Our main trip for the summer of 2024 was a week's exploration of Anglesey - a Welsh island county in the far northwest of the nation. Linked to the mainland by road and rail (across the Menai Strait), Anglesey is a stronghold of the Welsh language and serves as the shipping gateway to Ireland via the port town of Holyhead - actually situated on the smaller Holy Island on the other side of the Cymyran Strait. We were booked to stay in this locality.
The drive south, then west, proceeded smoothly and took place entirely on motorway and dual carriageway after we had exited Fife on the Kincardine Bridge, save for a single lane across the Menai Strait as we reached Anglesey. Parts of the M6 had been very busy, particularly around the junctions for Liverpool and Manchester. Beyond Chester on the North Wales Expressway (A55) however, it was plain sailing for Dolly Duster. We made three stops in total. Two brief leg stretchers plus a leisurely lunch at the legendary Tebay Services (Southbound). Motorway catering facilities are often perfunctory (and pricey) affairs but the Cumbrian institution of Tebay is the jewel in the crown. Ludicrous as it may sound, this service station is almost a worthy destination in its own right. Opened by John and Barbara Dunning on the northbound carriageway in 1972 after the M6 was built through their farm, Tebay Services offers fine food and crafts from over 70 local producers. Upon completion, the facility was the only one of its kind to not be part of a national chain and - even today - the business is run by the independent Westmorland Motorway Services. A southbound operation was launched in 1993 and the 1000-acre surrounding farm still supplies beef and lamb to the Country Kitchen restaurant. Only hardy northern breeds can survive on the bleak inhospitable terrain. The integrated farming system has persisted on the exposed hillsides for centuries. I ordered steak & ale pie while Nicole opted for a sweet potato tajine. The restaurant prices are reasonable and the place was busy. Afterwards, we visited the Farm Shop, which has counters for meat, cheese and deli fare. I always make a beeline for the huge range of bottled ales and a couple were purchased for later consumption. I also found a book about the issue of land access in England being stacked heavily in favour of the owner. Scotland of course adopts a more liberal approach. Back on the motorway, we cruised towards Wales and followed the A55 all the way to Holyhead, passing through the 1150-yard tunnel that burrows through the Conwy estuary. The Britannia Bridge took us over the Menai Strait. Built in 1850 to carry the railway to Holy Island (and onward sea-link for Dublin), the structure was severely damaged by fire in 1970 and the engineers took the opportunity to add a road deck during the repair programme. This removed pressure from Thomas Telford's 1826 Menai Suspension Bridge which was struggling to cope with modern traffic volumes. We cruised into Holyhead and navigated our way to the Anglesey Outdoor Centre - just under a mile from the town centre.
We had reserved a private ensuite room in the main hostel. The facilities were as you would expect in this type of place. My only complaint was the rather cramped shower cabin, with nowhere to put your soap or gel. Other than that, I enjoyed my stay here. Each private room had a picture of a bird on the door. Ours had the chough, our main spotting goal of the trip. Was this a message from Jeebus himself? The communal space was ample and we ate in the kitchen area every night. Other accommodation options were available on site, such as pods, yurts, camping pitches and eco dens. The centre organises various outdoor pursuits, for example kayaking, abseiling and rock climbing. Groups of participants arrived in vans and minibuses each morning, and we let them get on with it! It was nice to be out in the country but within easy reach of Holyhead. The town has a population of 13000 but offers services across a wider radius, not to mention the steady stream of cars and lorries heading for the ferry terminal, which has an integrated railway station. The sheltered Porth Dafarch Beach (Blue Flag status, pictured above) was just 800 yards away from our hostel. The 130-mile Anglesey Coastal Path runs past here and over 90% of the trail hugs the actual seaboard. The circuit is part of the Wales Coast Path - opened in 2012 and heralded as the first official walking route to cover a country's entire coastline. This, in turn, links with Offa's Dyke Path - a National Trail that loosely tracks the English Welsh border, meaning you can now clock up over 1000 miles tramping the edges of Wales. That's one mega retirement project! We awoke to a drizzly first morning on Holy Island and decided to stay local. RSPB South Stack Cliffs was just a few miles away. Home of the fabled chough. We headed out there after a leisurely breakfast and parked by the visitors centre. The surrounding terrain is mixed; farmland and rolling heath encounter rugged sea cliffs. Guillemots, razorbills and puffins breed here in spring and had all gone by the time of our stay. The chough resides all year round and we saw a couple of flyovers through binoculars. Better sightings were recorded later in the week and a full report will follow. Today was about keeping dry and - after checking out the reserve shop - we drove into Holyhead and parked by the ferry terminal to observe the shipping. Having traversed part of the cramped town centre, we got the distinct impression that the place had seen better days. Perhaps the commercial traffic to Ireland largely passes local businesses by. Not to worry, there are always interesting things to find in any place. We drove along the waterfront to the Maritime Museum, which has a café in the attached conservatory. From our table, we had good views of the marina and I ordered a plate of seafood chowder, while Nicole had a cheese platter. This type of lunch now routinely costs around £30 for two. We swiftly agreed that dining in a similar fashion every day would strain the budget. Obviously you don't want to cut corners constantly on holiday. Nice food is part of the experience. But travelling around the UK can easily lead to costs mounting and it's not difficult to see why many families opt for an overseas package deal with everything paid up front.
