A Walk Around the Woodland Burial Ground.

As we needed exercise and Jet needed a walk we decided to pick him up and walk round the cemetery and woodland burial ground.  Trees are glowing with colour now and autumn is well under way.  In the burial ground spindle buries are looking resplendent in their unreal colours of orange set against cerise pink.  

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Spindle berries

Guelder rose

Spindle berries

 

The Hunter's Moon

 As we pulled into Buck Beck car park it was just beginning to get dark with still some colour in the sky from the setting sun.  We could see a great deal of gull activity as we approached and on seeing that the tide was right up to the sea wall, I regretted not coming earlier to watch the clouds of waders going toroost as they were were washed off the foreshore.

I just had time to photograph the remains of the sunset before the reddish orange moon slid above the horizon just to the south of Spurn with Jupiter sparkling in the sky slightly further to the south.  As the moon rose there was still enough daylight left to include the landscape and the reflection of the moon in the sea.  I never tire of watching the full moon rise, deep orange as the light reflected from it has to pass through more of the Earth's atmosphere.  These atmospheric particles tend to scatter the shorter wavelengths of light more than the longer wavelengths.  Orange and red light, which have longer wavelengths, tend to pass through the atmosphere, while shorter wavelengths, such as blue, get scattered.  As the moon rises higher in the sky, it has less atmosphere to pass through so the blue light begins to pass through as well, making the moon appear more white or silver. Photographically it is more challenging to capture images of the moon as it rises as light levels are very low resulting in long exposure times and a risk of blurring as the moon moves surprisingly quickly. When it rises higher in the sky more light is reflected resulting in faster shutter speeds and sharper images.

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Llanfendigaid, September, Day 7

Our last day started in a familiar way this morning with torrential rain for most of it.  The NOGS and GOGS left early for grandchild duties and, sadly, a funeral.  Having sat out the deluge and had our lunch, we launched out for the afternoon as the skies began to clear.  First stop was Twyn Coop to buy pizza for tea and then a quick visit to the local Cadfan's Church on a Susan Cooper odyssey. Cooper wrote the Dark is rising sequence of books for older primary children and teenagers.  Having read the first one, Over Sea Under Stone to children at school, I fell in love with them myself and read them all.  The second in the series The Dark is Rising is my regular Christmas book as it begins on Christmas Eve and the final two in the series: The Grey King and Silver on the Tree take place in this part of World.  The series is  a well loved theme of good over evil, light vanquishing dark, much of it featuring established myths and legends and actual localities.  The Grey King begins with the young hero holidaying on his uncle's farm near Bryn Crug and visiting Cadfan's church in Twyn where he sees an ancient relic, Cadfan's Cross, and learns about an ancient mythical 'old way': Cadfan's Way.  On his uncle's farm he befriends Bran, who turns out to be King Arthur's son.  Together on the 'day of the dead' they enter Bird Rock where they meet both Arthur and 'The Grey King'.

On the day of the dead, when the year too dies,  

Must the youngest open the oldest hills,

Through the door of the birds, where the breeze breaks,

There fire shall fly from the raven boy, and the silver eyes that see the wind, 

And the light shall have the harp of gold.

Following in Will's steps we next headed for Bird Rock, not to enter it but to climb up it in a search for chough, rare members of the crow family with scarlet bill and legs.  Our search was successful (although not for photography!) despite nearly being blown off the rock and, descending quickly, we drove on through narrow banked lanes to Tonfanau station to walk down to the beach and the Dysyni Estuary.  Storms racing in made for some dramatic photography and also caused a quick dash for the car racing the rain.

Returning to the Cow Shed, it was time to light the wood stove and imbibe some wlecome rehydration.  As I write this blog I am looking out at skies now cleared and the oak draped hillside glowing in the evening sun.  Despite a poor start another excellent day and a nostalgic visit to some favourite locations on our last day.

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Llanfendigaid, September, Day 6

Slightly better weather this morning.  Still overcast and grey but no rain forecast so The Pickwells and Rothwells loaded up the bikes for the short drive to Penmaenpool in order to cycle the Mawddach Trail.  Meanwhile the Hyde contingent parked up near Arthog to walk over the railway viaduct to Barmouth.  Our route took us from The George III pub along the old Ruabon to Barmouth railway line.  Closed in the 1960s as a railway, the trail follows the estuary across saltmarsh and through stunning oakwoods, just beginning to display their russets and golds of autumn, to Morfa Mawddach station where it joins the spectacular Cambrian railway line from Shrewsbury to Pwhelli..  From here we, too, crossed the viaduct to Barmouth for tea and stickies in the quirky Fat Buddha Ebeneezer Emporium in the old chapel.  Heading back we had the advantage of the stong wind being on our backs and, wind assisted, we virtually flew back to the car and some welcome rehydration in the George III.  We met Linda and Steve in the downstairs bar where we cosied up to the log burner.  I well recommend the Robinson's Amarillo IPA - just the job after our ride.  Another excellent day.

