Anglesey, my Anglesey

Musical Anglesey

2011-05-13T22:41:00.000+01:00

Anglesey has a population of approximately 67,000 people. Before settling here we lived in a town of 200,000 people. Yet here there is a surfeit of music and culture. The former town does not possess such a pool of musical talent. Tonight my wife and I were treated to an evening of barber shop singing by a group of mainly elderly women who just loved singing together.

It was an event organised by a friend who is a worshipper at St Eilian's church, Llaneilian, in whose parish our village of Penysarn falls. The church itself has a wonderful history of over 500 years, as I can testify. The enthusiastiv church warden, Roy, who showed me round took me into St Eilian's sanctuary, up on the Rood screen loft and even the bell tower.

But to get back to the singers, they were a joy to hear. It's not often you get to hear an all women group singing Barber Shop. The event was held in the nearby WI hall which has recently been renovated and is, itself, a rare example of a wholly owned WI hall. I even have a stake in the renovation work as I dismantled the sliding door to the toilet and installed a new door & frame.

In previous years I have attended Christmas concerts by Cor Bro Dyfnan, a choir formed in Benllech some years ago. They have an enormous pool of musical talent supported by Carys Eleri, a woman with a beautiful soprano voice. When she sings O Holy Night you could cry! All over the island you can find groups of musicians specialising in their own brand of music.

Last evening I attended the licensing service for the new vicar of Amlwch and experienced Welsh hymn singing that was, as our American cousins say, awesome. I thought the roof would lift off! Just another example of the Welsh involvement in music.

It is such a privilege to live on this remarkable island.

Spring in Anglesey

2011-05-11T12:28:00.001+01:00

Living here on this rural island is pure pleasure in the season of Spring!   With the sunny April we were able to enjoy days out with our grandaughter, Ellie.   We visited beaches and drove along narrow country lanes, all the while taking in the signs of the progress of Spring.

In the six and a half years we have lived here it has been a period of learning the many single track lanes and where they go.   Every time we drive over to Llangefnmi we take a route that entails a number of miles of single track lanes.   It is not only quicker but less stressful with the near absence of other vehicles.   When you meet a vehicle coming the other way you pull over into one of the many passing places and wave to each other.   It's called respect.   You notice the many hedgerows which the island's farmers maintain so well.   They are full of wild flowers, so the colours change from time to time.

With the better weather we can go for walks along the coastal path.   Occasionally one might see a holy well along the way.   Drive over to Penmon Priory and a short walk takes you past a pond to the holy well of St Seriol.   The saint, Seriol, is said to have walked across Anglesey towards Holyhead whilst the Holyhead saint, Cybi, walked towards Penmon.   This way Cybi got sunburnt and Seriol stayed pale as he walked with his back to the sun!

One thing to watch out for is the occasional finger post that some wag has twisted to point in the wrong direction.   One lovely drive is to leave the A5025 at the old Black Lion Inn and drive towards Llandeusant where you will find a preserved windmill that still grinds flour.   Its name is Lynnon Mill and the cottage through which you go when paying the entrance fee has a first floor cafe.   Go upstairs if you want to experience the most amazing cakes, scones etc with a cup of tea!   You will not come away dissatisfied.

Once Easter has arrived you will find that all the visitor attractions are open.   There is plenty to experience.    If you stay on the island in good weather you have about 20 beaches accessible to cars to enjoy.   Don't miss the lovely harbour at Cemaes and the refreshments at the visitor centre just up the main street.   Why not pop in the Cemaes Gallery and browse the many pictures for sale?   If you fancy a pint then the place to go is the Stag Inn where you can sit outside and watch village life.

Another attraction for the walking enthusiasts is the heritage trail around the former copper mine at Parus Mountain.   The walk is mostly on the level but watch out for a steep section towards the end.   All sorts of connected places are springing up down at Amlwch Port too.

What a place!!!!!

Cancellations

2010-12-24T15:22:00.002Z

It has been an extraordinary week! Last Friday, 17th December I had to postpone the transfer to my car of a consignment of lamb direct from a Snowdonia farm. Saturday was bad and so was Sunday. I began to wonder how the meat would ever get through. The main problem was that I could not move my car out of the drive which slopes towards the house. Eventually, with help from a number of people we made arrangements for the farmer to bring the meat over to Holyhead where the bulk of customers live. So, on Monday 20th December, my friend, David and I went over in his car to Holyhead to make sure all arrangements when smoothly. Amazingly, we drove almost to the Britannia Bridge to pick up the A55 and dive to Holyhead. In case you do not know our island this was a circular tour! By 11.00am the farmer had found his way to the church and the lamb was offloaded. David and I then returned to Penysarn with the remaining lamb for local friends.

During this period it had been decided to cancel the morning service at Amlwch Methodist Church as well as the evening Candle lit Carol Service. Our planned service intended to be held yesterday for the residents at Bryn y Mor Residential Home also was cancelled. The next casualty was the Christmas Eve Midnight Communion Service. As the snow had ceased falling we wanted to continue with the Christmas Day and Boxing day services. By this time we realised that the icy state of the road and the steps at the church meant high risks were being taken so these services have now cancelled.

The Carol Service is now re-scheduled for 2nd January but I cannot take part as I am hopefully leading worship at Holyhead Methodist Church. I have never known such a period for cancelling events at church. It is a remarkable end to a pretty awful year. May 2011 be better and more fruitful!

Snow on the island

2010-12-21T13:12:00.004Z

It was my birthday on Saturday, 18th December. I was due to get a consignment of lamb from a farmer over past Betws y Coed. It was Monday before we could get the lamb. The farmer came over to Holyhead where the majority of customers live and I was driven over there by a friend. We drove almost to the Britannia Bridge and then back along the A55 dual carriageway. Amazingly we took only 15 extra minutes to get there. Eventually we offloaded the lamb, paid the farmer and set off back with the lamb for people living near me. We made it safely home with all customers satisfied.

It is quite rare for Anglesey to see so much snow. It is over 20 years ago since the last time it was so heavy. We are used to telling others who are suffering snow how well we are doing here. Even now, as I write this, the snow is falling lightly! This morning our neighbours were going to the Co-op supermarket in Amlwch in their 4 wheel drive so we hitched a lift to buy final essentials. The only thing we forgot was washing up liquid! When it runs out we shall use the dish washer a little more!

Our neighbours are Bob and Stella who were planning to drive tomorrow to their old home city of Bristol to stay with family at Christmas. They have had to cancel the visit so they are coming next door for Christmas this year! So instead of two there will be four on Christmas Day - GREAT!!! The photo above shows our car covered in snow and unable to travel.

There are many people who live in hilly places in the island and they are stuck until the thaw where they don't own 4 wheel drive cars. But they will have neighbours helping them out and that is the sort of spirit we need in this life. I just wish I could get the car out and take photos of the many snow scenes which abound. Not to worry, we have a good talking point that makes a change from politics and cuts!

Snowy Anglesey

2010-12-17T12:34:00.002Z

Finally we are under a white blanket! Last winter we had a serious fall of snow on one day only. It was Tuesday 5th January and I was due to come home from a short stay in hospital. The weather closed in and the hospital transport stopped running. I came home that day in my neighbour's 4 wheel drive!
Today we have about 6 inches and more is forecast. Tomorrow I am due to collect a consignment of Welsh lamb direct from the farmer. Our meeting place is Betws y Coed on the A5 trunk road where it meets the A470 which runs down to South Wales. The forecast is heavy snow overnight for Anglesey, Betws y Coed and Bala which is not far from the farm. It looks like we have a problem!
I have no doubt we shall get through OK in terms of food and warmth, so best not grumble. My logs for the multi fuel stove have a coating of snow and they are in a log shelter I built last year! It has obviously been windy during the night. All looks very pretty just now. But wait till the thaw arrives and snow becomes slush!
Tomorrow will see a cancelled market in Llangefni and folks will be battening down the hatches whilst talking about the snow as if they live in high mountains! Yesterdays satellite photo from Nasa showed the UK covered in snow except occasional tiny patches where it had not fallen. No doubt today's picture will be of complete snow coverage.
For now I shall have to ensure that there is food outside for the birds and continue reading my book purchased at a recent Christmas Fair at Amlwch Methodist Church. Tomorrow sees another birthday to remind me how I am getting old! We have guests for dinner and they, luckily, live just round the corner.

Polite Anglesey

2010-11-30T17:30:00.005Z

Since coming to live in Anglesey six years ago we have noticed a big difference between living in a large conurbation and living on an island where local residents have a separate identity. Because it is a quiet place the teenagers we encounter are very polite as opposed to those in the large towns where they are quick to offer abuse to older people. This was very apparent as soon as we arrived.

To say that the local Welsh speakers are unfriendly and keep one at arm's length could not be further from the truth. On one occasion 2 or 3 weeks before moving house we went into a food shop to buy something for lunch. The shopkeeper asked us if we were here on holiday. We replied that we were due to come and live here very soon. "Welcome to Anglesey" was the friendly response. The new neighbours were also very welcoming and we knew we should be happy here. We had moved house on seven occasions previously and we felt welcome on only two occasions.

I was told that a warm welcome was to be had at the local Methodist Church in Amlwch and this proved to be the case. The people from the other local churches have also been found to be friendly and warm in their welcome. The only exception was the then Chief Constable, Richard Brunstrom, with his aggressive attitude to speeding motorist. Under him the police were encourage to rack up large numbers of reports at the expense of the public they served. The new Chief has now been in post a year and he has called on his officers to take a much different view!

One area where politeness or the absence of it tends to be most noticeable is driving along the roads. Other drivers tend to be far more friendly and accommodating then in the well populated areas of England. In Anglesey, with its high number of farm workers, we find ourselves following many tractors and other farm machines along the road. Inevitably these are slow moving vehicles, but the surprise is that they pull over wherever possible to lessen the queues of faster vehicles in their wake. I call this very considerate and commend our local farm staff for their considerateness.

Perhapss this is another good reason to put your house on the market and settle where the pressure is decidedly off!

A Royal Place

2010-11-17T21:40:00.004Z

With yesterday's announcement of the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton our lovely island has come to the fore in the minds of the British people. I think that many more will now be aware of this island off the coast of North Wales. For the past year we have had Prince William in the skies above our homes as he has trained in the Griffin helicopters which are based at RAF Valley, just a few miles away.

Now that he has passed the course and been accepted as a co pilot on the Sea King helicopters of 22 Squadron there is a good chance that he will be in an aircraft over us. I say this because the Sea Kings of 22 Squadron are very old now and constantly being maintained to keep them airworthy. I know this from what the previous Station Chaplain at Valley told me. The squadron is kept very busy each winter as the foolhardy climb the mountains of Snowdonia with little or no safety equipment or warm clothing.

At the beginning of 2010 I was admitted to hospital at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor where all casualties from the mountains end up. At one point a Sea King helicopter was held at the hospital because the conditions were so bad that the rotors had iced up and a team of maintenance engineers had to come over from Valley to de-ice it so it was ready for service.

The work of 22 Squadron goes on and many crews work very hard to save lives. This is the work that Prince William has been trained to do. No doubt, at the end of his 3 years in Anglesey, he will move on to become a commanding pilot in a rescue squadron elsewhere. In the meantime he becomes an Anglesey resident with his beloved Kate. The people know where he is living and the name of the local pub he uses. However, we shall be keeping that information to ourselves during his stay among us.

I am certainly no royalist, favouring a republic, but he happens to have had a wonderful person for a mother. She paved the way for others to follow as she visited and supported the people at the bottom of life's heap. I hope and pray that Prince William will be a worthy son and show others that he is not too proud to sit with the lonely and the friendless.

Wylfa stays open longer

2010-10-15T14:47:00.005Z

For the present employees at the island's nuclear power station the two year extension to its working life is fantastic news. Currently there is a large generating company with plans it will eventually submit for planning permission to build Wylfa B. Many different sorts of permission will, no doubt, have to be obtained to start building a successor to the present magnox power station. But among those in the know there is little doubt that Wylfa B will happen. Already local property owners have begun snapping up houses and apartments to let out eventually to those involved in the construction of the new power station. Much land surrounding the proposed site has already been purchased as the number of properties boarded up demonstrates when you drive down that way.

We do not fear another Chernoble because we trust our constructors to use the quality materials required to ensure public safety. Safety will, as usual, be built into the planned generating station. The gap between eventual closure of Wylfa as it is now for decommissioning and the rise of the new plant is now much less than it would have been if they had to close at the end of 2010. This is expected to mean the retention of many key workers who would be required at the new plant.

Many staff will be needed during decommissioning and they could make a seamless transition to the new plant at the appropriate time. Decommissioning will also bring further recruitment of a workforce needed to carry out this work. A number of staff will want to take retirement and they will find this more possible now. Then there will be a need for construction workers once building begins for Wylfa B. I know that many workers on this project will be recruited from outside Anglesey but many will be from current residents. On an island that has serious employment problems this is simply good news.

Having spoken to Alan Smith, the project manager for the new company, I know that they have already approached training organisations locally to advise on the standard of training required for their future constructors and eventual staff. So there will be work available for those prepared to train for it. This is good forward planning. I hope and believe that Anglesey is going to "have its day" and this has been a long time in coming! It is vital to have investment on a large scale to secure a future for the island. Many other industries will benefit and this too will mean more jobs. Our future is bright.

Anglesey is an enchanting place. This year has seen a surprising increase in visitors who were still here after the schools began their new years. As I write there are still plenty of caravans still standing on our sites. We have a lot to offer. Some time ago I counted up and there are seventeen beaches with vehicle access. If the wind blows from the south it is sheltered in the north and vice versa. Inland we have some lovely countryside to share. My wife and I prefer to use the narrow lanes where the traffic is largely absent. So many times we can drive over to the library at Llangefni on single track roads and not have to find a passing place to accommodate oncoming cars and lorries. As we drive these narrow lanes we see nature all round us. In season it is not uncommon to find ourselves being raced along by pheasants protecting their young in nearby nests! Buzzards are often perched on telephone poles. Red squirrels abound in some of our forests. What a wonderful place we have to enjoy our retirement! We are fortunate indeed.

Macmillan Golf Day at Bull Bay

2010-08-31T11:16:00.004Z

Sunday 29th August was the occasion of yet another successful Golf Day organised by Richard Butler for the charity, Macmillan Cancers Support. Richard is a friend and I am proud to say he gives his all on the occasion of his Golf Day. He contacts many nearby clubs to tell them about the event. He enlists the help of a number of people from both the local Macmillan Committee and the local community. I was roped in as the former secretary of the Anglesey Macmillan Committee, and since leaving the committee I continue to act as Starter as each team sets out from the first tee. Annwen, Richard's wife takes a team photo and I read out the rules to which they are to play. We have done this for about 5 years now.

This year was a typical year for attendance with 45 teams taking to the course. The weather began blustery and with light rain. Richard was complaining that the golfers would get soaked as they went round. But the sun came out and the wind speed increased as the day progressed. There were many white crested waves right out to the horizon. The annual rowing race round Anglesey was cancelled. Emergency services are still trying to find a woman kayaker, last seen when she paddled out from Rhosneigr.

Annwen and I started duties at 9.00am and by 3.00pm we were sending out the last teams. It was so cold that I had to go home and return in clothing I had worn in Oslo one March when watching ski jumping at Holmenkollen! On three occasions I had to drive over to the tenth green to take food and water to the refreshment tent. I got lost the first time but eventually spotted the white marquee. On the final dive back to the clubhouse the wind suddenly blew hard and I was glad I was not at sea! When the final team had gone I went home for a short rest and to get changed for the evening and the presentation of prizes. Pauline and I were at the clubhouse by 5.00pm where we retired to the diningroom and enjoyed an excellent meal with friends.

Golfers and sponsors had donated over £4,000 to be part of the event and everyone said how much they had enjoyed the day. Bull Bay Golf Club is a very welcoming place and I book their diningroom twice a year for the Harvest Supper and a further meal at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on behalf of Churches in Amlwch. Christine Jones, Steward of the club is always smiling and is loved by everyone. It is a place where always feel at home!

The Macmillan Golf Day is hard work, but so enjoyable. I never look forward to it because I have to get up early that day! The good news is that at the end of the day I feel it has all been worthwhile. The cause is a good one and the friendship and welcome is wonderful. Well done Richard and well done everyone.

Caernarfon Airport

2010-05-16T18:11:00.002+01:00

Possibly not many people know that Caernarfon has an airport. It began life as an RAF station in World War 2. It was decommissioned in 1946 and fell into disuse. Its renaissance began in 1969 when it was brought back into use as a landing strip in connection with the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle.

It has now become quite a visitor attraction with an air museum comprising lots of interactive items to amuse children. It is also the home of both the Air Ambulance for North Wales and the North Wales Police helicopter. Many local pilots have their light aircraft based hear together with a significant number of microlights.

There is an excellent cafe and restaurant together with picnic seating with views across the runway when watching the different aircraft come and go. I visited it on Saturday 15th May when a number of German enthusiasts had arrived to see it. The day had been given over to a new trust being inaugurated. The trust will be seeking to help disabled and disengaged people get flying experience and go on to get a full pilot's licence. The trust had linked with the Douglas Bader Foundation to provide flights for disabled children. To see the faces of both children and parents as they returned from their flights was nothing short of a joy.

I was impressed with the facilities at the airport and recommend it to any family looking for a different type of day out. The real bonus is that there is a beach only two minutes away!

Horizontal Rain

2009-11-19T17:37:00.002Z

A number of years ago Alan Titchmarsh and the Groundforce team visited RAF Valley where they revamped an officer's garden. Those who remember seeing the TV programme will recall that Alan and his crew spent quite a significant amount of time working in souwesters and oilskins because of the high wind and rain.

I can tell you that today is a day of horizontal rain. Throughout the day we have been receiving varying amounts of rain but blown by strong gale force winds coming from the south west. I visited the manse of our Methodist minister this morning and the car door was almost ripped out of my grasp as I got out. The sound of the wind in the trees there was deafening. I can say that I have never heard wind in trees make so loud a noise.

So Anglesey has been battered by some pretty strong winds. It must be fun for the trainee fast jet pilots taking off in their BAe Hawk trainers over at RAF Valley. I do hope no one has been silly enough to go out climbing in Snowdonia! We often read stories about people who go out on bad days in our mountains but I think the high winds will speak for themselves today.

Part of the island experienced a power cut last night but I don't think the north of the island was affected. Looking at Facebook I note that the high winds are happening inland in the Manchester area too so my family are experiencing this bad weather as well. There are advisory speed limits on the Britannia Bridge as you might expect. Don't be there with a high sided vehicle! You will trap us on the island if it falls over. Actually, we can always use the suspension bridge but the arches are very narrow for buses and lorries.

The best advice is to stay at home wherever possible and avoid being blown over in the gales. Little old ladies are always the most vulnerable to this. When I lived and worked in the Oldham area our Civic Centre tower block created some very awkward winds outside the building. It was not unusual to see a small and slightly built woman measure her length!

Bad Weather

2009-11-14T22:27:00.002Z

It was about seven years ago that we first began house hunting in Anglesey. We had been looking at properties all day and had just viewed the penultimate property. There I was, standing on Mynydd Bodafon, looking out across to the north coast when the rain came. It was not very heavy but the wind whipped it against me. I felt chilled to the bone. I asked the question, "Why do I want to come and live here?"

Shortly afterwards I was standing right on the cliff edge at Church Bay, wasting a little time so we arrived at our next appointment on time. I was wearing a winter coat but I felt very cold indeed - as if I were not wearing a coat. It put me off in my quest to live in Anglesey. However, as my wife pointed out, in this sort of weather I would be indoors normally so the problem was solved.

After we moved here the first winter included a medium snowfall as photos I took at the time show. At no time were the roads impassable. We drove over to Llangefni to change library books. we arrived to find a closed library. Two days later we returned and found the library still closed. When we tried a third time later in the week we asked why the place had been closed. the answer was that the staff couldn't get in because of the snow. Now the snow we experienced had fallen only to the north west of Llangefni and the the other half was free of snow. The roads in the snowy zone had remained usable throughout. So there was no excuse!

Every time there is significant rain the markets are not held. This meant that after a night of heavy rain and strong winds (but not gales) the Llangefni market did not happen. The car parks were almost deserted. Anglesey was hibernating today. After our library visit we drove over to Tesco in Bangor where business was as usual.

My conclusion is that the islanders are soft about weather. With the windy reputation of Anglesey one would expect the islanders to be a hardy breed but not so. It is amazing to me that the island virtually closes down when the weather is bad. In the words of Craig Revell Horwood - "A- ma-zing!"

It's Scarecow Time!

2009-07-07T16:41:00.003+01:00

It seems to have become an annual competition in Maenaddwyn and Capel Coch in Anglesey. Scarecrows are springing up outside all sorts of properties. As we go this way from Penysarn to Llangefni it is a source of entertainment for us. I think it is an excellent thing that in a major recession people can take time off for such a fun thing. Last year I didn't take any photos, which is a pity because one scarecrow really stood out. He was created riding a bicycle with his arm out to signal a turn!

Only in a rural area such as Anglesey would this sort of thing happen. Just as Harvest is still seen as a local celebration, so we recognise our life in the countryside by having events like these. It is certainly one up on people who set up expensive lights outside their house each Christmas. The cost is less and the individual styles quite unique.

This year our summer really feels like summer and people are enjoying it. The sheep shearing is well under way, the hay bales are done and the whole countryside is bright and beautiful. It is almost five years since we moved to Anglesey in retirement and we have never regretted a single second! What a place to live!

Road Safety Issues

2009-06-02T19:56:00.004+01:00

Since settling in Anglesey in September 2004 there have been a number of deaths on our local main road. Not long after we came a section of the A5025 had a revised speed limit of 50mph. Whether this has had an impact on the number of accidents and fatalities I am not aware. But what I do know is that altering the speed limit in particular danger ares will not solve the problem.

A young teenager from our village of Penysarn was killed within our first 12 months here. It is easy to see where it happened as flowers continually appear at the site of the accident. In another stretch a young woman of about 30 years met her maker on a stretch where there is a double dip preventing drivers seeing the entire road before them. Add to this the fact that it was the time of year when the sun was low in the sky and right before a driver going east and you can see how an accident would happen.

A year or so ago a woman was killed late at night when the driver of an HGV from Germany crossed the road and hit her head on. Now there is a bunch of lovely flowers at another site where a death occurred. During the Easter school holidays this year a school teacher was killed by a lorry coming in the opposite direction on the stretch between Cemaes and Bull Bay. Soon afterwards came another fatality when a car and motor cycle came to grief on the same road.

Local people are seeking a reduction in the speed limit. In almost all cases I am certain that drivers are taking chances on a road not designed to take fast traffic.

In my opinion what is need is a new road that has less areas where accidents will obviously happen. One stretch of the A5025, where the double dip exists, provides a second lane for vehicles climbing the hill. It is wrong to provide such a short overtaking lane on the approach to a sharp bend. On one occasion my wife reported being very close to a car coming up the hill overtaking a car in the inside lane. The oncoming driver was driving with one hand and shading his eyes with the other and had already run out of space in which to safely overtake and was driving through the hatched area! There is no legislation that will correct such driving. The answer is to redesign the road and make drivers keep back when the vehicle in front is slower moving. After all we all know what it is like to follow all the tractors that use this road. This means we are used to being held back and this is safer than providing a race track for fools.

We all moan about he activities of the Arrive Alive vans of the North Wales police but we have to realise that the A5025 is a dangerous road that encourages speeding motorists. A preliminary precaution to take would be to spend some of the revenue of the Arrive Alive vans on permanent speed cameras at key points so that fools will slow down, knowing they will be "on camera" otherwise.

If you are a visitor to Anglesey do watch out on our roads. Last weekend the Air Ambulance was called out to a crash on an unnamed country road that passes through Parc. So we have a number of dangerous roads to take account of. This island is very beautiful and can cause you to look around too much whilst driving. Take great care!

Long Range Weather Forecast

2009-05-03T16:36:00.005Z

Recently I was told that a long range forecast had been published that said we can expect a long warm and dry summer. That has got to be good news, and heaven knows we need some in these troubled times. As I have said in an earlier blog, one of the features of the Isle of Anglesey is the huge number of gorse bushes everywhere. The gorse was what I remembered most about my first visit in the 1960s. But, according to some local people it is also a guide to the coming weather in the summer. There are two growths of gorse flowers. The first is in late winter to early spring. Then in mid April comes a second growth to supplement the first. This year the second growth is amazing. The gorse looks more plentiful as each bush has lots more flowers growing. I am also told that this is the sign the locals look for to look forward to a good summer.

As I write is is May Bank Holiday and many visitors have come to Anglesey for a short break. They find it in full bloom with gorse and love it. Apart from it being a beautiful place to visit, our visitors can choose from no less than seventeen beaches. Because we are an island we have more coastline to enjoy. We do have a certain reputation for being a windy place. But never despair because if the wind is blowing from the south west (the prevailing wind) you can go on a beach on our north east coast and not be blown to pieces. Whichever coast is receiving the wind we simply go to the opposite coast to enjoy it.

Should the recession cause many to stay at home this year I can recommend Anglesey as a place with everything for everybody. When I say this I exclude entertainment such as one finds in a resort like Blackpool. But for one who loves the simple life of sand and sea we have it in abundance. We have a complete coastal path running round the island and many can be seen walking it. If you like seeing ships you will find quite a number drop anchor off Anglesey's north east lea shore as they await the pilot for the final run into Liverpool port.

From Monday to Friday (9-5) you can even watch lots of pilots training to fly fast jets from RAF Valley. If you fancy a flight to Cardiff and back you can fly from Anglesey Airport (also known as RAF Valley). There are 2 flights each way - one early morning and the other late afternoon when the flight training is quieter.

If you should get stir crazy you can leave the island for either a visit to Snowdonia which is on our doorstep or a visit to Llandudno for shopaholics. we have it all here on the island but for the odd thing you miss about home it can be find not far away. What could be better? If you are a camping enthusiast we have lots of caravan and camping sites to choose from. So with a good summer in prospect come over to Anglesey but be sure to keep to the speed limit. The operators of the Arrive Alive vans are ever vigilant and love nothing better than to catch the unwary motorist doing 35mph in a built up area.

First Day of Spring

2009-03-21T12:43:00.003Z

For the past few weeks there has been a single colour appearing all over the island - yellow. There are thousands of daffodils everywhere. They are not just in domestic gardens but have been planted in their hundreds at the roadside. The past week has been dry and bright with lots of sunshine. The sun has ensured that many daffodils have been brought to their glory. Drive along the A5025 through Brynrevail and you will see a wonderful display of daffodils at the roadside. They are worth looking out for each spring. I have no idea who planted them originally but they have done a good job.

Not only do we have the bright yellow daffodils but there is also the gorse. I first visited Anglesey in the 1960s and my abiding memory of the island then was the mass of yellow gorse found everywhere. There is something about the gorse each year that tells me spring and Easter will soon be with us. I think the shade of yellow is amazing and glorious like the yellow of the daffodils. But unlike the daffodils there is a hidden downside.

Handling the gorse is well nigh impossible. At any time of the year you can be attacked by gorse thorns. Unlike roses they are in their millions on each bush. You have nowhere on a branch that you can safely grasp. Should you have been pruning back this gorse it will attack you not only at the pruning stage but later when you least expect it. You find it as debris in the garden and usually you find it the hard way! Pick up some gorse by accident and you will shout! I cannot count the times I have inadvertently handled gorse from the previous season whilst clearing flower beds.

You see, we have a profusion of gorse growing over our garden wall. I have to confess it looks well right now but at some point I shall curse it! If you wear thick protective gloves you find it does not hurt but the gloves make dexterity almost impossible. I can cope pretty well with the rambling roses that hang over the wall but when it comes to the gorse I do not look forward to pruning it.

