Our first Common whitethroat.
Even the harbour is in mist.
Irish Ferries appearing through the mist as it heads for port.
Even Holyhead Mountain Summit is still in cloud.
Our second Common whitethroat.
A delightful section of the Wales Coastal Path.
Investigating the former quarry explosive store.
FM's Heath orchid.
My Heath orchid.
Murky view of South Stack Lighthouse.A few Guillemots at South Stack.There may be a Puffin this picture, but if there is I can't see it!
The usual view of South Stack Lighthouse from the steps.
Wall flowers.
Heading for the last climb of the day.The Stena Line Ship is now in port as well as Irish Ferries and the Cruise Liner.
Looking sown on Holyhead Breakwater Country Park Visitor Centre and Car Park.
Waves crashing into Holyhead Breakwater Wall.
Distance: 6.5 miles but 7.0 miles after walking from the Bodlondeb Car Park to the Albion in Conwy.Climb: 1526’ GPS wind assisted reading. It was 1326’ when we did the walk in 2024.
Time: 4 hours 41 minutes.
On the move walking average: 2.0 m.p.h.
Overall walk average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 14.5 Celsius at the start. 18.5 Celsius after lunch in a sheltered spot. 17.5 Celsius at the end of the walk.
Beaufort Wind Force: 0 – 5. Mainly a Light breeze, but reached a 19.7 m.p.h. Fresh breeze on the steps to South Stack Lighthouse. It felt stronger than this, and I had a job to hold my camera steady enough to take a photo!
Group: Martyn, Mike and Fran.
This was a good day for walking, especially when we were sheltered from the wind. Distant few were somewhat misty, and never the high tops of Eryri were always in cloud.
Even the Irish Ferry boat seemed to be coming through mist.
The bonus today was seeing so many flowers, the Heath orchid being the best. We did see a few Bluebells still in flower, but most were past their best.
There were plenty of tourists around South Stack, but they like us would have been disappointed if they were hoping to see a Puffin.
Lunch was taken near Ellin’s Tower, where we were somewhat sheltered from the worst of the wind.
The return from South Stack was less strenuous than the morning walk, and largely completed in warm sunshine. It was along the wall lined paths that we saw most of the flowers. These included: Red campion, Buttercups, Ox-eye daisy, Bluebell, Honeysuckle, Herb Robert, Bell heather, Bird's-Foot Trefoil, Thrift and Heath Orchid.
Birds seen or heard today included: Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Common blackbird, Carrion crow, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Common whitethroat, Red billed chough, Mallard Woodpigeon, Winter wren, Barn swallow, Great cormorant, European robin, House sparrow, Common buzzard, Common pheasant, Lesser black back gull, Herring gull, Rook, Common starling, Linnet, Guillemot, Meadow pipit, Black billed magpie, Greenfinch and a Red kite seen from the car on our way home.
When we were only a short distance from the start, we could see the waves crashing into the Breakwater wall, indicative that the wind onshore was now much stronger than when we set off.
We arrived back at the car, having had a good walk, and ready to head for the Albion in Conwy for refreshments. Beers sampled included; Hafod’s Vanilla Porter, Conwy’s Welsh Pride and Snowdonia Craft Brewery’s Snowdonia IPA.