  When ever we have visitors to our offices, the first thing I (and my colleagues) do is offer them a drink and ask about their journey or hotel, especially if they have travelled any distance.  Sadly, the same courtesy isn’t extended when I visit offices in the Deep South!   Today I sat at a “touch down” desk in Reading and not a single person offered me a drink, asked me about my journey or even who I was.  Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but personally, I think it’s simply good manners!

 

These friendly ladies gave me a wave in Reading.  

Blowy Bowscale

Approaching Bowscale Tarn

The weather forecast didn’t quite live up to expectations yesterday as I was expecting to walk in glorious sunshine. Instead, it was cool, overcast and windy but it didn’t stop Molly and  me enjoying our day out.  We walked u pto Bowscale tarn before taking the steep, narrow path up the side of the corrie to the North Ridge. Once out of the shelter of the wind, the temperature dropped enough for me to add a fleece.  Skiddaw, Great Calva and Knott were hugging the clouds but Blencathra’s distinctive summit ridge was easily visible, standing proudly against the grey clouds

Tarn Crags

Bowscale Tarn

Taking a breather

From the North Ridge

Blencathra

Skiddaw

Magical Monstrosity

Carlisle’s Civic Centre, albeit a listing building, isn’t one of the cities’ most attractive sights.  It’s an angular, modernist tower which was completed in 1964 following a design competition with 200 entries.  The area formerly housed the Ricker or Northern Gate to the city and a host of houses and state owned pubs but with archetypal 1950s enthusiasm for modernisation, the land was cleared to create the site for Carlisle’s  only “tower block”.  I’m definitely not a fan of cubic design but even so, I was enthralled to see a rainbow arcing over it on a rainy day last week.

Autumn, that fickle mistress

The morning was damp and mild, almost sultry. A gossamer veil of mist cloaked the voluptuous curves of the river as she wandered languidly to the coast.  An orange flash burst into the tranquil setting as a brightly clad cyclist pedalled by, a harsh, incongruent note, at odds with the muted colours of the autumn leaves littering the river bank.  But the interruption was momentary. A heron stood motionless, his grey plumage fading into the mist like a whisper on a breeze.  Autumn had arrived, offering teasing reminders of the summer past and a glimpse of the winter to come

20 years on........

We're approaching our annual Welsh pilgrimage (yes, It's that time of year already) and it’ll be our 20^th year of returning to the Snowdonia region.  As always, when reflecting on times past, it seems hard to believe that 2 decades have elapsed since our first long weekend in a cottage near Caernarfon. But they have!

We’re delighted that Nerea will be with us to celebrate this auspicious anniversary as she joined us as a hatchling during that first holiday and has been with us many more times since. Being a home baker, I feel a “celebration” festive cake coming on