We took our time in the café while studying the map of the shopping facilities in Holyhead. We had an Asda at the end of our road and a large retail park just outside the town offered Tesco and Morrisons. Plenty of options for stocking up. With no sign of improvement in the weather, we returned to the hostel and began planning a trip to the old port town of Amlwch for the following day. The A5025 loops around the northern half of Anglesey and it took around 40 minutes to reach our destination. Nicole had scouted out a craft/gift shop and we parked just around the corner. We had a good browse and I purchased a book about the heritage railways of Wales. I would tick one of them off in a few days time. The owner recommend a café on the next street. Platefuls of simple but hearty food for a reasonable price. Sounded good to me! Two full cooked breakfasts were ordered and gratefully consumed. The fried bread was a real bonus. Probably the unhealthiest food imaginable, but a guilty pleasure now and again. Super friendly service to boot. Down at the old harbour, I read the informational panels and learned that the town grew around the copper mining industry. The port was improved in the late 18th century to allow larger vessels to dock. A railway connection was established in 1864 (closing to passengers 100 years later), the 17 miles of track linking to the main Holyhead line. Freight services continued until 1993, serving a chemical works that produced bromine. When this arrangement ended, the railway was left to nature and by 2009 was classed as out of use by Network Rail. Over the past decade, a volunteer group (Lein Amlwch) has been clearing the overgrown tracks with a view to reopening the route north of Llangefni - where a bridge was demolished in 2018 following a lorry strike. A heritage operation would seem the most likely possibility, with alternative suggestions for light rail and a parallel walking/cycling route. One to keep an eye on. Amlwch Harbour contains a number of historic buildings but unfortunately the Copper Kingdom visitors centre was closed. After a walk around, we headed back around the coast road and stopped at Cemlyn Nature Reserve - known for its sandwich tern colony and wide variety of aquatic plants. We parked by a lagoon and set up the scope. A large number of terns were buzzing around in their excitable way and I observed quite a few returning with fish in their beaks. A fellow birdwatcher beside us said he was on his way to South Stack to volunteer in the visitors centre for a week. Accommodation is provided free of charge in a nearby cottage. The brackish lagoon at Cemlyn Bay sits behind a shingle ridge and the tern colony is the third-largest in the UK. The wider estate is owned by the National Trust and the nature reserve is leased by the North Wales Wildlife Trust.