Having said all this the masses of small yellow flowers brighten up the garden in this period of early spring when so little is in flower. The photo above was taken the other day and is of the gorse growing over the wall at the rear of our bungalow. It speaks for itself!

What's the weather like?

2009-02-03T19:28:00.003Z

For two days I have been reading about travel chaos all over the UK. Every region has had heavy snow - except us and parts of North Wales!

When we began house hunting in Anglesey we talked to one vendor who had photos kept of a heavy snow fall simply because it was a rare occasion. Our good news is that Anglesey does not suffer heavy snow as a rule. Having lived here for over four years we can confirm that on one occasion only have we seen any really measurable depth of snow. The photo above is a record of the day it fell! It stayed for three or four days and then went. Mind you, it fell only on our side of the island. We travelled over on several days to find that no snow had fallen in Llangefni and south of it. It was amazing, therefore, to discover the Llangefni library was closed because of snow. We were advised that the staff could not get in! Yet, we who live on the affected side of the island had reached Llangefni easily! The woman in charge lived on the unaffected coast but could not get in.

I am of the opinion that it just as well that snow is pretty much a stranger here because it does not take much to put off would be travellers who live here. Whenever there is rain on a market day one sees a denuded market community. Sometimes there is only the veg stall and the mobile butcher in residence at Llangefni on a cold wet market day.

It reminds me of a story told by the travel writer, Arthur Eperon, when he travelled from Piraeus to Aegina in the Saronic Gulf. It was breezy and there were flurries of snow on this particular early spring day. So all the ferries, large and small were cancelled for the day. Only the Flying Dolphin hydrofoils were operating. When he arrived in Aegina all the shops and stalls were closed and people were huddled indoors. When the weather improved out they came again. It was just a slight deterioration in the weather but was enough to bring trade to a halt!

Over the past 2 days I have heard of so many journeys not started because of snow. When I lived a few miles outside the town of Oldham I always made it into work. Coming home one evening the traffic was so congested by stuck vehicles that my normally 15 minutes journey took two and a half hours. But I got home in one piece! Later, when I lived farther out from Oldham in the village of Milnrow, I came home to find I could not drive the car up the close. After tea the snow had ceased so my neighbour and I went and helped each other to get our cars back to our houses. After that we challenged our neighbours to a game of Trivial Pursuit and a tot of whisky! It was a good evening, for sure.

Our southern friends expect the roads to be kept clear just for them. They do not think they should ever be inconvenienced. No wonder they have a reputation as complainers! The Mayor of London, good old Boris, has told them that this is not an excuse for a long skive. But many will not be heeding those words, I fear.

Troubled Times

2009-01-22T17:11:00.002Z

In economic terms the future for Anglesey is not rosy. We have been seriously affected by the current economic downturn. There are few employers of significant size on the island.

A large employer is the Anglesey County Council. Whilst they work to promote Anglesey in commercial terms they appear not to be shedding any staff. However, The Welsh Audit Office have said they are not happy about the poor relationship between elected members and senior management. Having been a Local Government Officer for 28 years until retirement, I can tell you that this is unheard of in local government! How can the Council be at odds with those who direct their departments? Ye it appears to be the case at present.

Another large employer is scheduled to close in 2010. This is Wylfa Nuclear Power Station near Cemaes Bay. Whilst there are plans to replace this with the latest generation of nuclear power stations the task will take a number of years. I just hope that the decommissioning of the station will employ a similar number to the workforce decommissioning Trawfynydd Nuclear Power Station in Snowdonia. Linked to this is the problem of getting power at a special rate for Anglesey Aluminium Company who currently receive a private supply from Wylfa. The smelting company which uses about 12% of all electricity in Wales has declared it will close in September 2009 when its contract with Wylfa runs out as no power generator is prepared to provide electricity at an affordable price. I cannot imagine a situation during a period of economic stagnation where a company does not snatch the hand of such a major consumer. Are they just plain greedy?

In Holyhead a local electrical company is to close because production there cannot match that of another factory in the group. Stena Line have reduced the number of sailings of the Stena HSS, fast ferry sailing between Holyhead and Dublin. The number of passengers has fallen. Rehau, Amlwch based plastic company are experiencing hard times. On the economic front all is doom and gloom.

Yet it is true to say that Anglesey has never been a place for marvellous employment opportunities. Our population is 67,000 with many incoming English people supplying the business for local firms. Without us I wonder what the scene would be like. It is such a shame because the island is a lovely place with lovely people who welcome you so openly.

For the tourist we have a lot to offer. Of course, nowhere would you find a resort organised like Blackpool. We have a number of discreet attractions for everyone and accommodation to spare. I can say we have at least seventeen beaches with good access. If there is an on shore wind blowing you can drive across the island to one where the wind is off shore and the beach is sheltered. We have a beautiful pastoral scene with both arable and livestock farming carried on. the food you find here that is truly local food is second to none as the monthly local produce markets in Menai Bridge display.

But I remain optimistic about the future because you have to believe in better times. Without optimism life is pretty dire and depressing. I still say that Anglesey is a place that lives in my heart as warm and welcoming. No regrets about settling here - and no plans to ever leave!

Oriel Kyffin Williams

2008-08-05T16:07:00.003+01:00

This image is of an original painting by Sir Kyffin Williams. Until his death on 1st September 2006 in an Anglesey nursing home he was the greatest Welsh landscape painter alive. Almost as soon as his death was announced there was a move to create a permanent gallery (Oriel in Welsh) in Anglesey for his works. Wales is justly proud of the artist but Anglesey loves him to pieces because he was born here. He lived in Llanfairpwll, the village whose longname is found on the station sign and other sites in the village.

Kyffin joined the 6th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers in 1937. He developed epilepsy four years later and was discharged with this advice, "As you are, in fact, abnormal, I think it would be a good idea if you took up art." This was to be the beginning of his life as a landscape artist and he first taught art at Highgate School from 1944 to 1973.

His work centres mainly on landscape and the Welsh landscape in particular. In 1968 he won a scholarship that enabled him to visit Patagonia to study and paint Welsh descendants. His contribution to art is wonderful and at last the people of Anglesey have been able to show off his work in a brand new gallery which is part of Oriel Ynys Mon, Llangefni.

Pauline and I were able to call in this afternoon and were very impressed by his work. In the new gallery we saw many wonderful paintings and felt it had been worth waiting for as we had seen the gallery rise from the ground on our Saturday visits to Llangefni library. Actually, the who building has been greatly improved to make it a fit place to see art. All departments are now very much improved. You can buy a large number of books there which specialise in Kyffin Williams' art and more besides.

I write this blog as simply a lover of what I think is great art and this man fits that description for me. Previously I had seen nothing of his work but today I became hooked on it. Some of the paintings are so thick with paint that you have to stand back a long way to see them in all their glory and what they are saying. Personally, I am pleased I went and I shall return many times to see it all again. If you are in Anglesey, do call in for the greatest free show on earth.

Entertaining Children when you live in Anglesey

2008-07-28T20:37:00.003+01:00

As with the last blog I have to report that we now have our two youngest grandchildren with us. They are Isabel ( years) and Emelia (6 years). Being younger children than our other grandchildren they need to be found interesting things to do instead of watching TV which Isabel will do indefinitely. As I was forcd to be at home during the replacement of our garage door which gave up the ghost during the bathroom upgrade the girls went swimming with Pauline. They were taken to the Amlwch Leisure Centre pool and they had a marvellous time for several hours. How anyone can still be enjoying a swimming pool after 2 or 3 hours is beyond me. However, the trick worked because Pauline was in the water with them. Involvement is the key.

On Saturday I received a request/suggestion that we take the Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu (pronounced Rid Thee). We drove over, purchased tickets and boarded the train. On board, I asked one of the staff which locomotive was on the train. I was fascinated to learn that it was one of the very first Garratt locos, built in Gorton, Manchester. On the other train that we would pass later along the line was one of the last Beyer Garratt locos to be built. As a railway watcher all my life I became very interested in the line. The ride was excellent. We soon started climbing up through the Snowdonia National Park. Eventually the scenery was nothing short of excellent.

Having driven in Snowdonia over the last 3/4 years I considered it just rocks and scree. But the WHR route takes one through some very beautiful scenery. By Easter 2009 it is planned that the railway will continue through Beddgelert and down into Porthmadog to join the Ffestiniog Railway at Harbour Station. There is already plenty of evidence of the tramway that will pass through Porthmadog to link with the Ffestiniog Railway. When the link is opened it will mark the coming together of two great narrow gauge railways.

My task on Sunday, after travelling over to Rivertown URC to lead worship, was to take the girls to Caernarfon Castle. As I did so I was reminded of the day and a half when I did jury service at the Crown Court by the castle wall. The girls dashed into the castle and immediately started exploring all the passages which run through the great protective walls. Eventually, after visiting two souvenir shops and having their photos taken at strategic points they followed me out through the postern gate of the main gateway which had closed for the day.

Today, Pauline and I had to wait for the fitters to arrive to set up the new window blinds before we could take the girls out again. We eventually drove them over to Hen Blas Country Park near Bodorgan on the island where they could see all the interesting elements of farming. After talking to some of the livestock they found a bouncy castle and that was that for some time. Next they wanted to play crazy golf so Pauline went with them and I wandered off in the opposite direction. My luck was in as the owner came round to tell everyone that he was about to walk the ducks.

This took the form of 3 sheep dogs running round and herding a group of Runner Ducks in the farmyard. They were taken through the face painting room and then out through the mold painting area. Then they were taken up a walkway from which they slid down into a tray of water. This they did several times and then they were driven through a number of coloured hoops held by the visiting children. The finale was to be driven back to their pond where they climbed a ramp and slid into the pond. Next we witnessed the dogs working with a group of 8 sheep. The shepherd explained how the dogs were trained to respond to specific commands and then showed how each animal worked with the sheep. It was fascinating.

Having rejoined my family I was called on to take a ride round the farm on a tractor and trailer. This completed, we got in the car and came home for a well deserved evening mealcooked on the barbecue and eaten in the house as it was threatening rain.

All this effort and no visit to a beach!

Toadstools on Holyhead Mountain

2008-07-19T20:43:00.002+01:00

For almost a week recently we had our Grandson, Josh, staying with us. Other than when he is fixed to the chair before this PC he likes going out with me exploring Anglesey. We had a quiet morning standing at "Fraggle Rock" as it is known to trainee pilots and their tutors at RAF Valley. Last year in August we bought Josh a pair of binnoculars for his 16th birthday and they really came into use on this holiday with us.
Initially he used them last Sunday when he visited Portmeirion with us. It was a particularly good day for visibility because the Isle of Man was not only visible from our village but it looked as though it had been lifted up and re-sited closer to Anglesey. At Portmeirion he used then to look across the bay and he was very impressed.

On the day in question he was using his binnoculars to see the pilots in their Hawk jets as they prepared for take off. Not many aircraft took off but it was enough for Josh. He thought the view through them was terrific and expressed these sentiments. As it was rather quiet we drove over to South Stack where I parked opposite the stile that led to the Holyhead Mountain Hut Circles. I had visited the site on a number of occasions before and talked about the use of the various buildings whose foundations were evident in the ferns growing on the mountain.

The round ones I considerd dwellings and explained the method of roofing them and also how fires were lit at the centre with the smoke from them finding whatver way it could through the roof. The square and other rectangular buildings I suggested were animal shelters and grain stores. It was easy to imagine the construction of a floor above the cold earth where the grain from the settlements was dried and stored.

But when I walked over to two constructions of round buildings I had a shock. I came across 3 separate toadstools of gigantic proportions. The largest of these is shown in the picture with this blog. The top of the toadstool measured 12 inches across and the plant was just amazing. I had never seen such a sizeable fungus like this before!

Take a long look at my photo and let me know if you can identify the fungus by name.

Leaving Anglesey

2008-06-22T22:06:00.002+01:00

Whenever we leave the island to travel over to Manchester to see our family and friends we always feel a wrench. So it was doubly so when we left the island on Friday the 13th of June to drive first to Somerset and then next day to Devon. When we lived in the Greater Manchester area it was no problem because we drove straight onto the M62 and it was motorway all the way and a quick journey too. But these days we have to get round some pretty large mountains in order to join the motorway south to Devon. Previously we were travelling there to stay with Pauline's mother. Sadly, she died last year, leaving less reason for making the journey.

However, we had decided to take a week's break in South Dartmoor so that we could include a visit to Mum's grave in a tiny cemetery belonging to a Methodist Church in Ilsington. We stayed outside Taunton with our very good friends, Arnold and Elaine who are always pleased to see us. This time we saw only a short glimpse as they were off to take their holiday in France the following day. So we let ourselves out the following day and went to Honiton for a brief meeting with Beverley, Pauline's cousin.

Later we made our way to Newton Abbot and bought some flowers and a holder to place on the grave. It was a little tearful, but we were rewarded by the rain holding off till we got back in the car. Next stop was Harbourneford where our acommodation lay. It is a small hamlet approached along single track lane from each direction. We offloaded our luggage and settled in the lovely accommodation.

The next day we visited Buckfast Abbey and saw the Abbey itself and a small Methodist chapel in the grounds. But we were nagged at by the threat of a petrol shortage as the tanker drivers were on strike. We need not have worried because the local filling station was able to conduct business as usual with regular deliveries coming in. On the Monday and Tuesday we did much of our travelling on two steam railways. Monday saw us travelling on the South Devon Railway which follows the River Dart from Buckfastleigh to Totnes. The following day we used the Paignton to Dartmouth Steam Railway to visit Dartmouth.

For the rest of the holiday we visited places in Devon and Cornwall and were able to compare their roads, lanes and hedges with ours in Anglesey. Travelling down single track lanes was nothing new because we do it all the time in Anglesey. But it was noticeable how the hedges were not cut back as neatly as ours in Anglesey. The countryside was beautiful and possibly outshone some of the Anglesey terrain. The people were were very different. There were essentially two types. The first comprised people born in Devon and they were friendly and hospitable as we have experienced often. But the second type was the group of people who have earned enough money in the South East to go and live in glorious Devon. Don't they think they are the bee's knees!? It was the first time Pauline had noticed this difference and she was shocked.

Essentially this group comprises people who have made a bit of money and now wish to demonstrate this to the whole world. Traditionally wealthy people never behave like this. But the nouveau riche are a pain in the ....! They talk incessantly and laugh at other people's misfortunes, talking down to them at the same time. We decided we could never live with people like that. Thankfully none of our friends and neighbours in Anglesey are remotely like that.

Is it any wonder that we resent leaving our lovely island to spend time among such undesireables? Here we have good roads, clean towns and villages, smart hedgerows, mostly polite drivers and tractor drivers who pull into laybays to let the accumulated queue disperse. Where else can you say that? Of course our Chief Constable tries to fleece us by claiming "Arrive Alive" vans are less expensive than static speed cameras. But just check how much money is available to the local road safety volunteers and their efforts. Then you will see just how much cash is raised by operating supposedly highly visible vans to catch the unwary driver who drifts over the speed limit. That is one point Devon has over Anglesey - but it is the only one.

Anglesey versus Devon comes out as Anglesey 99 Devon 1!

Cathedral Quest

2008-05-13T19:49:00.004Z

Several days ago I received an email from Bev Anastasiou who lives on the island of Anghistri, twenty miles from Athens. In it she told me about a sponsored bike ride being undertaken by her 48 year old brother, Gary. The idea was to drum up some financial support for Gary who is cycling around England, Scotland & Wales, calling at every cathedral on the way. My wife and I know Bev because she and her husband Christos run a small hotel where we stay whenever we visit Anghistri. We have even named our house after the island.

Gary is doing the cycle ride to raise money for two quite different charities. The first is the restoration of Letton Church close to his home, and the second is Macmillan Cancer Support. Now by sheer coincidence I happen to be the Secretary of the Anglesey Macmillan Committee. Looking at Gary's itinerary, I noticed that he was due in Bangor, just over the Menai Strait on the mainland on Monday, 12th May. It occurred to me that I should meet Gary to say "Hello, my name is Keith from the Anglesey Macmillan Committee and I know your sister, Bev."

I contacted Eleri Brady, Fund Raising Manager for North Wales for Macmillan to tell her what was happening. She contacted Bangor Cathedral who knew nothing about the event. However, in the meantime, my wife rang Bev in Greece and said I was going to meet Gary. Bev told her to ring Gary's mum who told her that he was having trouble with his cycle and would not make it on Monday as planned. So the plan now is to be at Bangor Cathedral on Wednesday to greet Gary and transport him plus the bike to our home so he is fed and has somewhere to stay overnight. On Thursday I shall take him back to Bangor Cathedral to continue his ride.

If anyone would like to support Gary and make a donation then go to this website: http://www.cathedralquest.org.uk/ where all details of the sponsored cycle ride can be found. On the website full details including a blog are there so you can see how he is doing. Please make a donation to these worthwhile charities. It will make a difference if you do this.

Motor Racing in Anglesey!

2008-05-03T17:05:00.002Z

Today turned out to be quite different! Yesterday a former work colleague emailed me to say he would be in Anglesey for the weekend taking part in a motor sprint at the Trac Ynys Mon. Mike Ashcroft has been interested in motorsport all his life and is a director and Clerk of the Course at Aintree Circuit Club. At Aintree they use what is left of the former Grand Prix racing track. This weekend's event attracted many keen motorsport enthusiasts, some of who had pitched tents or brought caravans to the event. You might think this is a young man's sport but I saw many men older than myself (64 years) in racing suits.

The circuit is a remarkable achievement on what was once a small military establishment. The quality of the road surface is excellent and all necessary facilities are there. At one point I saw the red flag go out to stop all racing as a car was blocking the circuit. All safety measures were taken and the whole event was very professionally run. Some of the competing cars were single seater racing cars whilst the majority were cars seen on the road everyday. There were various categories to include cars which remained as standard everyday models and cars which were clearly developed and designed as racing cars and transported on trailers to the event.

Refreshments were available at all times and the cost of admission was £6.00. I was lucky enough to have a complimentary ticket. It was fascinating to walk round the car park and see such an array of motor cars, new and old. The people there were very friendly and loved to talk about the beasts they were about to drive at great speed round this quality track.

There is a very full and busy season there and if you wish to go along and see an event it is not too difficult to locate the site. Simply travel to Rhosneigr and then continue along the road to Aberfraw, past Porth Trecastell and turn right where the signs are shown. Eventually you will find yourself travelling slowly along a humped road as far as the gate of the circuit. After paying to enter simply follow the road before you and it leads you to the car park. Silverstone it isn't,but you will see some excellent motorsport going on which is the main reason for going.

The site is certainly exposed and when I was there the south west prevailing wind was blowing in from the Irish Sea. Wrap up warm and the rest is all fun! The photos are of my friend, Mike, enjoying his sport.

Down by the Menai Strait

2008-03-04T16:57:00.005Z

It was on Sunday afternoon, 2nd March that we decided to go out and find a sheltered spot away from the westerly wind. "Where shall we go?" was the problem. Then I remembered my friend, Richard Butler, telling me that there was access to the Menai Strait for walkers near the Co-op in Menai Bridge. We drove over and found the car park which was actually near the Chinese Restaurant. We got out of the car and walked slowly down the path through the trees to the Anglesey bank of the Menai Strait.

The tide was out so many pools existed for an Egret and an Oystercatcher to walk around in search of food. As we dropped down to the level of the strait we found ourselves approaching the causeway over to the church of St Tysilio on its small island. We walked across and strolled through the little churchyard where many graves spoke of the hard life known by people from the earlier part of the 20th century. There were parents and children sharing graves. Often the children had only lived for about 6 months. Some graves told the visitor that the deceased had drowned in the Menai Strait.

The tiny church of St Tysilio had a door which could only be described as ancient and above it was a sign telling us it was a first century church. In fact the island was the site for the saint's cell since about 630AD.Surrounded by many slate gravestones the church is to be found on its island just by the Menai Suspension Bridge. Its name forms part of the full name of the village we call Llanfairpwll. The full name is Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Part of the long description talks about the church being in a hollow by a whirlpool. This is born out by its location below the general level of the surrounding land and adjacent to a part of the strait known as the Swellies where all sorts of water movement happens, including a circular motion. The present church is mediaeval but was restored like many others in the 19th century. This was usually the kiss of death in terms of architectural beauty but as the door was locked I say no evidence one way or the other.

The photographs show the bridges and the tiny church that appears to float on the Menai Strait when the tide is high. It was both beautiful and peaceful down on the footpath that leads round to the base of the Menai Suspension Bridge. Neither of us ventured that far because Pauline had back trouble and my chest condition was active that day. Both of us had to climb the footpath back to the car park so we saved our energy for the steady climb. But these pictures show another view of a very beautiful island which is now our home.

Llanfairynghornwy

2008-02-12T15:28:00.000Z

The tiny village of LLanfairynghornwy is situated off the main road near the north coast of Anglesey. Unless you have business there you will probably never visit it as it is not on a road to anywhere in particular. Yet it has a claim to fame. The rector's wife (early 19th century) was a relative of Charles Darwin.

Rev James Williams became rector in his father's footsteps. His father, Rev John Williams had held the office of chaplain at Windsor. King George IV had been in Ireland and was on his way home from there. He stayed at Holyhead for a visit before continuing his journey home. Knowing the King was in Holyhead, John Williams petioned him on behalf of his son. His request was granted and Henry instructed the Bishop of Bangor that James was to succeed his father when the living became vacant.

The 19th was the century of church restoration and many architects were gainfully employed in designing the changes. Sadly for many, this was to render many churches and cathedrals less beautiful than before. But this was not the case at Llanfairynghornwy because the new rector took on the task himself and ensured the job was done with taste.

James and his wife arrived at his new home on a stormy day and when James took his bride down to the coast they had a great shock. A sailing ship called "Alert" was impaled on the rocks and helpless. She sank quickly and one hundred and forty souls were lost. The newly weds vowed there and then to provide the means for saving lives around Anglesey's treacherous coast. Through family and social connections, the rector raised the funds to buy and maintain a lifeboat which was kept at Cemlyn Bay. Frances, the rector's wife, painted watercolours and sold copies of a picture of the King landing at Holyhead from Ireland. In 1828 they had formed the Anglesey Association for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck.

Over 50 ships were lost off the shores of Anglesey in 1833. James Williams helped to design the lifeboats and the rocket launching equipment used. The Association lasted from 1829 till 1856 when it became part of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. During that period over 400 lives were saved by Anglesey lifeboats. James himself was a winner of an RNLI Gold Medal for bravery for his work in rescuing lives from 2 ships. Frances herself was a great supporter of the movement. One day she sailed in the Cemlyn boat to the Skerries where the lighthouse keeper was ill. She ministered to him and returned to Anglesey, both passages being in rough seas.

They had a son, Owen Lloyd, who followed his father into the church and became rector of Boduan on the Llyn peninsular. Owen took charge of the lifeboats at Porthdinllaen and Abersoch and received bravery awards for his service.

A lesser known story of this village is the one that involved Dannie Lukie, a smuggler. One night Lukie was out in rough weather and found a ship in distress. The crew of three had abandoned ship and were rowing for the shore. On reaching them Lukie found a dead man and two boys very much alive. He took them to Mynachdy where lived Doctor Loyd, who cared for them until they recovered. One of the boys ended up working on the farm and he was called Evan Thomas. He took interest in Dr Lloyd's practice and accompanied him on his rounds. The boy showed a talent for mending broken bones and this ability grew as he became older.

Evan married and his son showed a talent for bone-setting as did other descendants and family members. The family practised on Anglesey, in Liverpool and in many other places. It is surprising how so much amazing talent and commitment should emanate from one small village in Anglesey.

The way to the tip

2008-02-11T23:40:00.000Z

This photograph is of one of my favourite roads in Anglesey. It is a road I have travelled many times. When we arrived in Anglesey in September 2004 and unloaded all our goods and chattels we found a great many cardboard boxes to discard.

Back home in Milnrow, Rochdale, we would have taken them in the car over a period of time each time we went to the supermarket or visited the town centre in Rochdale. The facility we used in Rochdale was very well planned and consisted of a series of cliff edges in herringbone fashion. Over each one of these we could throw our rubbish. Some were specially marked for green refuse, metal, wood, etc. The entrance to the site had a bar to prevent lorries arriving and filling the skips with trade waste. One day I took Pauline's Ford Focus with a load of long items which protruded from the boot. This meant I had to leave the tailgate open. Not having tied it down, the tailgate was in an elevated position. As I passed through the tip gateway there was an almighty crash as the rear window smashed!

This waste facility in Rochdale was about 2.5 miles from our house in Milnrow. When we arrived in Anglesey we found that going to the tip with our excess rubbish was a journey of 30 miles there and back. So, whenever we had rubbish we loaded it into whichever car we were using to go to Bangor, Llanfairpwll or Menai Bridge. During the first few months we were engaged on many jobs as we made improvements to our bungalow and so it meant we were forever travelling the journey to the tip.

This was the down side. The up side was that we drove along this road on the final mile to the refuse tip. You can really get a move on down this tree lined lane because you can see so far ahead. If you see a vehicle travelling towards you there are numerous lay by passing places to stop in. Not only this but the road has a lovely smooth surface unblemished by reinstatements such as you encounter on the road from Milnrow to Rochdale. Once in leaf, the many different trees form a beautiful avenue throughout the late Spring, Summer and Autumn.

Since we came an old farmhouse has been transformed into a very attractive house with double garage and pretty gardens just before you arrive at the gate to the site. I remember the day when we had to stop and wait until some men had unloaded and then driven a huge excavator through a gap in the hedge to get onto a farm. Living in the country means you are required to have a great deal of patience as slower vehicles share the roads with you. Most tractor drivers pull into the occasional layby to allow the traffic to flow again. But I think that this photo shows that we have the most pretty route of anywhere for a road to the refuse tip.

The Holy Wells of Anglesey

2008-02-09T16:49:00.000Z

Recently, some members of U3A Anglesey Branch have formed an Archaeological Group. For our first project - suggested by the Gwynedd Arcaeological Trust - we are going to locate and record all details surrounding the Holy Wells of Anglesey. U3A is an organisation formed to give retired men and women an opportunity to feed their minds. Its full title is University of the Third Age. The first age is that of child hood and education; the second is that of work and adulthood; the third age is that of retirement. The word, University, is used in its earlier meaning which did not require exams and qualifications.

The photo at the top of this blog is of St Sieriol's Well close to Penmon Priory, a short distance from Beaumaris. The well is now sheltered by an old brick structure. The brick structure probably dates from the 18th century. Close by can be seen the old foundations which are all that is left of Sieriol's cell.

Springs were sacred to the ancient Celts, and were often used by the early Christians for baptisms. Indeed, we know of at least one holy well near Cemaes Bay which is actually a stream. It may be that, as we progress, we shall discover more wells which take the form of a small stream.

During Spring and Summer this year, our group will be travelling all over the island in search of the many wells of which we have heard. If you happen to know the location of any of these wells it would be appreciated if you would get in touch with us to help us find them and record details of them. If you have any information please email me as follows:

keith@alexander54.freeserve.co.uk

Some of the ancient wells are said to have certain healing qualities. The well of St Gallgo, just off the A5025 and to the south west of the church, is said to be good for healing and a pin thrown into the water was once thought to bring good luck. On the other hand, near St Gredifael's church, a mile from the village of Penmynydd, nthere is a well which is said to be able to cure warts after they have first been pricked by a pin! So, you see, Anglesey turns out to be a healthy place to live.

I have never come across any place in England or Wales that is quite so full of prehistoric remains and monuments as Anglesey. For the most part this was brought about by people crossing from Ireland to see what opportunities existed on this side of the water. For instance, the passage burial chamber Barclodiad y Gawres at Porth Trecastell is constructed in the style of very similar monuments found in Ireland. As for standing stones, the island abounds with them. Sadly, although we have so many standing stones we know absolutely nothing about them as is the case elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Only in the case of those found in circles have archaeologists been able to provide an interpretation.

