Back to Llŷn

Friday 3 June 2016

We had such a great time in Llŷn last weekend, we decided to return. On our coastal walk we'd come across a lovely swimming cove where boat owners could also launch.  There was a car park above, so we hoped there would be somewhere there to wildcamp for the weekend.  The traffic was good to us and, although I made a few wrong turns at the end, we eventually arrived about an hour before sunset. There was one old blue VW campervan already parked up and I managed to pull up next to it, shuffling back and forth until we were reasonably level. We were in a great spot, pointing west and facing the mouth of the cove and the open sea. Cathy had already cooked our meal at home, so it just needed warming up and we ate sat outside watching the sun gradually sink towards the sea. It was a cloudless evening and the sunset was spectacular - aside from the Caribbean probably the best we've seen. We were tired after work and the drive so after a brew, headed off to bed to read, falling asleep to the gentle sound of the sea. As we were nodding off an old VW campervan turned up, with two guys and two collies; they pitched a small tent next to their van and soon all was quiet again.

Saturday 4 June 2016

We slept well and I was up at 0800, making us a brew - Cathy had hers in bed and I poured mine into my travel mug. Time for some fishing!  I'd brought some basic sea fishing gear - not perfect for light rock fishing but good enough. The rocks were pretty rugged and sharp so I took my time getting to the waterline. The tide was on its way out but I was still able to spend a good hour or so spinning, watching the wildlife, including sea birds and an inquisitive seal that kept popping up to have a look around. A local fishing boat was checking its crab and lobster pots.  The sea was calm and soon the hot sun was beating down on my back.  Although I caught nothing I enjoyed fishing again and need to get some suitable LRF tackle.  

Back at the van Cathy was cooking breakfast - scrambled eggs with crispy bacon and toast. I had a packet of filter coffee - just add hot water - and we ate our breakfast in the sunshine, watching the tide ebb. It started to get busy later as the day trippers and boat owners arrived, carefully reversing their trailers down the narrow, steep slipway to the beach.  We enjoyed sitting in the sun reading and chilling. Mid-afternoon we headed down to the beach for a swim.  The sea felt cold on first entering (I certainly felt it more than Cathy!), but we were soon swimming together in the calm sea, with the rocks above and the kelp around our feet. We noticed our breath steaming as we swam - really strange! There must have been some cold sea air coming in - it looked like we were swimming in Winter. After a good half hour swim we wandered around the beach searching out sea glass as we dried. All showered, we enjoyed a beer before I prepared and cooked dinner on the Cadac BBQ. I headed off for some more rock fishing (no luck again but I enjoyed the peace and solitude). We sat outside with a cuppa, watching the two guys in the VW catch plenty of dogfish. It was quite cloudy by now but, at the last minute, the sun popped out under the clouds and provided a stunning finale as it sank into the sea - perfect end to a chilled out, relaxing day.  

Sunday 5 June 2016

It was warm when we woke - already 27'C in the bedroom area of the van, so skylights were opened to another clear blue sky day.  I was 'up and at 'em', heading out for another hour of so of splashing a fishing lure into the sea without success!  But, hey, the view was amazing, the sun warm and the sea flat calm - I was completely chilled out.  The local seal was again popping up near the rocks to take a look around and the fishing boat was out checking their pots - just another day in this lovely place. 

It was my turn to cook breakfast - this time mushrooms, bacon, fried bread and eggs.  Not exactly healthy but it set us up for the day. We took a wander over to the other cove with the sheds and winching gear.  This was a suntrap and the heat was bouncing off the pebbled beach as we mooched around and I skimmed the odd stone or two across the flat water.  It was very clear and looked perfect for swimming, so we returned to Nido to get changed ready for a cove swim.  The tide had only recently turned and we had to wade waist-deep to reach the small sandy beach, so it made sense to just dump our gear and carry on with our swim!  It was cold but we were soon used to it and swam along by the rocks until we reached a larger inlet I'd seen on my earlier fishing trip.  It was quite rocky and slippery underfoot, but we were wearing swimming shoes so this helped. It was great to float around in the water, completely enclosed by high granite rocks.  Back on the beach we read and sunbathed before finishing off with a quick final swim - it felt a lot colder so we didn't stay in long. 

