10/09/18 - The Menai Bridges and Church Island

Distance - 5.5 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration - AA Pocket Walks through History - Walk 72

I couldn't come all the way to Anglesey and not see the confusing tidal system of Menai Straits and the engineering feat of the two magnificent bridges.   On setting out on my third and final walk of the short break, I didn't know it would be a C6th Church that would be the highlight of the walk.

Chucking out time at our cottage is a negotiated mid-day, so this walk needs to be started early to get back and move the kitchen sink back into a family estate car.   8am and I am parking up behind a Chinese restaurant and heading through woodland down to the promenade.

Let's get the bridges out the way first.

Britannia Bridge in the distance

The promenade to the Suspension Bridge

Thomas Telford's 1826 Suspension Bridge

In a case of "look at what I could have won", I walk past the Good Beer Guide recommended Liverpool Arms in Menai Bridge.  Last night, I nearly made a tragic mistake of confusing this with the Liverpool Arms in Amlych - which would have provided a very different experience.

The Good Beer Guide Tick that Got Away

Out of Menai Bridge town and I take a countryside loop to find a bridge of a less grand scale and some fine, brooding views of Snowdonia.

Progress in Human Engineering

Walks for another day

The return comes back through town.  The Liverpool Arms is still not open.   Instead, I have 20 minutes free for a circuit of Church Island and I am so pleased I did.  Atmospheric and providing fine views across the straits.

A walk around the perimeter of the grave yard

The inscription above the door - 630AD and built by St Tysilio

The Tiny Chapel - confetti at the door suggested a recent wedding

A fitting end to diverse walking over a three day break. 

There's so much more to discover in Anglesey that we have to come back.

09/09/18 - Holyhead Mountain

Distance - 3.5 Miles
Geocaches - 10
Walk Inspiration
First Cache

The fastest road on Anglesey, the A55 dual carriageway, whisks us to the place where most of the Island's geocaches are hiding - Holyhead Mountain.

So, who are the mountaineers?

Mrs M - Nervous of controlling a 6 month old guide dog in training near cliffs
Daughter #1 - Scared of heights, thistles, wasps, nature in general.  I neglected to inform her about the adders.
Son #1 - Wearing my old brasher boots, ill fitting on him and with toes taped in an attempt at blister avoidance.
Yours Truly - Mountain leader and eternal optimist

The plan is to walk five mile detailed in a route found on the BBC website - It should bag us most of the 20 caches available on a trail.

The start, Break Water country park - the old quarry workings of Europe's longest breakwater - observed later in this walk.  Geocaching teaches you all you need to know.

Mountaineering Team Assembled

The plan is to head up to North Stack, see what a fog signal station looks like and then head across the flanks of the mountain to South Stack and it's lighthouse.   I should point out the use of the term mountain is loose - 584 feet is somewhat short of the 2000 feet required.   Its still high enough to scare the bejesus out of Daughter #1.

Photo opportunities are endless.   Weather reaches "Blow Mappiman's expensive Fjallraven Hat off" on the hurricane scale.

Here are the highlights;

Getting going and wondering if its safe to let the dog off the lead

North Stack Fog Station and increased choppiness.

Where the quarry workings ended up

Ferry comes into dock through the heather

South Stack Lighthouse

As a mountain leader, choices have to be made.   Following the stiff climb from the fog station, where Daughter #1 asked for the keys so she could meet us back at the car, I decided that the last loop of South Stack would remain for another day.  Those three left potential geocache finds will forever haunt me.

One stop to reapply bandages to Son #1 tootsies.

The dog was well behaved, although she did find out what a goat's defence mechanism is on the return.   A full on Glasgow kiss, expertly delivered.

Cute, the kids exclaimed.  Stitch that, said the goat moments later

2 hours and 3 mins to walk 3.5 miles is slow going but at least we all got back in one piece.

Complete with my expensive Fjallraven hat.

Team Holyhead Mountain and the headless dog

08/09/19 - Moelfre and Lligwy

Distance - 4.8 Miles
Geocaches - 2
Walk Inpsiration - AA 1001 Walks - Walk 390



Saturday morning and some fearsome Welsh weather sees us looking for entertainment in Beaumaris.  By the time we have had drinks in the Bold Arms, the rain has stopped and we can look for the next walk.

Which takes us to the beautiful village of Moelfe on Anglesey's East Coast.

