Cumbria is home to the Lake District National Park, the largest in Britain, containing 16 lakes and four peaks higher than 3000 feet (including the highest mountain in England - Scafell Peak at 978 metres), as well as the deepest lake - Wastwater, where I am going tomorrow.
Although Ravenglass, between Silecroft and Whitehaven (click to see on my Google Map), is the only coastal town in the park, the national park's beauty flows over into the rest of the coast.
I came across John Parminter's photographs in a local Cumbrian magazine, and you should check them out - they are exquisite snapshots of a much larger masterpiece.
Go to http://www.viewlakeland.com/
Saturday, 25 July 2009
Day 13 - North West England Coast - Cumbria - Silecroft - Aaargh, I'm home
Silecroft (click to see on my Google Map) could be a place I've been expecting. Before I started this trip, except for one trip to Lymington on the south coast, I had never visited the coast of this island. I imagined the edge of Britain to be windswept and wild, mountains and hills falling to the sea, the area sparsely inhabited by friendly, charismatic locals who speak the local dialect, and full of cows, horses, sheep and border collies.
Panorama of Silecroft Beach...click for full screen image. (That shadow is me taking the pic! Still need to Photoshop it out).
Since I started my trip, I've been exposed to some of the above. But never all of them at once. Driving into Cumbria I knew that I could be onto something. The Lake District is world-renowned, and justifiably so. As soon as I drove into the town of Windermere (on the lake of the same name) the steep hills enveloped silvery lakes, and quite country roads wound their way along dry stone walls. But Windermere is inland, as well as touristy, and I was looking for the coast, which in Cumbria is not as well-known as the interior.
Silecroft is on the southern end of Cumbria's coast. And I liked it - a lot. This is just my opinion, so you must please visit the area for yourself to make up your own mind, but I think Silecroft is a spot that Britain should be proud of - even though, at first, it seems slightly unremarkable.
There are only a few houses alongside a main road that leads down to a beach that extends for miles in either direction. There are two pubs, and only a couple of B&Bs. Behind Silecroft is a series of mountainous hills (if you know what I mean), full of sheep and cows, and Cumberland heavy horses.
There isn't much else. The wind blows (there is a windmill power farm just offshore). The tide comes in and out. The sheep and cows eat and sleep. Fishermen amble onto the beach and catch sea bass. Locals walk their dogs on the beach. Seagulls glide on the breeze. And there are no boutique stores, no supermarkets, no fancy restaurants (only one pub), and no "return-on-investment" Londoners looking for their next property deal.
This photo is called "Cumbrian Cow in Corner Composition"
Cumbrian sheep have it pretty good...
Cumbrian grass field...
Silecroft is exactly how I imagined the British coast to be. Of course I knew that it wouldn't be all like this, but if I had to pick a place that I had preconceived the coastline to be, it would be Silecroft.
Of course, place is only half of it. The people are the other half. You could travel to Papua New Guinea and be entranced by the rainforest, only to be eaten by cannibals. In Silecroft I was lucky enough to stay with a very welcoming family - the Rhinds. (And, of course, now I believe that ALL people in Silecroft are like the Rhinds). My mom would have liked them a lot, and that's a measurement in which I can place a lot of trust.
Newstead House is a B&B about 100 metres from the beach, on the tiny main road leading from the village to the coast. It stands alone in a field of long grass, which itself is surrounded by cows and sheep. You can look out your room onto the fields, see the ocean in the distance, smell it on the breeze all night, and wake up feeling like you've been injected with pure oxygen.
Paul and Alyson Rhind and their two sons (Adam and Fraser) and daughter (Eilidh) kindly invited me to eat with them for dinner, and Paul cooked me fresh sea bass, and Alyson servied me toffee pudding for desert (forget about any toffee pudding you've ever had - Alyson's is incomparable). I could have been at home, especially when Alyson said, "I hope you don't mind our crazy family". For breakfast Paul cooked me some fried eggs with cumberland sausage (98% pork meat, 2% seasoning - ie. NO FAT).
Newstead House, Silecroft...
Someone once said that landscapes determine the people, and Silecroft, with its slow-time feel, and people who smile and greet you along the way, is proof of that. It's a wholesome scene with people who are the same.
Paul and Alyson got me started on Cumberland sausages, and suggested I go to Bewley's Butcher Shop in nearby Bootle, where Willy Bewley makes and sells his locally famous kind of Cumberland sausage. It's a small shop, easily missed, so look out for the blue and white building on the main road of the village. Further north in Wabberthwaite, there is Richard Woodall's, who is the Royal Family's official Cumberland Sausage and Ham supplier. I bet the Queen sneaks into her kitchen late at night to fry up a few sausages...they are that good.
Further proof of the genuinely friendly locals, I went for a horseride with Murthwaite Green Trekking Centre, just down the road from Newstead House. Cath Wrigley runs her horse riding centre along with local girls who you can see wouldn't swap their jobs for anything in the world. Not hard to see why. They get to guide visitors onto the beautiful beach every day, riding horses that are as friendly as the locals. I dunno, maybe I was in an especially good mood (thanks to Paul's cumberland sausages), but everyone I met in Silecroft was someone I'd like to get to know better.