A Windy Day in Anglesey

2007-12-30T00:00:00.000Z

Saturday 29th December was a windy day and I had been out only once for a couple of food essentials. The wind was blowing from the South West and I remarked to the check out operator at the supermarket in Amlwch that the building had been built in their favour. So often you see staff shivering with cold as the open doors of the supermarket allow in the cold wind.

We we watching the cross country skiing from the Czech Republic when my wife suggested we should go out for a drive to see the waves that the present wind would be creating on the sea. I was keen to do this because I was bored and the skiing was just about to finish. I grabbed my camera, we jumped in my car and set off across Anglesey for Treaddur Bay where we could see the waves without leaving the car.

The sea was, indeed, quite lively, at Trearddur Bay this afternoon. The largest waves sent spray flying high into the air. It was quite spectacular to see it. Then, as we usually do, we set off along the road that winds back the long way to Holyhead. From this road there are numerous sea vistas that reward travellers. Eventually we came to the junction with the road to South Stack lighthouse. The sun was beginning to set so we thought it might look good from the car park, high above the lighthouse. I managed to get this photograph before setting off via Holyhead on the way home. As we like to drive along past the Maritime Museum we again went that way. We suddenly noticed the huge waves breaking over the massive breakwater that protects Holyhead harbour from the prevailing south westerly winds.

Once more we parked up and watched the waves tumbling over the high wall on the breakwater. I remarked to Pauline that one day I would like to travel along the breakwater which is about 2 miles in length. Beyond the breakwater we could see a freighter which seemed to be at anchor. We were surprised it was not sheltering in the harbour. The light began to fade and the lights of the ship came on as did the lights of the special pier for the Anglesey Aluminium Company. It was time to leave.

Little did we realise until a short time ago, when I was browsing the BBC News website, that a drama had enfolded about lunchtime involving the breakwater. A man and his 2 sons from Nelson in Lancashire (we also come from Nelson!) had been fishing at the end of the breakwater when the wind increased sending huge waves over the wall. They called the lifeboat for help. Oddly enough, the lifeboat is kept in the marina on the quiet side of the breakwater so it was there anyway. The inshore boat was launched with the all weather boat on stand by. All they could do was to escort the van along the breakwater as it dodged the waves. As each series of waves ceased they drove further along until they had cleared the dangerous part.

So now we have a practical demonstration as to why the breakwater was built and why it is so long! As we drove past the inner harbour the fast Stena catamaran was moored in calm water.

If you have an interest in shipping there is an interesting website, http://www.aisliverpool.org.uk/ and this gives the positions of ships in the Irish Sea. I can always tell if the Stena Adventurer is in port at Holyhead and whether the Prince Madog is in the Menai Strait. Many ships shelter off our coast on the north east of Anglesey as it gives excellent shelter for 5 miles into Liverpool Bay. Often they are are anchored until the Liverpool pilot can guide them to the port.

Old Friends Come to Stay

2007-10-26T15:55:00.000Z

About 40 years ago I taught John Bentley to drive. Soon afterwards we moved to East Anglia and lost touch. A year ago I got in touch once more but Pauline was not able to be with me. Therefore, this weekend was the first time Pauline had seen John & Carol. Carol and I knew each other some years before she married John.

However, they came to Anglesey, which they had not seen before and were surprised how beautiful it was. We had two days out. On the first we visited Beaumaris, Penmon and Black Point. They were impressed. The next day we drove the other way to see Trearddur Bay, South Stack and Trefadog. They were even more impressed. So we are looking forward to showing them even more next time they come.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to show people where we live. There are so many views to see and places to visit. As we looked out into the Irish Sea I spotted a beautiful sky and took a photograph of it. The large version I framed this week. Who says there is nothing to see on our island? Just get here and see for yourself!

The Oyster Festival

2007-10-15T13:34:00.000Z

If you were driving along the A55 in Anglesey or in the vicinity of Holyhead this weekend you would have noticed the AA signs for the Annual Oyster Festival. Pauline and I like to visit this event to check out the latest people involved in foood in our area.

As usual, the event was staged in a marquee at the Trearddur Bay Hotel and there were plenty of stalls set up to whet the appetite. There were the stalls of butchers operating in North Wales and once again there was an opportunity to purchase organically raised mutton. Last year we tried the mutton and found it a tasty treat. Strangely enough we have an English expression, "Mutton dressed up as Lamb." But this meat was of a higher quality than thie expression suggests.

There were many different types of sausage to be tried too but we prefer our spicy sausages from North West England. This is not to say that local sausages are not good because they are. It is simply that the typical flavours of North Wales are not what we want in a sausage. But if you like these local flavours the ones offered were of the highest order.

The food technology department from Coleg Menai had a stall and they were offering samples of ice cream which is expected to be on the market in the near future. I tried the strawberry flavour and it was delicious. Now, when I say an ice cream is delicious you can rely on it. I consider myself an expert on what is a good ice cream, having tried many types over the last 60 years. This ice cream had a lovely soft texture with the strawberry flavour continuing to come through.

It was inevitable that we visited our friend, Tom Barlow, of the Gwinllan Padrig vineyard at Cemaes Bay. This year Tom had something different on his stall and it sold extremely well. As well as his usual white wines he had brought along a new product which we thought would go well as a pudding wine. But at 22% alcohol content you would need to be drinking it in a place from which you would not be driving! It was Friday when we visited the Festival and we found Tom did not have any of his wonderful sparkling white wine on sale. He promised to bring two bottles over if we called again on Saturday, so we did. Outside champagne we like only two sparkling wines - Prosecco from Italy and Tom's own product. I can tell you we have tried quite a number in coming to this decision.

Another stall of interest offered seafood. Of what was on offer we decided to sample crab cakes, salmon cakes and smoked haddock cakes. We had these on Saturday night for dinner with a salad and the outright winner was the smoked haddock. Speaking of smoked haddock we cannot ignore the stall from Derimon, the Anglesey smokery just a mile and a half from our house. At Derimon they will smoke just about any food you care to mention. Over the past two years they have been smoking the Anglesey Sea Salt and this has become popular. For us, we just love their smoked salmon. Each year we have it for breakfast on Christmas Day washed down by champagne.

Of all the stalls at the Oyster Festival we love to visit Cemaes Bay Lobsters. For some years now, David Livingstone has set out from the harbour at Cemaes to catch lobsters and crabs. I have seen people buying live lobsters on the quayside after he has returned to port after a fishing trip. Speaking personally, I just cannot kill a lobster so I always buy them cooked. For £10 we bought one on Friday and I prepared it with a salad for accompaniment to eat that evening. It was delicious!!! Preparation of a cooked lobster is very easy. All you do is take a large sharp knife, mark the centre point of the lobster's back and cut downwards. Then you cut along its back as far as the tail and again from the centre to its head. You will see the stomach sac in two halves which has to be discarded and then all that comes out now is the long thin intestine running down to the tail. These are not poisonous - just inedible.

This year we had a stall for Fairtrade which was good news. I bought Pauline a packet of fair traded Earl Grey teabags. For some years I have supported fair traded products and persuaded my old church in Shaw to start a regular stall and serve only fair traded tea, coffee and biscuits at events. My present church, Amlwch Methodist Church already did this when we arrived on the island to live. In fact Friday's stallholder was Stephen Roe, the Deacon who works as minister for our church.

There were stalls offering toffee, liqeurs, apples and pears and other fare. But coming last but not least was the oyster stall. I was able to talk to the owner who told me how he went out in his boat to get his oysters and mussels. It was fascinating to say the least. In future I can call at his establishment to purchase local oysters and mussels. Coming from the Menai Strait they are extremely fresh.

By sheer co-incidence, it was Harvest Festival yesterday at Amlwch Methodist Church and I thought as the service went on how I had been experiencing the taste of Anglesey's own harvest from land and sea this weekend. If you fancy visiting the Oyster Festival it is held each year on the second Friday in October and the venue will almost certainly be the Trearddur Bay Hotel.

Llaneilian Church

2007-09-11T22:26:00.000Z

I recently bought a new camera which I wanted to try out with local scenery. Yesterday it was beautiful weather with blue sky all around. Jumping into the car with my camera bag I set off with a will. Leaving Pensarn I climbed up through the next village of Nebo and turned off to negotiate Mynydd Eilian (in English "Eilian Mountain"). Like all the hills in Anglesey it is referred to as a mountain. I arrived at a lay by on the narrow road and parked the car. Next I took the camera from its bag and went over to the wall from where a wonderful view spread before me. I switched on the camera only to see the words "Battery depleted". I returned feeling cheated somehow.

Today started out busy as Pauline and I had arranged to test drive two cars. She will be changing her Motability car in December and you have to make arrangements for a new car 3 months in advance of the changeover. We found a little time to dash over to another car dealer to test drive one of his cars too. As he was located in Llangefni we grabbed a couple of sandwiches from the local baker and went home. As soon as she had finished her sandwich Pauline grabbed her art materials and shot off to her art group. As the weather had suddenly impoved I hoped it would be possible to do the run again with recharged batteries in my camera. However, my first duty was to stay at home as we were expecting the chimney sweep, David Williams. Luckily, David came early and I was able to go back and capture the incredible views above Llaneilian.

After taking a few shots of the various views over the land and sea I decided to visit Llaneilian Church which is a 12th century building. I parked in front of the gate and went through the cemetery to the south door and entered the church. Other than an elderly woman standing by a grave by the path I was alone. This meant I would be able to shoot away in the church and no one would obstruct my view. The choir and nave are separated by an ancient rood screen which is a classic one of its type. Above the screen runs a loft which creates panelling where it meets the screen. At one time each panel had a painting on it but now only the centre panel has a distinguishable figure showing. It is a depiction of the Grim Reaper and is a skeleton, with hooves for feet, carrying a scythe on which the Welsh inscription says, "Sin is the sting of death".

The ends of the choir stalls appear ancient and in one corner by the screen is a protected section of wall which was found to painted red. On the right of the simple altar at a 45 degrees angle is a low doorway leading to a few steps down through a short passage to the Chapel of Eilian. The shrine is clearly very old and there a a number of items which also appear to be very ancient. After taking the photographs I left the church and went down the path where the elderly woman had been joined by an elderly man. A conversation struck up in which I discovered that they attended the same church in Amlwch as I did but at the Welsh language service.

They were very friendly and told me a number of stories about the church and the local people. We parted company and I returned home feeling I had had a lovely afternoon. Despite the separating language the Anglesey people are very welcoming and keen to share their local knowledge with you. This coming weekend marks the third anniversary of our move to the island. We have not regretted a single second!

Macmillan Golf Day

2007-08-29T08:06:00.000Z

On Sunday 26th August the 10th Macmillan Golf Day was held at the Bull Bay Golf Club. It has become a regular event on Bank Holiday Sunday and is supported by many golfers keen to play golf and, at the same time, support this worthy cause. The first event was the result of a challenge to Richard Butler, a local hair stylist, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Since then Richard has continued to organise this popular event very effectively.

This year the summer has been very bad for weather and we worried what sort of day it would be as we made our plans. As the day dawned we realised that we were in for a great day with blue sky all the way through. During the period leading up to the day Richard was active selling many raffle tickets to his customers and friends at the golf club. He and his partner, Annwen Williams, approached a number of business people to sponsor the event and they were well supported. The members of the Anglesey Macmillan Committee all volunteered to help on the day. We had people staffing the hospitality tent on the 10th green and Pentraeth Caravans kindly loaned a caravan for catering purposes. The tent was supplied and erected by the local Scouts in Amlwch and a classic Bedford Dormobile was sited there to provide cover in case any further catering needs were identified. The Dormobile is owned and driven by Richard Southgate, one of Richard Butler's golf team on the day. Most of the food was freshly prepared by committee members and there was plenty left at the end of the day.

As the golf teams teed off on the first hole they were photographed by Annwen Williams and I acted as official starter. The photos were processed during the day by Richard Southgate's 11 year old daughter and then presented to the teams as they left the 18th hole. Barclays Bank are our sponsors too and they sent a team of people to staff the raffle ticket table as golfers arrived at the clubhouse. The whole day rolled on like clockwork with everyone knowing what was required of them and we had a great time.

Once the last team had gone off I went home and collected Pauline who came back with me to enjoy a meal in the clubhouse with Richard and Annwen before the presentations were made. This year we had a short entertainment by two excellent belly dancers who showed how technically difficult their hobby is. One of the dancers had done it for 11 years and did a display showing fantastic balance and poise. She works as a nurse at Ysbyty Gwynedd in the Accident and Emergecy Department. The other dancer told me she had been a dancer for 6 years and admitted that without her spectacles she could not see far. I had felt the wind of the stick she was twirling as she danced and now I knew how much danger I had been in!

The presentations went ahead and a good time was had by all. Richard thanked the people who had supported the day and Eleri Brady, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for North Wales and Powys added her thanks to Richard for his hard work. We are already looking forward to our plans for 2008!

The photo shows the winning mixed team with Richard Butler, the organiser, second from the right.

Eating Out

2007-08-18T15:51:00.000Z

Last week my daughter and her family stayed with us and the weather was actually kind and we had sun most of the week. On the Friday evening we headed across Anglesey for a meal at Rozis Tandoori House close to RAF Valley. Seven of us sat down to dine and we experienced the best Indian cuisine we had known. Accustomed to Asian takeaways and restaurant in Greater Manchester (including the famous Curry Mile in Fallowfield) we were extremely pleased to eat food which was beautifully cooked and presented. The cost for 7 people was £94 approximately.

So please were we at the excellence there, Pauline and I went again on Wednesday this week. On the earlier occasion I selected Chicken Dupiaza so I rang the changes and ordered Chicken Jalfrezi. Pauline had opted previously for Lamb Korma and this time decided in favour of Chicken Dupiaza. Once again the food was wonderful and well presented. On arrival we found ourselves the only people in the restaurant. Twenty to tweny five minutes later this changed dramatically. Firstly a group of young Indians arrived quickly followed by other young men and about three women. Apart from a small number they were all people in their late twenties, maybe early thirties. Of the older diners one was carrying three bunches of flowers and the other came in with what looked like a picture under his arm.

Clearly, all the diners, who numbered about thirty, knew each other. Then the penny dropped. They were trainee pilots celebrating the end of their flying course at RAF Valley. The two older men were carrying flowers for the three women and a picture with all the trainees shown together. Only a few days earlier one of them might have been flying the aircraft I was photographing at the end of the runway as they landed. I thought this was a good sign of a successful restaurant in that it was selected for the occasion and the Indians obviously ate there from time to time.

For anyone who prefers more traditional food served in a homely atmosphere I would recommend the Lastra Farm Hotel near Amlwch. The food is locally produced and is the sort of thing no one would complain about. Sadly, the original owner there died last year. Maurice was an Englishman who had been taken to their hearts by the local people. He had been the Chairman of the Amlwch Town Council up to his death and was mourned by over 800 people at his funeral.

If, like us, you like popping out for a bar snack, I recommend the Ship Inn at Red Wharf Bay (Traeth Coch in Welsh). This is a pub which dates back over at least three centuries and serves good beer, good wine and good food. It is never empty! Like many establishments they offer the usual suspects such as fish and chips and lamb shank, but these are of the highest order. Also on offer is seafood, beef, pork etc with choices for the vegetarian. On one occasion we had a vegetarian with us and she was highly pleased with the standard and choice of food. To order your food you go to the bar where you can start a tab with your credit card (if using one) going into a special safe container until your bill is paid. Once your order is taken you are given an empty wine bottle with a number painted on it. This ensures the correct food comes to you when ready. The architecture is typical of an ancient pub and there is a huge log fire in cold weather.

Only a hundred yards away is an establishment called the Old Boathouse where you also get food of a high quality. They do a varied menu for all tastes and you can sit outside if the weather is warm. During the latter part of the week the other restaurant on the first floor is open. This is called The Quarterdeck and here you will be served food to die for. The dishes are imaginative, taste wonderful and are presented well. Prices are above those paid in the Old Boathouse but not a lot. But the difference is all the difference in the world. Next time I am flush I shall book a table there again.

If you are looking for something to eat whilst in Llangefni I can recommend the Bull Inn in the town centre. Good food at reasonable prices is the order of the day and even ordinary dishes look and taste appetising. Shortly after moving to Anglesey we booked a table for Sunday lunch with my cousin and we were not disappointed.

For those of you who, like us, are into seafood, there is the Lobster Pot at Church Bay. It is open all week only in the season. During the winter it is weekends only. This is an establishment where, upon visiting for the first time, you think you are in an old boozer. this is because you go first to the bar which resembles a slightly better than "spit and sawdust" place. However, once you are eating you go through such a change as never! In this restaurant you can have lobster in many different styles - Lobster Thermidore, Lobster Granville, Lobster Salad etc. Also featured on the menu is crab in different versions. This is the seafood place to die for on Anglesey. After your meal you are invited to take coffee in the lounge which is a large room heated by a coal fire in winter. But finding this place on a dark winter night can be hair raising. It is well off the beaten track and you have to drive on narrow lanes to get there. But it is worth the drive!

There are other establishments which we have not yet tried so watch this space in a few months for more recommendations. During a summer afternoon though, the best afternoon tea in the world is available at Llynnon Mill as I have mentioned in an earlier blog. Their scones just melt in the mouth. They are exceptional!

Birthday Bridge

2007-07-12T07:25:00.001Z

This week has seen TV interviews of civil engineers supporting the 250 years anniversary of the birth of Thomas Telford, who built the Menai Suspension Bridge in 1826. According to this fine group of engineers Telford was their first president and the man who really brought order and structure to their ranks.

During the next two months there will be travelling exhibition visiting Edinburgh, London, Ironbridge and Menai Bridge. It will show the impact on civil engineering by this remarkable man. He gave the profession the basic approach to building which is still in use today. His basic principles are still used in construction work all over the world.

If you visit Conwy you will see just by the castle walls a smaller bridge spanning the Conwy river. You could be forgiven for thinking the Menai Bridge had been brought to Conwy and shrunk. But it is constructed from the same design but is a smaller version. The Menai Suspension Bridge had to be high enough to allow the tall masted ships of the day to pass below it. If you sail under this bridge you appreciate how high above the water level it is. I sailed below both bridges earlier this year when cruising on the MV Balmoral.

More recently a group of Macmillan supporters stretched over 2,000 bras across the bridge to raise several thousand pounds for our charity. It was the first time since 1960 that I had stood on the centre of the bridge. On that first occasion I was enthralled by the beauty of Telford's bridge over the Menai Strait. Also, it was the sole road access to Anglesey as the Britannia Bridge was simply the rail access to the island. Many years later when on holiday with my family I was told of the problems of huge road gas tankers arriving on the ferry from Ireland at Holyhead and then thundering across a lovely bridge designed for horse traffic. It was also the only route on and off the island. Had a tanker exploded the island would have been cut off from the mainland.

We have lived in Anglesey for almost three years and in that time the bridge has undergone a repaint. It took something 10 or 11 months to complete with an alternating one way system in place for traffic. From 6.00am to 2.00pm the traffic flow was from Anglesey to Bangor and then the flow reversed until 6.00am the next day. Whenever you wanted to use the bridge you had to look at your watch to make sure it was available in the required direction. I can tell you that the painting contractors used poor quality timepieces to calculate when to reverse the traffic flow. One day at 1.55pm I found the traffic already flowing from Bangor!

The bridge is, without doubt, a thing of beauty. It can even be seen on the reverse of Welsh pound coins along with the Severn Bridge. If you want to see an entertaining activity, just watch the local buses navigating through those narrow arches as they drive from one end to the other. Their drivers creep up to the arch and then, looking from one mirror to the other thread the bus through. Believe me, there is only a couple of inches clearance at each side!

For those who enjoy a pedestrian's life there is a very pleasant walk to be taken beneath the bridge on the Anglesey end. Just find the path running behind the local Co-op and you can soon be down at the water's edge to take a stunning shot of the bridge towering above you.

All in all we have to admit that this bridge is an important part of our lives as residents of this wonderful island. It has been the historic way to Holyhead all its life. in its day it wasd a most imposing edifice. Perhaps today, despite its stunning lines, we don't rate it sufficiently. We have become used to such world class bridges as the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and a smaller but perfectly formed bridge over the Menai Strait does not impress any more. For me that will never be true. It is part of our heritage and is just as essential as it was when built.

Cruising again but for Americans

2007-07-07T16:31:00.000Z

This time the cruise is around the British Isles in a super cruise ship called the Grand Princess. In 2005 we saw her sister ship, Golden Princess. That was when our taxi drivers were being trained to smile and say "Have a nice day!" The Princess cruise line was then establishing the merits of a call at Holyhead on its itinerary. It has now become a regular event in the harbour. There was an occasional blip two years ago with poor weather early in the cruise season causing Holyhead to be excluded. You see, if the liner calls she has to be able to land her passengers. At Holyhead there are no facilities for her to tie up so she anchors in the outer harbour from where she launches her transfer boats.

Yesterday, Pauline and I decided that we would take advantage of the long dry period after the last few weeks of intermittent showers and drive out in search of something worth photographing. First we called at Cemaes Bay and took lots of harbour shots as the tide was in and all the small boats were afloat. We then went over to Holyhead to get some items from a store there. As we drove over I noticed a ship in an unusual position in the harbour. I said "Oh, there's the ferry turning in the harbour at Holyhead." It was only as we reached Holyhead that I could see it was the cruise liner. We drove down to the port and the harbour front but each angle offered obscured a good view of the Grand Princess. There was even a ship on the Anglesey Aluminium jetty getting in the way!

We therefore had to keep driving round until we found an uninterrupted view of her. It was quite a learning curve as we wound round a large housing estate by the ferry terminal looking for a good view. Eventually we discovered the huge green overlooking the out harbour where locals must have great fun on hot days. I walked all the way to the shore and took my photos. She was still only a small part of the original photo and the shot you see here was really contrived with the use of various tricks available through digital manipulation on a PC.

I read in the press later that the transfer boats could not operate until lunchtime which severely limited the options for the passengers as she was due to sail at 1800 hours. But as I watched there were many of them plying between the ship and the harbour. I hope those who left for a pleasant afternoon got what they wanted. It was the first time this was really possible after the recent rain. Any intrepid passenger had to get across the island before they could set off for places like Caernarfon or Betws y Coed. I doubt there was sufficient time. But it was nice to see the ship. In the photo you can see the fast ferry or catamaran setting off for Ireland. It usually looks a large ship but yesterday was dwarfed by the liner which weighs in at about 115,000 tons displacement. Imagine that all you folks who used to marvel at the Queen Elizabeth who weighed 86,000 tons as the world's largest liner in her day.

These ships are getting bigger and bigger as the naval architects add more and more facilities to their creations. This particular ship has a small golf course on board! I think this is probably the case where ships sail in cooler waters like ours. Such amenities are needed when you can't land in rough seas and you could otherwise go stir crazy! It is a far cry from the tiny MV Balmoral sailing up the Menai Strait!

Anglesey's Weather

2007-07-04T15:40:00.000Z

My beloved island has a reputation for windy weather but recently there has been less wind and more rain. Having said this I have to point out that, judging by the news from elsewhere we appear to be experiencing better weather than other people. When April produced such warm weather it put everyone in good heart for the coming summer. But we keep asking, "What summer?"

It was during April that we sat out in the garden and enjoyed a few barbecues together. Whilst this warmth was happening we had the bad news that my dear mother in law was dying. This meant three journeys to South Devon over four weeks. By the time we had to return after her funeral we drove through atrocious weather. On arrival home in Anglesey we found better weather but whilst driving on the M5 in Devon the rain was incredibly heavy. Despite this we were overtaken by many fools who thought they were invincible!

But I have managed to keep the lawns reasonable in the sunny periods between showers. Also I have done two bits of concreting outside the bungalow. So it has not been constant rain during this period. In an earlier blog I mentioned the changeable weather whilst we were cruising the Menai Strait on the MV Balmoral. Although we had some rain, for the most part it was dry but overcast. Towards the end of June we had the Macmillan bra stunt across the Menai Bridge and the weather held off until we were removing 2,000 bras which had stretched across the bridge and back.

Therefore, although we feel like most people that there will be no sunny summer this year, we have done well so far. Because the island projects out into the Irish Sea we seem to benefit from the best of whatever weather is around. But once on the mainland or the mainland side of Anglesey the effect of Snowdonia takes hold and the rain falls quite a lot. They say it always rains in Bangor!

Bras across the Menai Strait

2007-06-21T20:00:00.000Z

Today on the Menai Bridge strange things were happening. Macmillan Cancer Support in North Wales had asked women at many workplaces to donate £1 plus a bra. The result was that there were more than enough bras to stretch across the Menai Bridge and back. I know because I helped remove them at the end of the day when it rained on us!

Eleri Brady, Fund Raising Manager for North Wales for Macmillan Cancer Support (seen here on the bridge today)telephoned me and asked if I could find two people to come along and take part in a bucket collection on the Menai Bridge. You see, I am the Secretary of the Anglesey Committee for Macmillan Cancer Support and so Eleri phoned me to help with the event. I recruited the assistance of Joan Cadman, a seasoned campaigner for Macmillan who lives near Cemlyn Bay. At 4.00pm I met up with Joan and we drove to the mainland side of the Menai Bridge.

We then went onto the bridge to find Eleri who was being interviewed on Coast Radio when I arrived. Next job was to get our buckets for collecting plus the high visibility vests we were required to wear. Joan and I, together with Mary, a council member for Macmillan went to the Anglesey end of the bridge. We collected a reasonable amount but felt we could do better by joining forces with the others at the Bangor end of the bridge. Once there we were kept busy by the huge numbers of drivers who stopped to donate to our cause. They were wonderful people.

Many cars stopped especially to donate and this was good. Then, to my surprise, a bus stopped and the driver invited me to get on board and collect from his passengers! Some grumbled but I got some donations, including one from the driver! It was very exciting. One driver apologised for not having any change as he donated a £20 note! We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Our collection time lasted from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. After this we began to help remove the five hundred bras that were linked together across the famous bridge. Now the rain began to fall. We cut all the nylon ties and the string which attached the underwear to the bridge in record time. Not a single piece of litter was left to offend the Gwynedd Council. As I collected the bras in I pretended to read the labels, "34b, 38 Double D, 36a etc. We laughed as we brought the bridge back to its original condition.

When I was standing on the Anglesey side a man came over to me. "I came here just to photograph the bridge," he said, "but its festooned with bras!" He gave me a donation and I told him how to get under the bridge to take some unusual photos. It was a short but happy time. This is the pleasure one derives from working on a stunt to raise cash for a deserving cause.

Had I not come to live in Anglesey I should never have known about today's stunt. It makes a difference to cancer patients and we get loads of fun doing it. It is a privilege to be part of it. I certainly have never enjoyed fund raising as much as this. We collected loads of money for a worthwhile cause. It gives you a glow!

Cruising on the Balmoral

2007-06-14T10:00:00.000Z

One of the many discoveries we have made since coming to live in Anglesey is that each year we receive a visit from MV Balmoral, a restored excursion steamer, which offers a number of different cruises in the area. Last year I saw the vessel approaching Menai Bridge Pier and was impressed with its stately passage along the Menai Strait. I determined to sail on her this year.

We slowly pulled away from the landing stage and immediately turned to pass beneath the two bridges. It was fascinating to do this as we had a view of the bridges not normally seen. From the deck the mast seemed to just slip beneath the steel arch of the Britannia Bridge. We passed an island in the Strait which had a house on it and the photo shows this. You can see that we had some very heavy clouds to accompany us.