At the van we sat outside to enjoy our lunch, watching the comings and goings of cove visitors.  Our campervan neighbours (I'd say they were late 60s) had been out on their fishing boat a couple of times and I chatted to them. They spent winters in Spain in their van and had been 26 times so far.  He was also a keen road cyclist and always followed a mountain stage of the Tour de France, arriving several days early to find somewhere to park.  Sounds like the perfect life! I gave them the rest of our fresh water (a valuable commodity when wild camping) and we reluctantly packed up the van ready to hit the road - we really didn't want to leave.  On the way out we drove down a small road in a lovely lane to do a 'drive-by' of a cottage we'd seen for sale - with a large garden and room for several Nido's it would have been perfect if we'd been ready to locate.  The drive home was lengthy and hot, with numerous traffic jams and some crazy overtaking from the orange-skinned 'Abersoch Mafia' in their audis and chelsea-tractors!

Another great wild-camping visit on the Llŷn, where a weekend's relaxation feels like a whole week off work.  We love this part of Wales, with beautiful, unspoilt countryside and its own micro-climate.  We'll be back soon!

Nido's wild camping spot

Sunset watching

Checking the crab and lobster pots

Breakfast time

#2MinuteBeachClean

A cheeky last-minute sunset

Our neighbours off fishing

First swim of the year

Friday 27 May 2016

I'd booked this CL at Pwllgoed, just outside the village of Tudweiliog, a few weeks ago.  It's a lovely spot, about a mile outside the village down a single track road.  It's on a working farm - sheep and cows - and is very quiet and peaceful. From the site we had views of both the sea and the hills in the distance, with animals in the adjacent fields. After a meal we walked back down the lane towards the village.  The hedgerows and verges were green and full of life and a warm sunset relaxed us after our drive from home.  Back in the van, we had a cuppa before crashing out early to read.  My ears were ringing in the silence and we were both soon asleep.

Saturday 28 May 2016

We slept well; Cathy woke earlier and had a read, but I slept through until 0900! Breakfast was fruit and yoghurt and Cathy prepped our packed lunch.  I'd sorted out a walk before hand, that would take us along the coastal path and back down a small lane. We stopped off at the village shop to buy some water (as I forgot to put ours in the rucksacks) then walked past a caravan park, down to the beach at Porth Towyn. Here we joined the path and headed south west with the sea on our right. The sun was shining and the air warm, promising a good day.  There were several small coves and beaches on the walk and not far along we came across some old shacks at what must have been a fishermen's cove, complete with a small cottage on the headland, built into the hillside.  Just after this we reached a lovely, calm cove with a small car park above. It's a popular spot for dive boats to launch and one was already in the water, waiting for its passengers.  Some people were taking a swim - no doubt chilly from their screams! The water was very clear with the sand and seaweed covered rocks very easy to spot.  We continued to walk in the warm sunshine, past more coves and small caravan parks.  This part of the coast really is a well kept secret, a hidden gem of unspoilt countryside and beaches, teeming with flowers, wildlife and seabirds. Eventually we reached Traeth Pennlech and dropped down to the beach for our lunch stop. The sand flies were a pain, so we ended up eating our butties while paddling in the sea, which our feet really welcomed. Back on the coastal path, we stopped again at Porth Colmon for a brew, sat on a bench overlooking the sea. Our return journey was along a narrow lane, lined with hedgerows. We passed some lovely old cottages, with great views and plenty of room for Nido! It was a sun-trap and we were both flagging by the time we turned off the road by the White Lion Inn, to return to the van.  After a cuppa, I prepared dinner while Cathy had a shower. We cooked and ate outside, before moving into the van to read, occasionally checking the sun's progress as it slowly dipped down, throwing a golden light on the distant sea and reflecting off the side of Nido. With no wind, the birds singing and feeling warm from the sun and food, I have no doubt we'll sleep well again tonight. 