The Anglesey Coastal Path runs through the area and a large house (Bryn Aber) with a walled garden overlooks the water. It was once the home of Captain Vivian Hewitt (1888 - 1965), the second person to fly across the Irish Sea - successfully travelling between Holyhead and Dublin in 1912, a crossing judged more difficult and dangerous than the one achieved by Denys Corbett Wilson just a few days earlier. A keen ornithologist, Hewitt laid out the lagoon on his land as part of a bird sanctuary. An intensely private man, he was said said to have been a true eccentric like someone from the cast of epic period comedy Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (released in the year of his death). Hewitt had no heirs and left his wealth to the family of his elderly housekeeper. We drove alongside the high walls that surround Bryn Aber and found a large car-park on the other side, where a sightings board informed us that 325 terns (sandwich, common and Arctic) had been counted today, along with many other birds. Old Captain Hewitt would have nodded approvingly while tamping his pipe. The local wildlife has been closely monitored by wardens since 1981, thus giving a vital insight to the changing nature of our coastal waters. A ruined storehouse and cottage engulfed in vegetation overlooked the sea and provided a good photo opportunity. The weather had stayed dry and allowed us to complete a day's exploring. From this point on it was warm sunshine every day and lotion was applied. Nicole had booked a slot on a painting workshop at RSPB South Stack Cliffs the following day. We drove round for a mid-morning start and I decided to check out some of the footpaths in the vicinity of the reserve. I gazed down upon South Stack Lighthouse, built in 1809 on the summit of a tiny island. A variety of illumination methods was used until electrification arrived in 1938. The keepers were withdrawn in 1984 and the automated facility is now controlled from Essex. Visitors can tour the engine room and climb to the top of the lighthouse. The entrance fee is £10 and 400 steps must be descended from the RSPB centre to reach the little island below (linked to Holy Island by a short bridge). We had actually visited the lighthouse 10 years beforehand, when camping on Anglesey at Benllech. We weren't at all interested in birds back then so who knows which feathered friends we encountered on that day. I decided to stick to the cliff tops and explore the most westerly point of Holy Island. I wandered down to Elin's Tower, just a short distance from the main RSPB car-park. A castellated folly used originally as a summer house, the building was used during both world wars as an observation point. It is reckoned to have been built between 1820 and 1850. Today it functions as an annexe to the main visitors centre and good views of the cliffside (and lighthouse) can be enjoyed. Staff are on hand to answer questions and free binoculars are provided. We had picked a time of year when the main seabird residents had recently departed and it was mainly gulls on offer today.
I set off on a loop around the local terrain. Holyhead Mountain (in reality just 722 feet tall) stood in the middle distance. The exposed quartzite summit is probably quite tricky to navigate and I contented myself with a stroll that took me towards the base, along a couple of ridges beside shallow corries. The sea was often visible and it was nice to be out in an isolated landscape. Back at the RSPB centre, I met up with Nicole and we had lunch at the reserve café. We sat outside on a plateau overlooking the water and enjoyed a serving of quiche, accompanied by local salted crisps. Alfresco paradise! Afterwards we went down to Elin's Tower and then walked a little further along the cliffs. The tutor at Nicole's painting session had said the vantage point at the next car-park down was a good spot to observe the choughs, as a feeding station had been positioned nearby. As we were already halfway there on foot, Nicole kept going while I returned to retrieve Dolly. I parked up and joined a connecting path. Walking towards the cliff edge, I spotted a corvid in the field to my left, perhaps 20 yards away. The red beak confirmed it wasn't the typical carrion crow and I had a fantastic close-up view of the chough through binoculars. I stood observing this magnificent bird for a couple of minutes. What a fantastic encounter. I had forgotten to bring my bridge camera with me today, which was a pity as I probably wouldn't have a finer photo situation. The upside was I had the chance to simply watch with no other distractions. Inevitably the bird flew off as I resumed walking. Down by the cliff we experienced several flyovers and also saw the choughs swoop towards the rocky face at a lower level. Amazing action. The bullet call is somewhat akin to the sound produced when firing a missile in arcade games from the 1980s. We returned to the hostel in a buoyant mood. The agenda for the next day involved us doing different activities in the morning. I dropped Nicole off at RSPB Cors Ddyga then pushed on to the Anglesey Transport Museum near Llangaffo - the largest of its kind in Wales. The sun was shining brightly as I pulled into the car-park and I bought an admission ticket (£10.50) from the large café. There is also an integrated caravan site with hard-standing pitches. Glamping accommodation is offered within ex-army trucks. The vehicles have cooking and sleeping facilities, while toilet and shower blocks are nearby. The main exhibition hall featured an impressive array of classic cars. The 1987 Mini still adhered to the small is beautiful philosophy. The modern versions are creeping up in size! As ever in a museum of this type, you are reminded that common cars from your youth are now becoming collectors items with depressing regularity.