As we sailed up the Strait it was fascinating to see both sides from a new angle. Beaumaris looks very attractive from this angle. Its castle looks very squat too. We continued past Anglesey turning to port to pass Puffin Island on its west side. I discovered that there are some ruined buildings on the far side of Puffin Island, invisible from Black Point which is a favourite place of ours. Now we were into open water as we sailed along the North Wales coast parallel to the A55. It is surprising how far the sands stretch from the mainland as the tide ebbs.

Eventually we reached the Great Orme and I was trying to guess which cave had been shown on the BBC programme, Coast. As we sailed past we saw the vintage coach taking passengers along the road that encircles the Great Orme. I remembered a day some years ago when I too drove along that road with a late work colleague, Tom Grinter. The Balmoral turned when it reached Little Orme and we began to sail back towards Anglesey.

The ship itself is lovingly maintained and cared for. Each year she receives much attention during the winter months to prepare for the next sailing season. Originally built in 1949 she was designed for excursion work which was then very popular with holidaymakers. Her final days were spent on excursions around the Bristol Channel. She was rescued by a group of enthusiasts who had already bought the Waverley, sole surviving paddle steamer languishing as a failed floating restaurant. Both ships have been lovingly restored and are are of a similar age. The Waverley was bought for just one pound! A lot of Heritage Lottery Fund money has ensured the survival of these two ships. Like the restoration of steam locomotives, they have to be able to do their original job in order to be truly appreciated.

Long may MV Balmoral keep sailing and we look forward to seeing her again next year when we hope to sail in her around the entire island.

Anglesey Seafood

2007-06-01T18:58:00.000Z

Many years ago we came on a holiday to Anglesey with our friends, Alan & Ann and their daughter, Mandy. We had been the previous year and really enjoyed it. Our headquarters had been a four bedroomed bungalow in Lanfaethlu. The owners were a small family and the father was, like me, a local government officer. A couple of miles or so from Llanfaethlu was Porth Swtan where there is a seafood companhy. Inside there are several concrete ponds with lobsters and crabs being fed until they are ready for sale. We went there with Alan & Ann to ask if we could buy a coup[le of crabs which Ann would dress and put on the table for dinner. We bought the two crabs which we collected later. They were excellent and acted as the centre of a great meal.

Now we have been here in Anglesey for over two and a half years. We are now residents. the other day a friend of ours whose husband takes out a boat to fish for lobster, crab and scallops, offered us the chance of some seafood from her freezer. We went round to her house and bought two lobsters and a crab at a silly price. Tonight we ate the larger of the lobsters and Pauline declared it the best meal she had ever had. We finished off with pears in red wine and the meal was a total success.

To come to a seaside place and be able to eat seaside fare is absolutely wonderful. We have not yet been here for three years and now we have found someone who can supply such quality food it is wonderful. As we were eating lobster with salad we decided we would drink the bottle of Pouilly-Fume we had in our wine rack. It blended well with the lobster. It just goes to show that being members of the Sunday Times Wine Club has its benefits.

Out on a Limb

2007-05-19T13:00:00.000Z

One thing you have to become accustomed to when living in Anglesey is that, unless you have come here from North West England or another location in North West Wales, it is a long journey when you wish to travel long distance. You see, living in the North West with its excellent infrastructure of motorways makes it easy to go anywhere north, south, east or west. From time to time we wanted to drive to Devon to see Pauline's mum. As we lived in Milnrow, just off Junction 21 of the M62, we had motorway all the way to Exeter and then good fast dual carriageway to Newton Abbot.

According to Tom Tom sat-nav the best route from Anglesey is to take the A5 through Betws y Coed and Llangollen and then on past Oswestry & Shrewsbury to join the M54 and link up with the M6 at Junction 10A before turning off at Junction 8 for the M5. Recently my mother in law was very ill and died. This meant that we ended up driving to Devon and back three times. It was hard going, I can tell you. Eventually we took a different route after the A5 had driven us to distraction. There are two versions and we tried them both. One is to take the A55 and turn off towards Mold and Wrexham at the first junction with the Chester Bypass section of the A55. You then travel following signs taking you to Oswestry and then link up with the A5. The second is to take the A55 to its junction with the A483 and then follow the signs again to Oswestry. The mileage is longer but you can drive faster on a dual carriageway and not drive yourself mad with the twists and turns of the A5. From Penysarn in Anglesey to Llangollen is no less than 77 miles completely using single carriageway roads apart from a short bit of the A55 near the Britannia Bridge.

I can do the A55 journey to Manchester in less time than I can get to Llangollen and the mileage is about 50 extra! A few months after we had arrived in Anglesey I needed to get to Talgarth near the Brecon Beacons. It turned out to be a 4 hours journey along unending single carriageway roads. The main down through Wales is the A470. Because of the mountains the roads tend to be long and winding. The result is that when people in North West Wales wish to visit South Wales the journey puts them off. This is the reasoning behind the newly introduced flights from Anglesey Airport (RAF Valley) to Cardiff Airport. There are two flights each day in each direction Monday to Friday. The flight takes 65 minutes and the aircraft, fully loaded, takes 18 passengers. You will not be surprised that already a feasibility study done by Bangor University advocates introducing flights to Dublin.

I feel sure that anyone in North West Wales can make good use of the Anglesey to Cardiff flights. Do not forget that Cardiff Airport now serves many different worldwide destinations. I have worked it out that I can travel to many European destinations and back using the two airports. The cost comparison with Manchester Airport shows very little difference but this takes no account of the stress of travelling which is reduced if the first airport is not too far away. Again, when we lived in Milnrow it took us 35 minutes to get to Manchester Airport, so it is useful to have access nearby.

Having said all this, there is still a case for the Welsh Assembly to blast a decent road through Mid Wales to link north and south. I realise it is an expensive venture but it is vital for industry to come to Wales and make a profit. Don't forget that on a day when a single vehicle incident completely closes the A470 that industry has to pay out in an all too competitive world. What I am saying is that there is a strong case from a communications and economic point of view. How do you attract jobs to rural areas? Build a decent road.

Another matter which is a recent hot potato is the planned closure of Wylfa Power Nuclear Power Station in Anglesey. Additionally, we might also lose Anglesey Alluminium who get cheap electricity direct from Wylfa. We are looking into the abyss right now as far as the island's economy is concerned. Part of the planning for the next era needs to be that road through the middle of Wales. If industry is offered bad communications they will not come to Anglesey. The advent of the North Wales Expressway has shown what a good new road can mean. It caused quite a number of small hotels to close now that Anglesey is a day trip from Manchester or Liverpool. That means it is good for the transportation of goods made locally. I am sure that there are many companies who rejoice in the ability to move goods from Ireland through Holyhead Port and along the A55. But they also need a road serving the whole of Wales and beyond. I am talking survival here.

Llynnon Mill and the Roundhouses

2007-04-03T18:00:00.000Z

Today was beautiful with a blue sky and sun. It was windy though, which gave a real bite. Last year we had planned to visit Lynnon Mill when it opened this year. It would be even more interesting this spring because during the winter two items of experimental archaeology had begun to appear. They were reproduced Iron Age Roundhouses.

Lynnon Mill is a renovated windmill still standing on its original site. However, as the County Council owned the land it was decided that, from an educational point of view, it would be suitable for the location of two roundhouses to show how such houses were built during the Iron Age. The site has a sizeable car park with overflow if needed and is accessed through a shop and cafe. Believe it or not the entrance fee is only £2.00! For the first time since Pauline's 60th birthday on 19th March we were both able to go in at the concessionary rate of £1.00 each!!

Firstly, we walked over to the roundhouses where we were met by the miller. He told us about the houses being built in oak which had to be imported from England. Now that is something rare in Wales! Some of the joiners working on the project were learning "on the job" and they were fascinated by this way of building a house. At the end of the day this is a truly experimental form of archaeology. Judging the size of the building is something that post holes on actual archaeological sites have provided. The problem is that, except in the case of wetland sites like Flag Fen, nothing remains of the original wooden structure after more than three thousand years. We can only judge size from the size of post holes. There are always two sets of post holes - one inner circle and one outer circle. Additional evidence is that of the ring on the ground made by water dripping from the edge of the roof for many years. This is called the drip ring.

The site of the roundhouses is protected by a ditch from which the filling acts as part of the defensive wall of earth. At the appropriate place there is a gap for access within the group of house. Inside the house are shelves carrying spare thatch for the roof. There are wooden beds and skins lying on the floor together with tools for cutting and scraping. In the centre of the floor is a rudimentary hearth - a ring of stones inside which a fire would burn. There was no chimney or vent in these places. The smoke was simply allowed to drift away through the roof at will. Even in early mediaeval times there were very few fireplaces set under chimneys.

The low walls of the house at Llynnon are almost authentic in that they are wattles filled with lime and straw. The original way was to use cow dung which aided the going off of the lime. This has not been used here because of health and safety. However, it is an excellent demonstration of such dwellings and very educational indeed. For a County Council whose population numbers only 67,000 it is a credit to them.

The mill itself is well preserved and maintained. I climbed up as far as the public are allowed to climb and looked at all the various aspects of the mill's working parts. Through a window I was able to photograph the distant wind turbines generating electricity above Cemaes Bay. On the ground floor of the mill there are some information signs which tell of the use of the building. They include a recipe for Bara Brith, the Welsh Tea Bread.

After the tour we returned to the shop and climbed the stairs to the cafe above. We ordered Afternoon Tea for two and it was to die for! I can thoroughly recommend the catering at this establishment where the welcome is genuine and very warm. Those cream scones tasted like none I have had before. How can you tell we are into good food?

If you happen to be visiting the area at any time I can recommend this place without reservation. The goods on sale were value for money as well as the interest provided by the buildings.

To get there take the A5025 from the Valley traffic lights towards Amlwch. As you approach Llanfaethlu take the road on your right by the Black Lion pub and follow your nose.

Down at Fraggle Rock

2007-03-27T22:14:00.000Z

It has been beautiful recently in Anglesey and as today was typical I decided to drive over to RAF Valley to see the Hawks flying. I arrived at the airfield just as two Hawks took off together from the main runway. Very soon I parked my car at the end of the runway near an outcrop of rock where all the enthusiasts gather. The pilots of RAF Valley refer to this position as Fragle Rock and we are obviously the fraggle!

As soon as I arrived all activity ceased and I wondered if I had picked a bad day. I decided I woul give it five more minutes before leaving. It turned out to be a good decision as very soon the action started. One or two Hawks started engines and taxied away from the training area to the head of the runway. Gradually the take offs began and the tower was kept very busy.

There were double an treble take offs in formation with aircraft peeling off to land a few minutes later. Suddenly there were many Hawks landing and taking off. Then one aircraft took off and climbed only a short way before executing a full roll. Next the Hawk was racing back to us and performing all sorts of aerobatics. At one point it turned over the sea and returned across the runway alignment about fifty feet high upside down! I felt privileged to be there, watching the incredible display.

A minute after the aircraft landed another took off and began to do exactly the same routine as the first aircraft. I had gone there expecting to see a few take offs and landings and ende up being treated to a display for which I should normally have to pay.

By the way, the photo at the head of this blog was taken by the RAF Valley Station Chaplain (Padre) when I visited the base in October last year. The guy standing by the Hawk is no pilot - it is me!

But it is still true to say that regular watchers at Fraggle Rock will see a variety of aircraft onb most days. There are always different aircraft visiting the base and sometimes you can get lucky and see the Red Arrows there. As RAF Valley has the only Hawk simulator the Red Arrows are regular visitors for experience in the simulator. When I was on the base last year there were 3 Red Arrows aircraft on the tarmac. As the Padre told me last year, it is the busiest RAF Station This is why the RAF has another airfield at Mona, a few miles away, that it uses for practice landings and take offs (circuits and bumps in RAF lingo!) In a few weeks there will be civilian flights to and from Cardiff as the new Anglesey Airport opens.

Away from Anglesey

2007-03-21T23:08:00.000Z

My wife's birthday was on 19th March and she had reached the 60 milestone. Before Christmas last year we were discussing what we could do to mark and celebrate this important day. Last year had seen our Ruby Wedding Anniversary and we celebrated that on a month's holiday in Greece. This time, as it was Pauline's birthday she wanted to do something special that she would remember.

For some years now Pauline has followed winter sports with a keen interest. I took a look at the Eurosport website to see what might be happening around the 19th of March. I noticed that it was the last large hill in Ski Jumping at Holmenkollen near Oslo in Norway. Pauline confirmed that the location was just on the outskirts of Oslo so it should be easy to access. Thus it was that we decided to go to Oslo for the weekend, using our Air Miles. The flight and hotel were booked through Air Miles and the trip was on.

In January we visited some of the outdoor pursuit shops in Snowdonia to buy some warm clothing. From now on we had to simply wait for the weekend to come round. Just before we left we bought a supply of Norwegian Kroners to make sure everything was covered. Some weeks previously I had gone on the Ticketmaster website for Norway and purchased two tickets in the best area at the stadium. All was now ready.

Early on Saturday we drove to Manchester Airport, parked the car and checked in for our flights. It was necessary to take the Heathrow shuttle and transfer to another aircraft for Oslo. The aircraft to Heathrow was a Boeing 757 and it was full. In next to no time at all we landed at Heathrow and transferred from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4. I had heard so much about Heathrow in its present form and looke forward to seeing it. I was not impressed. It looked like a haphazard design of ugly buildings with miles and miles of taxiways leading to the runways. The amount of walking we did was impressive with a short coach transfer at one point.

Eventually our flight was called and we boarded an Airbus 319. This aircraft was superior to the 757 because it was a newer design and we liked it even more because it was smaller that the 757. Thye flight was quite normal and we arrived less than two hours later at Oslo. This is a newer and more bijou affair. Whilst there was a long walk involved as we passed from the gate to the baggage hall it was pleasant and airy. Having passed through the baggage reclaim area we made our way to the railway station to catch the Flytoget (pronounced Flee two get!) into Oslo Central Station. The journey was smooth as smooth could be in a streamlined silver train that took only 22 minutes to arive at Oslo.

We took a taxi to our hotel and checked in. It was a Best Western Hotel and was very comfortable for us. By the time we had showered etc we sat down and located a likely restaurant for our evening meal as the hotel offered only bed and breakfast. The man at reception told us which tram to catch and where to alight. The restaurant was just round the corner but they had no table free. Popping across the square we tried another establishment that had a table free. It was here that we tasted a fantastic meal. Pauline started with mussels and I chose a dish called Taste of Norway. Both were lovely. The main course Pauline chose was a trout dish and she was thrilled with it. I chose turbot and thoroughly enjoyed it. We both chose passion fruit creme brulee followed by coffee. Together with wine we paid about £140.00. But we already knew Norway's reputation as an expensive place to stay so we were not too surprised.

The next day was Sunday when the ski jumping was held. Norwegian TV told us the previous day that our hero, Polish ski jumper, Adam Malyscz, was jumping well and would be last to go on the day. We walked to the Central Station and then descended to the underground railway which took us out to the village of Holmenkollen up in the hills above the city. As the train climbed the hill there was more and more snow to be seen. Outside the station we slowly climbed further up the hill to the stadium with the huge ski jump tower above it. We had gone early to catch the Nordic Combined event that was on before the main contest. But the conditions did not allow it to continue without interruption. They kept working on the in run which kept deteriorating. Eventually they postponed this event till 4.00pm.

Off we went to the refreshment tent where we watched a couple of Biathlon events and made friends with some young Greeks. Coming out of the tent we heard the brass band strike up and saw that the musicians were lined up at the top of the out run. One after another came the skiers carrying the flags of the participating countries. The last flag was that of Norway.

Now the competition was ready to start. There were 59 jumpers and Pauline knew each name! I knew quite a few but she was familiar with them all. We started to make our way to where our seats were. When I say seats, we shared a concrete shelf! How Pauline made it up to level 72 I shall never know. She has an arthritic hip! However we arrived at our places and sat down to enjoy that sport. The terracing was built in such a way that we saw the competitors come from behind us and then land in front and below us. Above us there was a small special stand where we could see King Harald of Norway and his family.

The jumpers got better and better as time went on and each time a Polish jumper set off down the in run the Polish supporters cheered like mad. But they, like us, had come to see one man - Adam Malyscz. Finally the top three jumpers were Simon Amann of Switzerland, Martin Koch of Austria and Matti Hautamakki of Finland. Therev was just Adam still to jump and we were ready for a great spectacle as we expected him to leap further than anyone else as he was in such good form. A great shout went up from the Polish contingent as he raced down the slope. Then the wind wind whipped him all over and he landed short in 54th place. We were speechless. Seeing what had happened, the jury called off the rest of the competition and Simon Amann was declared the winner.

Anyone other than Adam Malyscz could have been seriously injured in such rogue conditions but thankfully he was OK. There is now one more competition in Slovenia where he might just jump better than Anders Jacobson of Norway to get the World Cup title. We shall see! It was a wonderful day and we took quite some time to filter out of the stadium and down the road to the station where train after train toook hundreds of passengers home.

We ended up in a basic pub restaurant that night and ate more cheaply but still enjoyed our food. We experienced the best pizza we had ever known that night. The next morning saw us rising at 4.15am to catch an early flight back to the UK. That night was when we celebrated with our family in our son's house in Rochdale. It was a lovely evening and we slept like logs till morning when we drove back here to Anglesey.

Parys Mountain Today

2007-03-05T22:32:00.000Z

Looking at the photograph, one might think that the hill beyond the small lake was full of heather. One would be quite wrong. I took this photo on Saturday 3rd March when it was sunny and bright. I had taken a short walk from the car park going towards what is called the Great Opencast. I was surprised at the varied colours you can see in the picture.

All the various colours belong to the different ores that form the many spoil heaps surrounding the huge Great Opencast where men once worked in the most inhospitable and dangerous conditions. It is difficult to imagine a more dangerous job other than that of the slate workers across the Menai Strait in the real mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog. Many lives were lost working in such a dangerous place.

And yet, I was told by Allan Kelly the warden, they had to bid to get a job there! But of course, this was a time not unlike the gold rush in America where there was a surfeit of precious ore that could be sold all over the world and make people very rich. Alan told me about the first ships that entered what was then just a narrow creek at Amlwch. When they tied up they tied their ropes round gorse bushes as there was no quay at first. Later, the local landowner fixed iron rings in the creek side and charged the ships' masters for mooring there.

Over many years, as the other photo shows a great depression steadily grew on Parys Mountain. In and around it grew the many spoil heaps showing the various ores that had been extracted in the hunt for copper. There were many different ores in addition to copper and it is believed that, today, there remain many valuable ones which now may cause the area to be mined again. One mineral which is present there in small quantities is gold.

The copper that was shipped out from Amlwch in the late 18th and early 19th centuries led to an amazing discovery. At that time the mine in Parys Mountain was the largest source of copper in the world. Amlwch grew from a few scattered houses to a small but thriving town, certainly the biggest in Anglesey in its hey day. It is always a good plan to ensure that a ship never sails empty but carries a cargo in each direction. Wherever possible the ships arrived in Amlwch loaded with tobacco which was processed in the town and sold on to a great many outlets. However, when no cargo could be sourced the captains would acquire rocks to carry as ballast to keep their vessels stable at sea. One day some of the rock they carried was examined as it lay in a pile at the port. The knowledgeable individual who looked at it suddenly realised that there appeared to be copper ore among it. This was tested and found to be true. Suddenly Amlwch's fate was sealed. Prospectors travelled to South America whence it had come and discovered enough copper to eventually wipe out the two mines on Parys Mountain.

Today the copper still comes from that same source in South America. It is only the very high price of copper today that has made the latest drillings necessary. It is just possible that Amlwch copper could be mined once more. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a new copper industry rise once more and putting us back on the industrial map?

The other picture is, of course, the Great Opencast, a legacy from the 18th and 19th centuries. All round the huge site of the mountain there are ruined buildings and processing beds that played their part in the extraction of copper. Today, I think the sight of the huge pit with all its colours in the light of an afternoon sun is breathtaking. If you could enlarge the picture you would just see the little village of Penysarn where I live. The people of Penysarn made a living from the manufacture of boots and workwear for the workers on the mountain.

The discovery of precious ores and metals can change an area forever. It grows in size and then fades away as the industry dies. Today the area has a need for more jobs and in a few years we shall lose a major employer with the closure of Wylfa Nuclear Power Station. The rise and fall of a local economy brings good and bad times alike. Over in Detroit there is great poverty and deprivation among people who used to work in the car industry. Cheap Japanese imports started the rot and eventually it was viable to construct cars in America and they no longer counted as imports. The American style of huge automobiles that consumed high quantities of petrol eventually lost out to the smaller and more economic Japanese cars and their industry just died on its feet. That's life.

Anglesey Winters

2007-02-18T23:43:00.000Z

One thing we have been glad about since moving here is the mild winter we get. Whenever we phone our daughter in Rochdale we have better weather and two degrees warmer. Recently my chest complaint deteriorated and I have had to start taking steroids to deal with it. The complaint used to be diagnosed as Asthma but has now been upgrade to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). With the help of steroids and a lovely bit of weather today I decided to do some limited work in the garden. I ripped out lots of dead plants ready to allow other dormant ones see the light of day. This COPD is a real nuisance as it severely limits what I can do in terms of physical work.

But the thing today was that when I was taking the bags to the refuse tip (15 miles away!) I could drive along in beautiful weather. On days like this you take in all the wonder of nature. Under the trees along the lanes are many snowdrops planted at some time in the past by local people. They really make the countryside look productive. But for many weeks now I have seen more and more lambs in the fields. Lambing time in Anglesey starts about Christmas, so we see the lambs almost as soon as we emerge from the Christmas and New Year dead period.

Going back to the garden, I was able to see the huge amount of gorse growing just above the garden rear wall. Much had been cut back last year to stop it interfering withe growth of the lawn. Last Friday we got the gales back for 24 hours and one of the highest bushes lost a large trailing branch which was hanging loosely over the wall. Out with the tree saw and soon it was no more! The worst thing about gorse is that is is armed with the most vicious spikes which lacerate you very easily. Even with leather gloves to protect you some damage can be done.

Later, when the steroids have really got to grips with my chest I am going to dig over a small plot and plant two apple trees. The idea is to cover the ground with a membrane and cover this with loose slate chippings. My hope is that I shall be creating a low maintenance garden. I love to see the garden but doing the work is my bogie. Our friend, Ann, was going to dig it for me but she has a painful arm and can't dig. It's a pity because she's a keen gardener.

Last year, for our Ruby Wedding Anniversary, we got some red roses which have to be planted out. So far they have only been heeled in so I shall be planning a place for them soon. Meanwhile, in the greenhouse, there are lots of cuttings growing from Pelargoniums we grew from seed last year. Yesterday saw us at the garden centre buying £20 worth of seeds to be started in the greenhouse. Cleaning out the greenhouse and equipment is my next job in the garden. Wish me luck.

Around Anglesey

2007-02-04T21:45:00.000Z

Today was a beautiful sunny day in the middle of winter. As Pauline and I drove along the A5025 from Penysarn to Holyhead every vista was incredible. We stopped at Tesco in Holyhead for some essential groceries and then drove round the edge of the town to access the country road past Holyhead Mountain towards Trearddur. Along the way there is a right turn if you want to go up towards South Stack lighthouse.

We turned up the road to South Stack and at the very top parked on the tiny car park by the gate at the top of 400 steps which lead down to the lighthouse. We got out of the car and as I turned to my left towards Ellin's Tower I noticed a speedboat dashing along the coast. The photo shows what I saw below me. I thought it might make an interesting photo so I pointed my camera at it. I had never seen a speedboat going past these cliffs before and I thought how unusual to see one in winter.

I was surprised later to see an article on local TV about this voyage which encircled Anglesey. It appears that as many other islands had a local speed record for going round a few people thought Anglesey should have one too. The speedboat captain had hoped they would make it round the island in about 1 hour 40 minutes. As they came round the headland where I encountered them they had to slow for some rough water along the north coast. They still managed to make it in 1 hour 35 minutes 10 seconds.

If anyone cares to take them on and go for a faster passage they might be interested to know that in the Menai Straits the 5mph speed limit by the bridges was lifted just for the occasion. The actual route was clockwise round the island from Beaumaris pier. I hope any interested parties will ensure they pass Penmon Point on the correct side of the lighthouse there!

Penmon and Penmon Point

2007-01-29T20:48:00.000Z

A few days ago, Pauline and I took advantage of a lovely sunny day to take a series of photographs along the north east coast of Anglesey. Whilst temperatures tend to be one or two degrees lower than Rochdale/Oldham area where we lived prior to settling here, there is a lot of sun during winter. The day in question was a perfect example. The gales had gone after blowing for a few weeks, the rain had stopped, and the sun was shining. It was a really lovely day and we truly loved the sunshine on us as we drove around looking for good shots.

Eventually we decided to drive along the Menai Strait from Menai Bridge to Beaumaris to try and get some good shots of the wonderful vistas we had seen there. This we failed to do because the tide was too low and there was mud where blue water should have been. Having reached Beaumaris we carried on to Penmon Point which is a spot we love. There I was able to get a nice photo of the little lighthouse just off the rocks. It has a warning bell that sounds every minute and a sign tells sailors not to pass between it and the land. Should the unwary attempt this passage they would find themselves impaled on rocks which lurk just below the surface at high tide.

Like all lighthouses it is an automated affair and access appears to be along a concrete path over the rocks. Personally, I would not try to get there by this path which is all green and slippery. I love this small lighthouse, because when I am travelling along the A55 between Bangor and Conwy I can see it across the sea. It marks that corner of the island where I live and seems to lead my eye across to Ynys Seiriol or Puffin Island as the English call it. This small island is a haven for many seabirds and a pair of binnoculars is needed to get an appreciation of how many birds live there. Just in front and to the right as you look from Penmon Point, is a red marker to tell vessels to sail between it and the island to be safe. We often come and get a good blow at Penmon Point on a breezy day. Sometimes you see the Bangor University fishing vessel steaming by as it searches for whatever the sea bed will offer.

Driving back from the Point you encounter the dovecote at Penmon Priory. Inside is evidence of many former inhabitants of the building. Just to the left is a wide gateway in an old wall and this is shown on the photo I have posted on this blog. Before driving on past the Priory itself, it is interesting to take a look along a path which is signposted to St Seiriol's Well. Walking along you see on your right a pond with a number of water hens swimming along. Turning right at the end of this section of path you come to the well itself. In normal, drier weather the well consists of just a small pool of water inside the building placed over it. When I took the photo the water was flooding out for a few square yards. But I don't think the well looks any the worse for this. Indeed, it appears to be basking in the afternoon sunshine!

Visitors who come to see all this in summertime will be charged a toll for using the road from Penmon Priory to Penmon Poit and also for parking outside the Priory. So, be warned!

The Stones of Anglesey

2007-01-24T21:47:00.000Z

Because Anglesey stands out into the Irish Sea it was the landing place for a number of invaders. These people formed part of the early population of Wales. Hence the title affixed to the Menai Suspension Bridge: "Mon Mam Cymru" (Anglesey, Mother of Wales). These ancient people settled in a number of different locations at ifferent dates. Throughout the island there are many, many ancient sites where local people lived and died.

Visitots to South Stack lighthouse can see a signpost on the approach road directing walkers to the right onto the bracken. It points to the Holyhead Mountain Hut Circles. There are the remains of twelve circular hut dwellings. They are quite clear and can be viewed on a number of archaeological websites. Take the road back through Trearddur Bay to the A55 and leave it at the exit for Rhosneigr. Travel along this road, ignoring the right turn to Rhosneigr, until you reach Porth Trecastell or Cable Bay. There is a car park and a sandy beach here. Go to the right of the beach and take the footpath to the headland with the beach and the bay on your left. You will arrive at a manmade mound which covers a Cruciform Passage Grave.

