Church Bay to Holyhead 5/9/26

Good Morning!  My trek today started at the little cafe where I had the incredible cheese-and-onion pie. 

Almost next door, the restored "Swtan House represents a way of life once common on Anglesey. Known in Welsh as a 'tyddyn', this simple type of dwelling, together with a few acres of land, formed the basis of an ancient land-holding system throughout rural Wales. Step inside its rugged, uneven, stone walls onto the brushed earth floor and you can begin to appreciate how poor labouring communities in the 19th century and earlier lived. Life was hard. Most men worked all day on a local farm, returning to work the family smallholding in the evening. The woman's work was endless looking after children, washing, cooking, tending the animals and helping out on the smallholding. The diet was basic but nourishing - barley bread, potatoes, beans, turnips, carrots, fish and occasionally meat. The family cow, or cows, provided milk and butter. " (From the sign) A local woman told me that it is the only one left in Wales.

An outbuilding.  I wasn’t able to see the inside of either structure because they only open a few hours in the afternoon.

On the coast again.

Although today’s hike was 19.1 miles, it lacked the mountains.  That didn’t necessarily mean that it was easy. It did have some hills.

This beach would rival Pensacola’s legendary white sands.

I tramped through numerous cow pastures and sheep pastures.

And corn fields.

She had four dogs, and her friend behind her also had four dogs - all on leashes.

This bridge evidently cuts off some of the distance between Church Bay and Holyhead. Thank the good Lord.

I did not like this part of the overgrown trail. I got into some stinging nettles, and my ankles are still stinging. At least I didn’t step on any snakes. And it went on for better than a mile.

A surprisingly long concrete bridge. This whole area floods when the tide is up.

It was really windy and chilly today.  I think all these sheep were huddled together for warmth.  I got a bit lost in this area.  Everywhere my map told me to go, there was a barbed-wire fence.  I wandered all over hell's half-acre before I found the trail.

The Four-Mile Bridge is one of three bridges connecting Holy Island and Anglesey. The bridge is not four miles long, but it is roughly four miles from Holyhead. A bridge at this location existed by 1530 and was the only land route to Holyhead until 1823. It is 390 ft long and carries the road over the Cymyran Strait.  I thought I was almost there.  Ha Ha, four more miles, which I turned into five, trying to find my lodging.  Holyhead is pretty big.

Holyhead is a historic port town and the largest town and community in the county of the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Holyhead is on Holy Island, bounded by the Irish Sea to the north

A  pet Cemetery.

Today was beautiful.  The wind picked up so much at the end that it kept causing me to misstep on the narrow footpath.  Nothing dangerous, but I could really feel it.  It was causing the waves to crash against the rocks, and that was spectacular

 

This is my tiny room. The end of the bed touches the other wall, and the end of the window touches the bathroom wall.  I have had way bigger rooms on ships. And the bathroom barely has room to turn around in.  I am not complaining.  It is a great area, and I can see the ocean from my window. I had a really good restaurant picked out, but it was a third of a mile away.  I took about ten steps toward it, but my feet screamed NO! I went to the pub next door and had a cheese-and-onion panini and a cup of tomato soup. An updated version of a grilled cheese and Campbell’s tomato soup.  It was pretty good, but not as good as my Mom’s.

It is almost time for bed, and I still have to get ready for tomorrow.  So...

Good Night and God Bless.

 

Cemaes to Church Bay 5/8/26

 HiYa!

What an amazing walk I had today. It turned out to be about 15 miles, counting a couple of wrong turns. This section of Wales is stunning, and I consider today's trail among the best I have ever traversed. 

There were lots of gates and lots of climbs.

I had to figure out how to get back on the trail - my map did not show an alternate way. Luckily, I didn’t have too much of a problem. 

I walked by the Cemlyn Nature Reserve, which is home to the largest colony of  Sandwich Terns in the world. From the sign:

"Cemlyn Nature Reserve is internationally important for its

Sandwich tern colony. In summer, lie on the shingle ridge

     (Esgair Cemlyn) and enjoy watching the birds fly overhead,

bringing fish back to nests on the sheltered islands.

