Rhyl to Port Eirias 4/28/26

Good morning!  I love all your comments.  I apologize for not responding to them, but it is all I can do to hike, clean up, write the blog, have dinner, and then get ready for the next day.  Know that I totally appreciate all of them, and I do read them.

Dragons seem to be a “thing” here in Northern Wales.

Kind of a cool drawbridge.  From a distance, I thought it was a sailboat.

Kind of a cool musical group, right along the ocean, where I suspect there are plenty of festivals.

The tide was really up. I couldn’t even get to the end of the ramp to walk along the water.

There used to be major flooding here until the rocks were brought in.

There must have been a hundred of these signs warning me to keep off the rocks.

Yay!  A place to stop and eat lunch.  A first.  It is okay because I always pack plenty to eat. You would think that I came from a third-world country where I was starved.  My major focus every day is on whether or not I have food.

I ordered a hunter chicken panini.  It was decent.  Turns out that this type of sandwich or main course is chicken with barbecue sauce and cheese. We Southerners could teach them a thing or two about barbecue sauce.  It was good, but some things we do better. The bread was an A plus.

As I was walking, I ran into a man on an electric scooter and his wife.  He told me that this was Emily’s Tower.  I googled it and learned that it was built between 1830 and 1840 by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh for his wife, Lady Emily, and their children. It served as a picturesque belvedere and banqueting tower. Some historical interpretations suggest that the tower, along with others in the area, may have been part of a chain of lookout towers to warn against Barbary pirates in the 17th century. 

Just as I was getting comfortable (smug?) about today being another wonderful FLAT walk along the coast, I looked slightly to my left and saw that things were about to change. I think I am about to come into the more challenging parts of the walk.

I crossed over several of these today.

Looking down along the coast. Today was windy and somewhat cold.  I wore my T-shirt, my wool layer, and my windbreaker/rain jacket. And my gloves.

I could find no reference to this one-room stone building on a cliff overlooking the sea.

My goal today was to reach Eirias Watersports Center and call for my pre-arranged taxi to the hotel.  After walking all around this facility, which said nothing about a sports center, I finally learned that it hadn’t been called that in years. It made me think about how many times in Louisville we tell people it is near the old Bacons.

One of the first things I saw while walking around the building, looking for a name, was this bird sculpture.  The middle of it is filled with plastic bags. Sad that so many birds (and ultimately us) are dying from plastic.

A shell!  I felt like I was on a Camino. But all my walks are Caminos. I pray for my friends and one special one who is fighting lung cancer.

I saw these inside the building.  They are called Welsh Cakes. I had to try one.  I was expecting it to be more like a cookie, but it was four little vanilla cakes sprinkled with sparkle sugar.  Quite tasty.

 Boy, was I in for a surprise. My glorious hotel, The Castlebank Hotel, is located in Conwy and  is quite the stately, posh place to stay. It is a beautiful old house turned B&B. I am on the third floor overlooking the walled town and Conway Castle. I didn’t have much time to look around, but I am hoping that tomorrow, I get back early enough to explore. I will have to walk fast.

I went to the Castle Hotel for dinner and ordered the Red Lentil & Oyster Mushroom Ragu( which was described as having a vegan suet rosemary dumpling, and mashed sweet potato. I ordered a Petal and Stem Sauvignon Blanc, a brand I have not had.  Both were delicious.  The ragout had the most intense fresh-tomato flavor (in a good way) I have ever had. I would love to know how that got that much tomato taste. The sweet potato mash was good, as were the weeds on top.  All and all - a great dinner.

So tomorrow is a new day on the trail.

Good night and God Bless.

Ffynnongroyw to Rhyl 4/27/27

On the Trail Again!

In the late 1800s, this was a coal mining area. A colliery is a coal mine and all of its buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. The last coal was shipped to Ireland in 1959, but the Ayr Colliery did not officially close until 1996.

The headframe and winding wheel you see here used to stand above the Number 2 shaft at Point of Ayr colliery. It was primarily a ventilation shaft with a fan that circulated fresher air and flushed away any pockets of gas, but it could also act as an escape route. When the colliery closed in 1996, this stub head gear was taken to Greenfield Valley Heritage Park for safekeeping. Ffynnongroyw and District Mining and Village Heritage Group have been fundraising with the local community for several years to restore the headgear and return it to the area. In spring 2015, they realized their vision and the restored headgear was relocated beside the main road, where both locals and visitors can see it, a permanent reminder of the long history of coal mining in the local area. Such a heritage of generations of men working in the coal mines, much like Kentucky.