To protect the megaliths inside a concrete roof has been constructed but the essential layout of thye tomb remains the same as ever. The most exciting feature of Barclodiad y Gawres (the name of the tomb)must be its rock art. Several of the chamber stones bear carvings of lozenges, zig zags and spirals, but what makes some of them exceptional is the way the carved shapes are manipulated and shaped with each other to form an overall integrated design. The snag with this tomb is that is well protected with steel gates and the key is obtained at a nearby shop.

Travelling anti clockwise round Anglesey you come to Brynsiencyn. Close by is the village of Landaniel-fab. On the south side of this village there is a sign directing the interested visitor to the ancient site known as Bryn Celli Ddu. This is another passage grave and is thought to be the best example in Wales. The tomb is set in the middle of an ancient henge with a circular ditch round it. The henge is almost certainly older than the tomb. The tomb, following construction, was covered by a huge mound of earth - much larger than the present mound we see today.

Continue along the main road back to the A5. From Llanfairpwll travel round on the A5025 to Lligwy where you can see an ancient burial chamber with the largest capping stone I have ever seen. In this case the chamber is dug down lower than the surrounding ground. This gives the visitor a good view of the magnificent capping stone. A quarter of a mile away is Din Lligwy and to get there you have to pass an old church known as Hen Capel. This too is worth visiting for the history types among you. But eventually you reach Din Lligwy you notice that it is a settlement of varying styles fo architecture. Therre are two round houses as well as other rectangular buiildings. All that remains are walls of up to two feet and it a matter of conjecture what one read into these remains.

All over Anglesey there are countles standing stones. They are, without doubt, very ancient but why there are so positioned and by whom no one knows. I doubt anyone will ever know why standing stones are there but they give an enduring look to the rural scene. They are protected by law and so are likely to remain untouched as a reminder of former people whose name we shall never know.

Moelfre

2007-01-16T16:48:00.000Z

It is in Moelfre that the Anglesey Committee for Macmiillan Cancer Support holds its meetings. Having said this, I can assure you that there is much moe to say about Moelfre. Visitors to the village can have a lovely pint of Robinson's bitter in the local pub, The Kinmel Arms. They also do some very appetising bar snacks with a choice of kids' meal too. In the summer it can get very indeed, as its fame has spread!

Facing the Kinmel Arms is the shingle beach where the Vikings raid Anglesey every two years. They sit quietly in their two longships just off ther lifeboat house until they receive the siignal. After that the crowd waits with bated breath until they come into sight and land on the tiny beach. At this point the Vikings and the local "troops" start knocking ten bells out of each other. At the end of the battle veryone lives to fight another day.

If you walk along the footpath which begins at the bend in the village road you will eventually pass a bronze statue of the late "Dic" Evans outside "Seawatch" a seasonal exhibition centre which has a Watson class lifeboat to see. In the main car park for the Seawatch centre you can see a large piece of the hull of the "Royal Charter" that sank off the cliffs back in the 19th Century.

Further along the footpath you find yourself at the modern Lifeboat Station with its Tyne Class all weather lifeboat and D Class inflatable inshore liifeboat. When Alan, the steward, is on duty you can walk down the side of the life boat which looks hughout of the water and filling the boathouse wo within 4 inches of the roof beams. I think I am right in saying that eventually the lifeboat station will get a new lifeboat - one of the new Tamar class.

Moelfre lifeboat station's list of rescues includes two in which "Dic" Evans won the RNLI Gold Medal as coxwain of the lifeboat some years ago. They say that to win a Bronze Medal you have to to go to hell and back. Just what you have to do to win a Gold Medal I cannot imagine but "Dic" Evans did just that. In saving the crew of the steamer, "Hindlea" Dic set off without a full crew as there was some problem with communications on that day. In fact one crew member was not a serving lifeboat crew member. He was a land based person who assisted in the launching of the lifeboat usually.

The footpath is part of the Anglesey coastal path and so you can carry on walking round the cliffs to another shingle beach which looks out at Ynys Moelfre, a small island a few hundred yards off. The island is a haven for many seabirds and seals can be seen in this area from time to time. To the right of the shingle beach is a rocky shoreline where, in summer, many anglers come to fish for mackerel. There are even people who come to harvest mussels on the beach.

Following the footpath you come to a concret base with a seat that commemorates the saving of the crew of the "Hindlea". Walk even further along and you will come to a large stone that is there to remember the wreck of the steam/sail ship "Royal Charter" in a hurricane in the mid 1800s. As you look out to sea you will see a number of ships at anchor. They are waiting there for one or other of two reason. They may be waiting for a pilot into the Port of Liverpool or there may be a gale blowing and they are taking shelter. The north coast of Anglesey has cliffs for a few miles which create a lee shore for about five miles. As the prevailing winds are south westerly, Anglesey can play its part in protecting the lives of sailors.

This part of the Anglesey coastal path is very popular with visitors each year and is well used as a result. To get to Moelfre you take the A5025 from the Britannia Bridge, going towards Amlwch. At the first roundabout you take the third exit and proceed down Richard Evans Road into the village. There is free car parkiing at Seawatch.

Amlwch

2007-01-13T13:04:00.000Z

Four to five years ago, when we first began considering relocating to Anglesey we looked at various websites for local estate agents. Every time we saw a property located in Amlwch we ignored it because we thought we would not like Amlwch. Today, the story is different. We have discovered the historic side to Amlwch and it is fascinating.

Amlwch began as a small and sleepy village like many others on the island. Then came the extraction and exporting of copper from the two mines on Parys Mountain. Everything changed and Amlwch became a town of 5,000 people with the busiest port in Wales. In the early days of extraction on a large scale the ore was taken from the surface, creating what is known today as the Great Opencast. To view the Opencast as you walk the heritage trail is to see many more colours of rock and spoil than you might imagine. It is rather like the many shades of autumn colours among trees.

Although Amlwch was the port for exporting copper the copper mountain is actually nearer the village of Penysarn where I live. Penysarn was part of the local industry as the place where clogs and clothes for the workers were made. A large figure in the boom of copper was the Cornishman, James Treweek. He it was who arrived as the Marquess of Anglesey's manager of the Mona Mine. Cornwall has a number of derelict copper and tin mines and provided many recruits as Treweek improved the furtunes od the Mona Mine. He recruited whole families where wives and children also worked in a supporting role up on the mountain. It was, of course, the men who undertook the dangerous work, hanging over the side of the Great Opencast on ropes to get at the copper ore. Many people died in industrial accidents and of diseases related to working in the open in all weathers with poor protection in the way of clothing.

The present Amlwch English Methodist Church was built under the direction of James Treweek who was also a keen Methodist local preacher. The house around the chapel in Wesley Street were also built to house the copper miners and their families. Walk down the street and spot which house were for managers! Amlwch Port was a hive of activity and there are many old photographs of sailing ships tied up in the port. Ship building was another trade that went on in Amlwch and the visitor can see, even today, the remains of a dry dock just below the old sail loft.

In order to optimise their earnings the ships' captains made sure they brought profitable cargo to Amlwch for distribution in Wales and the North of England. One cargo was tobacco which became a very important industry in the town. I believe I am correct in saying it was principally snuff and pipe tobacco that Amlwch produced.

The coming of the railways meant that a branch was constructed from Gaerwen to Amlwch for both passengers and goods. It was a single track which was extended by way of sidings down to the port area where eventually a chemical works grew up. The passenger service closed in 1964 but the line remained open for freight traffic until 1993. Unusually, the track for Anglesey Central Railway still exists all the way from Gaerwen to Amlwch. Within the town there are still a number of disused level crossings to be seen. When trains entered the town there was a posse of workers from the chemical works doing level crossing duty. I have seen the later shots of diesel locos being slowly driven from the port to the line itself. These locos dwarfed the surrounding cottages in the main street. There is in existence a group dediicated to re-opening the railway line at some point in the future.

There are a number of significant buildings in Amlwch today. Mona Lodge, the residence of James Treweek, is now split into three houses. The Sail Loft in the Port is the home of the heritage centre where visitors can discover information about the copper mountain. The English Methodist Church is a noticeably Cornish-influenced design. A more modern building is the Roman Catholic church on the road to Bull Bay. I can say that this is a unique design created to resemble an upturned boat - and it does!

The Menai Suspension Bridge

2007-01-12T12:48:00.000Z

My very first impressive sight locally was when I attended the Bangor Youth Conference at Easter 1960. It was the sight of the beautiful Menai Suspension Bridge. I walked across it and back to Bangor with a fellow delegate to the conference. It ws the first suspension bridge I had ever seen, then. My abiding memory is seeing Crossville double deck buses pass slowly through its narow arches. Further down the Strait you could see the Britannia Tubular Bridge that took the railway over to Anglesey, terminating in Holyhead. As a train spotter I knew that each day the Irish Mail passed over the Britannia Bridge on its way from London to Holyhead where passengers boarded the feries for Ireland.

Although the Britannia Bridge was not as pleasing to the eye as the suspension bridge it looked better then than today with its road deck and huge steel span beneath the rail deck. But we also have to remember that in 1960 there was only one road onto Anglesey and that was the A5 across the suspension bridge. Thomas Telford designed the bridge which opened in January 1826 with the first vehicle being the London to Holyhead Mail Coach. To this point the only way to reach Anglesey was by walking across sand banks at low tide and taking small ferry boats to the other side. Now, foot passengers and wheeled vehicles could cross in safety 100 feet above the sea. This height was insisted upon so that tall ships could pass beneath the bridge. Naturally the bridge had a toll for users and the building on the mainland side was where the tolls were collected. Later, a central toll booth was built in the interests of efficiency.

The toll ended in 1941. During the 1930s and 40s the bridge was strengthened and the wrought-iron chains were replaced by steel links. For ten months during 2005 the bridge had its first complete repaint for 60 years. In order to facilitate this work a one way traffic system was devised. From 6.00am to 2.00pm traffic from Anglesey to the mainland crossed the bridge and then for the remainder of the 24 hour clock it was traffic from Bangor that used the bridge. This caused quite a lot of traffic congestion on occasions, particularly during the tourist season that year. I can tell you that it caught us out from time to time and you always tried to beat the 2.00pm turnround! We often lost the contest!

I did hope that the repaint would include cleaning of the stone work at each end of the bridge but this was not included in the work. The buses still thread their way through the arches and hold everyone up as they do so. But they somehow don't impress me like the Crossville buses of days gone by. From a photographer's point of view there are some excellent views of the bridge from the lay bys on the A5 as you go down to Llanfairpwll. One view includes the rocks at low tide and really enhances the beauty of our lovely bridge.

It was during the seventies that I brought my family to Anglesey on holiday. On one occasion a poster had been attached to the bridge saying that the RAF Valley Open Day was on. I quickly went over to our holiday bungalow, dropped the luggage and then shot over to RAF Valley in time to see the Red Arrows for the first time ever. On one holiday I was speaking the wife of an Anglesey farmer who told me they were not too happy to see huge gas tankers arrive from Ireland and slowly cross the only road link to the island. She would have been glad, no doubt, when the road deck was built on the Britannia Bridge. The weight limit ensures that no juggernauts try to use this bridge, and, in any case, the A55 is the obvious quick route across the Britannia Bridge for all traffic.

At times of very high winds we experience the imposition of speed limits over the bridges but this does not really affect the suspension bridge as one's passage across is always slow and safe.

As 2006 comes to a close

2006-12-31T15:28:00.000Z

It has been quite a year for us. In 2005 we decided that we had done as much as we could with the garden, here in Penysarn. When Spring 2006 arrived, there I was erecting a new greenhouse on a cold day. Shortly afterwards I had to force myself, in changeable weather, to put the glass in. Now we could make a start with growing lots of flowers from seed. So we set to and began sowing seeds in trays. By the time we had finished sowing both lengths of staging were full of trays filled with what looked like just compost. Weeks later we had the joy of visiting the greenhouse to view the progress of the seeds which were growing heathily.

As time went on we reached the point at which we planted the results in the garden where they continued to grow. By Easter we had decided to dig some flower beds to a design we liked and suddenly we had a very neat looking garden with the first plants nicely settled in. The photograph shows the garden at the end of May. By this time I had added stepping stones from the house to the greenhouse as can be seen. Some of the seeds were vegetables and these were planted out in a newly dug plot at the other end of the garden. The early potatoes were affected by late frosts and heavy rain so they ended up being harvested as late potatoes!

As the growing season accelerated I realised I was having problems keeping up to the lawns. They are small but, as I have asthma, the front lawns which are sloping were very hard work and made me ill sometimes. So, another decision was made: we bought a self-propelled petrol lawnmower. This meant that I could now cut the grass at the front without concern over how to push the mower up the slope. I just engaged the gears and off it went! But the biggest problem of all was the strimmer. It died on me the first time I took it out for use. Off I went to Bangor to buy a new one. The new one was an updated design with twin lines for strimming. The problem was that the line was used up within minutes and pieces of line were all over the garden. The manufacturers knew what was wrong and sent me a new part to install. It went wrong again - twice. After three failures I was very annoyed and bought a strimmer from another manufacturer and this gave me the same problem. Even today I have no reliable strimmer available to me.

During the summer when we enjoyed high temperatures, we bought and tested our new snorkelling gear ready for our holiday in September. Living on an island with countless beaches is great! We were able to spend a great amount of time outside by the sea. In September we set off to celebrate our Ruby Wedding anniversary on 1st October in Greece. There we visited other islands and really enjoyed our time away. Our celebration on the big day was very leisurely and set in a beautiful place. Two days later we flew home with wonderful memories of a great holiday.

Since then the weather has been often quite extreme. Temperatures have been up but so too have winds. As I write I can hear the high winds blowing from the south west. But it is not raining so I shall not complain. Tomorrow will be the start of another New Year on this lovely island of ours. The day after this will see the world return to normal after the long Christmas and New Year break. I am looking forward to this. The unreal period from Christmas to New Year is a strange experience indeed. It is often difficult to remember what day it is as they are so similar.

Here's to 2007. May it bring us all good things. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Change in the Weather

2006-12-29T16:39:00.000Z

Yesterday we took a break from having Tesco deliver our groceries and went into Banfor on the mainland to buy them. Pauliine has been entranced lately with the methods and ideas of Nigella Lawson so she wanted to buy specific items for cooking. To be honest I also like Nigella because she has such a fullsome personality in the way she discusses her approach to cooking food. As we are both into food and drink we watch a lot of cooking programmes on TV.

However, we decided to return home a longer and perhaps prettier way. We drove down the A55 towards Holyhead and then turned off into Valley, turning left for Trearddur Bay. One of the attractions there is that we can park up, facing the sea, and then get an ice cream from the van that is always parked there. With both of us suffering from chest infections we needed something smooth and cold to lubricate our throats.

Now for the bad news. There was no ice cream van there! Anyway, we sat and watched two women handling a jet ski in a very professional manner. They accelerated to speeds that were impressive in the choppy water. It was quite breezy. Next we saw two men set off in what looked like a cross between a jet ski and inflatable dinghy. It turned out to be a four seater jet ski. It was not as manoeverable as a standard jet ski but it could really travel. I eventually got out of the car for a couple of minutes and was subjected to a very noisy time by a Jackdaw who was loudly demanding that I feed him or her. By jove, he wasn't half agressive as he demanded food with was not forthcoming. He just stood at my feet and went on demanding at the top of his voice. Now that was a new experience for me!

Next we drove along the coastal lane, stopping at the small coves to watch the waves hitting the rocks and firing sea water upwards. Our next destination was to be the car park just above the South Stack lighthouse. It really is a lovely picture as you look over the wall and look down at the lighthouse sitting on its separate rocky islet. There are about 400 steps down the cliff to the minute suspension bridge that links Holy Island with the lighthouse. Of course, all lighthouses are now automatic so there are no keepers resident there.

As we looked out over the Irish Sea there was a very slight mist as you tried to find the horizon. At this point the wind was stronger and some seabirds in the distance were flying above the waves with only an occasional flap of the wings, the wind being so strong. The strong breeze was blowing from the south west. This is Anglesey's prevailing wind, the south westerly. It is still blowing today. As I rose today I went straight to my PC to see what the weather forecast was for today. It had recorded 48 mph winds at RAF Valley a little earlier. the next three days are forecast to be windy too. The rain was heavy and beating on the study window.

Eventually, we set off down to Amlwch, about two miles away for our eggs and meat and Pauline's prescription from the pharmacist. Having got what was needed we drove over to Point Lynas near the pilot jetty to see what the sea and weather were like. From up there you could see high winds driving the rain northwards from the land. But the sea was just about calm. It is like this for about five miles out into Liverpool Bay which makes it a good place for ships top wait before entering Liverpool on the appropiate tide. They may get the gale but not the rough seaa that you would associate with a gale at sea. Sadly there were no ships to stare at today.

Yesterday we were able to see the island in beautiful sunlight. Today we had a grey sky which offered no highlights in the countryside or across the sea. Mind you, we enjoyed the privilege of being here to see the island as it was. Over the years we have visited Anglesey in all four seasons and have known all its different views and moods. These days we can see any part of it in any weather at will. Now that is a privilege!

Greetings

2006-12-25T13:16:00.000Z

Happy Christmas to you all!

The weather is fine in Anglesey and all around is peace and quiet. May no one be in danger on the sea around us as we celebrate our third Christmas here.

Christmas Weather

2006-12-22T14:04:00.000Z

Heathrow Airport is having another bad time because of the fog that keeps getting dense. Although flights continue to use the airport there are less of them for safety reasons. British Airways are on the receiving end of vitriol because their passengers cannot make the journeys they had planned. Considering the airport runs at 98% capacity it cannot be surprising that it takes very little to disrupt an even flow of traffic.

All those people who consider it the in-thing to live and work in London place themselves at risk of disruption to travel simply because there are too many people living in one place. They can be affected by transport strikes, bombers, roadworks, snow on the line, leaves on the line and a host of other features affecting travel. Despite some efforts to move people out to other locations they continue to cling to London and the home counties.

Whilst so many people continue to be affected by fog there are 67,000 people who have had all day sunshine yesterday and look likely to have it today and for the nex few days. Those people live in Anglesey where the best weather is just now. Not that long ago I was talking to a weapons instructor at RAF Valley whose flights were delayed because of bad visibility - not in Anglesey, but in the area used for weapons training. The only thing that looked like fog in Anglesey this week was a mist hanging over the Menai Strait between the two bridges. As we travelled over to Rochdale we encountered fog in the Queensferry area. Apart from this western end of the M56 there was no problem with fog.

Sunny days are a winter feature in Anglesey even if the temperature drops to freezing. Even so we can report that our pelagoniums lasted all winter two years ago. They continued flowering again in the following spring and summer. Now that we have a greenhouse we shall see if the winter kills off the plants we have put in pots there.

This year, if the weather stays as forecast, we shall be able to walk on a local beach bathed in sunshine! Now that is how we like to celebrate Christmas. Mind you, it is only days since we experienced rain and gales continuously for over two weeks. Anglesey is certainly prone to high winds as well as sunny days. As the winds blew and the rain poured we had a problem in our additional loo. There was water on the floor and it was seeping from under the skirting board. It seemed obvious that we had water coming down the wall cavity. I went aloft to examine the roof. There was no problem - not a single tile was out of place. As I descended my ladder I spotted a large crack in the pebble dashing. During a lull in the gale I covered it with mortar. The next morning showed my handiwork completely blown away. I went to B & Q and bought some rapid setting mortar and this time the stuff stayed where it was.

We inspected the loo and the water was still seeping in! I had to remove the skirting board to see better what was happening. The first 2/3 inches of the wall above the floor were wet. Maybe there was a residual pool of water at the bottom of the cavity. Then, out of the corner of my eye I spotted the cause. The toilet cistern was leaking through a joint on the overflow pipe. I tightened it up and there was no difference. The water on the floor had dripped through the joint onto the floor, run behind the skirting board and then run back onto the floor. These things are sent to try us!

Luuckily we are waiting for a renewal of the loo and the addition of a washbasin so the problem will be permantly solved fairly soon.

But it shows that just because you have had two weeks plus of howling gales this is no reason to worry that the house is not weatherproof. The new uPVC windows have held back the weather so we now have the hottest bathroom in the world! When the plumber installed central heating just after we moved in he calculated the radiator strengths for each room including the bathroom. He got it wrong for this room where it is extremely warm with the radiator set on 1. He showed us a huge heated towel rail which was, he said, the correct size to be able to heat the bathroon. When we saw how big it was we dropped the whole idea of having a towel rail and opted for a radiator. But still the bathroom is tropical!

One thing which is often a chore at this time of year is the transporting of excess packaging to the local tip. It usually happens after Christmas but I had to make a trip this morning. There were cardboard cartons to be disposed of due to the acquisition of a new TV, a TV table, and a case of wine. So off I went to the island tip and disposed of it all. As I set off from Amlwch I was flashed by an oncoming driver. "Ha, ha" I thought, "There is trouble ahead!" Other drivers flashed me to confirm my thoughts. A short way further along the A5025 was the expected item of trouble! It was one of the Arrive Alive vans. North Wales Police employ these vans as mobile speed traps as they say they cannot afford to use static cameras. The local authority makes the comment that the vans are very clearly marked. This is true. Each one is a different colour and the drivers park them "in hiding" to catch the unwary. They have an opening window at the back and on the side so the camera can be used to make much money for the road safety aspects of local life.

Police officers have commented that at some places where they are employed the vans generate thousands of pounds. Of course, this tells you that they are not doing their job. They are not deterring drivers from speeding - just making lots of cash from the resulting fines. This is all because we have a chief constable who has an obsession with speeding. So, beware the trap of speeding along in Anglesey, celebrating the Christmas weather and collecting 3 points on your licemnce. Few new residents on the island have avoided this situation. They have been used to their local police being encouraged to do their job using common sense.

Well, all that remains is to wish you all "Nadolig Llawen - a joyful Christmas!"

Birds of Anglesey

2006-12-17T06:16:00.000Z

For the first time for over a fortnight the weather, yesterday, was fit enough for us to take a walk down by the lifeboat station at Moelfre. This is such a popular walk that the path has been tarmacadamed by the council.

It was late afternoon with the temperature now dropping as the sun set behind the clouds, sending the western sky into many shades of pink and rose red. We parked the car on the car park at Seawatch and walked round to the front, passing the bronze statue of Dic Evans as we reached the coastal path. The sea was calm and in the bay there was not a single small boat.

Out in Liverpool Bay, however, it was a different story. There were about six ships, of whom five were at anchor. A sixth ship sailed very slowly past the others. It passed so slowly that there was almost no bow wave. Between us and the ships lay Ynys Moelfre, the tiny island which is home to a host of seabirds who are never silent by day.

But just below us on a rock was a cormorant, watching the water. The cormorant seemed to have its characteristis evil gleam in its eye as it prepared itself to dive into the water in pursuit of the fish that humans can never actually see. On the island there are quite a number of cormorants standing like sentinels each day. With my binoculars I could see a flock of herring gulls roosting by the shore in the crevices on the little cliff. Now that winter is upon us there are no puffins in residence. We have to wait until spring to make our aquaintance with them once.

In the season there are many, many seabirds to be seen on the island. You can see them in abundance in the nesting season on Llandwyn Island at the southern end of the Menai Strait. A visit to Rhosneigr will present views of cormorants and shags on the rocks just offshore. Driver further along the coast and onto Holy Island to visit the cliffs at South Stack. Walk part way down the 400 steps to the lighthouse and then look back. There you will see a huge cliff populated by a host of different birds.

If you continue round the island on the A5025 a visit to Cemlyn Bay with a pair of binns will present a reward. At Cemlyn there is a lagoon, cut off from the sea by a huge spit of shingle. Sit there quietly and look out for all sorts of birds. In the past I have seen red breasted meganzers, mallards, great crested grebes and many more. Drive on to Cemaes, buy fish and chips in the best chippy on the island, and then watch out when you visit either the harbour or the beach. You will be dive-bombed by the cheekiest black headed gulls in the world! But it can be fun to feed them your scraps and see how they react to actually being formally fed. They strut about on the ground and then take off vertically all together as they try to get into the best position to catch the food you throw.

Of course, Anglesey is not just home to seabirds. There are many different species of other birds to be seen. If you spend any time on the lesser used roads you can have fun with the pheasants that you meet. We seem to see only Common pheasants and Golden Pheasants. But they entertain as they run along by the side of the car as if racing you. I have been told it is to protect their nest which will be close by. However, as this happened to me only this week it disproves the theory. Along with the birds many wild animals such as foxes, rabbits, hares etc can be seen in the lanes. My wife spotted a dead fox hanging from a field gate yesterday. But we have seen the live version quite often in the headlights at night.

Anglesey is a naturalist's paradise and many of them come to see what's happening all through the year. Many visitors shun the late autumn and winter time. We never have because we say that the island's beauty changes with each season. Anyway, I would rather be here in the depths of winter in the horizontal rain of which we have had so much recently than back in the large industrial towns and cities. Mind you, if we get any snow the island will come to a halt. All you need is a flurry of snow and people ring in to the office to say they can't make it. Where we come from, the only problem that faces us is the slow traffic as thousands make sure they get in to work on a snowy day. Three times we found the Llangefni library closed during a snowy week. The staff could not get in but we did - very easily.

Come and see our island. You will suddenly discover one of the most beautiful places in the United Kingdom. Finding your way around is a matter of keeping to roads that signpost the main towns and villages. But, be wary. You may not be able to pronounce the place names!

Christmas in the Copper Miners' Chapel

2006-12-16T21:31:00.000Z

I am proud to be a member of the Amlwch English Methodist Church. Its roots go back to the 19th century when it was founded by none other than James Treweek, the manager of the Mona Copper Mine on Parys Mountain above my village of Penysarn. Our church is one at which there is a guaranteed warm welcome and this is never warmer than the one visitors will have tomorrow when we have our Candlelit Carol Service at 6.00pm.

During the afternoon special candle holders will be attached to the ends of the pews. Essentially these are square poles with a square board at the top on which four candles can be placed. Each pew end will have one. The window sills will contain candleabra from the homes of members. During this evening there will be no electric lights illuminated. Candles will be the only source of light. In our little chapel the atmosphere will be warm and very much of Christmas as we sing our carols to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

There will be readings and sketches with Christmas themes. The sketch in which I take part is called "Three Wise Guys" and is about three people rehearsing their parts as the three wise men. The part of the director will be played by a retired librarian, Ellen Jones, Melchior by myself, Bathazar by Rev David Jones, a retired Methodist minister living in my village of Penysarn, and Caspar by the minister, Deacon Stephen Roe. It should prove to be good, knowing the people involved. We shall raise a laugh!

We have already held an Advent Gathering which was a mid week service organised by myself along the lines of previous such services at my previous church in Shaw, Lancashire. Next week sees our Christingle Service which involves the Amlwch Brownies. Then on Christmas Eve, Revb David Jones will lead our Late Night Communion Service. Christmas Day service will be conducted by Deacon Stephen Roe.

Our tiny chapel will be alive for the next days, as Christmas approaches. It is a time not to be missed by those who love to worship God on the occasion that his son, Jesus of Nazareth came to earth. Pauline and I will be off to celebrate Christmas in another fashion on 21st December when we attend the Bangor Cathedral Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. That too is a great occasion.

At some point on Christmas Day we shall go for a walk by the sea and give thanks that we were able to realise our dream to come and live in Anglesey. We feel we are two very lucky people.

The Gales of Anglesey

2006-12-10T16:43:00.000Z

For ten days now we have experienced gales. As I write the latest observation records 37mph winds from the south. Pauline decided we needed to go over to Tescos at Holyhead today for food we need for Christmas. The fresh food will be purchased just before the stores close for the festivities. So we set off across the island with a strong gale blowing. As we passed Parys Mountain copper mine we entered a short cutting and you could hear the wind noise grow louder as it funnelled through this open tube.

