Newborough to Aberffraw

Shh - don't say anything too loud, but we got away with no coats again today!  A few spots on the way to Newborough, and it rained overnight, but nothing today, and the sun did try and shine!

Firstly though - did we cheat??  Yesterday Phil and Carol couldn't park where we were supposed to be collected, so picked us up about 200 yards from the end; today we were dropped off at the spot where we were originally going to be picked up, and so missed the connecting 200 yards; I don't think anyone was too worried though.

Next we have Walter sporting a new rucksack; having ordered it online and had it delivered to the house, he says his old one was very uncomfortable.


Sculptures at the start of the walk depicting the marram grass that grows on sand dunes.

Our walk today was about 14 miles, and to start with was lovely - it got a little more mundane later.  As we started we were walking through sand dunes and forest then out onto sandy beach.  There was a small island that you could walk round and we decided to do that even though it wasn't part of the official route.  It was certainly worth doing, with some lovely pilot cottages, a ruined church and a lighthouse at the end.  It is called 'Blessed Island' in english.  You can read about the history here - https://www.anglesey-history.co.uk/places/llanddwyn/







Steve W and Stuey in the dunes!
After that excursion and having had coffee at the start of the island, we got back on track.  (we all take small flasks of coffee - again we are very civilised!, we don't bring bone china mugs though.  From now on was a bit 'samey', we stomped through the pine forest and then a bit of road until we got to an estuary, which was lovely, where we walked along a long seawall and did a bit of bird watching.  There was this little bird singing it's heart out perched really close to us on a bush.  As none of us was able to identify it, Pat got her phone out and with the app 'i naturalist' she took a picture  and was able to identify it as a stone chat - how clever is that!  Alan wouldn't believe it worked the other day, so Pat took a picture of a dandelion and it told her and Alan it was a dandelion - and he then believed it worked!  It was also confirmed by a couple of proper bird watchers we met there.
Lunch was taken by the estuary,  and then it was practically all road for about 4 miles - including a hill, to the end at Aberffraw.  We had to take an incursion again to go round the estate that William and Kate stayed at while William was in Anglesey.

Phil and Carol had a good walk, apparently part of the walk we do tomorrow, and that is beautiful, so will look forward to that.
Salmon for dinner tonight:)
Last night Steve and I had a visitor, my cousin Jean came up to see us, she lives in Llanfair PG (shortened name now).  It was great to see her and catch up as we hadn't got together for a good few years. - forgot to take a picture of us :(

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