I walked some beautiful trails today.  It was a harder 13.3-mile walk than you might think. I had about a mile and a half of soft sand early on.  It tired my leg muscles, making the rest of the day torturous.

I loved these pretty pale yellow flowers.

Spring has sprung.  Lots of babies.  This mama had a white baby and a black baby. Hmmm. I don’t know about sheep, but cats can have a little by more than one Dad.

Pextended far out under the sea, around 1000ft below sea level.  By 1953, the mine employed 738 men and produced 213,000 tons of coal each year. 35 pit ponies worked underground, pulling two tubs of coal at a time. Young apprentices quickly learned that the ponies only understood Welsh, the language used in the bit. Coal was brought to the surface and then washed and graded before being loaded on to ships bound for Ireland, the Isle of Man, and ports around Britain.

There was an entire fence made out of these clever sections.

The Dee Estuary was an important shipping route from Roman times, and by 1900 thére were almost 2000 vessels at work on the Dee, transporting 160,000 tonnes of cargo a year. Coal from the collieries, copper from Greenfield, lead from Bagillt, chemicals from Flint, and earthenware from Buckley were all transported by sea. In the early days, the boats were small, carrying 10 or 20 tonnes, but later, schooners were built to carry 250 or 500 tonnes. Tugs would guide 2 to 4 ships at a time in and out of the estuary. The steam tug Taliesin, owned by Coppack Brothers of  Connah's Quay, worked Monday to Saturday and then ran passenger trips on Sundays.

A passenger ticket from 1883.

A monument to the men and the ponies who worked in the mines.

I loved the back detail with the coal shuttle.

On a little more modern note, this is the point of Ayr Gas Terminal with all kinds of wrnings around it.

Aye, Mate - A Jolly Roger Flag waving proudly.

OMG - n actual break for a Coca-Cola Zero.  A first on this trail.  I miss Spain with a bar around every corner.

I got the biggest chuckle out of the sign that says, “Our flowers are trying to quit smoking.”

Talacre is a sandy beach located near Prestatyn and houses a lighthouse dating back to 1776. It rises  60 feet out of the sand.  The area around the beach and dunes is a Site of a special Scientific Interest with rare species including a collection of natterjack roads. Point of Ayr Lighthouse is said to be haunted, by the old lighthouse keeper who is said to still lookout over the beach today! He often identified as Raymond, who is seen standing on the balcony or in the lantern room.  He supposedly passed away from either a fever or a broken heart.

One of the more interestin places that I passed by today was the biggest mobile home dealership I have ever seen they are called Caravans here.

I ate lunch on a picnic table outside the building with the welcome sign.  I had good company.  I fed this pair of seagulls the crusts of my leftover pizza.  They would swoop down and catch it before it hit the ground.

There was more than a mile of these caravans, side by side and as far as the eye could see in any direction.

At last, I could see Rhyl.  My feet were ready.

These are the first horses that I have seen. I always take photos of horses for Janet.

I walked right through this golf course.  If you notice, it is a championship course.  

As I was coming into Rhyl, I saw this camera.  I was sure that I was not speeding, but if there was a Crime Against Feet Unit, I would certainly be locked up.

Dinner was a bit aggravating, but those annoying experiences sometimes turn out to be a blessing.  This morning's taxi driver told me about a little hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant that he swore by. I looked them up, chose what I wanted, and realized they delivered. The Taxi driver told me it had no atmosphere. Woohoo - I never order delivery, but I thought I could work on the blog and relax.  I went downstairs at the appointed time and waited for 45 minutes - no Indian food.  I was SOOO disappointed, I didn’t want to risk another 45 minutes. The hotel manager told me about an Italian restaurant she loved that was only two blocks away. I didn’t really want Italian, but there didn’t seem to be any other good idea nearby.  The outside of the restaurant didn’t exactly inspire me when I was all set on Indian food.

The inside was charming.

Nothing on the menu jumped out at me.  Kind of same ol’ same ol’ Italian that every U. S Italian Restaurant has on its menu.  I ordered the Lasagne al Forno, which was described on the menu as "layers of pasta baked in the oven with meat, white sauce, and cheese.” Nothing too exciting about that description. Boy, was I in for a surprise. This was the best lasagne x10 I have ever tasted. Move over Italy - the Welsh have won the prize. The lasagne was sitting in a bowl of the best, richest, creamy tomato sauce imaginable. And the lasagne with al dente noodles was layered with a seasoned mixture of beef, veal, and pork. It was served with a little salad.  I wish I had words to describe.