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Llanfendigaid, September, Day 5

Today started wet and miserable with rain and very strong winds, yet again, but gradually began to clear up.  Late morning we all launched off to Machynlleth.  As we passed through Aberdovey we could see that the whole of the pier was closed off for maintence work so I was unable to pay my usual visit to the Time and Tide Bell.  As we neared Machynlleth the fields were flooded after all the rain and the river was incredibly high and, in fact, as we crossed the old road bridge into the town it was barely getting under the bridge's arches. Machynlleth was very quiet.  It should have been market day but stall holders had called it off as high winds were forecast.  We had an excellent lunch in the White Lion and then while the ladies explored fabric shops I enjoyed exploring the fantastic local bookshop.  It was soon time to move on to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). CAT was established in an old slate quarry, abandoned in the early 1950s, in 1974 by a group of pioneers wanting to test envronmental technologies and ideas and to help people find more environmentally friendly ways of living.  In 1974 there was no accommodation or gardens and the site had no running water or electricity.  Staff and volunteers re-built many of the old quarry workers cottages and then built new buildings, gardens and ponds, water sewage and energy systems.  Over the years since, they have tested many new technologies and the visitor can see both old and new.  In the next few years, we will all have to make changes to the way we lead our lives, but they can remain healthy, happy, comfortable and connected.  To collectively meet the challenge of climate change we will have to end our reliance on fossil fuels and switch over to smart energy technologies such as renewables, some of which can be seen during a visit. The only way to limit dangerous climate change and damage to nature (this year yet again Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count has recorded a decrease in numbers) is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero.  CAT's Zero Carbon Britain research project explores ways in which this could be achieved on a national level.  For more information see www.cat.org.uk/zcb  I thoroughly enjoyed our visit (our 3rd I think) and came away with ideas to make our own lives greener at home.  Anybody visiting this part of Wales would be well-recommended to explore CAT.

During the afternoon the weather gradually improved and on returning to The Cow Shed we were treated to the most amazing sunset over the sea.

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Llafendigaid, September, Day 4

The weather continued to be miserable all day: incessant rain and low cloud hiding the hills above the Cowshed.  Eventually I was persuaded to stir and go for a swim in our pool which was very pleasant even though my ears did fill with water leaving me deaf for most of the day.  After a late lunch the afternoon was spent decorating the cottage for Linda's 70th birthday celebrations and cooking a tradional lamb dinner with all the trimmings.  There are worse things to do with a wet day.

Llanfndigaid, September, Day 3

As I write this today the hills are hidden by low cloud blown in from the west and rain falls incessantly.  Yesterday was just as different, warm, with sunny intervals and a warm south-westerly breeze.

We awoke yesterday to sunny skies which clouded over somewhat during the morning but cleared again to give a perfect early autumn afternoon and morning. As I walked down the lane from the Cow Shed towards Tonfanneau station the susseration of the waves reached me on the gentle breeze. Hedges and banks were developing rich autumnal colours and the brambles were laden with blackberries, a mix of bright scarlet, unripe ones and luscious black ones, ready for jams or pies. There were a surprising number of plants in flower and during the afternoon I recorded around 20 as well as an abundance of attractive seed heads, particularly sea holly on the bank above the shingle beach.  Butterflies were still on the wing: speckled wood, various whites, peacock and stunning pristine red admirals.

Crossing the footbridge over the Dysynni Estuary I turned onto the saltmarsh and walked alongside the river to where it opened out into the expanse of Broadwater, flooded on big tides. Out on the sandbanks were large numbers of gulls, cormorants with wings hung out to dry, a few swans and a small flock of curlew.  On the river were groups of goosander and some ducks which I eventually decided were eclipse wigeon.

Back at the footbridge I walked alongside the river to where it opened into slate green sea.  Here I settled down for half an hour or so of sea-watching, pleased to see a couple of guillemot and a few razorbills fly past while a small flock of puffin, minus their colourful, horny, bill extensions which are shed after the breeding season, settled briefly on the sea in front of me. In the dunes behind me, I came across a large group of parasol mushrooms, delicious to eat but only if the identification is 100% certain.

I wandered back along the lane enjoying the perfect weather and looking forward some rehydration therapy.

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