Formentor

Formentor

Saturday 21 December 2013

Go West

Hello again - just a few flash backs from the past weeks - it has been a busy time - so as they say'
Lets Go West' and so that is what we did - up to Wales - and we chose a very dark night with howling winds to travel - not intentionally you see -  but due to personal commitment - like that thing called work and hospital appointments that was the first available time slot.

;"> We had booked accommodation with Wales  Holidays -http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/barmouth/256238 and so with Sat Nav loaded with the post code off we went - the run was pretty uneventful -you know- dark and wet and as we neared our destination we passed through Barmouth a little coastal town - usually nestling quietly on the Mawddach estuary - not that night the sand was swirling surely 10 metres high with waves rushing up over the road - with not a soul in sight - we quickly swung the car up into the town and on through to Dyffryn Ardudwy and to our holiday cottage  Hen Feudy -welsh translation the old cowshed it is barn conversion
 
 
 
 
The plan was to have breakfast and then hit the road so to speak - and hopefully avoid the rainy spells - and see a little bit of this part of Wales - the first day was unplanned ! - we walked into the village and a local dog walker sent us off on a walk through the woods towards Talybont -' quite a way ' he said looking us up and down doubtfully - we thanked him and he walked with us for a while and then bid his goodbyes - our friend was quite right it was a bit challenging especially helpng 2 not so nimble dogs over the stone walls - the one in the pic was an easy one - most were like 8-9 stone steps high on both sides - anyway we achieved and went on to enjoy the ramble through the woods - kicking up the leaves - kids stuff - enjoying the changing scenery - - old gnarled trees http://www.tonysrestaurant.co.uk/-
 
- waterfalls and streams - such is woodland art. We chose the coastal road route back to Hen Feudy -OH was a birthday boy today so we had been told of a local Italian restaurant in Talybont - see the link -somewhere above care of blogger !! we had a fantastic meal - definitely to be recommended

Day 2 - we caught the local train to Harlech - plus 2 dogs - not a problem we were told - the dogs understand that they need to remain as inconspicious as possible on public transport so they  hid under the seats - Harlech was cold and windy with the odd flash of sunshine but none the less full of history and interest - we have not been there before only driven through so there was a lot to see - we walked up into the town past the castle taking  pictures from every angle
- the town is well worth a visit - we will call there again at some stage because there are many walks leading from the town along the coast and up into the mountains.

I am really into garden art and as we strolled along the streets we spotted these little fellows - what do you think - they are sort of magical - like they belong to their own little secret world
 



After a very large hot chocolate we walked down to the beach I suppose about a mile and a bit over the dunes and the golf course - more pics including my header pic - probably only 2 people and ourselves on the beach - total isolation
 
We walked back across the sand dunes and gazed up at the castle and wondered how many times the castle had been stormed by invaders from the sea - what a formidable sight
 
Day three - our last day on this mid winter break - and a trip out to the Blue Lake at Fairbourne - OH had first visited the lake when he was 16 and now a few years on !! wanted to revisit - we drove to Fairbourne and parked up - and followed the roadway - taking a sharp right up a steep track - the scenery was amazing on the walk up - the day was a bit hazy but we were able to get some reasonable shots
 
 
The trees lined the track all shapes and sizes - now bare of leaves but elegant and determined to survive all that winter could throw at them
 
everywhere there was evidence of the old slate quarryhttp://www.aditnow.co.uk/documents/Golwen-Slate-Mine/Golwern_2658.pdf - the colours of the slate
 shone through catching the weak rays of sun - and crumbling walls which had formed the workings still held their own -
 
 
 
bits of the  old machinery lay around
 
 The blue lake - the purpose of our visit -  was a brilliant blue - something to do with the minerals in the water it is approached through a tunnel -
 
 
the pics I have taken are from the hill top looking down - amazing well worth a visit

Best wishes to you all

Jane