Sunday 29 May 2016

I'd set my alarm for 0730 as I wanted to get out for a bike ride before too much traffic was on the road. It was warm already and after breakfast, kitted up and ready, I unhooked the bike from the rack and turned left out of the campsite. Not far along I had to stop a couple of times to adjust the gears - where's my wingman when I need him!?  Before I left I'd scribbled a rough route on some paper and the early part of the ride was spot on.  However it was only rough and about half an hour in I took the wrong route, turning left instead of right.  I carried on for a while, aiming to reach the sea and follow the coastal road.  Eventually I saw loads of tents on my left and what looked like a long, sandy beach - not one I recognised, so I knew I was on a bit of an adventure! Starting to climb around the steep hill, I saw a car park on my left, so pulled over to take a look at the information board.  I was by a National Trust property at the western end of Hell's Mouth, a well known surfing beach between Aberdaron and Abersoch - how the hell did I end up here!?  Now I had my bearings I knew I could follow the road to Aberdaron, then pick up the coastal route.  Turning left out of the NT car park, the road climbed up and up and up.  Down into the granny gear I managed to get about 100m before the road turned and kicked up again, only steeper.  That was me done; I had to stop a couple of times for a breather, some water and a puff on my asthma inhaler! The road seemed to climb forever but eventually I topped out, riding along the narrow lane before starting the steep descent into a very busy Aberdaron.  We all know what goes down must go up (again), only this time it was a bit more manageable and I was able to stay clipped in.   The narrow lanes were great for cycling - smooth and no potholes, but they were quite busy with bank holiday beach seekers.  I knew there was a café at Porthor - aka Whistling Sands beach.  I turned in and walked down with all the beach goers. I had to cross some of the soft white sand in my cycling shoes to get to the café, but was soon recovering sat outside with a latte and a twix,overlooking the beach.  We came to this beach about this time last year on Cathy's birthday, an equally warm and sunny day. Back on the road, I soon reached Morfa and was cycling along the lane we walked yesterday, before returning to the main road into Tudweiliog and back to the campsite.  A great ride although twice as long as I planned!

Cathy had been busy, having a good clean and re-organise of the van, plus she'd prepared lunch. After  sorting out my bike gear, we loaded up our rucksacks and walked back down the lane to the village, taking the footpath alongside the pub and across a couple of fields, to a track taking us back to a lovely beach we found yesterday.  It was quite busy and the only way to reach the small, sandy cove was to wade through the sea.  It was a hot sun-trap, but a little spoiled by some noisy jet-skis and powerboats.  We dumped our gear and slowly entered the water for our first sea swim of the year.  It was cold but not unbearable and we were soon swimming out, with rocks and cliffs either side of us.  We swam around to a small inlet, where we sat on the warm rocks and in the shallows before braving the colder water to return to our picnic blanket and towels.  We enjoyed our lunch sat in the warm sunshine. We went for another swim later - it felt a lot colder the second time around! Unfortunately those around us were still noisy and the men had gone off to fetch beer, so it wasn't going to become peaceful any time soon.  We packed up and reversed our route back to the van. Unpacked and washed up, we had a cuppa outside, before I enjoyed a hot shower.  The breeze was a bit cooler this evening, so we sat in the van with a G&T and some snacks.  It was another lovely sunset and there was still some light until about 2200.  It's been a really relaxing day - plenty of exercise and sunshine, so we'll sleep well again.  Tomorrow we head for home but we'll make the most of the day, starting with a lovely cooked breakfast, enjoyed outside in the sunshine hopefully.

Monday 30 May 2016

We woke with the sun and were up and sat outside in the warm sunshine with a cuppa by 0800.  It promised to be another hot, sunny day, but unfortunately we had to return home.  I cooked us a breakfast outside and after doing our inside and outside tasks, we left the site to visit the National Trust property - Plas yn Rhiw - at the far end of Hell's Mouth beach, the one I came across on my bike ride yesterday.  The satnag took us down some interestingly narrow lanes but we eventually pulled into the car park at about 1100, to find the house and garden don't open until midday!  So instead we turned right and walked down, past a basic campsite, to take a land-slipped footpath down to the beach.  The tide was out so we enjoyed a bare foot walk along the surf line.  The beach is long but only accessible from each end and only at low tide.  With high, crumbly cliffs, it had clearly suffered some storm erosion and there wasn't much sea glass for Cathy to pick up, so we didn't stay long! Instead we picked up the main road heading to the north coast to look for a lunch stop. One beach had a "campervans not wanted here" sign, so we moved on and ended up at a large car park right by the beach at Dinas Dinlle, not far from Caernarfon airport.  We took our lunch and chairs down to the beach and chilled out for an hour - a nice break in our journey. Then it was back on the road and home to unpack before I took Nido back to his storage place.  

The weather was outstanding all weekend and, on returning home, we realised we'd had it a good deal better than some places, particularly the east and mainland Europe - flash floods in the Black Forest so we hope that's finished before we visit in July!  We'll definitely be back to the Llyn Peninsular soon; it's so beautifully unspoilt with quiet lanes, great walks and remote coves perfect for swimming.