Go horseriding on endless Silecroft Beach with Murthwaite Trekking Centre in Silecroft. You can be a beginner horse rider, and not worry, because the guides are friendly and fun, yet always looking after your safety, and the long beach makes the horses happy.
...and ride some more...
Some other things to do in the area:
- Check out Swinside Stones, a mini Stonehenge type circle of 55 stones.
- Visit the RAF Museum in Millom.
- If you want to ride (or even just look at) the huge and heavy Clydesdale and Shire horses - the ones that are famous for doing the really heavy labour - go to Cumbrian Heavy Horses, just up the road from Silecroft. They are spectacular animals.
Panorama of Silecroft Beach...click for full screen image. (That shadow is me taking the pic! Still need to Photoshop it out).
Since I started my trip, I've been exposed to some of the above. But never all of them at once. Driving into Cumbria I knew that I could be onto something. The Lake District is world-renowned, and justifiably so. As soon as I drove into the town of Windermere (on the lake of the same name) the steep hills enveloped silvery lakes, and quite country roads wound their way along dry stone walls. But Windermere is inland, as well as touristy, and I was looking for the coast, which in Cumbria is not as well-known as the interior.
Silecroft is on the southern end of Cumbria's coast. And I liked it - a lot. This is just my opinion, so you must please visit the area for yourself to make up your own mind, but I think Silecroft is a spot that Britain should be proud of - even though, at first, it seems slightly unremarkable.
There are only a few houses alongside a main road that leads down to a beach that extends for miles in either direction. There are two pubs, and only a couple of B&Bs. Behind Silecroft is a series of mountainous hills (if you know what I mean), full of sheep and cows, and Cumberland heavy horses.
There isn't much else. The wind blows (there is a windmill power farm just offshore). The tide comes in and out. The sheep and cows eat and sleep. Fishermen amble onto the beach and catch sea bass. Locals walk their dogs on the beach. Seagulls glide on the breeze. And there are no boutique stores, no supermarkets, no fancy restaurants (only one pub), and no "return-on-investment" Londoners looking for their next property deal.
This photo is called "Cumbrian Cow in Corner Composition"
Cumbrian sheep have it pretty good...
Cumbrian grass field...
Silecroft is exactly how I imagined the British coast to be. Of course I knew that it wouldn't be all like this, but if I had to pick a place that I had preconceived the coastline to be, it would be Silecroft.
Of course, place is only half of it. The people are the other half. You could travel to Papua New Guinea and be entranced by the rainforest, only to be eaten by cannibals. In Silecroft I was lucky enough to stay with a very welcoming family - the Rhinds. (And, of course, now I believe that ALL people in Silecroft are like the Rhinds). My mom would have liked them a lot, and that's a measurement in which I can place a lot of trust.
Newstead House is a B&B about 100 metres from the beach, on the tiny main road leading from the village to the coast. It stands alone in a field of long grass, which itself is surrounded by cows and sheep. You can look out your room onto the fields, see the ocean in the distance, smell it on the breeze all night, and wake up feeling like you've been injected with pure oxygen.
Paul and Alyson Rhind and their two sons (Adam and Fraser) and daughter (Eilidh) kindly invited me to eat with them for dinner, and Paul cooked me fresh sea bass, and Alyson servied me toffee pudding for desert (forget about any toffee pudding you've ever had - Alyson's is incomparable). I could have been at home, especially when Alyson said, "I hope you don't mind our crazy family". For breakfast Paul cooked me some fried eggs with cumberland sausage (98% pork meat, 2% seasoning - ie. NO FAT).
Newstead House, Silecroft...
Someone once said that landscapes determine the people, and Silecroft, with its slow-time feel, and people who smile and greet you along the way, is proof of that. It's a wholesome scene with people who are the same.
Paul and Alyson got me started on Cumberland sausages, and suggested I go to Bewley's Butcher Shop in nearby Bootle, where Willy Bewley makes and sells his locally famous kind of Cumberland sausage. It's a small shop, easily missed, so look out for the blue and white building on the main road of the village. Further north in Wabberthwaite, there is Richard Woodall's, who is the Royal Family's official Cumberland Sausage and Ham supplier. I bet the Queen sneaks into her kitchen late at night to fry up a few sausages...they are that good.
Further proof of the genuinely friendly locals, I went for a horseride with Murthwaite Green Trekking Centre, just down the road from Newstead House. Cath Wrigley runs her horse riding centre along with local girls who you can see wouldn't swap their jobs for anything in the world. Not hard to see why. They get to guide visitors onto the beautiful beach every day, riding horses that are as friendly as the locals. I dunno, maybe I was in an especially good mood (thanks to Paul's cumberland sausages), but everyone I met in Silecroft was someone I'd like to get to know better.
Go horseriding on endless Silecroft Beach with Murthwaite Trekking Centre in Silecroft. You can be a beginner horse rider, and not worry, because the guides are friendly and fun, yet always looking after your safety, and the long beach makes the horses happy.
...and ride some more...
Some other things to do in the area:
- Check out Swinside Stones, a mini Stonehenge type circle of 55 stones.