Sculpted by the sea and its storms, this harsh

environment hosts specially adapted plants, such as sea

kale and yellow horned-poppy. Beyond, the rare spiralled

tassleweed can be found in the shallow lagoon, whilst

nearby gorse and grassland provide habitat for butterflies

and migrant birds.

Lingering for longer? The western headland (Trwyn

Cemlyn) is a lovely spot for a walk. Look out to sea

for chance encounters with gannets, porpoises, and 

curious seals."

A closer look at the birds and their nesting boxes.  Their safety is protected by law, and there are serious fines for disturbing them or their nests.

It is impossible to describe the grandeur of these mountains overlooking the sea. 

If you look closely, the right end of this fence is just hanging out there in mid-air. And that first step is a doozy. I chose to climb over the left end of the fence.

There were three of these giant stone structures facing the sea like lonely sentinels.

A rather large lighthouse complex that I could see from miles away.

The further I went, the higher I climbed.  And the colder it got!  I was working hard, but if I stopped, the chill quickly moved in.  Especially since I had perspired through my T-shirt. If I put my jacket on, I immediately got too hot.

A look giving you a little perspective of the height, which is really hard to capture.

Another narrow trail.

And I am still going up. I actually went right over the top of the mountain, and there were several smaller ones.

Sheer drop.  Not a good time to trip.

Coming down - legs screaming for mercy.

In the distance, I finally see Church Bay. Woohoo.  It was a really long taxing day but worth every minute just to see the beauty of Wales.

I stopped in a little cafe that only served food until 4:00.  I was desperate for a Diet Coke.  A very friendly couple was sitting next to me, and he ordered the cheese-and-onion pie. It smelled so good that even though it was only 4:00, I ordered it too. OMG!  It did not disappoint.  This moved in pretty close to my favorite thing I have eaten on this trip.  The pie was full of cheese, maybe Gruyère? It was rich with a deep, full taste that made my stomach want to sing the hallajuh chorus.  And the onions were sweet and tender.  I don’t know what else was in there, maybe some eggs and cream, but I was in taste bud heaven. Oh, I almost forgot the flaky crust, probably made with lard or duck fat. Yum!  It came with a mixed salad containing lettuce, grapes, strawberries, pomegranate arils, and little tomatoes. It also had an apple-and-celery salad.  And some spiral pasta plus chunky fries. I am starting to think that if you have a colonoscopy in Wales, they serve chunky fries on the side.

So my taxi driver finally came to return me to my hotel, and I will start tomorrow from the same place. I wonder if they serve onion pie for breakfast.  LOL

Good Night 

and

God Bless!

Cemaes Day Off

 Good Morning!

This is really a teeny-tiny little village/port.  The blog will be short.

If you read yesterday’s blog, there were some ruins that I couldn’t find anything about.  I solved it today. The photo had nothing to do with the copper mines. It was the ruins of the 19th-century china clay works at Porth Llanlleiana. 

Yesterday, I passed by an old stone church and cemetery in Llanbadrig.  I did not go in, because I was in a hurry to reach Cermaes. My feet hurt, and I was tired.  Just a minor pity party. BooHoo. The name Llanbadrig means Church of St. Patrick. Local legend states that in the 5th Century the young Patrick was shipwrecked on Ynys Badrig (Middle Mouse Island). He was washed ashore and, having been spared, he founded the church in thanks to God.

Elections are tomorrow.  This building had polling place signs taped at the entrance.

A mysterious secret garden door for Mary P.

I had dinner tonight at the same place as last night.  Turns out it is the only place in Cemaes for dinner. I already told you that is a teeny-tiny village.  Luckily this restaurant is a very good place to eat.  I wasn’t starving, so I ordered the sweet corn fritter with giant cous cous salad and sweet chili.  Although it was an appetizer, it was just the right size. It was delicious with both the sweet and the spicy in just the right balance. Sweet chili sauce is a magic word as far as I am concerned. My new friends, Tom and Kim, from Colorado, came in and joined me. They are really a fun couple and I enjoyed having their company. Once again, we are staying in the same place.  

Thank you again for all your replies.  I so appreciate them.  I do’t have much time to reply with the arduous days and the blog, but thank you.

Well, that is all the news I have so I bid you.

Good Night and God Bless!

