Sunday, May 31, 2009

Brave or foolish


So often when I come here to the family house in Wales, I'm busy helping with the never-ending work on the house, or I'm here to write. And so often the weather is so wild or wet or both that when we go walking we are all togged up in our waterproofs.

But this time the weather is so beautiful we've been out walking all day every day - until today when I'm having an experience I haven't had here for a long time: I'm sitting under the trees with a wonderful view of Nantlle Ridge and beginning to feel a new story forming. And I need to, my legs are aching so much!

Look where we went on Thursday: after walking the length of Newborough sands on Anglesey we did something I have never dared do before: we crossed Traeth Abermenai while the tide was out and still receding (above). It's a huge bay which empties completely when the tide is out and fills right up again when it's in, the tide coming in very fast in these parts. It must be safe (as long as you know the tides) because there's an official 'track' across it, marked on the map, but John has never persuaded me to do it before. You set off from the lightpost at the end of the spit on the western side of the bay and make for the centre back onto the dunes. I can tell you I was pretty scared setting out across that great expanse which looked slick with water, and indeed was, although it was never enough to wet much more than our boots, and the sand underneath was firm all the way. In the event it was easy, and what a wonderful feeling when we got to the other side, from where I took the above photo, looking back the way we had come.

Here are my companions, John and Matthew, getting ahead of me on the way:

2 comments:

Tania Hershman said...

It looks heavenly, beautiful photos!

Elizabeth Baines said...

It is heavenly, Tania!