- Visit the RAF Museum in Millom.
- If you want to ride (or even just look at) the huge and heavy Clydesdale and Shire horses - the ones that are famous for doing the really heavy labour - go to Cumbrian Heavy Horses, just up the road from Silecroft. They are spectacular animals.
And for more, go to the official Cumbrian Tourism website.
Cumbrian Heavy Horses offer horse rides on these magnificently strong animals...
Cumbrian Heavy Horses offer horse rides on these magnificently strong animals...
Day 12 - North West England Coast - Blackpool - Get ready to ride..
Blackpool is a city that is regenerating itself after a long period of degeneration -millions of pounds are being spent to improve it, especially the seafront area. But the much-needed investment won't be able to improve the scenery; it is not a naturally pretty place. There are more beautiful places nearby to visit, and I don't think even the mayor of Blackpool would argue with that.
If you want a naturally beautiful experience, the splendour of the Lake District is an hour to the north, and glorious Wales (which is perhaps my favourite region so far) is two hours to the south. If Wales is the buxom farmgirl who feeds you up and keeps you warm at night, then Blackpool is the shortskirted minx making eyes at you across the dance floor.
So although Blackpool is definitely not a place to go for a restorative beach holiday, it doesn't pretend to be a genteel, scenic spot, and it's entirely comfortable in its own loud and brash skin. There are certainly lots of fun things to do, especially for young kids and parents who want to be kids again.
In the centre of Blackpool's tourism is the Blackpool Tower, which is a must. It looks quite like the Eiffel Tower (although all comparisons end there), it stands 150metres high, and a lift takes you to the top for great views in all directions.
Within the Tower's building complex, there is a pretty average aquarium, and an old-style circus with daily shows. Kids will love it...there's a live swingband playing, and it's colourful and vibrant.
Further south, the biggest drawcard is the huge Pleasure Beach, a massive playpark of 150 odd different rides. It attracts millions of visitors ever year, and is the main reason why Blackpool - most folk may be surprised to hear this - is considered one of England's most visited cities.
The park hosts what must be the most thrilling rollercoaster in the UK, getting up to speeds of 120km/h, and dropping you 75m in a near-vertical descent. Nearby is the waterpark, an indoor complex withan array of rides, including one the kids will spend a whole day on: the brilliantly named Master Blaster, the world's biggest water slide.
And there are three long piers - north, central and south - which are worth a walk along. There are the usual curio stalls to have a look at. For more things to do in Blackpool, check out the city's tourism website.
The accommodation options in Blackpool consist of a lot of mediocre-looking 3-star B&Bs, a few chain hotels and not much else. But in amongst all the frogs is a prince. Langtry's B&B is a symbol of the way forward for Blackpool. If the town council did for Blackpool what David Webb and Julie Sayers did for Langtry's, then Blackpool will shed it's tawdry look, and become a very slick seaside city.
David and Julia moved to Blackpool a few years ago, bought a shabby-looking 3-star B&B in a road with lots of other similar B&Bs. They ran it as a 3-star for a few years, but soon realised how much Blackpool needed a world-class offering that would appeal to sophisticated business travellers as well as weekenders.
They've spent plenty of money and time converting to 5-star, and it is obvious. It is practically perfect. Decor is modern and minimalistic, and there are great touches like inspirational books by Edward Monkton next to your bed. Best of all though is the flatscreen TV above the bath in Room 3.
If you find yourself in Blackpool, check Langtry's out. It's setting the standard.
A restaurant that would sit well next to Langtry's is Kwizeen, a gourmet restaurant in a part of town that is certainly not suited to gourmet restaurants. But that's Blackpool..there are some diamonds in the rough for sure.
The night I was at Kwizeen, there were only two other tables, and I felt kinda sorry for the owners. Because the food was so good that the restaurant should have been jam-packed. It was an awkward experience sitting in Kwizeen, eating a starter of salmon, bearnaise sauce with a poached egg on top, and a mains of superbly cooked lamb, and wondering why no one else in the whole of Blackpool wasn't doing the same.
View south from top of Blackpool Tower
View north from top of Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower...
The girls in Blackpool...
A theme park in Blackpool...one of many that kids will love!
Best thing in Blackpool...Pleasure Beach rollercoaster...dont eat noodles for lunch!!!
If you want a naturally beautiful experience, the splendour of the Lake District is an hour to the north, and glorious Wales (which is perhaps my favourite region so far) is two hours to the south. If Wales is the buxom farmgirl who feeds you up and keeps you warm at night, then Blackpool is the shortskirted minx making eyes at you across the dance floor.
So although Blackpool is definitely not a place to go for a restorative beach holiday, it doesn't pretend to be a genteel, scenic spot, and it's entirely comfortable in its own loud and brash skin. There are certainly lots of fun things to do, especially for young kids and parents who want to be kids again.
In the centre of Blackpool's tourism is the Blackpool Tower, which is a must. It looks quite like the Eiffel Tower (although all comparisons end there), it stands 150metres high, and a lift takes you to the top for great views in all directions.
Within the Tower's building complex, there is a pretty average aquarium, and an old-style circus with daily shows. Kids will love it...there's a live swingband playing, and it's colourful and vibrant.