Lovely, quiet CL with great views

Nice Tacky Shack!

Sunset reflection

That was one hell of a climb on the bike!

A welcome coffee stop on my bike ride

Lovely swimming cove

Hell's Mouth beach

Easter house sit in Carmarthenshire

We were looking for a house sit over the Easter long weekend and found a lovely place - looking after a barn conversion plus two dogs, two cats and some chickens on a 6 acre small holding, not far from Carmarthen and a short ten minute drive to the beach - perfect. I contacted the owners via the Trusted Housesitters website and a few days later we had a chat with them on Skype. Originally there were also a couple of rescue ponies too, but they were rehomed by the RSPCA just before we arrived.  We decided to take Nido, our campervan.  Although there was a room for us in the house, there was also space on the drive for the van, with electric, plus we could use the van for any day trips.  So we decided to use the house during the day but sleep in the van. 

Thursday 24 March 2016

We were both working today, although I worked from home in the morning and had taken the afternoon off.  I collected the van from the storage site at around midday, which gave me plenty of time to water and fuel up, load up our clothes and food and give him a good clean. Cathy arrived home at about 4pm and we were on the road soon after. The roads were quite busy as it was the start of the Easter long weekend. Our route took us through the centre of Wales along the A483. This is mostly single carriageway and winds up, down and around the hills, so in the dark and rain the drive down this unfamiliar route was 'interesting'.  At one point the top of a pass was thick with fog and on a few occasions, to ease the stress and rest my eyes for a short while, I pulled over to let the cars queueing behind pass me.

We arrived in the village just after 9pm and I parked up by the pub to walk out and find the house in the dark. Luckily one of the owners was looking out for us, so having said hello I drove through the gate and parked up in front of the garage building. Once hooked up we popped into the house to meet the owners, who were very friendly and well prepared for a new set of house sitters.  The tea and cake were very welcome and we sorted out the house handover, plus cat and dog feeding routines.  After a long day and as it was now very dark outside, we decided to do the rest tomorrow morning and returned to the now warm van for a welcome sleep.

Friday 25 March 2016

The next morning we woke to clear blue skies and bright sunshine - lovely!  This was especially welcome as the last two weeks at home had been nothing but thick grey cloud. I made us a brew and sat outside, fussing the dogs, until Cathy was up and dressed.  We walked up to the chicken coops to learn the feeding and cleaning routine, then a cuppa with the owners to finish off the handover before they left for their own trip away.  We made the most of the welcome fresh eggs, cooking these with spinach and toast, eaten outside in the warm sunshine enjoying the view over the hills and countryside.  We had a play with dogs Sunny and Bubbles before locking up and driving out to make the most of the good weather - the forecast for the rest of the weekend was pretty dire.  

The owners had kindly left us a parking permit for Pembrey Country Park. We drove down and into this lovely area, a mix of large grass areas, pine forest and dunes, leading to miles of sandy beach.  There were various car parks dotted around and we pulled up in one behind the dunes.  It was sunny and warm so out came the shorts!  There were a few people out walking, some with dogs. The tide was out so it felt like we had the huge beach all to ourselves.  We walked east, towards the Gower peninsular in the distance, Cathy collecting some lovely oyster shells of various colours. At the far end we reversed our route and walked back along the tide line, picking up a few more shells and some small, smooth pieces of driftwood for our garden.  The first skylarks of the season could be heard but not seen.  However, near the end of the walk one flew up and held station only about 10 metres high - a lovely song.  We really enjoyed being back by the sea again (it's where we belong!) and returning to the van our faces were glowing from the sun and wind.

Back at the house the dogs were pleased to see us and we had a bit of a play with them - Bubbles didn't want to let go of his tennis ball until he spotted some of the shells Cathy collected; he particularly liked the whelks for some reason! The sun was still shining brightly and it was lovely sat outside, sheltered from the breeze.  We enjoyed a brew before heading indoors to cook some food.  The rest of the day was spent relaxing, playing with the dogs and enjoying the peace and quiet.  Once the dogs had been fed we watched some TV until it was time to put the chickens to bed for the night.  The dogs had a final wander outside before we locked up the house and returned to the van.  The sky was clear and the stars amazingly bright thanks to the lack of artificial light - what a lovely place.

