If I was in a seat already, I’d have given it up for this tree who was so obviously heavy with saplings. This also above Elan Valley visitor centre.
Pregnant Tree
posted in: Countryside, Nature, Wales, Walking
Mynydd Tŵr
posted in: Countryside, Hills, Wales
AKA Holyhead Mountain. 722 feet (220 m) is the highest point on Ynys Môn. It’s also bloody cold up there on a Boxing day morning. Quick Nickipedia facts here: The summit is rocky, quartzite, and the slopes clad in heather. There is an Iron Age hillfort called Caer y Twr. The material for the breakwater at the port of Holyhead was quarried from the limestone areas of the northeastern side of the island, with seven million tons of limestone being removed from long-established quarries to form the longest breakwater in Britain, at nearly one and a half miles (2.4 km) long.
Crepuscles
posted in: Countryside, Wales
Not strictly a word is that. But to make up for it, here are some crepuscular rays just off the sea at Aberystwyth and on my birthday and all.
Where are we?
posted in: Countryside, Travel, Wales
Got a bit lost in the foggy Radnor hills today. Luckily we came across this way marker to tell us where we were.
Financial Times
posted in: art, Countryside, Telegraph Poles, Writing
It’s a special kind of person that makes it into the pages of the Financial Times I always say loudly to myself. And to anyone else who will listen. Or who can’t get away from me quick enough.
Click images to enlarge each.
Immortality
posted in: Countryside, Different stuff, Wales
Of a sort… Preserved for ever – under the all-seeing eye of the american corporate state surveillance machine. And I’m looking forward to some fun with that extra arm I’ve grown. This just 200 yards from home. Don’t remember seeing a camera car though. But I’m glad I remembered to put on my Sunday best rags at least. Oh, and look carefully: that’s an A1024 notice on the telegraph pole there.
Ravilious-esque landscape
posted in: Countryside, Telegraph Poles, Travel, Wales
If ever a photograph looked like Eric Ravilious had painted it, it is this one. It was intended for next year’s TPAS calendar, but I think I already used a similar scene for 2024. It is on the Abergwesyn mountain road out of Tregaron in Ceredigion. Take this road and hope you don’t meet a timber lorry coming the other way because you’ll have to reverse for miles. But do go, the scenery is stunning. As are the telegraph poles that line the first 10 miles or so (as far as the famous remote chapel of Soar y Mynydd.
Merlin App
posted in: Countryside, Nature, Travel
I’ll see your Chaffinch and hooded crow and raise you a Corncrake and one Sand Martin. (Just down from Farrens’ Bar, Malin Head, Donegal)
Eigg Nog
posted in: Countryside, Nature, Telegraph Poles, Travel
We recently undertook an expedition to the wee small isles in the inner Hebrides. Starting on the Isle of Eigg but also taking in neighbouring isles of Rum and Muck. These have been on my must visit list since I was about 8 years old.
I didn’t expect to but there was some amazing vintage telegraph poles to discover. And to save me the energy of re-typing it all and to save the internet space for having the text twice, why not read the full story by clicking over to my sister site The Telegraph Pole Appreciation Society.
Here are a few photos from the trip anyway. Click to enlarge.
Custodians of the countryside
posted in: Countryside, Environment, Wales
MY ARSE
This is the river Aeron. The entire bank for half a mile is choked with black plastic. And the other pictures are from two different nearby farms, south Ceredigion. I cannot think of a single valid excuse for this. Click images to enlarge – if you can bear to.