Further south, the biggest drawcard is the huge Pleasure Beach, a massive playpark of 150 odd different rides. It attracts millions of visitors ever year, and is the main reason why Blackpool - most folk may be surprised to hear this - is considered one of England's most visited cities.
The park hosts what must be the most thrilling rollercoaster in the UK, getting up to speeds of 120km/h, and dropping you 75m in a near-vertical descent. Nearby is the waterpark, an indoor complex withan array of rides, including one the kids will spend a whole day on: the brilliantly named Master Blaster, the world's biggest water slide.
And there are three long piers - north, central and south - which are worth a walk along. There are the usual curio stalls to have a look at. For more things to do in Blackpool, check out the city's tourism website.
The accommodation options in Blackpool consist of a lot of mediocre-looking 3-star B&Bs, a few chain hotels and not much else. But in amongst all the frogs is a prince. Langtry's B&B is a symbol of the way forward for Blackpool. If the town council did for Blackpool what David Webb and Julie Sayers did for Langtry's, then Blackpool will shed it's tawdry look, and become a very slick seaside city.
David and Julia moved to Blackpool a few years ago, bought a shabby-looking 3-star B&B in a road with lots of other similar B&Bs. They ran it as a 3-star for a few years, but soon realised how much Blackpool needed a world-class offering that would appeal to sophisticated business travellers as well as weekenders.
They've spent plenty of money and time converting to 5-star, and it is obvious. It is practically perfect. Decor is modern and minimalistic, and there are great touches like inspirational books by Edward Monkton next to your bed. Best of all though is the flatscreen TV above the bath in Room 3.
If you find yourself in Blackpool, check Langtry's out. It's setting the standard.
A restaurant that would sit well next to Langtry's is Kwizeen, a gourmet restaurant in a part of town that is certainly not suited to gourmet restaurants. But that's Blackpool..there are some diamonds in the rough for sure.
The night I was at Kwizeen, there were only two other tables, and I felt kinda sorry for the owners. Because the food was so good that the restaurant should have been jam-packed. It was an awkward experience sitting in Kwizeen, eating a starter of salmon, bearnaise sauce with a poached egg on top, and a mains of superbly cooked lamb, and wondering why no one else in the whole of Blackpool wasn't doing the same.
View south from top of Blackpool Tower
View north from top of Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower...
The girls in Blackpool...
A theme park in Blackpool...one of many that kids will love!
Best thing in Blackpool...Pleasure Beach rollercoaster...dont eat noodles for lunch!!!
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Day 11 - Wales Coast - Llandudno - Bronze age records to Victorian splendours
Well-known travel writer Bill Bryson knows the UK well...he wrote a comprehensive travel book called Notes From A Small Island, about his journeys all over the island. And so when he said in 2003 that Llandudno was his favourite town, his opinion must carry a lot of weight.
And one can see why he thinks this way. The town of Llandudno is on a peninsula between two huge outcrops, called Great Orme and Little Orme. The bay curves round between the two, and a long beach lies in front of a succession of Victorian-age hotels and apartment blocks. Lording over the whole scene is the Grand Hotel, which sits at the base of the Great Orme.
Walk to the top of Great Orme, for great views over the sea, Llandudno, and onto the mountains of Snowdon. It really is a pretty sight - even when it rains, as it was when I was there.
But the town is not only superficially pretty and neat. Dig a little deeper under the surface of Great Orme, so to speak, and you'll find the biggest bronze age copper mine in the world. In fact, you could dig 70 metres below ground to get to the bottom of a mine that was first dug 4 000 years ago by neolithic people.
Yes, I know, if you're not a geologist or archeaologist, it may not sound that interesting at first, but trust me, once you get there, and get talking to Nick Jowett, you'll find it fascinating. When they're not operating the visitor centre during summer, Nick and his team are working right through winter to keep digging out more and more rubble. They keep discovering more and more tunnels, in a labyrinth that extends to 6 kilometres! You'll get to walk down deep into the earth, through the original tiny tunnels, which, in neolithic times, were literally hacked out bit by bit with animal bone. You don't want to get lost, because you won't get out - but there is a guided pathway, so don't worry.
The Great Orme Copper Mine in Llandudno.
Almost 1800 tons of copper was mined, enough to make 10 million axes, which was what everyone wanted in those times. It was the most valuable mine in the world during the bronze age. And then the Victorians came thousands of years later, and mined it even more. Since excavations started in 1986, a human jaw bone has been found, as well as one black cat (dead) surrounded by a circle of berries...all from Victorian times. Sinister stuff.
The Great Orme is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, one of 4 000 in the UK. It not only hosts the copper mine, but also an iron age fort ruin, with a rock that was used to determine whether someone was guilty of a crime. The accused would stand on the rock (which is there to this day), and if it didn't rock, you were guilty. Try it out. I was guilty of my crime - didn't move one millimetre!
A great way to get to the top of Great Orme is the cable car, which starts in town and takes you to the summit, with more superb views of the area. And while you're up there, there is a tabogan run, which is great fun even for old folk who feel the need for speed.