An Austin A35 could be purchased for £571 in 1957. Requesting an in-car radio added a further £43 to the bill. I learned the long-running police series Z-Cars was not named after the Ford Zephyrs and Zodiacs used on the show. Based in a fictional Lancashire town, the alphabetic call signs of the local force did not include the letter Z, and the writers adopted this moniker. I was glad to see the Hillman Minx represented. My mum passed her test in this model (it belonged to her dad). For reasons unknown, I have always remembered the registration number, 740 PKO. Both mk1 and mk2 Ford Escorts were on display. Massively popular back in the day, and often customised. Now firmly in classic-car territory. There was a mock-up of a cobbled street with delivery vans and a fleet of tractors at the back of the hall. I headed upstairs to view the motorcycles. Not a transport class I know much about but it was interesting to see the early mopeds. They looked just as the same suggests; a push bike with a small motor attached. Nowadays they are styled as small motorcycles but the engine size is pegged at 49cc to retain the legal status of moped. A Sinclair C5 was nestled within the collection. This plastic-bodied recumbent tricycle flopped disastrously upon release. Sir Clive Sinclair had become a household name by making home computers affordable to the masses but he lost his shirt on the C5. The (rather feeble) battery power could be augmented by pedalling but the rider sat dangerously low on the road and sales never materialised. It was marketed as an alternative to cars and bicycles but appealed to neither group. Perhaps there would be demand for such a vehicle in the near future, considering the massive advances in battery technology and the constant development of active travel routes. Another hall contained a workshop and a further collection of vehicles. I noted the MG Midget, a boyhood favourite. Also present was the Raleigh Chopper bicycle. Produced from 1968 to 1983 (and later revived), this fun-style bike achieved large global sales. I passed a row of military vehicles and, finally, had a look at the aeroplane and shunting locomotive outside. A nice varied collection and worth dropping by if you happen to be in the area. The museum is the brainchild of Arfon Williams, who grew up with a love for all forms of transport. He acquired a clapped-out Ferguson tractor at the age of 15 and completely rebuilt it. Setting up a mobile vehicle repair service, he later opened his own workshop and successfully applied to become a commercial vehicle testing station. Williams assembled a personal collection over the years and eventually took the plunge and opened the museum. Long may he prosper!
I returned to collect Nicole from the bird reserve and we headed for the estuary village of Malltraeth. The tidal bay used to extend much further inland but an embankment (cob) was built around 1900 to prevent flooding and allow land to be reclaimed for agriculture. However, much of this territory remains marshy and is now designated a site of special scientific interest. The increasingly scarce water vole lives here and large numbers of breeding birds are supported. It is hoped that one day the secretive bittern will join them. Ponies are used to help manage the reserve's vegetation and we saw as group of them as we walked along the cob. A fat green caterpillar wriggled safely across the path, while herons and wild egret stood in the water. We had a late lunch at the next village along (Newborough) and the café proprietor recommended a drive down to Llanddwyn Beach - just a short drive away through a portion of Newborough Forest, a vast pine plantation. A stream of cars came towards us as we headed towards the beach. Probably families heading home after a day on the sands. We reached a huge car park and wandered down to the shoreline. It was indeed and impressive sight with fine views across to the mainland and the mountains beyond. The sheer number of people however meant it wasn't quite what we were looking for. Great if you want a place for kids to roam free, but not exactly a secluded spot. The next day involved a trip to Oriel Mon, a purpose-built museum and art gallery near Llangefni - the county town of Anglesey, situated approximately in the centre of the island. The permanent displays feature the work of two artists with strong local connections. Kyffin Williams (1918-2006) is generally regarded as the foremost Welsh artist of the 20th century. Born and bred on Anglesey, he spent several decades teaching in London but often returned to his homeland during school holidays. After retiring, Williams moved back permanently to North Wales and was active on the local art scene for the final 30 years of his life. His works typically drew inspiration from the Welsh landscape and farmlands. Much of this was observed while walking, cycling or travelling by bus. Williams was knighted in 1999 and Oriel Mon looks after a large body of his work. The exhibition also contained loans from private collectors and the National Library of Wales. Moving through a corridor towards the next gallery, I correctly identified an abstract piece as a jellyfish. Not bad for someone who, until a few years ago, professed to know nothing about art. The main reason we had come to Oriel Mon was to view the work of Charles Tunnicliffe (1901-1979) - a Cheshire man who grew up on a farm and attended the local art school before winning a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London, one of the world's leading institutions. He moved to Malltraeth in 1947 and spent the remainder of his life on Anglesey.