Pembrey Sands - beautiful spot

Any scraps for a hungry doggy?

Lovely quiet pitch

Fresh eggs for breakfast 

Chicken coop with a view

Saturday 26 March 2016

We woke to grey skies and increased wind - outside I mean!  I was first up and fed the dogs before letting them out for a run while I checked the cats' food and water.  Next it was the chickens' turn - coops cleaned, food and water refreshed and letting them out to roam around (except for one that has a leg problem so needs to be locked in for its own safety). Back at the van I made us a brew, then we went into the house to enjoy our breakfast - more fresh eggs! By now the expected rain had arrived and this became increasingly heavy during the day, as the wind also strengthened.  So today was an 'in' day, catching up online, reading and just chilling. Even with the poor weather, we enjoyed looking out over the hills as the clouds and rain rolled in from the south west. 

Lunch done, we continued to watch the rain, which finally eased later in the afternoon. Sunny and Bubbles were grateful for their evening feed.  For us, I'd made a chicken and veg stew which had been slowly cooking on the hob and we enjoyed this with some red wine. By now the sun was setting so it was time to put the chickens to bed.  Cathy and I rounded them up. They'd laid us three eggs, all different colours, as if they'd been especially dyed for Easter; we'll enjoy those tomorrow. Cathy washed up while I enjoyed a hot shower, then we settled down to watch some TV with a brew. The last job was to let the dogs out for their last run, then move the clocks in Nido forward one hour ready for BST.  Bubbles did his usual disappearing act, legging it off into the darkness and returning half an hour later! I'm hoping to get out on the road bike tomorrow... if the weather holds.

Sunday 27 March 2016

Happy Easter! I'd bought Cathy an Easter egg, but she started on it last night, so it'll have to be real fresh, free-range eggs again for breakfast!  It was windy and rainy in the night.  I was first up, flicked on the heating then dressed and went into the house to feed the dogs and cats.  As usual the dogs were ecstatic to see me (cupboard love!) and the cats aloof.  With them fed, watered and fussed  it was the chickens' turn.  Finally, it was Cathy's turn to be pampered - tea and choccie biccies in bed.  I'd hoped for a bike ride today, but it was cold in the blustery wind with the occasional sharp shower and I hadn't packed inclement weather clothing. So we decided a walk would be better for the conditions.  

Whenever we do a housesit in a new area I buy the relevant Ordnance Survey map, so I worked out a circular walk.  Cathy had a little trouble getting ready as Bubbles had taken a liking to one of her walking socks!  I saw him trotting across the patio towards the house with it in his mouth - he's a right character and the older Sunny turns her nose up at him - she just wants a tummy rub and food!  Socks recovered, we headed out past the pub and into the fields.  The ground was quite heavy in places, the first half being mainly across the fields and hills and the return on small country lanes.  It was windy all the way around but at least the rain stayed away, so our faces were glowing from wind burn and some sunshine when we returned. 

Back at the house we had tea and cake (why not!) and Cathy went off for some 'Egyptian PT' (aka a snooze!) while I made some vegetable pasta sauce and watched the Oxford/Cambridge boat race.  The Oxford ladies won and the Cambridge crew did well to even finish considering their boat nearly sank in the choppy conditions.  But the Cambridge men pulled it off - the better team obviously! The pasta sauce is for the home owners.  I always like to leave something if I can. They might not get home until late, so at least they can warm up the sauce and cook some pasta with little effort.

The sun was shining but it was really chilly in the stiff westerly wind, no doubt cooled by the sea which isn't far away.  So I dipped in and out, playing with the dogs and popping back in to sit at the sunny kitchen table.  Cathy finally emerged from her slumber and went off for a shower before settling down to read.  I did similar and brought some food over from the van to eat later - a simple salad with some cold meats.  I also found a bottle of gin and some tonic in the van - rude not too - and it was nice to celebrate the first light evening of British Summer Time, sat in the peace and quiet of the house. This place is lovely.  It was originally built in the 1680s as the Tythe barn for the village church, which is on the opposite side of the road.  It has had various storage uses over the years, but this conversion has been completed very sympathetically and to a very high standard.  We feel lucky to be able to look after it and the animals for a few days - one of many such gigs on the Trusted Housesitters website.

Enjoying the sunshine

Dining table with a view

Just one cuddle?