I stayed with Annie Cooper of Boscombe House, a grand Victorian three-storey home a few blocks back from the promenade. "Stayed with" doesn't really describe adequately how things are at Boscombe House. It would be more accurate to say that Annie looks after you like you were one of her own grand children.
She does things in style, and with a serious amount of care and love. Her rooms are HUGE, the ceilings are HIGH, and the decor is way more comfortable than it should be for £30 a night, which is what Annie charges for Bed & Breakfast.
The first thing Annie did when I arrived was give me scones, jam and big pot of tea, and we sat in her homely lounge talking about the horrible weather. When she heard I hadn't eaten lunch, she jumped up and immediately made me a sandwhich. When I went to bed, she had turned down my bed, and left two teddy bears to keep me company for the night, as well as a glass of sherry and two biscuits to help me start dreaming deeply. And in the morning, breakfast kept coming and coming...if you didn't ask Annie to STOP bring more home-baked bread and scones, then you'd be eating all day. And when I left, Annie had made me a packed lunch for the road...
And one can see why he thinks this way. The town of Llandudno is on a peninsula between two huge outcrops, called Great Orme and Little Orme. The bay curves round between the two, and a long beach lies in front of a succession of Victorian-age hotels and apartment blocks. Lording over the whole scene is the Grand Hotel, which sits at the base of the Great Orme.
Walk to the top of Great Orme, for great views over the sea, Llandudno, and onto the mountains of Snowdon. It really is a pretty sight - even when it rains, as it was when I was there.
But the town is not only superficially pretty and neat. Dig a little deeper under the surface of Great Orme, so to speak, and you'll find the biggest bronze age copper mine in the world. In fact, you could dig 70 metres below ground to get to the bottom of a mine that was first dug 4 000 years ago by neolithic people.
Yes, I know, if you're not a geologist or archeaologist, it may not sound that interesting at first, but trust me, once you get there, and get talking to Nick Jowett, you'll find it fascinating. When they're not operating the visitor centre during summer, Nick and his team are working right through winter to keep digging out more and more rubble. They keep discovering more and more tunnels, in a labyrinth that extends to 6 kilometres! You'll get to walk down deep into the earth, through the original tiny tunnels, which, in neolithic times, were literally hacked out bit by bit with animal bone. You don't want to get lost, because you won't get out - but there is a guided pathway, so don't worry.
The Great Orme Copper Mine in Llandudno.
Almost 1800 tons of copper was mined, enough to make 10 million axes, which was what everyone wanted in those times. It was the most valuable mine in the world during the bronze age. And then the Victorians came thousands of years later, and mined it even more. Since excavations started in 1986, a human jaw bone has been found, as well as one black cat (dead) surrounded by a circle of berries...all from Victorian times. Sinister stuff.
The Great Orme is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, one of 4 000 in the UK. It not only hosts the copper mine, but also an iron age fort ruin, with a rock that was used to determine whether someone was guilty of a crime. The accused would stand on the rock (which is there to this day), and if it didn't rock, you were guilty. Try it out. I was guilty of my crime - didn't move one millimetre!
A great way to get to the top of Great Orme is the cable car, which starts in town and takes you to the summit, with more superb views of the area. And while you're up there, there is a tabogan run, which is great fun even for old folk who feel the need for speed.
I stayed with Annie Cooper of Boscombe House, a grand Victorian three-storey home a few blocks back from the promenade. "Stayed with" doesn't really describe adequately how things are at Boscombe House. It would be more accurate to say that Annie looks after you like you were one of her own grand children.
She does things in style, and with a serious amount of care and love. Her rooms are HUGE, the ceilings are HIGH, and the decor is way more comfortable than it should be for £30 a night, which is what Annie charges for Bed & Breakfast.
The first thing Annie did when I arrived was give me scones, jam and big pot of tea, and we sat in her homely lounge talking about the horrible weather. When she heard I hadn't eaten lunch, she jumped up and immediately made me a sandwhich. When I went to bed, she had turned down my bed, and left two teddy bears to keep me company for the night, as well as a glass of sherry and two biscuits to help me start dreaming deeply. And in the morning, breakfast kept coming and coming...if you didn't ask Annie to STOP bring more home-baked bread and scones, then you'd be eating all day. And when I left, Annie had made me a packed lunch for the road...
For more things in the area check out Llandudno's tourism website.
My room at Boscombe House, with two teddy bears to keep me warm.
Old and new...
Imposing Conwy Castle near Llandudno is part of a World Heritage Site that includes several other castles in the area.
Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch - Some scenic pics from www.totallyabersoch.co.uk
While I was in Abersoch, I bumped into John Wormald, who's a photographer based in the town, with his own studio and shop that sells photographic prints. He's got lots of outstanding photos of the area. Check them out at http://www.totallyabersoch.co.uk/.
Here are a just a few of them. All were taken in the Abersoch area.
Here are a just a few of them. All were taken in the Abersoch area.
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Day 10 – Wales Coast – Royal Welsh Show – Wales vs New Zealand Test
Nope, not a rugby test. It’s a sheep shearing test. Ever year, several countries’ best sheep shearers gather at The Royal Welsh Show to see which nation is best.
