Last week the weather forecast for mid-Wales during our holiday was not good – rain, with damp intervals, followed by rain. But we were not concerned, since this would be an excuse to do very little, apart from reading, photography, blogging, and in my case watching a few history DVDs. I have promised myself chilling time during holidays before, and this holiday was the same as previous in this respective. After 2 days I could take no more chilling, and needed to get out and about.
Actually day one, Thursday, was fine. We woke to rain as expected, but the day improved, albeit with heavy showers, and we spent quite a lot of time in the garden, surrounded by the gorgeous panorama of the surrounding hills.
We still did the reading, photography etc, but we sat outside, and I also took the opportunity to exercise the dogs. The cottage includes a field in front, and last year we were able to give the dogs a regular run in the field, but this week it is occupied by sheep and young lambs. I knew this before the holiday, and so came prepared with ideas to entertain the dogs.
We practiced the training that we do in Dog Club, and I brought a book of dog tricks to try. The dogs love this, as we did lots of exercises, and I built a jump and taught Tia to leap over it on command (Lesia already knew what to do!). We did manage a pleasant stroll around Bala, a lovely friendly small market town on the edge of a lake 4 miles away, since we had to do some grocery shopping
Friday also dawned wet, but improved, and by the lunchtime I was getting itchy feet – and so we went to a garden centre, to pay the cottage rent. Steve and Cathy, owners of the cottage, won’t take cash, are awash with alcoholic donations, and so have requested that visitor’s contribute to a “hedge fund”, buying shrubs for a hedge being planted between the garden and field. I thoroughly enjoyed choosing the shrubs, and enjoyed even more planting them later that afternoon. There was no need to water them….
Yesterday, having checked where the driest locations were we headed for Llandudno, where I wanted to walk the dogs on “The Great Orme”, quite a large country park on a peninsular. We drove along the long winding scenic road that led to the summit, and set off with the dogs. It was not a long walk, since it was exceedingly windy, unpleasantly so, difficult to stand, and if the dogs were only a few yards in front they could not hear us call them, even on the lee side of the Orme. We returned to the car, and spent a happy half hour or so photographing seagulls hovering in the wind – thanks to the strong wind they stayed low and photogenic.
After descending from The Orme by a different scenic route we headed for Llandudno’s traditional pier, promenading to the end and back, as Victorians no doubt did, stopping to watch some fisherman, and we finished the walk traditionally with fish and chips and a pot of teas at a pier café – sadly frozen fish and oven chips, but reasonably acceptable.
To end the day we headed for the walled town and castle of Conwy, planning on photographing the medieval architecture in the evening sunshine. This didn’t quite go to plan. The dogs refused to ascend the open steps to the top of the town wall, and had to be returned to the car after a ground level walk. Having found a nice vantage point to view the castle, we saw rain sweeping towards us up the estuary, and we were soon drenched by wind-blown torrents.
We trudged damply back to the car – we will need a return visit to Conway.
I am pleased and relieved to report that the car is behaving itself – well over 150 miles without the engine management warning illuminating.
Technically we live in Oaktree House, but sadly the tree had to go.
We now have a thriving Oakstump at the front of the house.