Whereas Bubbles just wants to play ball!

Monday 28 March 2016

Last night Storm Kate hit the south coast.  We had a lot of wind and heavy rain but we woke to bright sunshine, albeit still a chilly wind.  First priority was feeding the dogs, cats and chickens, plus a bit of mad run around with the dogs.  Bubbles like to chase a tennis ball but he doesn't like to let it go, so we only get to play it once!  In the meantime Sunny just likes a tummy-rub.  We had breakfast inside the house before cleaning up and readying Nido for the off.  One last cuddle with the dogs (and a little treat!), house locked up and we headed off.  We have some friends - Dave and Angie - who live near Llandrindrod Wells and we had arranged to stop off on the way for a catch up.  Dave and Angie were also in the Royal Navy - same branch as me - and I've always kept in touch with them.  It was great to catch up and they kindly provided a lovely lunch.  It was great to see their bouncy dog - Fudge!  Dave and Angie are retired and their passion is hill walking - they have a great website called Marsarnen Ramblers where they record all their walks, well worth a visit.

Well fed and watered and after a good chat (kindred spirits) we left them to take Fudge out for a walk and continued our drive north.  Back home, we cleaned and emptied the van before I returned him to storage.

It's been another great house sit.  The owners were very friendly and extremely organised and we really enjoyed looking after their beautiful house and lovely animals.

New Year weekend in Wales

Wednesday 30 December 2015

We were up early this morning.  Chris had spent the week with us for Christmas and was heading back down south, ready to start a new job as a bike mechanic and support crew with Forest Holidays.  We packed up our cars and said our goodbyes, only for him to ring us 10 minutes later that his car battery had died and he was stranded on the A49!  So we turned around to pick up the jump leads from home and drive to where he was parked in a lay-by.  The jump leads were - in a word - knackered, so I had to drive away and buy a new set!  It took a few attempts but eventually his car started and, with a warning not to turn the engine off until he reached home, we sent him on his way again (he made it safely home and replaced his battery).  Hopefully he'll sort the other mechanical issues out, or just replace the car for something more reliable!  We carried on to load Nido up, fill his water and diesel tanks; it was good to be back with him and we had our first look at his new awning in daylight, which looks great.  We stopped off on the way to visit Cathy's brother and his wife - Tony and Becky - in Mold before continuing our journey into Wales.  It rained on and off and there was plenty of evidence of past floods, although thankfully the worst had receded.  Our stop for tonight was a Britstop - number 332 for those that are members.  It was a small but very cosy country pub a few miles from Bala.  We arrived in time for lunch, which is our preferred main meal of the day and had a really tasty two-course meal.  The owners met on Lundy Island when he was head chef of the island pub.  The menu was mainly homely, well-cooked food and we were ready for it!  Cathy had some wine and I had a couple of pints of real ale - Merry X-Moose - made by a local brewery in Porthmadog.  It was lovely, a little like Christmas cake and at 5% it packed a punch.  We also made friends with Chips, the three-legged cat.  She'd had a tumour on her front right paw and had to have a whole leg amputated, but she seemed to be coping well.  She's clearly used to making friends with the customers, but I think was put off us when we ate all our food and didn't offer her any tit-bits! Gradually the pub emptied of lunchtime diners, so we sat in the warm, enjoying the log fire and chatting to the owners.  We had planned to pop back into the pub later that night for a drink, but after unpacking and a snooze, we didn't surface until much later, so decided to stay in the van, have a brew and a read and go back to sleep!