I know this topic is a bit off the subject of my coastal trip of Britain, but while driving to Abersoch, I was listening to BBC Wales in the car, and heard the latest from the Royal Welsh Show. One comment from the Welsh presenter stuck in my head: “The New Zealanders are World Champions, and looking very strong, agile and skilful this year." Just to be clear, he was talking about the New Zealand sheep shearing team.
Apparently, shearers are scored by points being deducted. So competitors start with maximum points, and for every mistake/misjudgement made, points will be deducted. For instance, shearers should never have to cut twice over the same area – apparently, that’s not very skilful. The winner is the shearer who has the least points deducted. The presenter interviewed one of the New Zealanders, and his best time for shearing a sheep was exactly 18.08 seconds.
Random fact of the day: There are 10 million sheep in Wales, compared to a human population of three million. That's a lot of lamb chops to get through...
A YouTube clip of the final of the All Nations Competition from 2008. To the uninitiated, it looks like the poor sheep is being roughed up quite a bit, but on the BBC Radio Wales program, the New Zealander competitor says they actually enjoy the rough stuff.
I know this topic is a bit off the subject of my coastal trip of Britain, but while driving to Abersoch, I was listening to BBC Wales in the car, and heard the latest from the Royal Welsh Show. One comment from the Welsh presenter stuck in my head: “The New Zealanders are World Champions, and looking very strong, agile and skilful this year." Just to be clear, he was talking about the New Zealand sheep shearing team.
Apparently, shearers are scored by points being deducted. So competitors start with maximum points, and for every mistake/misjudgement made, points will be deducted. For instance, shearers should never have to cut twice over the same area – apparently, that’s not very skilful. The winner is the shearer who has the least points deducted. The presenter interviewed one of the New Zealanders, and his best time for shearing a sheep was exactly 18.08 seconds.
Random fact of the day: There are 10 million sheep in Wales, compared to a human population of three million. That's a lot of lamb chops to get through...
A YouTube clip of the final of the All Nations Competition from 2008. To the uninitiated, it looks like the poor sheep is being roughed up quite a bit, but on the BBC Radio Wales program, the New Zealander competitor says they actually enjoy the rough stuff.
Day 10 – Wales Coast – Abersoch and Lleyn peninsula – Island of 20 000 Souls
King Arthur died here, and so did 20 000 Christians...
Bardsey island, two miles long, off the western tip of Lleyn, must be one haunted place. Back in the 6th century, the Pope decreed that three pilgrimages to Bardsey was equal to one pilgrimage to Rome (because the journey to Rome was too dangerous). Over a period of time, thousands and thousands came to the island, which eventually became known as the Isle of 20 000 Saints, because as many as 20 000 pilgrims came and died here.
Make your own way there with Colin Evans of Bardsey Boat Trips, which offers boat trips to the island from the town of Aberdaron. Besides the historical aspect, the island is noted for its nestings of Manx Shearwater and Peregrine Falcons.
Pic of Bardsey Island, courtesy of Bardsey Boat Trips.
Bardsey island, two miles long, off the western tip of Lleyn, must be one haunted place. Back in the 6th century, the Pope decreed that three pilgrimages to Bardsey was equal to one pilgrimage to Rome (because the journey to Rome was too dangerous). Over a period of time, thousands and thousands came to the island, which eventually became known as the Isle of 20 000 Saints, because as many as 20 000 pilgrims came and died here.
Make your own way there with Colin Evans of Bardsey Boat Trips, which offers boat trips to the island from the town of Aberdaron. Besides the historical aspect, the island is noted for its nestings of Manx Shearwater and Peregrine Falcons.
Pic of Bardsey Island, courtesy of Bardsey Boat Trips.
Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch and Lleyn - Mad adventurer now bespectacled chef...
The town of Abersoch lies on the Lleyn peninsula (also spelt Llyn, and pronounced “khleen”), sticking out into the Irish Sea. Like the Gower Peninsula further south (see my post from a few days ago), this has been decreed an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Panorama of Abersoch, a small village on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Western Wales. This area is considered the stronghold of Welsh culture. Click on the image for full screen version.
You are never far from the sea, and it is less populated – it was great to be one of the few cars on the smaller roads. And people seem more laid back here than anywhere else I’ve been so far (maybe it’s just me though!). Even though you can't compare, Cornwall, for all its plusses, was one big traffic jam and had a bustling energy. Lleyn is a bit slow, in a good way, if you're slow like me.
What makes Lleyn special and unique, I think, is the amount of Welsh spoken. It is the first language of most locals, and you’ll hear it on the streets and in the shops. When I went to the Welsh Heritage Centre at Nant Gwrtheyrn (near Nefyn), it was closed for renovations, but apparently there is an excellent exhibition on Welsh language and culture. Open or not, go anyway, because the drive down from the main road (the B4417) to the town is spectacular. The road zigzags steeply down a mountain, to end with great views over cliffs to the sea. And if it’s raining, there’s a very long waterfall that’s visible all the way down.
