Aberdaron and Porthore

Friday 19th May 2023

The weather forecast for today is a little unsettled, mostly cloudy and quite windy. 

So I think it's unlikely I'm going to be able to get my kayak out today here in Porth Iago unfortunately, since I'm very much a fair weather paddler.

So do I stay or do I move on ?

I think I'll move on. 

As lovely as this cove is, unless the weather is good enough to get on the beach, there's not actually a great lot to do. 

The coastal path is worth a walk and I've done that a few times, but a circular walk is tricky as when I did that a few years ago and came back through the farmyard, I found out that the grumpy farmer tries to 'fine' people 50 pounds !

He really doesn't like peoples dogs, I think had a bad experience once.

So I moved on to spend the afternoon in Aberdaron which is a good little town with a National Trust carpark on the beach.

Later I moved onto Porthore otherwise known as Whistling Sands which has  one the most stunning beaches I've seen, lovely soft golden sands and a crescent shaped cove which is a real sun trap.

Stunning Porthore -  Whistling Sands

Lots more Thrift at Porthore

What a sky

Porth Iago

Thursday 18th May 2023

The morning sun in Porthdinllaen was very welcome to wake up to so I decided to take advantage and walk to the end of the headland through the golf club.

It's such a beautiful location here that I never tire of returning. I've always loved the scenery on the Llyn Peninsula, but I don't think I realised how much until in recent years when I've been back several times.

The coastal path is stunning and it's so peaceful to sit among the wild spring flowers and assorted grasses smelling the scents and watching the bees busy in their endeavours collecting pollen.

It's so peaceful, I could sit and watch them all day.

I made it to the headland by the lighthouse and I was rewarded by seeing a grey seal bobbing up and down, taking a breather I expect from all that chasing fish for supper.

After some lunch I left Porthdinllaen and set off for Porth Iago, a little further down the peninsula and another of my favourite places.

It was much quieter there than I expected. Chris, the guy who looks after the campsite, has spent a lot of money building a toilet and shower block over the recent years and I think to try and get a return he's been making quite a play for the campsite on Facebook, posting beautiful photographs at every opportunity, and seeking likes etc.
Anyway there was only one other van here when I arrived, another two arrived later, but not busy by any means so I could get my usual place on the front overlooking the beautiful cove.

Tea was Lauren and Chloe's Costco sausage hot dogs done on the Cadac barbeque and with onions and mushroom rice, I must say they were delicious.

What a view . . . . .

Supper on the BBQ

Panorama Walk Llangollen

Tuesday 16th May 2003

After pondering for a few days whether I should head up to the Lake District or over to the Llyn Peninsula, a check on the weather made up my mind for me.

Typically the lakes looks to be a bit wetter than the Llyn, so that's it, my Buttermere circular walk will have to wait until June.

First stop is a place I've been before, but it's always a great place to return to, called Panoramic Walk. It's on the hill above Llangollen and with great views down the valley.

I didn't get here until gone 4pm, having left home quite late, so after having tea there was time for a walk along part of the ledge walk.

This time there were quite a few climbers on the rock face attempting to scale the vertical rocks.

Not my idea of a pastime, but they obviously get satisfaction from the challenge.

The local sheep were also quite vocal, so I went to sleep with baaa baaa baaa ringing in my ears.

Apart from the sheep it was a very peaceful night, I was joined by another motorhome just down the lane.

 Not a bad view for the evening, Panoramic Walk living up to it's name

Alderley Edge

Thursday 4th May 2023

Today I met Julia and we had a walk around Alderley Edge sandstone escarpment where we used to come as children with our parents.

The views are very impressive and the area has a interesting history of copper mining going back to the Bronze Age.

After that it was back to Ed for lunch consisting of sandwiches and lots of tea.

It's Coronation weekend coming up, so I don't think I'll go anywhere until it's over and the crowds have gone back to work. The weather forecast isn't that great either with regular rain showers looking likely for the weekend.

Quarry Bank Mill & Redesmere

Wednesday 3 May 2023

After what's felt like a very long Winter and a cold and wet Spring where not much motorhome travelling has been enjoyed, but today it properly feels like Spring, and so it should.

Yesterday was cool and cloudy, but towards the end of the day the sun briefly poked its head out and it was lovely to feel that warm sunshine for the first time this year.

Thankfully, today the sun has shone again so I'm off for a little trip in Ed the Hymer.

Firstly I headed for Quarry Bank Mill, the National Trust property in Styal Wilmslow.

I think I was a teenager when I last came here. 

Isn't it funny how we tend to overlook what's right on our doorstep ?

It's a beautiful wooded valley with the river Bollin running through it and was the birth place of the industrial revolution when in 1784 Samuel Greg  built the Mill to begin cotton spinning on an industrial scale to supply the cotton weaving mills of Lancashire.

He liked it here so much he built a house right next door to the Mill for himself, wife Hanna and their three children who must have had an idyllic childhood exploring and playing in the surrounding woods.

I didn't get to go into the Mill and other buildings as I had Louis with me, but I'll definitely come back and take a look. 

Today it didn't matter as the weather was so nice it was great just to wander the upper and lower gardens and the riverside walk through the woods with lots of spring flowers making an appearance, especially the bluebells.

 The gardens are quite impressive, they've clearly done a lot of work here

Later it was onto my parkup for the night, Redesmere, just south of Alderley Edge.

There's lots of wildlife here, white geese, Canadian geese, swans, coots and mostly with their newly arrived chicks.

Other species I don't know the name of, lol.

I think it'll be good here tonight so long as the geese don't start falling out with each other.

 Baby Coot chicks

 Redesmere Parkup

 Mummy and Baby Coot chicks

Bluebells in the woods