From Llanerchymedd through Carmel and Trefor it was a wet and windy experience. The wind and rain was so bad as we joined the A55 that I went round the wrong roundabout to turn onto the road. Visibility was not too good at that point. I eventually found the slip road and turned onto the A55. A car was coming westwards and the driver had got her lights on - but not headlights. I could hardly see her car as I joined the faster road. The light was very bad and seeing extremely difficult with lots of spray blowing around. Why she did not have the common sense to have all lights on I do not know.

The experience of rain and spray continued right into Holyhead. The car was being battered from the south as the wind just blew across the low lying land from the Irish Sea. Pauline bailed out in front of the store's main door and I went off to find a parking place. After we had bought our shopping we returned to the car. She wanted to go the long way round on the A5025 and see the waves crashing onto the shore at Cemaes and then Bull Bay.

Off we went and the first thing I noticed was the amount of shelter from the wind as we passed Anglesey Aluminium. At Valley we turned left and set off towards Cemaes Bay. When we eventually arrived we stopped to look at the sea. The tide was in, the harbour full of water. The waves - what waves??? The sea was a calm as it could be because we were now on the north coast. It was the same at Bull Bay - not a single slash!

It is worth remembering that when you come on holiday to Anglesey you must not be put off by winds blowing on shore. If they are on shore, all you do is visit the opposite shore where the wind will be offshore. Off the northern coast of Anglesey it is classed as a lee shore by mariners. The effect lasts for about five miles. So, when the wind blows up, you will find ships sheltering upto 5 miles out from the shore around Llaneilian and Moelfre. Michael Williams, who measured our rooms for carpets, is the Second Coxwain on Moelfre Lifeboat. It was he who told me about the lee shore.

Having said all this we cannot complain about average temperatures which are still high for the season. So far, our autumn has been very mild indeed. Now that all the trees have lost their leaves we can see more as we drive around the island. Even though it gets quite wild I can stiil say that, wherever I drive, I still go through wonderful scenery. I could not say that when I lived in the Greater Manchester conurbation!

Plas Newydd

2006-12-09T09:04:00.000Z

On the banks of the Menai Strait, just south of the Britannia Bridge, you will find Plas Newydd. It is the ancestral home of the Marquess of Anglesey. From Easter to October each year Plas Newydd is open to the public. It is under the care of the National Trust. To get there you need to take the road from Llanfairpwll to newborough and look out for the entrance on your left.

Car parking is at the top of the grounds where there is a tearoom and shop. In the shop you get your entrance ticket for the house. Next you set off down the path that winds down to the house itself. Just a short way along this path you will see the collection point for passengers using the minibus service down to the house. The house itself is in a setting to die for, with views across the water to the Vaynol estate on the mainland.

For my money, the interior is rather disappointing in that I get an impression of an old house rather than a stately home. There is a military museum displaying all manner of colourful uniforms. I find this very boring. I get nothing out of matters military. The Marquess at the time of Waterloo is hailed as a hero. He was second in command to the Duke of Wellington and commanded the cavalry. There is a famous remark attributed to him as a cannon ball hit him. He glanced down an remarked,, "By God, sir, I have lost my leg!" "By God, sir, so you have!" replied the Duke of Wellington.

A one time friend of the family was the famous artist, Rex Whistler. Plas Newydd has a large collection of his work and the glory of the place is Whistler's amazing 58 foot long mural in the diningroom. I have never seen anything remotely like this painting. It is surely unique. An art lover could spend endless hours standing in the diningroom just gazing at this wonderful piece of art. Having said this, Plas Newydd is, for me, a disappointment. It does not make me want to return again and again which other "stately homes" do. If you like sailing there is a boat which will take you on a sail along the Menai Strait from Plas Newydd.

A few miles away in llanfairpwll stands the Anglesey monument. This is Anglesey's answer to Nelson's column. It is 112 ft high and on the top stands the figure of Henry William Paget, First Marquess of Anglesey. I understand that the column stood alone for a number of years before the statue was placed at the top. There are steps inside so visitors can climb up and stand on the balcony above. Therre are stunning views on a clear day.

There are other estates on the island but this is by far the biggest and most grand of them. The Mona Copper Mine on Parys Mountain above Amlwch was owned by the Marquess of Anglesey. So he can be considered one of the island's old employers. Mind you, the dangers of working in the copper mines were considerable. Frequent deaths of orkers were the accepted order of the day.

The Historic Road

2006-12-08T14:18:00.000Z

Back in the days when stagecoaches ran, Thomas Telford was contracted to build a road which stretched from London to Holyhead where passengers could sail for Ireland. Today, you can drive along the route ofthe A5 and see signs reminding you that you are on an historic route. Telford also designed and built five toll house across the island. These are to be found at Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, Nant Gate, Gwalchmai, Caergeiliog and at the Holyhead end of the Stanley Embankment that takes the traveller from Anglesey to Holy Island and Holyhead.

The Holyhead road was the last turnpike in Britain. Today, the traveller can see the original charges for various modes of transport that used the road. They are displayed on a list of charges on a plaque set in the wall of the toll house at Llanfairpwllgyngyll. In 1895 the road became free of tolls as ownership passed to the county council.

By this time rail travel had greatly reduced travel by road. At the mainland end of the Menai Suspension Bridge can be seen gates of iron, patterned like the rays of the sun. The gates guarded the turnpike from those who would pass without payment. The numerous milestones along the A5 were made from stone quarried at Red Wharfe Bay. On each milestone is a plate showing the distance from Holyhead and two other locations. Believe it or not these milestones are "listed" structures and are preserved and conserved with great care. Where certain stones have become damaged they have been replaced with replicas.

Of course, the A5 is not restricted to Anglesey. Although parts of it have been upgraded to dual carriagways you will find it a very long journey from Anglesey to the midlands and south of England. From Bangor at the mainland side of the Menai Strait the road winds many miles through the northern part of Snowdonia through Betws-y-Coed and Llangollen. As it winds one hopes not to be following a slow vehicle such as a farm tractor. It is a classical country road with very few passing places. At one point where the original road was abandoned in favour of a short cutting there has been a serious fall of rock and the road there has been out of use for many months. Large vehicles are banned from this stretch which requires traffic to temporarilyuse the old road. This is so narrow at one point that traffic lights have been set up to make the road safe.

Looking at the North Wales road system, one would think that only people from North West England are expected or encouraged to visit Anglesey. These days, the traveller on the A5 turns on to the busy A55 and crosses to Anglesey on the Britannia Bridge which caters for both road and rail traffic today. But, for my money, one cannot beat crossing via the Menai Suspension Bridge. It is a leisurely affair, particularly if following a bus which has to pass very slowly to avoid the sides of the arches at each end. I seem to remember the drivers of the original Crosville buses handling the task much better than the Arriva drivers today.

At night the older bridge is lit up and takes on a special beauty. Ascetically, the Britannia Bridge cannot compete with its older partner. It has a huge steel arch these days beneath the rail deck which looks quite ugly. The road deck pierces the original piers and this looks more practical than lovely. Of course, it has to be mentioned that the Holyhead bound driver no longer uses the A5. A new road, the continuation of the A55 North Wales Expressway, now handles the traffic. This has made a great difference to the island and especially for the passengers wishing to visit Ireland.

If you know the narrow lanes which cross Anglesey you can reduce the travelling time from Penysarn, where I live, to Holyhead by including a stretch of the A55. I found good short cut to RAF Valley by using satellite navigation!

A New Airport

2006-11-28T16:42:00.000Z

The other day I received a brochure from the local council among which was a brief article about the island's new civilian airport. Although it is actually a sharing of the RAF Valley base the civilian side will be known as Anglesey Airport. This is the name the council came up with when they sat down to debate a name for the airport. Now who would have thought they would make this its name?????

As for the logo it looks like a red dragon in flight so full marks for an appropriate symbol for a Welsh airport. We are told that negotiations are still underway and that the chosen airline to fly the Anglesey-Cardiff passengers will be advised in January. Another thing we were advised was that work had already started on the new terminal building. Now, don't go haring off down to the airfield, expecting to see the footings being dug for the building. The only sign that any change is happening is that there is a JCB down there and several men working to change the profile of the junction just by the guardroom!

In fact, I understand that visitors and passengers will access the airfield by driving through a gateway directly opposite the road to the base. At present you have top turn sharp left to approach the guardroom or right to take the road which goes across the end of the nearest runway and heads towards Valley itself. In other words, what is now a T junction will become a crossroad as you drive onto the civilian area.

At the beginning there will be two flights per day in each direction with a possibility of later routes to Dublin and London. If we get London flights I bet they are not to either Heathrow or Gatwick. My money is on London City Airport which has really blossomed recently and hosts flights all over Europe. My secret wish is that we shall be able to use the airport when we go on holiday. With the current increase in low cost flying this should be possible.

If more visitors come to our lovely island because we have an airport that will be excellent news because our economy is forever precarious. Looking at the transport infrastructure of Wales in its entirety one can see a great need for improvement. If you live in North West England then you have an excellent road in the A55 North Wales Expressway. It takes you all the way to Holyhead where you can take a ferry to Ireland. However, if you live in North Wales and wish to visit either South or Mid Wales you have only the A470. It is a road that runs all the way down from Llandudno to South Wales. But at no point is there a dual carriageway! So it is all too easy to have to follow slow traffic for many miles. As a journey it can be dreadful.

Now that we are to have flights to South Wales things will improve. Because at present the roads from North to South are totally inadequate. Despite our love affair with the island there are times when we need to travel elsewhere and this is when we feel to be cut off from the mainstream of life. People say, "It is because of all the mountains that we have no roads." Well I can tell you that Greece is a very mountainous country but they have an excellent road network.

But, just think of it - can't you just hear the flight announcer at Anglesey Airport saying one day, "Will the final two passengers for Robin Hood please make their way to the aircraft." (Robin Hood is the name of the airport for Doncaster and Sheffield)

Yes, we have to start somewhere and we have made that start. 2007 will see an airport in Anglesey. I am sure it will grow and grow and become a great asset to the island and North Wales. Well done to all who have worked hard in negotiations and discussions.

Yellow everywhere

2006-11-27T10:09:00.000Z

It was back in Easter 1960 that I first saw Anglesey. This was the first of six consecutive Easter visits as I attended the Bangor Youth Conference organised by the Lancashire Congregational Union. Many teenagers over 16 years old used to come together and experience a great weekend based at St Mary's College in Bangor. There was free time in the afternoons and it was inevitable that we migrated over the Menai Suspension Bridge to Anglesey for a few hours. After all these brief visits to Anglesey I have one abiding memory. There was so much yellow gorse on the island.

Later, as an adult, I brought my family here on a number of holidays. Everywhere was the colour, yellow. Gorse is a prolific plant in Anglesey. You see it wherever you drive. Sometimes it lines the road and lanes and sometimes it just grows in massive clumps in the fields. When I see the gorse in bloom I think back all those years to a very happy time. But what I came to realise only two years ago when we settled in Anglesey was that the gorse flowers twice each year. It comes into bloom in early spring and remains so for months before the flowers die away. But it also starts flowering again in the autumn.

As I look out of my study window I can see thousands of yellow flowers hanging over my garden wall. This will remain a lovely view for a long time as the winter approaches. Mind you, I have also realised how difficult it is to handle gorse. From time to time I have to cut back the bushes that hang over my wall and threaten to put my garden entirely into the shade. After the gorse has been cut back there is then the problem of removing it from the garden. I challenge anyone to pick it all up without scratching themselves. Even gorse which is long dead has the ability to rip your hands to pieces if not handled with great care.

Each branch of gorse has many thousands of very sharp spikes which attack the unwary. It is the worst plant I have ever dealt with in a garden. The thought of being thrown into a gorse bush fills me with horror. A victim would be very badly scratched and would be in pain for a long time. The spikes which protect gorse are incredibly vicious and so are effective in the way they do their job. Compared to gorse, cutting back rose bushes is a pussy of a task.

Yet, as I look out of the window I see a lovely picture of thousands of tiny yellow flowers forming a border along the garden wall. It is strange how effectively nature gives protection to some of her most lovely flowers. Just now Anglesey has become a yellow island again. It tells me that even though the season of winter is approaching there is still sustainable life in the countryside. But there is another aspect to gorse which people may not realise. It can be burnt very easily and we get many gorse fires in Anglesey.

Recently we drove to Devon and returned on a lovely sunny day. The route took us through the Vale of Llangollen and we saw the changing autumnal colours of thousands of trees in nature's most wonderful setting. It is truly a beautiful sight around Llangollen and you can go there any weekend and take a train journey along the preserved railway line which runs through it.

Mind you, the end of the journey saw us travelling through the mountains of Snowdonia with heavy black clouds actually sitting on the summits of the mountains and turning the A5 route into darkness. Then, to cap it all, I experienced that "horizontal rain" as I drove across the island. As I stopped the car outside our house I suddenly realised that we were experiencing something worse than "horizontal rain." It was "horizontal hailstones!" Now that was an experience as we unloaded the car and dashed indoors.

But the gorse continues to brighten our days, regardless of the weather. Anglesey is a beautiful island.

Horizontal Rain

2006-11-16T21:37:00.000Z

In my earlier blog, Windy Anglesey I referred to our house hunting day when the wind and rain conspired to put me off moving to Anglesey. Well, yesterday was another day just like it. We experienced a lighting circuit fuse and needed a special fuse for the consumer unit. The local supplier in Amlwch was closed for the half day so we had to make the journey over to a company based in Rhostrehwfa, near Llangefni.

As we were in Amlwch it was necessary to take the road to Llanerchymedd, running past Parys Mountain, the site of Anglesey's former boom industry of the 19th century. Climbing the hill I could see across to Llyn Alaw, the huge reservoir that supplies so much of the local water. I have to say that it was best described as a very bleak view. The whole feel of the weather was doom and gloom. There seemed nothing to look forward to as we saw the heavy clouds scudding along in the direction dictated by the wind.

When you look upwards it is not uncommon to see occasional Hawk jet trainers zooming along as the young pilots are trained to fly fast jets. There were none to see yesterday. The only birds seemed to be seabirds which are plentiful here. But the inland birds seemed conspicuous by their absence. The previous Friday, we had taken my mother in law to Church Bay to sample the seafood at the Lobster Pot Restaurant. Driving there in darkness had been an experience because there are just no street lights on our narrow country lanes! It seemed just as desolate a landscape yesterday in daylight hours.

Having bought our fuses, bulbs etc, we returned home. This time we drove first to Maenaddwyn via Tregaian and Capel Coch. It is quite a good fast drive, even taking into consideration our many speed restrictions around the island. At Maenaddwyn we crossed the Benllech road and continued up past two small lakes as we passed the foot of Mynydd Bodafon (Bodafon Mountain). This really did take me back to that day when I experienced the horizontal rain and asked myself why I wanted to come and live here. The reason is that it was in just that place that I stood and encountered the rain flying at me.

When you drive over Mynydd Bodafon in poor weather it always seems bleak and uninviting. Yet, on a sunny day, it is absolutely charming. On the larger lake all I saw were three coots swimming around, looking for food beneath the surface. The other birds must have been sheltering from the wind and rain.

I remember that, after the snow of last winter, I took my wife up to Mynydd Bodafon to take some photographs of the scenery covered in snow. I drove up the road with the tyres very firmly remaining in the tracks left by earlier traffic. When I pulled over into the snow by the roadside to get some shots my wife got very worried that the car would get stuck. It was only a few inches of snow but she reacted as if I had driven into a snowdrift! I did take some lovely photographs that day and one of them was borrowed by Pauline for an oil painting. She painted a wonderful scene and the man at the gallery where she had it framed wanted her to leave it to be sold! It now graces our hallway and we are pleased to see it every day.

To return to yesterday, the light was failing rapidly as we drove back home over the "mountain" which is only about 700 feet above sea level. We got home and I installed the cartridge fuse and the kitchen lights came on again. All was well.

Point Lynas Lighthouse

2006-11-03T18:13:00.000Z

Did you see the BBC "Coast" programme? If you did then you will remember that Point Lynas lighthouse was featured in the section covered from Holyhead to Liverpool. The presenter was able to demonstrate what used to be known as the optical telegraph system.

It appears that in the heyday of shipping owners were keen to steal a march on their competitors by getting advance information that their ship was on its way back and had stopped at Holyhead. There were telegraph stations every few miles within sight of each other and messages could be in Liverpool in a few minutes. The messages came in sets of numbers and the recipient needed the code book to be able to interpret the message.

There was a reference to the loss of the Royal Charter in an unusually strong hurricane. The BBC presenter was taken out in the Moelfre lifeboat to demonstrate how the ship was able to rig up a breeches buoy to transfer people to shore. The ship itself was lost when she approached Liverpool in the hurricane. It was the time when steam was starting to threaten sail and the Royal Charter was a sailing ship with an auxilliary steam engine. She was blown onto the rocks near Moelfre where the rocks shelved down into the sea. Despite deploying all her anchors she could not avoid the rocks. Questions were asked at the time as to why a number of crew were saved but no passengers. It was because the crew members were sent forward to rig up the rescue just before the ship broke in two. The passengers were kept back for their own safety!

If you visit Sea Watch in Moelfre during the summer you can see in the car park a section of the iron hull of the Royal Charter. At the seaward side of the building you can see a very lifelike sculpture of the late Dic Evans the former coxwain of the Moelfre lifeboat. Dic was famous for having won two gold medals for bravery and a bronze medal whilst coxwain.

Later the programme looked at the work of Bangor University's Ocean Sciences department which are located on Anglesey. Then they went on board the small ships that worked in the mussel industry. All in all it was an excellent programme.

Mention should be made of the visit to Great Orme where they showed the hidden cave. It was all fascinating and I felt proud to live in this amazing island with its extremely interesting history.

Windy Anglesey

2006-10-30T20:51:00.000Z

You may remember a few years ago that BBC's Groundforce team visited the house of one of RAF Valley's flying instructors to give it a garden makeover. Both days saw the windiest weather imaginable together with the associated horizontal rain. Of course, being on the edge of an airfield the location was bound to be windy. But Anglesey is also known for strong winds at times, being almost a peninsular projecting into the Irish Sea. Alan Titchmarsh spent most of his time trying to dig and plant whilst wearing oilskins. He looked well in his souwester!

It was during our many visits house hunting that we experienced something similar. We were driving around to different addresses in the island on a foul day. On this particular day we seemed to find nothing remotely suitable. By the time afternoon was almost spent we were looking at a couple of properties close to Mynydd Bodafon. After we had looked round the properties I stood and looked across the island to where I could just see Holyhead a few miles away. The wind was blowing quite hard and suddenly the rain came down. Well, I'm not sure that down is the correct word. I think it should be thought of as falling at an oblique angle. The thought passed through my mind, "Why do I want to come and live here?"

Pauline read my thoughts and dragged me over to the car to get warm again. We had one more house to see before we drove back to Rochdale. It was almost dusk as we reached the last property in Llanfaethlu fifteen minutes earlier than the appointment time. Pauline said, "Let's have a look at Church Bay to fill in the time." We drove over to Church Bay and I stood once more looking out to sea by the bungalow at the head of the beach. I was wearing a heavy winter coat as it was January and it made no difference at all. I was absolutely frozen as the wind felt to whip the coat off my back. "Why do I want to live here?" I thought again. It really put me off.

The last house was a very nice one and not the sort we were really looking for. Pauline had noticed the room sizes which were generous. It was a very well maintained house and we began to talk about it all the way along the A55 eastwards. When I complained about the weather I was reminded that all places experienced bad weather and when that happened we remained indoors with all hatches battened down!

Since we have become resident on the island we have seen a few occasions when the weather has been a repeat of horizontal rain. In fact, as the afternoon wore on, our moving day became like that. A lot of wet furniture was brought into the bungalow that day.

There have been days when strong winds caused us to see what the coast was like and we saw a lot of surfing at Rhosneigr and Porth Trecastell. Sometimes we have seen some pretty spectacular waves on the windy days. The problem has always been that the camera cannot capture what the eye sees. The scene flattens out and loses the drama. But we have always said we love Anglesey in all weathers. Now that we live here we do.

A Visit to RAF Valley

2006-10-16T21:17:00.000Z

Yes, this is me, standing next to one of the BAe Hawk Jet Trainers at RAF Valley which is in Anglesey. Some time ago I was invited by the Station Chaplain to come to a service at the RAF church in Valley to talk about Mission Aviation Fellowship who I represent in North Wales. At the time I asked if it was possible to visit the base and see how it carries out its job of traing RAF pilots to fly fast jets. Today was the day it all happened.

As I drove up to the guardroom I immediately noticed three aircraft of the famous Red Arrows on the tarmac near the gate. Flight Lieutenant Rev Pete Tollerson took me onto the base and we started with a cup of tea in his office. There I saw the evidence of his successful completion of the officers' training course and group photos of other events.

Our first place to visit was the large hangar where aircraft are taken apart and put back together at major servicing times. There was also a great deal of damage on the other planes which had experienced bird strikes. One was a case of a shattered cockpit canopy whilst another had lost a turbine blade which almost ended with a disaster.

Then we set off in Pete's car to the other side of the airfield to see the working aircraft and their crews. Instructors and pupils came into the room to sign in before flying off in their Hawks. In another section I met Mike Squires, an instructor who had previously flown Tornadoes. I had already met Mike when I attended the church service 2 months before. He had been affected by poor visibility in the area he had planned to do some instructing so was not too happy with this.

Further along was the section supporting the rescue helicopter service. There I saw a life jacket being serviced to ensure it was up to standard for regular use. The people were all friendly and approachable. Next door was the Mountain Rescue Team wioth all its specialised equipment.

As I was on this side of the airfield we saw three jets do a circuit prior to landing and Pete exclaimed, "Those are not Hawks!" "No," I replied, "They are French Alphajets!" I knew they were due to make a visit with their support aircraft that day after talking to the young man in the guardroom who knew all the comings and goings at RAF Valley. Soon after this the Red Arrows took off in formation.

Back on the side of the airfield with most buildings I was able to take a rear view shot of the support aircraft which did the same job as the Hercules C130 which supported the Red Arrows. I saw a Red Arrows pilot sitting in a cockpit mock up in the squadron HQ. He looked quite a normal human being!! Soon I ws treated to lunch in the Feeder Unit for the squadron to save them having to go all the way to the Officers' Mess just off base.

I was thrilled at having the chance to visit this base situated on my island. It is an important employer in the area. Next year they expect to see commercial flights to Cardiff as the base becomes dual purpose. Next time I see a Hawk in flight I shall wonder if it is the one I used to lean on for my photo!

Hidden Britain

2006-10-12T20:39:00.000Z

Anglesey is the sort of place that gets a label for very little going on. Whilst this is untrue it is quite a task to bring before the prospective visitor what is happening in Anglesey. This because there is a hidden side to the island which might make a lot of difference.

In a rural area like Anglesey there is always a lot 0f folklore which could entice more visitors to the island. The problem is that it is often not known well enough to attract people. It is this hiden folklore which could draw more visitors of the discerning sort to Anglesey. The trick is how do you get them here? The emerging answer is called "Hidden Britain".

I have discovered a group called Hidden Britain who are people keen to draw to the attention of the British public the hidden side of our culture and folklore which could interest our visitors. Hidden Britain is a project being developed in the Arthur Rank Centre to promote the rural areas of the United Kingdom in terms that would attract the visiting public. It is a church led idea/project which is supported by local traders and community groups in an effort to improve the local economy.

If you believe you can help or if you are a trader who thinks his/her trade can be effective please let me know. As a group we are presently based in Amlwch but this is not written in stone. We can spread over a greater area to encompass a group of specialist traders who, together, as part of a group of supporters of the local economy, can make an economic difference to Anglesey.

If you feel that your knowledge of local folklore and trade can help, please feel free to contact me and add your name to the list of interested parties.

Please contact me as follows: Keith Alexander, Tel: 07866 083447, 01407 831622 or email:

keith@alexander54.freeserve.co.uk

Flying from Anglesey

2006-10-11T16:20:00.000Z

In recent months there have been talks about using RAF Valley for commercial flights. The Welsh Assembly has been looking for an airfield in the North of Wales and has aparaentl decided on RAF Valley. Despite much talking we do not appear to be much nearer than agreement in principle.

Today I decided to go down to RAF Valley to see the flying. I arrived to see a number of Hawk jet trainers taking off and landing. Suddenly, another aircraft spotter pointed to two Appache helicopters in the sky and approaching the airfield. I was surprised to see how large these aircraft were and how they posessed a radar dome above the rotor shaft.

There were four notable visiting aircraft which left whilst I was there. The first to leave was my favourite RAF aircraft, the Harrier. It took off in great style in the standard fashion (no vertical aspect to it). After some more Hawk comings and goings another trainer, this time not a jet, took off. It was a Tocano which, in comparison with the other take offs, appeared very slow indeed. But the next take off was by no less an aircraft that the new Typhoon, Eurofighter. It was a much louder sound that assailed our ears on this occasion. One of my colleagues remarked that the pilot was not using the after burners. However, the next aircraft, the Panavia Tornado was using its after burners. The sound was amazing as the aircraft blasted off over our heads.

It is now quite a few years since there was an open day at Valley. It must now be a thing of the past. I remember attending an open day in the 1970s in the last year that the Red Arrows flew Folland Gnats. The Arrows were fantastic, of course. On the farside of the airfield an exercise involving a helicopter and an Austin Mini provided entertainment when the helicopter dropped the car from a great height! Whilst I was there I noticed a sign referring to a non-existent static exhibit. It said the aircraft was an English Electric Lightning but aircraft there was none.

It was later in the week that a knock came at the door of our holiday bungalow. A young couple needed help after their car had been written off in an accident. The man was a serving RAF airman. As I drove them to make contact with family who were staying over in Benllech, he told me that the missing aircraft was six miles away in the Irish Sea where it had been ditched. The pilot had been unable to get the landing gear into position on approach to RAF Valley and had to eject.

For anyone interested in aircraft, a mid week hour or two down at Valley will always produce the goods. There is virtually no flying at weekends as it is a training establishment. During the week there is much flying to be seen with the inclusion of helicopters and various different visiting aircraft. the RAF also train pilots from other air forces so often you might a flight by one or two of these.

Good Food and Anglesey

2006-10-06T15:16:00.000Z

Today and tomorrow you can visit the Anglesey Oyster Fair. It is being held in a marquee at the Treaddur Bay Hotel. Pauline and I had heard of it last year but could not get details so that we could go. This morning, fresh from a month's holiday in Greece, we drove over to see what was happening.

It is a good food show where most of the participants are producing food somewhere on Anglesey. You walk in and the first stall you encounter is that of Menai Oysters whose product gives the show its name. We lingered at their stall as they opened two of the biggest oysters I have ever seen. They were ours to taste for £1.50 each. The taste was simply unique. We have bought and opened many oysters over the years but these were so refreshing and tasted different to the previous purchases. We bought a takeaway bag of 12 for £6.00. Guess what the starter is for tonight's dinner?

Other stalls belonged to a number of proud local butchers who were selling meat of a quality you can only get in Wales. Eat your hearts out, all you devotees of Scottish beef because Welsh beef is fantastic in taste. This is one thing we soon learned when we settled in Anglesey two years ago. Interestingly, one of the butchers (not from Anglesey) was selling lamb and mutton. Now we have never tasted mutton, so we made a purchase with a casserole in mind. Watch this space!

Tom Barlow from Anglesey's only vineyard at Llanpadrig was there and the wine we tasted was top rate. His sparkling wine is so popular that he has sold out this year. We now have to wait till spring 2007 to taste the 2006 vintage. Another trader was selling locally made liqueurs. Pauline loved the cream liqueur whilst I preferred the apricot flavoured one. You could also buy bara brith and other baked food. As I need to lose a considerable amount of weight I did not linger at this stall.