Much of Tunnicliffe's work depicted birds in their natural settings and other wildlife scenes. He made heavy use of sketchbooks outdoors, recording visual information about the motion and behaviour of his subjects, as well as the changing seasons and landscapes. As a student in London, he eschewed advice to visit the Natural History Museum for inspiration and could often be found instead at the zoo. The gallery had a selection of pocket-sized sketch volumes available for perusal, giving a vital insight to the creative process. Tunnicliffe referred to them as the tools of his trade. He illustrated the successful wildlife novel Tarka the Otter and also provided artwork for major advertising campaigns. Tunnicliffe's services were in demand and his work featured in many of the Ladybird series of children's educational books - which anyone who grew up in the 70s or 80s will vividly remember. The RSPB commissioned Tunnicliffe to paint the cover artwork for many of their magazine issues. When Tunnicliffe decided to base himself in Anglesey, he gave up his teaching career in Manchester and concentrated on his own art full-time. The main-line rail service to the island provided a reliable link to the mainland pushing houses that sought his output. Kyffin Williams was a major admirer of Tunnicliffe and both men were members of the Royal Academy. When Tunnicliffe died, his estate was set to be auctioned and a group of his supporters put together a package, with funding sourced from Anglesey Council, RSPB, the Heritage Memorial Fund, V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Shell Oil Company and various private contributors. Their bid was successful and the collection of artwork became the focus of Oriel Mon when it opened in 1991. We proceeded upstairs to browse the museum space and there was a special exhibition on mapping, which was right up my street. The Ordnance Survey was established in 1791 and was producing accurate maps of British terrain by the beginning of the 19th century, available for the public to buy. Individual county maps date back to the early 1600s and there were a number of cartography displays on the walls. Fascinating stuff. The permanent Anglesey exhibition traced the history of the island from Stone Age settlements to the present day. Twenty ancient burial chambers survive from the times when early people began farming and living in homesteads. Druids served as priests and lawmakers during the Celtic period. The Romans invaded Great Britain in AD43 and Anglesey was identified as a druid hub. A strong force was sent to the island in AD60 and the druids were slain. Sacred places were destroyed before the Roman army departed southwards.
The invaders returned in AD78, this time to stay. They allowed the Celts to continue to follow their traditional beliefs and the Romans took some of the indigenous traditions on board. Eventually the sandal-wearing troops retreated to mainland Europe and the Christian church emerged as the dominant religious doctrine across the land. Following a troubled period of Viking and Norman attacks, the Kingdom of Gwynedd re-asserted itself. England annexed the territory in 1284 and the Shire of Anglesey was formalised. When Ireland was politically absorbed by the United Kingdom in 1801, Holyrood was chosen as the main port for the sea crossing. Road and rail links were built across the Menai Strait, consigning the ferryboats to the past. Anglesey's most catastrophic shipwreck occurred in 1859 during the Australian gold rush. Four thousand Welsh people had already headed down under in search of their fortune and the steam clipper Royal Charter was bringing around 400 passengers (and 100 crew) back to Liverpool from Melbourne when a severe storm struck the British Isles. The vessel was nearing the end of its two-month voyage but the conditions forced the ship towards the rocky Anglesey shore. The Captain gave orders to drop anchor and - for a while - the chains held, with the engines running at full speed to relieve the tension. The dreadful weather persisted and the defences snapped, resulting in Royal Charter being driven inshore, despite efforts to reduce wind drag by felling the masts. The ship foundered against the rocks at Moelfre and over 400 people lost their lives. Crew member Joseph Rogers managed to swim ashore with a rope. With the help of villagers, 41 men were pulled to safety but the rest were drowned, or crushed by the wreckage. Many of those aboard were miners carrying gold. The sea claimed their hard-won gains. It was a different precious metal that provided the backdrop to the next point of interest on our outing. Driving north towards Amlwch, we pulled over at the site of Parys Mountain, one of the world's largest copper mines back in the 18th century. The excavation completely transformed the landscape and today the undulating terrain (shaped by pick, shovel and gunpowder) reflects a palette of hues that almost gives the impression of being on another planet. A few science fiction TV episodes must have been filmed here.
Amlwch became known as the Copper Kingdom and a reserve of six million tons is thought to lie beneath the old workings. They stony surroundings appear barren but support several birds, such as skylark, meadow pipit and chough. Mining ceased in 1904 and today a waymarked trail can be followed around the exotic land formation. A windmill tower (over 10 metres tall) stands at the highest point of the mining area. It was constructed in 1878 to assist the removal of water from mine shafts. Unusually, the windmill featured five sails, rather than the traditional four. I spent half an hour exploring some of the vast site. From the tops of the mounds, I had a fantastic view across green fields towards the sea. This place is a Mecca for those interested in industrial history, but anyone can enjoy the unique setting. We pushed on to Point Lynas, a headland in the northeast corner of the island. We parked by a sheltered and picturesque bay called Porth Eilian, which has a small strip of shingle beach. The water was amazingly clear and a number of small boats were afloat. We walked a mile up to the lighthouse at the tip of the promontory. The elevated position allowed us to enjoy a panoramic seascape as we ate lunch on the grass. Dating from 1835, the castellated lighthouse building features an unusual arrangement of the lantern at ground level and a look-out station above. Sitting on a clifftop, there was no need to raise the light source higher. It helps guide ships travelling to and from Liverpool. The facility was fully automated in 1990 and the adjoining head keeper's house is now a private residence. Two smaller cottages are available for holiday rental and each can accommodate a party of six people. We strolled around the headland, enjoying the views and breathing the sea air. Something was moving out on the water and we trained our binoculars.
