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!