Penmon on the North East Tip of Angelsey

Let’s Explore Penmon Priory. This way…………………….

It is quite a small building inside

Has anyone seen my horse?

When we arrived at the end of the road we came to the lighthouse. We heard a bell and assumed it was the 7.45 bong. No. The bell tolled every 30 seconds! It was hard to get to sleep. Trwyn Du Lighthouse built in 1838 is a lighthouse between Dinmor Point near Penmon and Ynys Seriol, or Puffin Island, at the eastern extremity of Anglesey, marking the passage between the two island Sea kale and lighthouse

The stripes and colours of the sky match the lighthouse!

 The light is powered by solar panels and LED’s. The bell looks like the real thing.The tide made it right up to the black steps at high tide.   That is Puffin Island in the distance which has a church on it apparently. The reflected sunset light on the huge clouds behind the lighthouse keepers houses looks spectacular!

Wine time!  The full moon rose over the white lighthouse keepers cottages. The van looks inviting and so warm and cosy. Sunrise at 5.30 a.m !  I have  hardly ever seen this so early but I had no choice thanks to the bell every 30 seconds and the fisher sheeple! 

This was taken at 4.30 AM in the morning I was woken up by the sound of cars, doors slamming, people coughing and general noise. I pulled back the curtain to see these idiots blowing up a boat and really spoiling our view. There were several vans wild camping here and the owners had taken the trouble to not spoil each others view or encroach on personal space. However these fisher sheeple didn’t care!

What is the point of fishing? I fail to see the attraction of getting up at four in the morning to dangle a string from a stick in the water in the hopes of killing  a living creature. And while waiting to kill it I stare into space. WHY? It is not as if there is any payback that I can see. Maybe fisher people have such dull lives that fishing is the best excitement they can get. Or maybe there home life is so bad they need to escape. There is no payback in the activity itself. It doesn’t keep you fit or build your muscles. I think it is an excuse or justification for men to get out of the house. 

These fisher sheeple gave us an hour or so of amusement over breakfast as they set up camp like the cast of an Enid Blyton Secret Seven movie. They even had a drunken pirate ‘skull and bones’ club flag! Google skull and bones club for the real meaning and origins of that! This man played ‘mum’ and set up camp while the other two were fishing on the rocks.The set up was carefully arranged complete with one of those push down ash trays presumably to avoid fag ash blowing in their beer. This guy micro adjusted everything including the tissues and seat cushions so everything was ‘just so’. Bless! 

Breakfast was yummy and finished by 7.am. which is a first for us.  Morning light at Penmon. 

The Bong of Penmon

In May 2017 we decided to visit Blackrock Sands for a birthday celebration. the weather was typically poor – wet and windy but warmer than winter and lighter for longer.

The Welsh coastal path runs along the cliffs and dunes behind the beach and this is the view towards the beach after a climb up the cliff. There is a small house tight on the rocky headland which seems impossible to get to other than by boat. It can be seen in the distance.

Here is another shot showing the sandy bay with the house. Can you spot it?

As  night fell we poured the wine and prepared the disco ball ………………

We needed to shelter behind the wind break as it was not that warm for May.

Not sure what is happening here but the fire looks inviting.

Feet up and enjoying the sunset by candlelight. The book is called History of the VW Camper and…………….

Lo and behold – the camper from the cover of the book manifest right in front of us!

We ran out of wood and nowhere had any. Not even the petrol station or hardware store. We found a few sacks of kindling in a pound shop and we needed more wood. We said to each other we need an abandoned pallet. On the way back to the  beach from the wood hunt we took a back route. And there was an old pallet next to a large green waste bin! How does it get any better than that?

Then we had the pleasure of sawing it with the fat max saw and chopping it with an axe bought from Sweden hand made and rather expensive I thought – for an axe. I was assured that its a very special axe and it did prove to be very useful indeed.

By now everyone has gone home and our fun is just starting! Axe and Fat Max saw worth their weight in gold!

The green ‘organic label was found on the pallet. Very appropriate I think for showing off the fancy Scandinavian Axe!

We had more than enough wood for a roaring fire all night.

And the Maglite Torch made a great disco ball illuminator so long as someone shone it in the right way.

May 2017

Weather check for this weekend… Blue skies and very cold. Loaded the van up with snacks and supplies and hit the road. This time we decided to explore just the other side of the Welsh border and found a wild camping spot in the Esclusham Mountains… I’ve no idea how to pronounces this one! Had a bit of snow during the night, but woke up to a gorgeous sunny frost, sprinkling all exposed surfaces with a dash of white. The following day we chose a less challenging route through the well sign posted Llandegla forest.