Now my hardest decision is which one of these do I want for dessert?  I wish I could swear that I am only going to eat part of one, but I will probably polish off the whole thing. The other one I will save for tomorrow.

After such a glorious meal - 

Good Night and God Bless.

Flint to Ffynnonggroyw 4/26/26

 Good morning!

"King Richard II had a faithful Greyhound called Mathe, who followed his master everywhere. It is said that Mathe would go to no one but the king, and that he would greet his master by jumping up and placing his front paws upon Richard's shoulders. Then, a fateful day arrived. Richard’s cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, came to Flint to capture the King and take the crown. As Henry came into the castle, Mathe turned from his master for the first time and instead, warmly greeted the newcomer. When Henry asked what this meant, the King told his cousin: "The greyhound maketh you cheer this day as king of England, to which dignity you will be raised; and I shall be deposed. The greyhound possesses this knowledge naturally; therefore, take him with you. King Richard knew what Mathe’s actions meant. It seems the dog's loyalty was to the crown, rather than to the man who wore it." 

(from the sign)

A painting of King Richard.

Today’s hike turned out to be just over 13 miles, but at least it was varied between trails and pavement.

The sailor’s belt buckle said, "Lest we Forget 1914-1918". In case you have forgotten your history, these years were “The Great War,” or World War I.

Courtaulds was at the heart of Flint for over 70 years, providing work for hundreds of families over several generations. Aber Works opened in 1917, producing rayon.  yarn, an artificial silk made from wood pulp. Soon, the company needed to expand to meet the ever-increasing demand for rayon. The old 'Alkali Works' by Flint Castle was ideal, as it had abundant water supplies, locally mined coal, good transport, and a proven local workforce. It was hard work in the noisy factory where everyone had to learn to lip-read, but there was a tremendous camaraderie. People went straight from school at 14 or 15, and for many, it was a job for life, with a long-service award after 30 years.

The factories have closed, but the area has been sanitized and made into a green space.

I saw many of these gates along the walk, each unique to the area.

Although you cannot see Ireland, the locals call this the Irish Sea.

More scenic trail.

Shades of Outlander, it is a stone circle.  I walked over and stood inside, but I didn’t hear any buzzing, nor did I land in a different century. And I definitely didn’t see Jamie.

A Boat Grave Yard.

The tide was out, so this listing boat must be waiting for high tide. I couldn’t imagine it was part of the graveyard.  It didn’t look decrepit or rusted.

I first thought this was a scallop shell, like the ones on all the Caminos in Spain, but it actually represents Cockles. Cockles have been harvested from the Dee for centuries using a technique that has changed little. The cockle season lasts from July to December and is back-breaking work. The fishermen use a wooden board called a tamp to dislodge the cockles from the beds. They are then scooped up in a riddle with a one-inch mesh so that the small ones drop through.

(from the sign)

Blacksmith's Old Tavern.  You rarely see one with this type of roof anymore.

This church sat up on a hill, and I thought it was so picturesque

I love British humor, or in this case, Welsh humor.  The question is “What happens if you leave your dog poo or "stick and flick"? "Are we too delicate as Americans to stick and flick dog poo?

The sign goes on to say: "Rangers and Volunteers trim and cut along footpaths for you and your 

4-legged friends to enjoy. Please remove your dog's mess so we don't end up covered in it!

THANK YOU!"

Pretty straight to the point.

Today’s destination.  I am sure that it is common pronunciation. Woohoo!  My feet were killing me.

I was feeling a bit snobby about the hotel’s menu. I have already had so many good meals. It was 6:00, and the restaurant was empty.  Not usually a good sign. The male receptionist was also bartending and taking food orders. I thought that a pizza sounded safe. And it was surprisingly excellent, with a thin, crisp crust.  I ordered a pepperoni and jalapeño with a drizzle of honey sriracha.  The sriracha was fire-extinguisher hot, but I couldn’t quit dipping into additional sauce. Practically addictive.

Tomorrow I head for Rhyl, which is where tht I am staying tonight.  My taxi will take me back to Ffynnonggroyw, and I will walk back here. Nice not to have to pack.

So as they say, that is all the news that is fit to print.

Goodnight and God Bless.