Our first assumption was a dolphin, but closer inspection suggested we had located a porpoise. The two marine mammals are similar in appearance but porpoises have a smaller profile and shorter snouts. Their behaviour also differs; dolphins tend to swim in large groups and often jump out of the water. Today's sighting was limited to a protruding fin and the top part of the back. The animal seemed to be alone and we concluded it had to be a porpoise. A good spot nonetheless. It was a sunny day and on the drive back to Holyhead, we decided to pop over to RSPB South Stack to try and get photos of the choughs. We returned to the lower car-park near the feeding station and walked down to the cliff edge. It didn't take long until we spotted with familiar black shapes with red trimming. The calls rang out loud and clear as the birds flashed by. Securing an in-flight photo without specialist equipment is a near-impossible task and it was a case of waiting until the choughs landed in a suitable location. Two of them obliged to produce the image below. Naturally, a copy was uploaded to my Facebook feed. Hard evidence that I had found one of my birding Holy Grails! Found only on the western shores of the British Isles, the chough is a member of the crow family and is renowned for its aerial acrobatics and is mostly confined to rocky coastal areas. They feed primarily on invertebrates such as beetles, ants and spiders but are omnivorous and will also take seeds and grains. Choughs nest in caves, large cavities and old buildings. They build nests of twigs, moss and leaves with an animal hair lining – often sheep wool. The nest is often re-used annually and given a makeover. Three to five eggs are laid, with both parents rearing the young. The conservation status hasn't been formally assessed and 250-350 breeding pairs are known to live in the UK, with additional populations in Ireland and on the Isle of Man. Far rarer than the ubiquitous carrion crows and jackdaws, but probably not a threatened species within their own particular environment.
Back at the hostel, large group of guests had commandeered the kitchen and took a long time to cook an elaborate meal. Normally the etiquette is to rustle up food relatively quickly (or leave something bubbling away and tactfully withdraw) to allow other folk the chance to use the facilities. Tying up the whole room was rather selfish. There has to be a bit of give and take in these communal situations. Regardless of this particular incident, we began to feel our hostelling days may be nearing an end, if more private options happen to be available. We had one full day left in Wales and planned another couple of wildlife outings. Before that however, it was time for a little urban exploring. A little online research revealed the existence of a ruined mansion overlooking the sea on the outskirts of Holyhead. It took only ten minutes to drive to a suitable parking place and I could see the neo-Gothic turrets through the vegetation. Soldier's Point House was built in 1849 by Charles Rigby (contractor for the Holyhead Breakwater) for his own residence. The mansion was named last year by the Victorian Society as one of the most endangered buildings of architectural importance in England and Wales. It was once the home of media magnate Sir Arthur Pearson, who launched the Daily Express. The house was expanded in the early 20th century, with a substantial two-storey addition added after 1970. It functioned as a hotel from 1950 to 2000 and was subsequently slated for conversion to a maritime museum as part of a major waterfront development. This scheme went up in smoke when fire crews rushed to tackle a huge blaze at the derelict property in 2011. Only the outer shell remains today and the once-grand residence is slowly being reclaimed by nature. I was able to take a couple of decent pictures by poking my camera above a wall and zooming in across the overgrown gardens. The house itself is ringed by a steel security fence - most likely a necessity from a health and safety point of view. I wandered round to the seaward side where a castellated rubble screen wall was inset with several towers, one of which was converted to a pill box during WW2.