I stayed in Abersoch on the south west end of the peninsula. Only a 1000 people live here, but during tourist season, according to John Gosling at Gosling’s B&B and Bistro, up to 10 000 people can visit the greater area. Not that you’d notice it. It is peak tourist season now, and the area doesn’t seem overcrowded.
There’s a shortish main street, which leads down to a fishing and sailing harbour, and a number of restaurants, delis and clothing shops. A long beach (rated as Blue Flag) extends in front of the harbour at low tide. The area has plenty of activities, and because the Lleyn peninsula is long and thin, you’re never too far from any of them.
A quick aside...When I met John Gosling, he was in his chef's outfit, getting his bistro's kitchen ready for dinner. We had a good long chat about our respective laptops giving us trouble, then got talking about Lleyn, then went back to our laptop discussion, then we started chatting about canoeing on Mount Everest...hold on! How did we end up here?
John might look very comfortable in his middle aged years, settled, chilled and bespectacled, but that's just a front. Because he's actually a closet adventurer. In 1976 he was part of the team that helped set the world altitude record for canoeing, of which a film was subsequently made: "Dudh Kosi - Canoeing Down Everest".
John's also been on K2 doing similar sane things. Okay, 1976 was some time ago, but John's still got that mad look of adventure in his eyes. Check out more on Wikipedia...where John is described as "the troubleshooter of the team". No doubt those skills come in handy when things in the bistro get hectic.
Here are a couple of John Gosling’s other suggestions:
Go walking. There are more than 50 miles of coastal walks on Lleyn. Edge of Wales is a respected company that specialises in guided walks, including a 75 km trek along the north shore of Lleyn.
Visit Porthdinillaen, which is not even a village, with seven or so houses, and a great pub restaurant on the tiny beach called Ty Coch (Red House). It is 1 mile from the village of Morfa Nefyn.
Go surfing at Hell’s Beach, a three minute drive to the west of Abersoch. Also good for surfing is Porth Oer (near Methlem), on the north-west coast.
Play golf at Nefyn Golf Club, acknowledged as one of the ten most beautiful golf courses in the UK.
Go for sailing lessons at Abersoch’s sailing school.
For panoramic views of the area, walk to the top of the hill at Llanbedrog, a few miles east of Abersoch (see the panorama pic from my post yesterday). And go see Criccieth Castle, a 13 century ruin that sits on top of cliffs with a vista of Tremadog Bay. In summer there is an arts festival that ends with fireworks over the castle.
Among the several events held near Abersoch over summer, the most particular must be Wakestock, a rock festival for wakeboarders, who descend on the peninsula because of its protected bays and skiing opportunities. 15 000 watersport fans come for four days to Llanbedrog (a couple of miles east of Abersoch) to listen to some top bands (Moby played this year). The festival in 2010 is from 2nd to 4th July.
Finally, learn Welsh! The Welsh Heritage Centre at Nant Gwrtheyrn offer courses for all ages and sizes.
For more ideas, check out Abersoch and Llyn’s tourism website.
Panorama of Abersoch, a small village on the Lleyn Peninsula in North Western Wales. This area is considered the stronghold of Welsh culture. Click on the image for full screen version.
You are never far from the sea, and it is less populated – it was great to be one of the few cars on the smaller roads. And people seem more laid back here than anywhere else I’ve been so far (maybe it’s just me though!). Even though you can't compare, Cornwall, for all its plusses, was one big traffic jam and had a bustling energy. Lleyn is a bit slow, in a good way, if you're slow like me.
What makes Lleyn special and unique, I think, is the amount of Welsh spoken. It is the first language of most locals, and you’ll hear it on the streets and in the shops. When I went to the Welsh Heritage Centre at Nant Gwrtheyrn (near Nefyn), it was closed for renovations, but apparently there is an excellent exhibition on Welsh language and culture. Open or not, go anyway, because the drive down from the main road (the B4417) to the town is spectacular. The road zigzags steeply down a mountain, to end with great views over cliffs to the sea. And if it’s raining, there’s a very long waterfall that’s visible all the way down.
I stayed in Abersoch on the south west end of the peninsula. Only a 1000 people live here, but during tourist season, according to John Gosling at Gosling’s B&B and Bistro, up to 10 000 people can visit the greater area. Not that you’d notice it. It is peak tourist season now, and the area doesn’t seem overcrowded.
There’s a shortish main street, which leads down to a fishing and sailing harbour, and a number of restaurants, delis and clothing shops. A long beach (rated as Blue Flag) extends in front of the harbour at low tide. The area has plenty of activities, and because the Lleyn peninsula is long and thin, you’re never too far from any of them.
A quick aside...When I met John Gosling, he was in his chef's outfit, getting his bistro's kitchen ready for dinner. We had a good long chat about our respective laptops giving us trouble, then got talking about Lleyn, then went back to our laptop discussion, then we started chatting about canoeing on Mount Everest...hold on! How did we end up here?
John might look very comfortable in his middle aged years, settled, chilled and bespectacled, but that's just a front. Because he's actually a closet adventurer. In 1976 he was part of the team that helped set the world altitude record for canoeing, of which a film was subsequently made: "Dudh Kosi - Canoeing Down Everest".