The one stall we just had to stop at and ask about the food was that of David Livingstone of Cemaes Bay. David has an enormous quantity of lobster pots and crab pots out in the Irish Sea. Call him and you can go sea fishing from his boat, "Catfish". He also brings back lobsters and crabs from his sea fishing trips to order. The big question we asked was how do we kill and cook lobster. Now that we know we shall be practicing very soon.

One lady who was there told us about her local honey and health creams she mixed. Pauline was impressed by the cream and said it made her skin feel good. If you love ice cream there were two stalls who specialised in this. One of them also sold specialist coulis to accompany their ice cream.

At the end of the three lines of stalls was Derimon, our local smokery. It is one of the joys of ourlife to visit Derimon which is about a mile and a half from us. If it is classed as food they can smoke it. An obvious product is smoked salmon but there are many more foods which can benefit from smoking. I remember buying some smoked cashew nuts which tasted beautiful some months ago. On their stall they had some smoked tomatoes!

In addition to the stalls there was a session in progress which was all about cheese. It was a joy to be there. The occasion did, however, have a down side. Earlier this week, Maurice, the owner of the Lastra Farm Hotel died suddenly. I am sure he would have loved to be at the show and help promote local produce. Many Anglesey residents love to eat at the Lastra Farm Hotel and they all knew and loved Maurice.

Before we took up residence in Anglesey I wondered if we would be able to get good food. Since we came the various places have been tested and found to be of a high calibre. But don't just take my word for it. Come and tase it for yourself.

A New Place to Eat

2006-09-02T07:54:00.000Z

One of the questions we asked ourselves in advance of moving to Anglesey was what sorts of places might we find for eating out. We already knew the reputation of the Lobster Pot Restaurant at Church Bay with its extensive seafood menu. From its website we learned of the Lastra Farm Hotel which is quite close to where we live in Penysarn. Apart from this there were only the obvious places frequented by tourists.

Just after we moved house my cousin was visiting Anglesey on a golfing holiday and wanted to take us out for a meal. He asked us to choose the place. We happened to be shopping in Llangefni and were passing the Bull Hotel so we called in and booked a table. The food turned out to be very good and well presented. From another blog you will recall that we gave 100% marks to the Quarterdeck Restaurant in Red Wharfe Bay where we ate the other week.

This week I kept a promise I had made to Pauline and took her to try out the Indian Restaurant, Rozi's, at RAF Valley, just opposite the little church for the RAF station. When we had first seen this small parade of shops they were in a dreadful state, having been vandalised. Now they have been smartened up and the restaurant looks very well. The staff are very welcoming and the atmosphere is lovely and quiet with Indian music in the background.

We were the second customers that evening and chose a table by the window. Poppodoms and dips were brought as appetisers and we perused the menu. In order to get the low down on the food in general we decided on a special meal for two: samosas, Bhagis etc, naan bread, chicken dupiaza and Lamb Rogan Josh. To drink we elected to try the Cobra beer which was a good idea because I do not subscribe to drinking wine with Indian and other highly spiced cooking.

If we had a criticism it was that there was insufficient sauce with the dishes. But the taste of the food was quite simply lovely and subtle. The whole range of flavours was very obvious and the texture of the meat was perfect. All through the meal the staff were attentive without appearing overbearing. They moved quietly about the restaurant as other customers came in an ordered food.

As we were waiting for the meal to be ready we noticed a four wheel drive park up outside together with a following car. I was surprised to see Dafydd Williams from Cemaes Bay get out and come into the restaurant with an entourage of English people who were all related. Dafydd is harbourmaster at Cemaes and has sailed his fishing boat out of Cemaes for many years. Two or three weeks ago he called up from his boat as I was standing on Cemaes pier. He told me he recognised me from our many holidays in Anglesey. I was amazed at this. From my point of view he had always been part of the Cemaes scene but never thought he had noticed me, just one visitor of many.

I told Dafydd this was our first visit to the restaurant and he told me that he came quite often. He is a lovely man and very friendly with everyone. He certainly kept his table guests entertained whilst we we there with stories of his fishing trips.

In case any reader might like to try out Rozi's Restaurant it is very easy to find. From the A55 take the exit for RAF Valley and follow the road through the now sold off MOD housing as far as the church of St Michael and All Angels. It is just across the road.

Invaders from Lancashire

2006-08-31T15:34:00.000Z

Earlier this month, August, we had two of our grandchildren staying for a twelve day holiday. Of course we fell for the idea that it was down to us to entertain them. Unless they are small children this is not necessary. But we took them out to the Welsh Mountain Zoo at Colwyn Bay when it rained quite a lot and took the shine off the event. The photos you see are of Eleanor, aged nine and Josh aged fifteen. As he was taking photos of the sea lions swimming underwater Josh's camaera stopped working. Josh immediately blamed it all on the rain and said it had written his camera off. From then on it was all sighs and moans about his out of service camera.

On the way home I called at Argos in Llandudno to buy some rechargable batteries for Pauline's camera ready for our forthcoming holiday in Greece. As I was writing out my order form I heard Joshua explode with enthusiasm. "Hey, Grandad, they have a remote controlled car here that was £100.00 last Christmas. It's only ten quid in the sale. I'm going to get one!" From then on he forgot all about his camera and in the car he never stopped talking about his bargain buy!
Once he had run out of steam on this topic he leaned over to his sister, Ellie, in the front seat, to give her loads of advice for when she started in the senior school in two years time! Once home he began once more to relate his story about his bargain to Pauline. It was now her turn to listen to his excited comments.

Next morning he was out at 7 o'clock running his car in the road outside. He eventually came in only when he had run the batteries flat. If it was wet he was happy to watch TV. We are lucky in that we have a spare TV in our bedroom so the children can watch their own choice of TV programme.

Pauline loves to go swimming so she took them several times on poor days to the local swimming pool at Amlwch Leisure Centre. Josh loved going and so did Ellie when she demonstrated for the first time that she could swim. The pool people gave her certificates to show she had done it. She was thrilled - no more arm bands! Of course Pauline had to buy her the relevant badges.

Later I went with Josh to buy him an advance birthday present from Pauline and me, a fishing rod and all the extras he needed. Eventually we had a good day for weather so I took him to the rocks off Moelfre to learn to fish. As I did not have a clue I suggested he asked someone how to fish when he got there. He ran on ahead of me, and by the time I arrived a minute after him he had already found a tutor. The trouble was that he experienced problems which he asked me to solve. Eventually this created so much friction that I left him to it and went home for some lunch. Pauline went to collect him and he came back to report he had caught two tiddlers!

The next day I simply said we were leaving Pauline at home for a rest and going on a magical mystery tour. We drove down to Abersoch, a place I had never before visited. Then we drove along the coast, visiting Pwlleli and then Criccieth where we stopped for lunch. next we went on to Porthmadog where Joshua was thrilled to see one of the Fairlie Doubles hauling a steam train across the cob on its way up to Blaenau Ffestiniog. We came home as happy as we could be.

On the Wednesday I promised to take Josh down to se the jets at RAF Valley in the afternoon. By the time Pauline got back home it was getting late. When we eventually arrived at the end of the runway all the jets had been flown in and there was just a lone helicopter excerising overhead. However, it fascinated Josh, and that was mattered.

The following day we took them back to Milnrow in Lancashire. We did not stop for lunch with their mum. I had a plan to take Pauline for lunch at the Romper Inn near Manchester Airport. She enjoyed the food there and said she would like to go again sometime. Some time after arriving home we set off to see if we could grab a table at the Quarterdeck Restaurant for the evening meal. We were lucky, even though we had to wait for the table.

The food was sensational and was the best experience we had ever had in a restaurant. It was an excellent way to end a heavy day, not having to cook or wash up. Now that I am aware of Josh's interest in aircraft I can take him there next time he stays and he will be happy. He even took interest in the wildlife he saw on the roads around Anglesey. But we shall not go fishing again!

The Macmillan Golf Day

2006-08-28T11:42:00.000Z

On Sunday 27th August the 8th Annual Macmillan Golf Tournament was played at the Bull Bay Golf Club near Amlwch. The weather was better than the previous year when it was overcast and blowing a gale. This year it was bright and sunny almost all the way through. I do not play golf but I was there as Secretary of the Macmillan Cancer Support, Anglesey Committee. I had been allocated the job of driving a golf buggy with supplies from the clubhouse to the hospitality tent by the 10th green. However, I was first asked to sell raffle tickets as the teams arrived. Shortly afterwards I was transferred to the stand in post of starter for the teams setting out from the first green.

This, then, was my job for the rest of the day. As each team set out Annwen Williams took a photo of them and I read the rules out. So it was that I met each team who had paid to play golf for the Macmillan charity. What a happy and cherful crowd they were! Two teams had come all the way from the midlands to play golf in Anglesey. One early team of four included two doctors at the local surgery where I am a patient. I cannot imagine what Drs Owen and King thought as they both played dreadful tee shots which didn't travel more than twenty feet with a patient looking on! Dr Owen simply described it sarcastically as "an illustrious start".

Later in the day I found that one of the players was Arwel Griffiths from whom we bought our bungalow in Penysarn. I was there over 12 hours without a break and enjoyed every minute of it. I had watched the approaching date with dread as I wondered how I would get through 12 hours involved in a sport of which I had no knowledge.

At the end of the day the prizes were presented by the Captain and Lady Captain of the club. The organiser, Richard Butler, stood up to say thankyou to everone who had played a part in the proceedings. He had worked very hard in the months leading upto the day getting sponsors, selling raffle tickets, getting customers in his hairdressing salon to bake cakes etc. But he reached a point of embarrassment as he received a prize as part of the winning mixed team! This had been a special day when we had even had a player hole out in one.

The day was part of the Bank Holiday weekend when across the road there was a longboat race being held. This meant I had the chance to see the longboats being rowed across Bull Bay and back. The wind was in their favour on the way out but when they returned it was against them and they strained as they made headway over the waves. Many people were putting in a great effort on Sunday!

All in all it was the sort of one would remember for a long time. Many people had worked hard and loved doing it. They had done their bit to help a worthy cause, Glod bless them. It was a reminder that life may be hard but it can also be fun.

Beautiful Island

2006-08-26T20:57:00.000Z

Recently we have had two of our grandchildren staying with us. Sadly, the weather was not as hot as it was in July. However, we tried to make the best of it. But trying to find things which would occupy them was quite stressful. Eventually it was Thursday 24th August when we drove them back to Rochdale, near Manchester.

We drove back to Anglesey, stopping at a pub near Manchester Airport for a lunchtime sandwich washed down by a glass of wine. The weather was fine and it continued fine all the way back to our lovely island. Driving back home along the A5025 we saw the beauty of the island and felt welcomed back.

It was our plan to have a meal out that evening as we would be too tired after a 250 miles round trip to cook an evening meal. We decided to take pot luck and see if we could get a table at the Quarterdeck, a restaurant in Red Wharfe Bay. We set off through the greenery of Anglesey and then turned down the narrow lane to the waterside at Red Wharfe Bay (Traeth Coch in Welsh). The tide was out and one could see acres of sand exposed at the moment. It looked at its best. But there were many, many cars parked there which made us think there would be no table for us.

Luckily there was and we waited in the bar to be called to our table after choosing what we would eat and drink. The wait was quite long but it was worth it. Our starters came and they looked delicious. Pauline had scallops, the biggest we had ever seen. My choice was figs, wrapped in bacon with a sauce and a salad. They both tasted wonderful. The main course for Pauline was a cod and crab risotto and I had monkfish. In each case the taste was exquisite and we had the best meal ever experienced. We both chose vanilla panacotta for sweet and we loved it. It was the best meal we had ever eaten. The weather had been good, the island lovely, and the food just perfect. It had been a wonderful day.

The photo above is a scene of Llaneilian, showing all the variety of nature we see there. There are many lovely house and bungalows to complete the scenery. It is a wonderful place. The other weekend we were in Cemaes Bay and I was talking to Dafydd Williams, the harbour master. He remembered me from the many holidays we had taken in Anglesey. I told him we now lived on the island and he asked where. When I told him he commented on the lovely views in our area. He was right. It is a privilege to live in Anglesey.

Beauty all around

2006-08-08T21:59:00.000Z

It was yesterday, Monday, following a meeting of the Anglesey Committee for Macmillan Cancer Support, that I discussed with my predecessor as Secretary, the beauty of this georgeous island. Each of us has exactlty the same feeling about Anglesey as we drive round it. It wraps itself around you and gives you such a clean feeling of pleasure as you soak in the thousands of views.

The view in this photo is of Point Lynas, near
Lllaneilian, the area in which Penysarn, my village, sits. All around are spectacular and colourful views you might never see if you came for the occasional weekend break. My brother and his partner stayed with us this weekend and we drove out with them to Porth Trecastle on the south coast of Anglesey. We arrived to find the weather was deteriorating and an uncomfortable wind was blowing. We did not stop and went, instead, to park up and eat our lunch overloking Treaddur Bay. After lunch we took the coast road round to South Stack lighthouse. The coves were appreciated as we drove along. We turned up and climbed the lower slopes of Holyhead Mountain to reach the car park. On leaving the car we could hear the lighthouse fog warning sounding. A great mist wrapped itself round the lighthouse so that for a time we could not see it.

We then drove to Holyhead, noting the new footbridge from the ferry and rail interchange into the town centre. At Valley crossroads we turned along the A5025 and headed for Llanfaethlu. Once there we took the route across the fields to Porth Trefadog. There the beach was deserted but covered in seaweed of many different colours. It was fascinating to see the seaweed and the different sorts that had been washed up.

Our next port of call was Church Bay where we all scanned the menu outside the Lobster Pot. There is no finer expert than the owner/chef when it comes to cooking lobster dishes. From Church Bay we turned left and took the road which joins the A5025 at Llanruthladd. We had called at Cemaes the previous day so drove past and across to Llaneilian with its 360 degree views. We took a peek at Porth Eilian and then returned to Penysarn via Nebo.

Our visitors declared they had benefitted from the poor weather as they had been treated to a tour of places they would never otherwise find. No doubt, if it had been hot, we should have remained on the first beach selected.

If you drive over to the coast that looks across the Menai Strait you find it full of the most surprising vistas. A trip to Black Point on a windy day will blow away all your cobwebs as you look across to Ynys Seiriol and the Great Orme at Llandudno. Shoot down to Newborough and then take the toll road into Newborough forest. At the end of the winding forest road is a car park and then a long walk which takes you to Llandwyn Island. Down to your left is the corner of the island that looks across to Caernarvon and its great castle. In fact, I really love to go to Caernarvon just for the views of Anglesey from the coast road there.

Wherever I drive around I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place.

Llandonna Beach

2006-08-04T18:20:00.000Z

Most visitors to the island of Anglesey will never visit this wonderful open stretch of beach. They may see the land behind it from across Red Wharf Bay (Traeth Coch in Welsh) but probably the land just comes down to the water's edge. They would be wrong. Llandonna Beach is hard to find, but once found it is a peaceful, fresh location where a family could play on the beach between tides without spending a penny.

There are no shops. There are no ice cream vendors. More importantly, there are no public toilets. But the expanse of the beach is vast and the view over to Traeth Coch and Benllech is wonderful. When the tide goes out it recedes a long way, leaving a vast expanse of sand for several miles round this huge bay.

To get to it the traveller must locate the centre of Llandonna village. Turn off on the right hand side of the pub (Owain Glyndywr) and follow the narrow lane. When you arrive at the picturesque church take the lane down the left hand side of the church. At the very bottom of the lane turn left and the vistas of the bay will open up to you. There are a few cottages and bungalows on the left with a vast expanse of beautiful sand to look out on.

Along the road you will find a car park and the rest is up to you! The only reason I found this place was because I had to deliver a couple of video tapes to a man who lives along the beach road. It is an Anglesey secret worth finding for its beauty and simplicity. It is not too far if you happen to be visiting Beaumaris. You take the road towards Pentraeth and then turn right to approach Llandonna. if you approach from the direction of Pentraeth you look for a sign to turn left for the village.

Earlier today we arrived in Beaumaris from Bangor where I had been collecting some new sunglasses fro an optician. Knowing the little town as we do we parked at the roadside and walked up the Pentraeth road to Sarah's Delicatessen. There we purchased some exquisite cheese and some peppers stuffed with Feta. I had the stuffed peppers for my starter at dinner. This deli is one to die for. They encourage the cheesebuyer to taste before having a different cheese. This way you are assured of the quality of the food you buy. The smells in the shop assail the nose as soon as you go inside. If you love good food make sure you visit this shop. You will not regret it.

Amlwch Methodist Church Flower Festival

2006-07-27T21:00:00.000Z

Each year at Amlwch English Methodist Church we organise a Flower Festival. It started when Rev Victor Tudor and his wife Barbara, a keen flower arranger, came to the church in the seventies. Today, Barbara, still with a great interest in flower arranging, has organised another festival.

Today was the start of this year's Festival and, as usual, we received a party of nine ladies from Penmaenmawr Methodist Church. They love to visit us and see what has been done with flowers each year. On Sunday last we had two visiting families in church at the service and they came along to the Flower Festival today.

Not only is there an opportunity to see flower arranging done to a high standard but the visitor can come and share a time of fellowship with friends. We do meals all day long so you can drop in and take a spot of lunch or afternoon tea as you wish. Why not call in at the Copper Miner's Chapel in Wesley Street, Amlwch? We are famous, not just for our flowers, but our welcome extended to all visitors.

Another Island we love!

2006-07-24T20:30:00.000Z

It was in 1987 that we first visited the Greek Island in the Saronic Gulf known as Anghistri. This is the spelling we choose to use. It is also known as Angistri and Agistri. The locals say "Anghistri". Our bungalow in Anglesey is also named Anghistri and many believe we have chosen a Welsh name. The Welsh people know it is not Welsh but are equally interested in its meaning. It is Greek for "hook!"

My readers may wonder why I have chosen to show a grave for my picture. I will tell you. One day during our first fortnight in Anghistri we saw an English couple talking to a man we thought was Greek. It turned out that he was English and lived next door to them in Disley near Stockport. His name was Don and his wife, Dena, was Greek and born on the island. They stayed each year on holiday with Dena's sister, Athena.

Eventually we became friends with Don and Dena Lofthouse from Disley. They came to our house and we went to theirs in the off season. Sometimes we went out for the day together. However, one year Don was very ill during Christmas and he thought it was all up with him. But he recovered and got better. The bad news was that he had cancer and died the following autumn. We went over to his funeral and from time to time afterwards we visited Dena. The next year saw our daughter remarry, with me as the officiating preacher at the wedding. Dena and her other sister, Sofia, came to to the wedding. Only a few weeks later our son, David was married and Dena and Sofia came to this wedding too.

Our children loved Dena and thought she had a wonderful sense of humour. But the following year she too succumbed to illness. She had a stroke and was in Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport. As I worked fairly near Stockport I visited her in hospital where I saw she had been quite badly affected by the stroke. After some time she was tranferred for convalescence to another hospital nearer home. Whe Pauline and I visited her there she told us the doctors had said she would not be able to walk again. Dena had other ideas. She decided to return to Anghistri to make contact with a relative who was a consultant in a big hospital. "He will find me a good physio" she declared.

Back she went to that lovely island and she was referred to a good physiotherapist. I rang her there some months later and she told me she was walking again! That was the last time I spoke to her. A couple of years later we went on holiday there to find that Dena had died only weeks earlier. She had experienced great problems having had another big stroke since which she could not communicate with anyone. It had left Athena distraught, and she was still in this state when we visited her just a few weeks after Dena's death.

The grave in the picture is Dena's. As soon as I heard of her death I went down to the cemetery to visit her grave. I noticed that another sister, Maria, had died before Dena and was buried there too. As I walked round the cemetery I saw the graves of a number of people I had known during our holidays on the island.

Whenever we return to Anghistri we are greeted enthusiastically by the people we know in the capital village, Megalohori (in English this means the great place). Our days often start with the ritual of my walking down the road to buy beautiful fresh bread from the village baker, Vangellis. We get our food from the supermarket which has grown in the village centre. Ireni, the woman who runs the shop with Theo, her husband, greets us with the most beautiful smile you could wish to see. Theo has grown like Nontas, his late father, and is serious with never a smile. He became like this, I think, to carry on the family tradition of showing a miserable face!

Across the road is Taverna Fotis which is also the village butcher's shop. Fotis, who comes from the island of Poros, runs it with the help of his wife Katerina. What characters they are! Fotis has the longest face you could imagine but is an artist with a barbecue when cooking octopus or pork chops for his customers. Katerina is the one who goes out each day to catch the octopus. She is a great swimmer and diver and once got a very nasty bite on the shoulder from an agressive jellyfish. It kept her out of the water for many months.

After a long absence we returned one year to the island and Pauline was overwhelmed at the welcome Katerina gave her when she met her! No matter how long we stay away we go back as if we were going home to friends and family.

Anghistri is not a particularly lovely island but we love being there. Many English friends go back each September and re-cement their friendships. This year will be no exception. We shall be there for a whole month in order to celebrate our Ruby Wedding Anniversary on 1st October. Need I say that we are looking forward to it?

The last time we were there the island made the Greek front pages. Readers will recall that some years ago the British Milatary Attache had been murdered by terrorists. Well, the leader of the group had the nickname, "Manifesto". Just before we arrived on the island he had walked into a police station in Athens to give himself up. Interrogation showed that he had been hiding in a cave on Anghistri's nudist beach! As we sat in a bar that evening. when the news broke, we noticed a young blonde English looking woman being interviewed by the TV people. I suddenly recognised her as the young woman behind the bar who had served our drinks. The Greek press had descended on the island to find out everything they could as to whether any of the islanders remembered meeting this criminal. Most of them owned up to having had a conversation with him in a bar or taverna! It was probably untrue but they were going to get what publicity they could!

From time to time we leave the island for a sail to another island and find out what life is like in the Saronic Gulf. But we are always glad to return. It's just the same in Anglesey. We are always able to completely relax when we are in Anghistri. We are welcome and we feel at home. The sea is warm so we have just bought new snorkelling gear to explore beneath the surface whenever we can. We hope to explore some of the mainland this time with perhaps a visit to Corinth. Hopefully we shall make it to the island of Hydra to see all the jewellery shops there. It is definitely our plan to stay for a night at least on Poros which is so accessible and handy for seeing Galatas on the Pelopponese peninsular.

The last time we visited the island we told all our friends that we were hoping soon to retire to another island beginning with ANG - Anglesey. Well, we have made it and can back to report on it this year in September.

Amlwch Viking Festival 2

2006-07-23T07:39:00.000Z

As I promised my readers, we went into Amlwch again in the evening to see the culmination of the day's festival activities. The Vikings had left Madyn Field at 6.00pm and marched through the town to the Port with the Viking Longship on a trailer. The ship was to be burnt on the side of the Port later that night when darkness had fallen.

We drove into Amlwch, parked up and got into the Port area for 10.00pm. There we met so many people we knew and stopped for a chat we actually missed seeing the boat start to burn. Once the boat was well on its way to oblivion the fireworks began. The first two fireworks were more like flares and did not impress. Then a few went up that resembled fish swimming in the sky.

Those that followed, like that in the picture above were more impressive and we were entertained to a good show and fitting ending to a great day. The cost to go onto the field in the afternoon was £4.00 each. It included the port area in the evening so it was good value for money. Value for money is something we can rely on in Anglesey. The event was so well organised that no police were seen patrolling the show field and in the evening they were to be found outside the two pubs by the port but not in the harbour itself. In the showfield there were council staff picking up litter as events took place. Where would you see that elsewhere?

Well done to the organisers! It was an event to be proud of.

The Amlwch Viking Festival

2006-07-22T17:09:00.000Z

Today has seen the beginning of two days when Amlwch is invaded by Vikings. The festival is organised every two years and attracts crowds of people to see re-enactments of beach landings, battles, and a Viking boat burning.

The weather was excellent and the ground on the display field underfoot was very dry. This is a good foundation for any well organised event because they are the two factors over which there is no control.

Pauline and I went over to Moelfre to see the first re-enactment of a beach landing by a group of Vikings from Ireland. The beach was fenced off for the safety of the crowds and the local lifeboat was on hand in case of any seaborn emergency. A few minutes past 10.00am the word came that two Viking ships had been spotted near the lifeboat station. A few minutes later they came into view and were greeted by a great boo from the crowds. Soon their ships grounded on the shingle of Moelfre beach and the warriors lept out onto dry land. The local forces knew they were coming and had grouped their women on the beach as bait to lure the ships to shore. Then the battle began.

The two sides, armed with swords and shields, set into each other with a will and the noise of steel on shield was very loud. It was not long before there were many bodies lying on the beach, most of them Vikings. The local Anglesey men has overcome the invaders and those who could still walk were heading back to sea in their longships.

In the afternoon on Madyn Field in Amlwch there was a Viking encampment with stalls showing the visitors ancient arts and crafts. In addition there was a large arena prepared for a battle re-enactment and a smaller one where the Gwynedd Axemen showed their abilities. The latter was a competition involving wood cutting. Logs of wood were set up for the competitors to show their felling prowess. Following this horizontal logs had to be cut through. The competitors were graded according to ability with the best man handicapped to a count of 30 before he could begin.

They carried axes which were incredibly sharp. I imagine there is an art in sharpening a woodman's axe because the axes went through a great thickness of timber. First to finish by a long way was Daffyd who cut through his log as if it were a twig. It didn't seem to be any efforet at all. But he was, after all, a champion woodsman in competitions all over Wales! Eventually all six logs were cut in half and the crowd gave the men a shout of encouragement.

We then moved to the main arena to see the Welsh forces repell a hoard of Vikings seeking to take over their fort. A pallisade had been built, giving the local warriors some protection from invaders. Through the gate came a line of Welshman, following their Prince to view his lands. Then some of the remaining villagers came out to work in their fields. The hidden Vikings lept out and captured these to use them as a human shield against the Welshmen. A battle ensued with no one the winner so both sides decided to discuss what should happen next. The Vikings were invited to lay down their weapons and accept Welsh hospitality but they had a preference for capturing the entire village and its fields for hospitality of a permanent nature.

The talks got nowhere and so another battle was fought. Next the warriors were called to return to their units where they surrounded their own particular banner. The next ploy was to invite a champion from each army to fight it out and decide the winners on the outcome of their fight. This was fine until 2 Vikings approached to help out their champion. Their move was seen and the response was all out battle with the Welsh the ultimate winners.

It was excellent to see such an event staged in the small town of Amlwch. Tonight we shall be going down to Amlwch Port for the ceremony of the Viking boat burning after dark. Tomorrow I shall entertain you with details of this great event which is due to end with a fireworks display.

A Tale of Two Islands

2006-07-14T07:17:00.000Z

Recently we had a week's holiday on the Mediterranean island of Menorca. It was our third holiday there but the first since we came to live on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales. This led to some comparisons between the two islands. They are of a similar area but Menorca is long and narrow whereas Anglesey is more square. The population of Menorca is probably greater than that of Anglesey.

Back in history Menorca was ruled by the British. This is why you see dry stone walls dividing the fields of Friesian cattle. The land looks quite different because of the hot summer sun. Everything looks well baked but there is considerable effort going into arable farming as well as dairy farming. The farm buildings are in the Spanish style with beautiful round archways and the gate at the end of the farm lane is often constructed in the same way.

There are two features of Menorca with which Anglesey cannot compete. The large natural harbours at Mahon, Ciutadella and Fornells are impressive. The picture in this blog shows the harbour in Cuitadella. Along the left of the harbour are many places to sit and eat whilst enjoying the view. The quality of their seafood is excellent. The Isle of Anglesey boasts only two natural harbours which are very tiny. Mind you, the harbour at Cemaes Bay is picturesque and the harbour at Amlwch has a very interesting history.