Thursday 31 December 2015

It was a cold night - when I started the van engine the outside temperature was 3'C - but we were warm under our double quilt and a furry throw.   Up at about 0830, we packed up the van and drove off to Lake Bala to have our breakfast with a view.  We parked up within a couple of metres of the lake and soaked up the view of the snow-capped hills, while the weather (wind and rain) swept in!  Cathy made a lovely breakfast of ham (left over from the Christmas gammon), eggs and muffins, enjoyed with a hot brew.  Back on the road, we drove past Dolgellau and onto the road along the estuary towards our stop for the next three nights - Graig Wen campsite.  We passed the site entrance and carried on driving down to the coastal village of Fairbourne.  It was blowing a hooley and raining quite hard so Fairbourne was looking a little battered, plus many of the houses were closed up for the winter.  But we found a car park overlooking the sea and parked up.  The waves were pretty big as they pounded the pebble beach and the wind and rain rocked the van.  We even had some thunder and lightning for effect!  But after a brew and a read we were ready to head for the campsite, via the local shop to buy a few goodies.  The welcome at Graig Wen was warm and we were soon pitched up, on electric and enjoying the warmth of the heater.   Cathy prepared our dinner in 'Oska' - salmon with cabbage, onion and lentils, ready to just switch on later, while I set up the laptop so we could watch Episode 1, Series 1 of 'The Bridge'.  We'd seen Series 3 and enjoyed it - in Swedish with English sub-titles - so wanted to go back and watch the others.  With a few snacks and a glass of red wine, the first episode went quickly.  By now the rain had stopped for a while and Cathy went for a snooze, although later the rain and hail started again!  Later in the afternoon a caravan plus two small campervans turned up; I think that's all the hard-standing pitches taken now.  It's clearly a popular site and a good job we booked in advance.  I'm sure the view from here is good, but with the wind and rain, plus a steamed-up windscreen, I can't see much.  The owners kindly invited us down to the communal camping area for the midnight of New Year's Eve, but I'm not sure we'll still be awake then - we've tried to stay up late before and always failed miserably!  If we don't make it to midnight, have a very happy New Year's Eve celebration.

Tiglet enjoying the view at Lake Bala

It's snowy on them thar hills!

Beach at Fairbourne

Our little Christmas tree!

Friday 1 January 2016

A new year has arrived and we're looking forward to the future.  True to form, we were in bed well before midnight, so missed the campsite celebrations.  Apparently there was singing, champagne corks popping and fireworks according to Cathy - I didn't hear a thing!  I felt a bit ill last night so went to bed early and slept through until about 0830 this morning.  By the time I woke up and surfaced, I realised it was too late to walk to Barmouth for the New Year's Day sea swim.  But at least the rain had stopped, although it was still quite windy and cloudy.  I got up and popped the heating on then scooted back under the duvet, then 15 minutes later was up, dressed and putting the kettle on for a brew.  I also sorted out our 'dockey' for our walk (incorrectly called 'bagging' in the grim north!).  I cooked us breakfast - ham, eggs and toasted muffins again - I think that's us now officially sick of the Christmas gammon!  While Cathy washed up and sorted inside, I emptied the grey and black fluids (the loo!) and topped up the fresh water tank.  Rucksacks packed, walking boots and coats on, we walked down the steep track, past the camping fields and towards the estuary.  

On the way down we passed the 'big drop' loo, locked up for the winter, but no doubt with a clear and fabulous view over the estuary and hills when in use!  Reaching the Mawddach Trail - which is a disused railway line now turned into a cycle and pedestrian track - we turned left and followed the path along the estuary.  A few people were out enjoying a New Year's Day walk and it was a good walk and scenery with not the merest hint of a hangover.  The tide was out so a few birds were on the mud flats.  The hills and trees to our left protected us from the wind and we soon warmed up.  About 40 minutes later we reached the railway station at Fairbourne, then followed the railway line across the estuary on a wooden walkway, towards Barmouth.  Away from the lee of the land, the full force of the wind hit us, but at least it was on our back although it felt a lot colder!  

As we approached the opposite side, it started to spit with rain and we passed the unoccupied toll point (30p per adult) and walked up to the main road, turning left to head into Barmouth, passing the "ISIS Pizzeria"!  By now we could see the weather heading in from 'our' side of the estuary as the wind and the cold rain increased.  Hang on - today's forecast was supposed to be cloudy and about 8'C - so where was this rain coming from? We walked along the old town harbour wall, before heading along the promenade, past the Lifeboat station (from where I guess today's sea-swim started) and towards the modern, grockly part of town with amusements and fast-food joints, before doubling back and heading uphill to explore some of the narrow streets of the old town.  By now the rain was hitting us sideways, mixed with hail, and when we reached the top of a particularly steep path and turned towards the view of the estuary and Fairbourne, we didn't hang about there long!  Dropping back down, we descended narrow steps between old buildings, some with great balcony views over the sea, before reaching the main street and retracing our route towards the rail bridge.  On the way we decided to duck into a pub to escape the weather and warm up, but it was very full so we decided to crack on.  