Noises have been made about restoring the building to its former glory but that's little more than a pipe dream in my opinion. The mansion now lies in limbo, doomed to further decay, the listed status keeping the wrecking ball at bay. An interesting little explore and no doubt the interior now provides a welcome heaven for local wildlife. We approached the Cymyran Strait on the old road. The Stanley Embankment (known colloquially as the Cob) was constructed in 1823 as part of the Dublin ferry scheme. The space is shared with the railway but the modern A55 occupies a separate (although parallel) causeway. It was nice to have sea views from Holy Island across to Anglesey proper. By contrast, the new road over the water is flanked by concrete walls. We turned off for Penrhos Coastal Park just before hitting the causeway and doubled back to the spacious car-park. The mudflats on the strait were exposed and many wading birds were visible. After setting up the scope, we ate lunch on a bench overlooking the narrow sea channel. With binoculars we could see incoming water gushing through sluice gates built into the sides of the Cob. The tide was obviously changing and the birds were pushed towards us as their feeding grounds gradually became submerged. The park opened in 1971 and the wooded area was planted in the 19th century. It has a wealth of mixed deciduous and coniferous trees, bluebell beds, meadow butterflies and freshwater habitats. We pottered about for the remainder of the day and spent our final night in the hostel. We had decided to break the homeward journey with a two-night stay in Lancaster. This would enable us to spend a day at the sprawling RSPB Leighton Moss on the Lancashire coast. Setting off along the North Wales Expressway, we said goodbye to Holy Island and Anglesey. The relaxed pace of life had suited us and it had been a chilled-out holiday. After negotiating the bottleneck at the Menai Bridge, we were back on the mainland, cruising along the north coast of Wales. We pulled over at RSPB Conwy, on the banks of the river of the same name. Having membership cards allowed us to gain free entry. It's certainly worth signing up if you make a handful of road trips each year and visit a few reserves.
The estuary wetland territory was created using spoil from the construction of the Conwy Tunnel, which we had just driven through. Opened in 1991, it alleviated the serious traffic jams that occurred in Conwy town centre on a daily basis. The construction process proved challenging as the main railway line had to be moved. Areas of saltmarsh were also destroyed and I would imagine the establishment of a new nature reserve was part of a compromise. The immersed tube tunnel - approached by cut and cover sections - is 1190 yards long and the longest underwater road link in Wales. The reserve had a visitors centre and café. We followed one of the walking trails to a hide that looked over a lagoon. A few ducks and waders were present and we watched them for a while. It was just a brief stopover as the main destination for the day was the seaside town of Llandudno. A short road detour from the A55, Llandudno grew as a planned Victorian holiday resort (now the largest in Wales) after the coming of the railway. The town sits by a bay on a small headland and trains traverse a three-mile branch line from the main Holyhead corridor. Upon entering the bustling town, it became apparent that finding a parking space would not be easy. After fruitlessly cruising the wide streets, we tried our luck at the multi-storey and found the rates quite reasonable. My main reason for coming to Llandudno was to ride the Great Orme Tramway - Britain's only surviving cable-hauled system. Nicole didn't fancy it and decided to explore the town instead. I waited in line and purchased a return ticket for £11.50 (it is not possible to book in advance). A couple of single cars departed before I was able to board. The vehicles are permanently attached to a moving cable and one carriage descends as the other climbs. There is a passing loop in the middle. This arrangement is repeated on a physically separate upper system, with all passengers changing at Halfway Station. This stop is the control centre for the line and the electric winding motors are housed here. Around 200,000 passengers per year make the trip from Victoria Station in the town centre to the summit of Great Orme - a limestone outcrop that overlooks the bay. The first half of the journey featured on-street running and the gradients were incredibly steep. Normal running speed is limited to 4 miles per hour.
The tramway opened in 1902. The station at the lower end occupied the former site of the Victoria Hotel and tram sheds were erected at the halfway point. Tragedy occurred in 1932 when a car broke loose and run into a wall, killing the driver and a young female passenger. Strict new safety rules were introduced and operations resumed two years later, continuing throughout the duration of WW2. The winding mechanism was originally steam powered but this was replaced by more efficient electric engines in 1958. At the turn of the century, grants from the National Lottery and European Union helped finance a major refurbishment scheme, meaning the tramway reached its centenary in fine shape. The Great Orme rises to a height of 679 feet and pleasure grounds were created on its slopes in the Victorian railway age. Today the summit hosts a large bar/restaurant, visitor centre, gift shop, wildflower garden, children's play area and a cable-car station. Great views across the Irish Sea can be enjoyed an apparently the Isle of Man is visible on a clear day. On the west side of the hill you can visit the remains of a Bronze Age copper mine. Commercial-scale excavation in the area ceased around 1850. In the same decade, an electric telegraph station was installed at the summit. It was part of a chain that allowed messages to be instantly relayed between Liverpool and Holyhead, replacing the previous semaphore facility. A radar station was located here during WW2. The cable-car infrastructure was completed in 1969 and the 20 cabins depart at one-minute intervals. A journey of one mile takes passengers down to the pier. I strolled around the Great Orme summit but the sea views were obscured by clouds. No chance of seeing any distant lands today. The downhill tram trundled back towards the town and I caught sight of a handful of Cashmere goats munching on the hillside vegetation. The herd has roamed the Orme since the middle of the 19th century and is descended from a pair of animals presented by the Shah of Persia to Queen Victoria, shortly after her coronation in 1837. Numbers are controlled by a sterilisation programme.