Dressed like an spaceman ready to explore the moon!

Yes its this way! (I promise.)

Who put this here?

I can see our house from here!

There’s something about a tree trying to go in harsh environments.

The remains of mining activities litter the hills here.

We are here… Strange but we still had 4G… The OS map said there is a footpath but it lies, the path just ends.

So many plants growing with 50 shades of green.

Catkins delicately hanging from last years crop.

Who ever says cows are’t sentient beings needs their bumps reading.

We found this holly bush standing proud as punch showing off its abundant stock of bright red berries.

We’re going on a bear hunt… We can’t go over it. We can’t go around it. We can’t go under it. We’ll have to go through it!

So cute!

This must be the most adorable church going. Looks so Icelandic

The notice board is my favourite part. I think it needs a little TLC.

Part of the old lead mines of Minera

Hooray we made it back…

Such a wonderful sight, just inside this van we had clean dry socks, coffee, wine and food…

One of the views from our spot for the night.

The morning frost

Tire tracks frozen in time.

A view up the road

Basking in the mid morning sun.

The vans new shoes

Hello…

Exit.

A frozen puddle.

Hiding in Llandegla Forest.

Still very cold in the mid afternoon sun.

Water droplets clinging to the trees looking like diamonds.

How the landscape looks after deforestation.

Sunset on the way home.

February 2016

Christmas on the beach sounded like a good plan. Loaded the van up with festive snacks and supplies and headed for Black Rock Sands for a few days. Checked the tide height and it’s safe to camp on the beach. We arrived to a wild stormy sea, wind and rain battering the van, but inside with the heater on and cooking our Christmas dinner all was toasty and warm!

Getting festive

Van in the dark

Battered by the wind and rain

Reflections on the window

Using the Ridge Monkey for the first time

Potatoes and stuffing on first

Ready to flip the Monkey

How to cook a Christmas dinner on two burners

A table set for me and you

A vegan Christmas dinner

Fairy lights

Boxing day, hello sunshine!

Those lazy mornings

Morning coffee with a sea view

Boxing day breakfast

Spiced apple candle buring

Boxing day walkers

Scramblers having tons of fun.

A little more rain

The 4 wheel drive failed to work. Fixed with a new vacuum pipe!

This is the far end of the beach, less people and less cars

Feet up

Looking at porn a again!

Making tracks

This couple asked for a help

Two hours before the tide comes in and stuck

In the end we dug the sand from the wheels and pushed!

Planning more adventures

A fab sunset

Van yoga

Love it.

Christmas and Boxing day 2016

Danby Hill can be found to the northern end of the Yorkshire moors. We saw a number of rusty metal posts poking form the ground and later found out that RAF had an early warning radar station located here. The night we stayed here the spot was ours, no one in sight. (Only what looked like Grouse could be heard.)

The morning views as the sun started to poke over the hills are excellent, this place is a must to visit.

Mulled wine on the brew – Smelling good.

As the sun meets the morning clouds

Not a soul in sight

Chips for beakfast?

Taking a few snaps

I can fly!

A stone marking the spot where and RAF radar station once operated.

Danby Beacon

Lovely rust

I’m so excited

First ones up the hill today

Look at me!

The sun trying its best to shine through the icy clouds

Then these guys turned up, playing Meat Loaf!

The North Yorkshire Moors is a large place, stretches for miles

I have no idea where this track goes to!

Who want’s a fryup?

We found lots of roads like this one.

The peak district is just on our door step. An hours drive and your in the hills, surrounded by nature and people wearing a lot of colourful nylon based clothes! We had been to this spot before when out on a day advanture and said to each other we’ll come back here. Anyway we did, but this time we have mirror ball!

After a bite to eat and wine we set about setting up the van for a disco night.

• Mirror ball tested and working.
• LED lights set to flashing
• Ipod full of funky disco music
• The bar stocked with wine and vodka
• Disco time

This sauce is magic

All gone – so tasty! (Its your turn to wash up.)

Testing the mirror ball – Yep it works.

Relocated the mirror ball to hang off the skylight

Hummm this vodka smells so good

Get down and boogie

Funky monkey

I can sing so well!

Reaching the high note now…

My knife and plug rack

Time to clear our heads – lets go for a walk

Found this sign – could not stop laughing.

I’ve got my nylon based clothes on too!

Hummm could I get the van across here?

Looking down Upper Derwent Reservoir

Driving with the mirror ball, but kept on getting dazzled.

Derwent dam – works a little like an infinity pool.

You can just see the water tumbling down the other side of the dam

These ducks sounded just like Donald Duck!