Back on the estuary bridge, the full force of the wind, rain and hail hit us face on and it stung!  We were soon drenched and by the time we reached the relative protection of the other side, we were feeling the cold.  Walking back along the trail, the rain stopped and we started to slowly dry off in the wind.  We stopped on the way for a brew and a mince pie, which did wonders for our morale and energy levels!  We continued along the trail, enjoying the view of the mountains and some of the lovely houses along the edge of the estuary, with the tide now well on the way in.  Just before the turn off for the campsite we stopped off at a bench overlooking the estuary to eat our lunch, then made our way back up the hill to the warmth of the van.  

We'd left the heating on low and the van felt toasty warm.  I sorted out the boots and rucksacks while Cathy unpacked inside.  She decided to shower in the van, while I went off to use the campsite showers - better than many we'd used in the past and lovely and hot!  Now both clean and warm and, with our damp clothes and towels drying, we had a brew before I prepared our dinner - duck breasts with celeriac, cabbage and sliced potatoes - again cooked in Oska.  While this cooked we had a welcome G&T, then enjoyed our dinner with a bottle of well chilled Cava and a candle on the table - who says you have to rough it in a camper van!  Washing up done, we settled down with a brew and a cookie or two to watch a couple of episodes of The Bridge.  By now the wind was increasing with the odd wintry squall, but we were toasty warm inside the van, sat in comfort in t-shirts.  It's these times that we really enjoy the comfort and protection the van provides.  We're both feeling weary and after a good 8 mile walk, we'll no doubt sleep well tonight.  Our faces are glowing from our walk, most likely from the strong wind and cold rain - good for the circulation!  So, 2016 has started, another year closer to retirement.  It was a typical New Year's Day for us - early night, no hangover in the morning and a bracing walk to welcome in the new year.  Happy New Year to you all!

View from the trail at the bottom of the campsite

Wonder if they sell an 'explosive' Vesuvius pizza!

Remoska - great bit of kit

'Roughing it' dinner in the van

Saturday 2 January 2016

Another lazy start today.  It had been a relatively calm night and was quite warm, so after breakfast (toasted bacon butties this time!), we dropped a flask and a twix into the rucksack and walked back down through the camping fields to the Mawddach trail, this time turning right towards Dolgellau.  At this point the sun came out oh so briefly, so we stood our ground and soaked it up for a few minutes. It was a much calmer day today with high clouds and flecks of blue sky and the estuary was like a mill pond as the tide gradually flowed in.  There were fewer people around today but still the usual mix of dog walkers and cyclists.  We followed the path for about an hour, stopping off at a small waterfall to toss a coin each in the pool and make a wish!  In this direction there are a number of picnic benches with great views of the estuary and hills, all cleverly equipped to take a wheelchair. At one we stopped for a brew and our twix, leaving a few crumbs for the robin that was taking an interest in our table.  Reversing our route, the clouds started to descend and the rain gradually increased, although we didn't get as wet as yesterday.

Back at the van, we chilled out with a few snacks and a drink, reading our Kindles.  I prepared our dinner - pork chops cooked above peppers, garlic and butter beans, including a sweet and sour sauce I cobbled together.  The Remoska really is a great piece of kit for cooking one pot when on EHU, retaining all the flavour and moisture.  We enjoyed this with a bottle of well-chilled Muscadet and our candle and napkins!  Later we watched some more of The Bridge before turning in for the night.

Look - the sun!

Cathy making her way down the bottom camping field

More sun!

Our break buddy

Sunday 3 January 2016

Home day today.  We woke to torrential rain and wind, so after a bacon and egg breakfast, Cathy tackled the packing and cleaning inside, while I donned my waterproof coat to empty our tanks, ditch the rubbish and unhook the electric cable.  We left the site at about 1130 and trundled our way back through heavy rain to return Nido to his storage home, before we returned to the house to unpack and get ready for the start of the new working week/year.

We enjoyed our few days away over New Year.  Despite the weather, we got out and about and really enjoyed all that Wales has to offer.  We can highly recommend the Graig Wen campsite.  As well as hardstanding pitches with EHU, they have various camping fields, plus self-catering cottages and a B&B offering.  The site is clean, well maintained and has great facilities.  The owners were very welcoming and there was loads of info about things to do, including walks, cycle routes and tourist attractions.  We particularly liked the 'honesty shop' - although we didn't use it, the range of goods was great, including local beers!  The owners have clearly invested a lot of time and effort into the site and this has paid off - we will certainly return.