One feature in Menorca which is worth visiting is the convent at the top of Monte Toro. The church itself is simple but possess a very ornate golden altar which is worth seeing. Outside there is a huge plinth on top of which is a statue of Jesus with outstretched arms. The only problem here is that it competes with countless communication aerials.

The roads on Menorca are very well constructed and smooth. Perhaps the only criticism is that there are no coast roads. Each village or resort on the coast is separately accessed by a road. This is good for the fuel trade! In Anglesey we have the A5025 running round the island from Menai Bridge and along the north coast then down the west coast to Valley. There is another road which follows the south coast. Menorca is accessed by sea and air whereas Anglesey, being separated from the mainland by the Menai Strait, is accessed via road and rail. We are soon to have access by air when RAF Valley hosts commercial flights.

In Anglesey much attention is paid to hedges by the side of the roads. These are regularly cut back and ensure safety is not forgotten as far as the motorist is concerned. It also gives the island a clean, well kept look which is important. Another difference in Anglesey is that all road signs are in Welsh and English. Over 60% of the population are Welsh speaking so all signs, by law, must be in dual language.

The people of both islands are very friendly and welcoming. In the past the people of Anglesey were considered speak English and only revert to Welsh if a non Welsh speaker came close. This is nonsense. It is quite likely that Welsh speakers were heard using English words that had no equivalent in Welsh. It should be noted that there are no swear words in Welsh!

Both islands are very beautiful and it is a privilege to experience this. I count myself fortunate to live in Anglesey. It is so clean and fresh compared to the cities and towns of North West England from which we came. Communications with the rest of the UK can be difficult as there are many mountains to encounter when travelling in Wales. There are no motorways, just the North Wales Expressway to take you over to Chester and Manchester via the M56.

Having said all this, we are looking forward to a month on the Greek Island of Anghistri this year and there lies a real difference. It is so small that if they built an airport there would be little island left to visit. Anghistri has little in the way of good beaches and few roads, but we love it. It is like returning home when the locals welcome us each time we stay there.

Driving in Anglesey

2006-06-11T15:16:00.000Z

To any visitor or stranger to Anglesey I must say "Watch your driving speed!" Anglesey is policed by the North Wales Police Force who have a Chief Constable obsessed with the crime of speeding. Coming over to Anglesey from Manchester in the east you have to watch your speed as soon as you are in North Wales. This begins just outside Queensferry.

Basically you drive westwards along the A55 after skirting Queensferry. For the most part, if you travel at the same speed as everyone else you don't seem to attract trouble. Pay particular attention to the 50mph speed limit through Colwyn Bay and all should be well. Eventually you come to the 50mph limit over the Britannia Bridge which makes sense. After that the problems arise. I warned a friend of mine who had come on a visit in her new car to watch her speed. Too late! She had already been caught in the Pentraeth area on the A5025. This has been a spot where many speeders have been caught. It is not that all drivers deliberately drive at breakneck speed through Pentraeth. Last year when Mavis was "caught on camera" the 30mph limit through Pentraeth was very short and many people were caught. However the limit now applies all through the entire village. From the bridges it is approached downhill in a 50mph zone in a stretch with many trees to restrict your vision of the 30mph sign. However, if you are driving quickly there is a warning flash straight after the start of the 30mph zone. In the opposite direction you approach through a 40mph restricted zone along a level road. This gives you less excuse for being caught.

There is, however, a problem for drivers. On the entire island there is not one single fixed speed camera. The police force uses a fleet of "Arrive Alive" vans in a variety of colours. You spot them when you see a rear window dropped open and a lens in the darkness behind. Pentraeth is an area where the vans were very active, but less so today. There are a number of short laybys they can use but they seem to prefer to park half off the road on a verge to catch you out. Wherever they are, they are waiting to record your speed, so you have to be very aware of the speed limits which change according to where you are. In other words, there is a moving target all over the island.

To be fair to them we do have a significant number of fatal accidents, many of which will include the speed factor. Like other places we experience drivers who cannot wait to overtake just because you are in front. In relatively few places on this single carriageway A5025 is it safe to overtake. Where there is extra width or an occasional short second lane you can be sure drivers will take advantage. But they often have to adopt racing circuit tactics to complete the manoevre. You now begin to see the need for anti-speeding tactics on the part of the police.

If you decide to come to Anglesey and even if you are a user of secondary roads anywhere in North Wales you need to be aware of the speed traps which keep moving. We are told it is too expensive to use fixed point speed cameras so we get the moving traps to contend with. When you are caught you will receive your letter in about 7 days. However, if you report a prowler you will not get your police visit at all. Clearly speeding is not something you can accuse the police of! Even elderly drivers, who normally drive far more cautiously than the rest of us, get caught in these moving speed traps. So, on Anglesey, no one goes to heaven with a clean licence!

The only thing I can say is what the police say, "Watch your speed!"

Amlwch English Methodist Church

2006-06-05T20:47:00.000Z

If you are visiting Anglesey over a weekend or longer why not call in and join in our Sunday worship at 11.10am? We are a small church but lively. Our local circuit is small but perfectly formed. The photo you see on this blog is that of our church and its extension.

In the 1830s the manager of the Mona Copper Mine, James Treweek, a Cornishman and a Methodist was instrumental in pioneering this tiny Methodist Church. In our circuit of 5 churches we have the second largest congregation and are noted for our singing! It was back in the 1970s that Rev Victor Tudor, a United Reformed Church retired minister was asked if he could give a couple of days a week to revitalise the church. He had settled in Anglesey to write books and ended up taking on full time (expenses only) a church. He said he would finally retire once he had got the membership from about 10 to 100. He did it! Although I never met Victor during his period in Anglesey I did meet him when he was the minister of the Spalding URC which extended a welcome to my tiny church in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire as part of a group.

Today, Victor's widow, Barbara, is a good friend with whom I work as part of the Anglesey Committee for Macmillan Cancer Support. The Amlwch Methodist Church is well known for its annual Flower Festival where a number of very artistic flower arrangers show off their art. Each year the ladies from Penmaenmawr Methodist Church make a pilgrimage to see our flowers. Barbara Tudor is the driving force (at the tender age of 89 years) of the Flower Festival which she brought from Spalding when she settled here.

Visitors are always interested to learn the history of our church when they come to see the flowers. It is a unique history where signs of resurrection have always been in evidence. As a member of the Publicity Group I am forever designing posters for various events and invites for holidaymakers to come and join whatever we are doing. The good news is that it works and we do receive many visitors over a season.

We have no organist and instead use the Digital Hymnary for accompaniment to our singing. Our minister is Deacon Stephen Roe whose family offers wonderful support to our church. The congregation is a mixture of Methodists, former Anglicans, United Reformed Church, Salvationists etc. At Christmas time our candlelit carol service is something to behold. Each Friday we hold a Prayer Fellowship for 15 minutes. Then we move into the extension for coffee and a chat. We extend a welcome to any people at all and some do come.

On Sundays we welcome the Welsh Congregation whose service precedes ours. Any Welsh speaker would be welcome to join the earlier service or, if preferred, the English Service at 11.10am. We have a number of good preachers who manage to reach parts other preachers cannot!

Amlwch is just about the farthest north you can go whlst still in Wales. Looking East your gaze would alight on Liverpool. If you wnat to go North you have to go South first! We are special people who welcome anyone at all to our services.

Penrhos Nature Reserve

2006-06-03T20:56:00.000Z

If you travel across my lovely Anglesey and take the old A5 historical route you will eventually cross from Anglesey to Holy Island by the Stanley Embankment. As you arrive on the other side you can turn right and approach the lovely peninsular past the old octagonal toll house which now is a tea room with a traditional sign outside.

The other Sunday I has been preaching at the Holyhead English Methodist Church and returned to my home in Penysarn after a short sto at this place. As you drive from the main road past the toll house you have a small pond on your left. A number of birds share this pond. I noticed a coot and a moorhen. The moorhen had chicks of which I saw one. I had brought my new camera with me so I was ready to photograph whatever I could see. Suddenly the moorhen and the coot began facing up to each other. I suspect the young moorhens were at risk. The two birds were on the pond and flapped their wings and threatened each other. Then all went quiet as the coot beat a hasty retreat. I have never seen this sort of behaviour before. I thought I had taken photos but this was not the case so there was no record of the bird fight!

All over Anglesey there are places like this where wildlife abound and live a normal life, undisturbed by humankind. Another such place is the small lake near Mynydd Bodafon. There you can see different birds doing what comes naturally. You may see a fishing heron. You may even see a sea bird off course and exhausted.

All the time I see herring gulls sitting on local chimney pots and calling to their friends and family. Many pigeons sit up there calling away. House sparrows and chaffinches frequent the garden together with the occasional robin.

No matter where you drive you see Nature at her best. There are trees growing at an impossible angle where the prevailing south westerlies blow. In other quiet places there is no wind affecting the way plants grow. Our garden is sheltered from the prevailing wind to a degree so this accounts for our success in growing plants. Our friend, Ann, just round the corner struggles when the wind blows because her garden is elevated and in the teeth of the prevailing wind.

She has had bad luck with broad beans this year so while she is on holiday we have two trays of broad beans being brought on in our greenhouse. When they are ready they will complete in the veg garden. Speaking personally I have alreay done this to complete my supply of broad beans. I have already a single flower showing. You can use a greenhouse for filling in the gaps when they occur.

We shall be learning "on the job" for quite some time but success makes you try many different things, such as the various lettuce plants we have for picking instead of buying those bags in the supermarket. Our hanging baskets were started in the greenhouse. Last year I bought 6 strawberry plants. This year has seen them in larger numbers and there are hundreds of budding strawberries coming on as I speak.

All in all we are glad we decided to retire to this island of ours. It keeps on encouraging us to try more and more ideas in our garden. It seems to have its own micro climate that enables us to do so much in the garden. But everywhere we see evidence of growth and seasonal change and that is what it is all about. Add to this the wonderful seascapes we wee on the northern coast and you have an idea why we wanted to live here.

Where I love to be

2006-06-03T02:01:00.000Z

It may be small but my garden is a haven of peace and quiet. I can sit on the bench under the arch and gaze on all our plants and pick up the movement of growth there. If I look towards the greenhouse I see a place where seeds are sown and grow into plants which populate hanging baskets and containers all round the bungalow. Then there is the barbecue all snug beneath its cover. It waits for the next time we sit out for a meal and down glasses of rose wine from different countries.

This year, after all the plants were removed to go elsewhere, we bought some lettuce plants for mixed salads. They are already growing vigorously, soon to be picked to go into a salad on a dinner table. Then we also bought seeds to grow salads and these are shooting up healthily.

The white wall in the picture and the property behind it shelter us from the worst of the strong winds which blow on Anglesey. This encourages the plants to "do their thing" and gives small weaklings a chance. This must be God's garden! We have geraniums, cistus, penstemons, scabiosa, alliums, Jacob's Ladder, poppies, philadelphus, tamarisk, mahonia, digitalis, hibiscus and many more. On a lovely day my favourite place is my garden in Anglesey. It reflects the beauty of the island and restores my soul.

When the weather prevents my being in the garden I find things to do inside but I cannot wait to be out there again. I enjoyed a pleasant garden at my last address but it was not as good as this. Everything grows well and looks content as it grows. It probably thrives like I do because I am in a beautiful place - Anglesey.

Gardens & Gardening

2006-05-21T20:02:00.000Z

This year we committed ourselves to improving the garden at the rear of our bungalow. Having lived here for 18 months we knew it was the right time to buy a greenhouse and start gardening in a more serious way. In February we ordered our green house which was erected and eventually commissioned by 21st March, the first day of Spring.
We bought packets of seeds which we sowed in seed trays on 21st March. They were faithfully watered as the days wore on and when the seeds grew into seedlings we began to plant them in tubs, containers, hanging baskets and wall baskets. Those left over were planted among the perrenial shrubs in the flower beds I had dug whilst they were growing. This was the first time we had tried ouir hand at growing. We were thrilled at the results.
Part way through this process we visited Bodnant Gardens in the Conwy Valley. It is a huge site on the slope of one side of the famous valley. It was inspirational and we shall visit it many times over the coming seasons to see it in all its glory. We are now members of the National Trust!
At the end of the week we paid a second visit to another National Trust venue, Castell Penrhyn outside Bangor. Only a castle in its building style, it is still worth seeing. Lord Penrhyn was the owner of some slate quarries in North Wales as well as some sugar plantations in the West Indies. The family only visited the Castell 3 times a year but it was kept as if they were in permanent residence. It was built to show off the family wealth from slate and sugar. But, I have to say, it is inspirational. The whole place is designed as one. The doors and all the woodwork are designed in the same style as the furniture. The dining room is a joy to behold. It is crammed full of masterpieces on the wall and trophies from horse racing on the huge dining table. Look behind the screens and you will see the facilities for the gentlemen to relieve themselves as they drank port and the ladies withdrew!
All this and more is available by just driving off the island for a tour in your car. If you wish to confine yourself to the island there is Plas Newydd where the Marquess of Anglesey used to reside. There are lovely gardens, a landing stage with a boat to sail on the Menai Straits and a huge house to explore. For my money the tour de force is Whistler's mural in the dingroom. The famous artist was a great friend of the family and agreed to paint a mural in their diningroom. It is well worth seeing!
Come to Anglesey and see it in all its glory! You will not be disappointed. There is a sea zoo, a butterfly palace, an old courthouse and a victorian gaol to visit. This is in addition to the beautiful symmetric mediaeval castle in Beaumaris. You can go sea fishing, visit a smokery and buy the most tasty smoked salmon you have ever experienced. There are many great eating venues for a taste of seafood and more besides. We even have a vineyard which produces an excellent choice of wine each year.
If you decide to come you will see the sign - "Croeso!" ("Welcome!")

Llanbadrig Church

2006-05-03T17:25:00.000Z

This afternoon I was out and about looking for some good seascapes for my wife to paint in oils for an art competition. However, I could not resist taking this photograph of a small Anglican church near Cemaes Bay which dates from the 5th Century.

The present church is not that old but stands on the site once occupied by a church built in the 5th century.

It is said that St Patrick was shipwrecked and found himself washed onto Middle Mouse, and island just off the Anglesey coast near here. Legend has it that Patrick swam the channel between Middle Mouse and Anglesey and founded a church here. The name, Llanbadrig, is Welsh, meaning Patrick's church.

Even the present building is of interest because it was provided by Lord Stanley who built the causeway that takes the road and the railway from Anglesey to Holy Island where stands Holyhead, the ferry port for Ireland. Lord Stanley's name is also used for the small hospital in Holyhead.

Unusually, Lord Stanley converted to Islam and this is why there are a number of typical Islamic devices which decorate Llanbadrig church. The Islamic colour, blue is used in some of the stained glass windows of the church and the chancel is tiled in Islamic tiles which makes the building unique.

The tiny church is used once a month in the summer for services. It possess a considerable churchyard which is bounded on one side by the Irish Sea. The other side of the cemetery is a steep cliff down to the sea. When I was there today I had to take care because a strong wind was blowing, making photography tricky with strong gusts apt to take one by surprise.

The reader may find it fascinating to know that close to the little church is Anglesey's only vineyard, owned by a former policeman from Manchester. I have tasted the wine and can report a very classy drink for the wine freak. The sparkling wine is the best I have tasted outside Champagne.

Just further along the coastline is Cemaes Bay, a popular village with beaches, a tidal harbour and a good pub, The Stag. When my family were young I took them to fish for small crabs at the end of the jetty (officially, the pier) at Cemaes. All you had to do was buy a fatty piece of bacon and tie it to a crab line. Then you could enjoy hours of fun, catching crabs and tossing them back into the harbour! In those days we referred to them as the "Kama Kasi Crabs of Cemaes Bay".

Close by is the nuclear power station at Wylfa Head. It is a major employer in Anglesey and has a contract to supply direct electricity to Anglesey Aluminium Co, anothe major employer on the island. As an old magnox power station it has only five years years left to supply electricity. However, there is a big lobby forming to retain it until a modern nuclear power station can be developed alongside the site. The fact is that if Wylfa Power Station is allowed to close the island will also lose Anglesey Aluminium. This would be an economic disaster.

Copper Mining in Anglesey

2006-03-10T21:44:00.000Z

Archaeologists tell us that copper has been mined in Anglesey for 3,500 years. A similar story emanates from the Great Orme, the headland at Llandudno. In Anglesey there were two mines. The Parys Mine was owned by a family in nearby Dulas (pronounced Dillas) and the Mona Mine was in the ownership of the Marquess of Anglesey. Back in the earlier part of the 19th century the mines were beginning to fare badly. It was probably down to poor organisation.

The Marquess of Anglesey decided to do something about the Mona Mine and recruited a Cornishman, James Treweek, as his mine manager. Treweek had experience of copper mining in his native Cornwall and recruited quite a number of Cornish families to come and live in Anglesey to work in the mine. As far as the mine was concerned, James Treweek was successful in vastly improving productivity, and eventually became the supremo of both mines and the ancilliary trades too.

Cornwall was and remains an area where Methodism rules OK. Treweek was a Methodist and a local preacher. When he came to Anglesey he worshipped at the Wesleyan Chapel in Wesley Street, Amlwch where was the port through which the copper passed. The whole island was Welsh speaking, so Treweek learned to speak the language and began preaching at the Welsh Services. He realised that his workers needed to worship in English and so he arranged to lead English services at the Wesleyan Chapel.

Later he realised that the ideal situation was to have an English Methodist Church. He organised fund raising and in 1830 the English Methodist Church opened, further up Wesley Street. Pew rents were the main way to raise the cash needed. A few years later the chapel was extended to become the church building we see today.

It was and is a small building with a maximum capacity of about 120 people. It stands with its side to the street, unlike most free churches whose front faces the street. This makes it quite easy to walk past it without realising it is there. It is built in the Cornish style with a centre aisle and is very condusive to worship.

A considerable amount of time has passed since copper was last mined on Parys Mountain where the two mine stand. The land surrounding the old mines is multi coloured with reds, oranges, yellows and greys to be seen everywhere. The great opencast is a huge hole dug out over a long period of time using very dangerous practices and causing many deaths at work there. It was a hard life for the families employed there, but probably no harder than the life of a slate quarryman on the mainland. I refer to families because wives and children all came to work at the mine. The children used to carry large lumps of ore to the women who broke it up into smaller, useable pieces for onward shipment.

Visitors to the island can take a look at what remains of the old mine workings. There is a heritage trail which takes you all round the various parts of the site and there is a great vantage point for photographing the Great Opencast. At the start of the trail you can buy, using an honesty box, a copy of the Copper Trail map in Welsh or English. On top of all this interest you get fit doing the walk! My wife and I have done the trail and enjoyed it. But take heed, if you have any disability, because the trail is level for most of the walk but changes to a steep hill towards the end.

Down at the port there is an old sail loft which is now a Heritage Centre, dedicated to copper mining and other aspects of Amlwch. It is most informative and you can get an excellent cup of tea or coffee with a sticky bun or a biscuit in the cafe there. The port was an important part of the petro chemical industry not long ago when super tankers used to moor off the coast and discharge part of their cargo before offloading the rest on Merseyside on the mainland. At the seaward end of the port you will see the modern docks used by the service vessels of the oil industry. Right next to them is what remains of an old dry dock when ships were built and maintained at Amlwch port.

Mynydd Bodafon in the Snow

2006-03-02T22:07:00.000Z

My readers will recall that it was my intention on St David's Day (1st March) to take some pictures near Mynydd Bodafon(Bodafon Mountain) on the island. Well here is a picture of the lake close to Bodafon Mountain, a favourite beauty spot of mine. The lake surface is partially frozen but is a beautiful mirror of the sky.

There are all sorts of birds visiting this place all year round. Last summer I saw a cormorant there and often see coots and moorhens together with two families of mallards. I love this place because our first family holiday in Anglesey was in a farmhouse part way up Bodafon Mountain. At the end of the track there is still a bent sign saying "Clegir Farm." My wife, Pauline was frightened when I pulled over and parked the car in the snow which was six inches deep. As it was on the level there was no problem really. After all, I had to stop the car and get out to take my photos!

Earlier in the day there would have been more snow in evidence but then would not have been a good time to try and climb the hill as snow was still falling. The supermarket rang this morning to say their vans were off the road because of the snow and would not be able to deliver. We therefore went to our local smaller supermarket and shopped there without fuss. For two days we have been waiting for a coal delivery as our supply is getting low. The man did try to make it but began skidding in his truck and turned back. I should explain that the coal is for our multi fuel stove and that we do have oil central heating. We shall not get too cold - don't worry.

Many of the island's schools closed for the day because of the snow. There are fleets of buses which go round collecting students from all over the countryside and these were unable to complete their task. Not only that but the market at Llangefni did not happen and the library there close half way through the day. You can tell that Anglesey is not used to snow and does not know how to organise when it falls. Where we used to live in Rochdale and Oldham area life would carry on as normal. The only change would happen if really heavy snow were to fall and prevent workers and students getting home at day's end. Then the order would go out to close down early.

After saying all this, we discovered that the south side of the island had seen no snow at all this week. You could driver along the A55 and see green fields, not white. But the new beauty created by the snow was worth recording on my camera. There will not be many chances to repeat the experience over the years.

St David's Day 2006

2006-03-01T09:47:00.000Z

Yes, today is the day of the Welsh patron saint. It also marks the opening of the Senedd in Cardiff, the new home of the Welsk Assembly Government. The Senedd is due to be opened at lunchtime by the Queen and she will be accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. There will be one significant input from Anglesey with a fly past of four Hawk jets from RAF Valley.

But even more significant today is the coming of snow to the island. Because our climate is so mild we do not see much snow, but today it has fallen and Anglesey looks so different. Later I shall be going out with my camera to record the scene at some of our beauty spots. I am looking forward to seeing Bodafon Mountain in the snow.

For those unfamiliar with the location of Anglesey it stands just off the North Wales coast to the west of Snowdonia. I live on the north west coast which is the most northerly point inWales. 62% of the population speak Welsh and, as throughout Wales, all public signs are in both Welsh and English. Thus, when you drive on our roads and approach danger spots you will be warned by a sign in white paint on the road, "Araf, Slow." Where a town or village has an English name the sign will give the Welsh name too. Menai Bridge is Porthaethwy in Welsh.

Thomas Telford was an engineer whose task it was to build a road from London to Ireland. He decided on the route of what is now the A5. Outside Bangor he had the problem of spanning the Menai Strait which he solved by building the Menai Suspension Bridge, the largest of its type when completed. The road then continued in a fairly straight line across Anglesey and across a causeway from Anglesey to Holy Island on which stands the old town of Holyhead or Caergybi. It was not long before Robert Stephenson was tasked with a railway line to cross to Holyhead for transfer of passengers to the ferry to Ireland. This necessitated building the Britannia Bridge just south of the suspension bridge. Here another new type of bridge was constructed. It was a tubular bridge. Huge square tubular sections were lifted into position to carry the railway. Back in the seventies some children accidentally caused the pitch in the tubes to catch fire and the bridge was badly damaged. A new plan evolved where a new rail deck was built, supported by a massive steel arch over the water. It was strong enough to carry a road deck at a higher level and this is now the main route onto Anglesey.

In the last few years the North Wales Expressway, the A55, was extended from the Britannia Bridge across to Holyhead, relieving local traffic and speeding up the journey to the ferry port. This is our only dual carriageway road. The A5025 goes around the north of the island and meets the A5 at Valley (Y Fali) crossroads. This road has a number of places where motorists have been killed. It is a safe road if used with commensurate care but budding racing drivers cause severe problems.

Many small roads and lanes criss cross the island to make most places easy to access. It is when you use these smaller roads then the beauty of Anglesey manifests itself on a big scale. There are wonderful vistas in any direction and a landscape photographer is in his/her element.

On the south of the island we have a racing circuit which is put to continual use by many motorsport enthusiasts. The latest addition to Anglesey is the new pedestrian bridge from the ferry terminal to the centre of Holyhead. It is still unfinished but its shape is obvious and it looks both modern and grand.

Watch this space for historical Anglesey. It is a very ancient place indeed, full of barrows and standing stones!

A Beautiful Island

2006-02-28T23:10:00.000Z

I was 16 years old when I first saw Anglesey. Each Easter the then Lancashire Congregational Union organised a Youth Conference at St Mary's College, Bangor, North Wales. This was my first time as a delegate and it impressed me greatly. One of the spin offs from the Conference was that in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday we had no lectures and were free to do whatever we wished. Two of us walked down to the Menai Strait and walked across the magnificent Menai Suspension Bridge onto the island of Anglesey. This was the first of many visits.

Each year that I came I was impressed by the number of gorse bushes in glorious flower on the island. Those delegates with transport filled their cars and we all came over the bridge. At that time it was the only road link to Anglesey. Each year that I visited the scene was etched deeper in my mind. My last conference visit was when I was 21 years old and engaged to be married.

In later years when Pauline and I talked about where we could go for a family holiday I suggested Anglesey. The first time we came for one week and stayed at Clegir Farm on Bodafon Mountain. We had excellent weather and started to explore the coast and its lovely beaches. The next year we stayed on another farm near Trefor for a whole fortnight. Our next experience was in a bungalow called Sarn at Maenaddwyn. It was on this occasion that, crossing the bridge, we saw a notice telling us that the RAF Open Day at RAF Valley was happening right then. We arrived at the bungalow and shot off in the car to RAF Valley and arrived just in time to see the Red Arrows performing in their Folland Gnat trainers.

By now we felt to be regulars. Our next holiday was in a bungalow in the village of Llanfaethlu on the way to Church Bay. It had four bedrooms. We were really in luck! The following year we shared the same place with our friends and their daughter. That was the last time we came to stay for a holiday. But we came again many times for a day or two. Eventually we came and stayed at the White Lion Hotel in Beaumaris with a view of the castle over the road. This was the time when my trade union held its District Meeting in Bangor. After the meeting Pauline and I came back onto the island for a last look before going home. "How would you like to retire here one day?" I asked. "I would love it!" was the reply.

We never lost that feeling. Our aim was to retire to Anglesey. Eventually we placed our house on the market, back in Milnrow, Rochdale. We had not a single offer so took it off the market until the following spring. A second attempt the following year brought a result and on the 16th September 2004 we drove to Anglesey to our new home in Penysarn. What a feeling it was to be contacted by the estate agents to say the purchase was complete. That was good because we were only two miles away from the new home when the message came through!

Since that day we have never regretted making our move. It is a dream come true. Each day we smile at each other as we think of the life we now have together in this beautiful place. The beauty of Anglesey and its mild weather seem an extremely well kept secret. It is amazing that the place has not been overrun by people coming for retirement. But, of course, it keeps the island just as we like it and as the locals like it. We live about two miles from the coast so we can be there in minutes to walk the beaches and ramble along the coastal path in many places.

We know lots of short cuts and alternative routes around Anglesey. That was very useful this morning when the traffic was halted on the A5025 because of an accident. I simply turned the car around and found my way past the blockage by way of two lanes I knew. We have lived here now for almost 18 months and life gets better by the day.

It is an island of small hills - Bodafon Mountain is one of these. There are many sandy beaches, some suitable for surfing and kite surfing. There are two small harbours in addition to the port complex in Holyhead where ferries leave for Ireland. The population is about 67,000 people spread across small towns, villages, hamlets and scattered communities. The small shop is still viable here, yet we do have supermarkets in strategic places. Our little village sports a general store, a post office and a pub! There are numerous organisations for every interest. One very popular pastime is painting and there are numerous art groups all over the island. Pauline is a member of the WI at Llaneilian and attends their weekly art classes.

As time permits I shall expand on what Anglesey is all about and what problems it faces. Watch this space. It will be interesting.