Port Eilian to Cemaes 5/6/26

 HiYa!

What a glorious day with breathtaking views of the vast expanse of cerulean ocean, stretching endlessly toward the horizon. High atop craggy cliff tops, I felt like I could see forever. Heart-stopping magnificent!

The trail wound in and out and up and down like nature couldn’t decide.

I got a glimpse of a seal bobbing up and down, but it was so quick that I couldn't get a photo.

Someday, there will be affordable 3D cameras, and then I can show you the staggering height of these cliffs.

As I reached the Port of Amlwch, I saw this memorial to those who had lost their lives at sea. This historic harbor was once the bustling transport hub for tall sailing ships carrying copper across the globe when the world clamored for it. It was especially important to the British navy because copper-bottomed boats kept it afloat. Their names were immortalized on the wall above.

The harbor at Amlwch Port features historic "copper bins" or storage bunkers. These were used to store ore before shipping. 

There was a little restaurant in Port Amlwch, so I stopped and had a Diet Coke.  Yay!  I saw this sign.  I never thought of the word "customer" as related to “custom". I have never heard anyone use the word “custom" in this manner.

If you look closely, there is another hiker in the upper left to give you some perspective.

There is a boat in the middle of the photo, just above the rocks.

I am in the Parys Mountain range, which was once home to the world's largest copper mine.  It is now closed, and the area is being regenerated and rewilded.

Trails are always welcome over pavement.

This is a happy sign - TOILET!

Another kissing gate.

More evidence of the defunct Parys Copper Mine.

When it goes down, you know it will go back up. Pant-Pant Gasp-Gasp.

Look at this magnificent estate nestled in the mountains.

Much of today had trails right on the cliff edge, looking straight down. I did not walk to the edge to take a photo and look down; this was where the trail was.  As I was walking, I jumped practically out of my skin, but luckily, not over the edge.  If you have ever spent time in the country, you will never forget the sound of a rattlesnake. Your feet move before your brain has time to react. Well, there are no rattlesnakes here.  My online map had rebooted itself, and at the beginning of each day, there is the sound of the ocean. It does sound like a rattlesnake if the noise catches you totally off guard and you are not expecting sound. Gave me a bit of a scare. There is one poisonous snake in Anglesey. The Adders are native, venomous snakes abundant (Dang, I wish I had not looked this up) across Anglesey, particularly in coastal dunes, heathlands, and grassy areas. Active from spring (like now), they bask in sunny spots. While shy, they can bite if threatened.  Adders are described as small, with a distinctive dark zig-zag stripe down their back. Yikes!

   I couldn’t find anything about this site, but I guess it was part of the mining operation.

This is what my day looked like.  Up to go down to immediately go up and then down - severe up and then severe down and on and on and on. Move over, Thighmaster, these steep mountain sides are 10 times the exercise.

Finally, the Castellor Boutique B & B.  My hotel is lovely.  It looks plain on the outside, but it is quite posh on the inside. Constellor Boutique is located in Cemaes, which is the most northerly village in Wales.

For dinner, I walked about 1/2 mile to The Bay View Restaurant & Bar

If you are in England, you have to have Fish and Chips.  So many people in the U. S. think we do everything better.  We do a bunch of things better, but the Brits own Fish and Chips.  The fish is usually cod, and the batter on it is so light and crisp. And I have described chunky fries ad-nauseum. I was able to order a mini fish and chips because I had sneaked a peak at the dessert menu.

I chose the Chocolate Fondant with caramel popcorn and salted caramel ice cream.    The fondant would be more accurately described as a chocolate lava cake.  I forked into it, and the most scrumptious chocolate pouted out. As the old Southern county people say, "it uz sa good my tongue wanted to lick my face off.” The rich ice cream was divine, with sweet caramel and a hint of sea salt. The property is also a dairy farm, so that would explain the creaminess of the ice cream.

I have never seen a machine that dispenses fresh pasteurized milk and milkshakes. Literally, straight from the farm.

Beside it was another machine with clean bottles.  You had to buy the bottle, but when you returned, you could reuse the one you originally purchased. Clever!

So I waddled back to my hotel. Happy as a Clam!

I bid you

Good Night and God Bless!