It had been a great little trip on the tramway and I was pleased to have squeezed some heritage transport action into the itinerary. I met up with Nicole and we headed back to the car. Llandudno seems to be thriving, although Nicole said she had noticed several hospitality outlets closed due to lack of suitable staff. A problem affecting the whole country these days. It was time to leave Wales behind and push up to Lancaster. The journey proceeded smoothly although - predictably - there was slow traffic as we approached the M54/M6 interchange around teatime. Upon reaching the old cathedral town, the ever dependable Siri guided us to our accommodation - a typical North of England two-up two-down terraced house. We had booked it via Air B&B - a website/app that has now grown way beyond the original concept of people renting a spare room in their own home to visitors. Whole houses and apartments now routinely appear on the search results and there are investors actively purchasing properties to rent them out in this way. This often puts a strain on local housing supply and pushes up market prices. Big cities can probably absorb a fair amount of this activity but towns and villages in tourist hotspots have become seriously affected. Holiday rentals have of course been around for a long time but the ubiquitous nature of the internet has permanently changed the way people book accommodation. Our temporary abode had a homely feel as the owner split his time between the property and that of his partner. After the communal set-up of a hostel, it was nice to have total privacy and we were in a bustling residential area not too far from the city centre. We ordered a Greek takeaway and afterwards I took a short walk along the nearby Lancaster Canal. The current extent of the waterway is 41 miles (lock free - the longest stretch in the country), from Preston to Tewitfield. After spending most of its life in isolation, the canal was linked to the navigable national network in 2002 with the establishment of the 4-mile Millennium Ribble Link. Meanwhile, the northern reaches towards Kendal in the Lake District were severed three times by the construction of the M6 and this section remains in an abandoned state. I really just wanted to stretch my legs and I wandered half a mile along the towpath before turning around. A swan family swam by in single file, eight cygnets bookended by the adults, which made an excellent photograph. After a good night's sleep, we set out for RSPB Leighton Moss - about half an hour's drive.
Abutting the shores of the nearby Morecambe Bay, the reserve is a wetland paradise where wildlife roams reed beds, mudflats, coastal marsh and saltwater lagoons. There are also pockets of woodland and limestone grasslands. Several walking trails are available but it was a blazing hot day and we opted to head for one of the nearby hides to see what was happening. The height of summer isn't an ideal time to watch birds but we caught sight of two young marsh harriers in a tree. This bulky raptor feeds on small mammals and water birds. Shot to extinction in the late 19th century, the current population has grown from a single breeding group in Suffolk in 1971. This magnificent bird of prey typically lives around areas of reed bed and 600 pairs now nest in Britain. Leighton Moss is known for its avocet population and the iconic wader was in evidence today. As usual, the bittern remained steadfastly hidden. Will we ever see one? We strolled leisurely to the café before driving out to the Eric Morcambe Hide - a mile and a half distant from the visitor centre. Named after the comedy legend, who formed a memorable double act with straight man Ernie Wise, a silhouette of the great man in typical pose greets you as you enter the hide (fully refurbished in 2012). The windows overlook a pool and an area of salt marsh. Trains also pass by. Eric Morecambe (1926-1984) achieved huge fame via the Morecambe & Wise Show, which featured the biggest stars of the day as special guests. Less well known is the fact he was a keen birdwatcher. He grew up in Morecambe and took his stage name from his home town. This was our second visit to Leighton Moss and I highly recommend a visit. You can even rock up by rail! We spent our second night in Lancaster and relaxed by watching some of the Olympic Games on TV. The drive home naturally included a stop at Tebay Services. We also took a detour out to Bowness on Solway and had lunch outdoors, gazing across the water towards Scotland. After a brief visit to RSPB Campfield Marsh - known for its large expanses of salt marsh - and a drive along the firth, we re-joined the motorway and continued all the way home. A fantastic holiday packed with activities.