John's also been on K2 doing similar sane things. Okay, 1976 was some time ago, but John's still got that mad look of adventure in his eyes. Check out more on Wikipedia...where John is described as "the troubleshooter of the team". No doubt those skills come in handy when things in the bistro get hectic.
Here are a couple of John Gosling’s other suggestions:
Go walking. There are more than 50 miles of coastal walks on Lleyn. Edge of Wales is a respected company that specialises in guided walks, including a 75 km trek along the north shore of Lleyn.
Visit Porthdinillaen, which is not even a village, with seven or so houses, and a great pub restaurant on the tiny beach called Ty Coch (Red House). It is 1 mile from the village of Morfa Nefyn.
Go surfing at Hell’s Beach, a three minute drive to the west of Abersoch. Also good for surfing is Porth Oer (near Methlem), on the north-west coast.
Play golf at Nefyn Golf Club, acknowledged as one of the ten most beautiful golf courses in the UK.
Go for sailing lessons at Abersoch’s sailing school.
For panoramic views of the area, walk to the top of the hill at Llanbedrog, a few miles east of Abersoch (see the panorama pic from my post yesterday). And go see Criccieth Castle, a 13 century ruin that sits on top of cliffs with a vista of Tremadog Bay. In summer there is an arts festival that ends with fireworks over the castle.
Among the several events held near Abersoch over summer, the most particular must be Wakestock, a rock festival for wakeboarders, who descend on the peninsula because of its protected bays and skiing opportunities. 15 000 watersport fans come for four days to Llanbedrog (a couple of miles east of Abersoch) to listen to some top bands (Moby played this year). The festival in 2010 is from 2nd to 4th July.
Finally, learn Welsh! The Welsh Heritage Centre at Nant Gwrtheyrn offer courses for all ages and sizes.
For more ideas, check out Abersoch and Llyn’s tourism website.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch - Welsh signs and flag
Some Welsh road signs...and the Cymru flag. Y Ddraig Goch, as it called in Welsh, is probably the oldest national flag still in use. Its first official record of use was in 830, but was most likely introduced much earlier by Romans during their occupation of Britain.
Anyone want some WYAU SYTH OR NYTH for breakfast?
The dragon's rocking.
The Welsh flag...
Anyone want some WYAU SYTH OR NYTH for breakfast?
The dragon's rocking.
The Welsh flag...
Day 10 - Wales Coast - Abersoch - The heartland of the Welsh
North Wales is accepted as the heartland of Welsh identity, and more people speak Welsh (or Cymraeg, as locals prefer) as their first language here than anywhere else. The name Wales is the English version of the real name in Welsh, which is Cymru (pronounced "kumree"). Cymru means "the land of the comrades".
I left Harlech, and drove North West to Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula...By now you're probably wondering how to say all these Welsh names. I don't know either, but here's a good website that explains it. The language has 28 letters, but no J, K, Q, V, X or Z (although these are "borrowed" from English).
I thought I'd upload a BBC Wales radio news report, as well as a Welsh song...have a listen. (If anyone knows the artist, please let me know!) The language grabs me, and I found myself listening to it a lot, even though I don't understand a word.
It's a beguiling sound, ancient and proud and romantic. We all know that French and Italian sounds romantic to Anglo Saxons, but Welsh is unique. Glyn Roberts from Castle Cottage in Harlech tells me how his English-speaking daughters went to a Welsh speaking school, and are fluent in the language. More than that though, they are almost fluent in French, but they've learnt it through Welsh!
I hope the Cymru culture thrives. Janet Havard from Anchor Guest House in Broad Haven told me of her Welsh friend who was forbidden in 1969 to speak Welsh at shcool! Although things are obviously way more diplomatic today, I guess there will always be a threat to the minority of Welsh speakers, as there is to all minority cultures around the world.
This is an audio file of a Welsh song on BBC Radio - click play to listen.
BBC Welsh Radio news report...sounds great, eventhough I have no idea what they're saying.
I left Harlech, and drove North West to Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula...By now you're probably wondering how to say all these Welsh names. I don't know either, but here's a good website that explains it. The language has 28 letters, but no J, K, Q, V, X or Z (although these are "borrowed" from English).
I thought I'd upload a BBC Wales radio news report, as well as a Welsh song...have a listen. (If anyone knows the artist, please let me know!) The language grabs me, and I found myself listening to it a lot, even though I don't understand a word.
It's a beguiling sound, ancient and proud and romantic. We all know that French and Italian sounds romantic to Anglo Saxons, but Welsh is unique. Glyn Roberts from Castle Cottage in Harlech tells me how his English-speaking daughters went to a Welsh speaking school, and are fluent in the language. More than that though, they are almost fluent in French, but they've learnt it through Welsh!
I hope the Cymru culture thrives. Janet Havard from Anchor Guest House in Broad Haven told me of her Welsh friend who was forbidden in 1969 to speak Welsh at shcool! Although things are obviously way more diplomatic today, I guess there will always be a threat to the minority of Welsh speakers, as there is to all minority cultures around the world.
This is an audio file of a Welsh song on BBC Radio - click play to listen.
BBC Welsh Radio news report...sounds great, eventhough I have no idea what they're saying.
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