A walk through the village, spotting the Kinmel Arms as potential post walk refreshment, to pick up the coast path.   A small cove to explore, along with the old and new lifeboat stations - testament to the high number of shipwrecks.

Moelfre Cove

The new lifeboat Station

Easy coastal walking north takes past a couple of Geocaches - with our Guide Dog in training taking a special interest.  If she fails her training, I could always make use of her tupperware sniffing skills.  The first cache tells us the story of one Shipwreck in 1859, the Royal Charter, making a return journey from Melbourne to Liverpool.  450 lives lost with a lot of gold washed ashore making the some locals very rich.   Have to love Geocaching for adding to any walk.

Joy, A Geocache and a TB Drop off

The path takes us to a golden sand beach, near deserted on a Saturday afternoon.  To top it all, there's a cafe offering home made lemon drizzle cake.  Views extend to Ynys Dulas island, complete with a tower that is not as first thought, a lighthouse.

Almost have this to ourselves

The tower on Ynys Dulas

Having had our fill on the seaside, we move inland for the ruined chapel and C4th ancient village at Din Lligwy.  Somehow, I manage to convince Mrs M that this warrants more than "we can google it when we get home".

Hen Capel - C12th Ruined Chapel

Built when the Roman's were thinking of leaving

Two occupied cow fields, with awful stiles for a couple with a 6 month puppy, are negotiated before lanes are picked up to take us back to the village.

All is forgiven when the sea views come back.

Sea Views from the Cow Field

07/09/18 - How Much at the Ship Inn, Red Wharf Bay?

Distance - 4 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Pubs - 2

An orientation walk, after our arrival on the Isle of Anglesey.  There are only four potential Good Beer Guide ticks on the Island and I am hoping the scenery is that beautiful that the family don't notice that I am taking them on a four mile round trip to get the nearest.

Benllech Sands certainly provides the distraction.  Especially if you have a six month lab/retriever guide dog in training taking their first beach holiday.

Wide Open Spaces

Puppy Love

Mid point refreshement is provided at the perfectly positioned Tavern on the Bay.  Two real ales on, both LocALE.  Conwy Brewery California passed the sample at the bar.

Pint and a Sea View

We could have turned back and by the time I have finished moaning in this blog, you will have probably wished I had.   But I needed the tick in the bible to show I had at least made an attempt on the Island's beer oases.

A half mile further on and we reach Red Wharf Bay's Ship Inn.   Who could not fail to be impressed at this historical boozer?

My Sort of Place

Bass in Wales?

Well not quite.... but they did have Timothy Taylor Landlord.   It's Robinsons here on in for the weekend, so I really needed to make the most of it.

I take son #1 to help carry the drinks out.   Bar to the right is packed and bar to the left is empty.  We try bar to the left.   There is a sign saying "use bar to the right".   There are quite a lot of signs at the Ship Inn.

So we fight our way through the guardians of the bar and get prompt service.   Three cokes and the aforementioned Timothy Taylor Landlord and I am putting my suggested note back into my pocket and pulling out something that will meet the tariff.

I ask for the receipt to check if there is an error, taking it back to the family table outside.

The Damage

£4.40 for a pint I can tolerate, for I have been to London but £3.05 for a small diet pepsi?  Times that by three and I have spent the best part of a dead Brazilian on pop.   The table discussion is purely around the receipt.

Mrs M - "That cannot be right"
Daughter #1 - "Just leave it Dad, I will give you the difference when we get back to the cottage"
Son #1 - "I can't believe you're going to leave it Dad, that's an outrage"

Fired up by my son's vitriol,  I spy my opportunity.  The lady who served me comes out and we have a discussion about what size 16oz is and whether the fact that as 50% of it is ice, should they really be charging more than a pint of Butty Bach in my local.   She offers us dog biscuits and a roll of the eyes to suggest that she's heard it all before.

Once she leaves, the other outside drinkers join my cause celebre. 

A man from Manchester says "Son, down our way, that is what is called having your pants pulled down and your arse slapped".

Two ladies contemplate how many bottles they could have had, having been charged £7.95 each for a glass of cava.

I leave, feeling like a shop steward and contemplating putting my head around the door and shouting "Everybody Out".

The Walk Back - to raid the Tesco Express for 3 for £5.25 on Tribute

PS:  It was a very good pint of Landlord.   I cannot vouch for the Pepsi.