So where to start, at the beginning I suppose. I left home in a rain storm, it was pouring. First stop the petrol station, Morrison’s to fill up. Standing in the line to pay, a voice, pleasant and smiling “Mr L. what are you doing here”. After a blank, its Anne Marie from work, and relief, “Going for a walk on the beach.” Her turn to be puzzled for a moment, then a shake of the head and a smile.
On up the M6 and then across the M54 and then the A5 to Shrewsbury. Although the River Severn is high, I have seen it higher. On into Wales towards Welshpool, the rain has stopped, but the clouds are still heavy and there is lots of spray thrown up by the traffic. After stopping in Welshpool to get a sandwich to eat in the car it is time to head into the hills, westwards towards Dolgellau. There are fewer cars now, often there is just me speeding along. The road rises and winds through the hills and small towns of mid Wales. Finally one long steep incline, higher and higher we climb, towards the clouds. At the top a sense of relief, we made it up the hill, but also we are almost there. down the other side, just as steep, towards Dolgellau and the beginnings of the coastal strip and the Mawdach estuary. On towards Barmouth and then up the coast heading for Harlech and its castle. Before the castle we turn left in Llanbedr and head towards the sea and Shell Island.
I always park up at the start of the causeway and the walk up the path to the dunes. Today I had some company, at least part of the way. Three sheep ran in front for a hundred yards or so.
Apart from the sheep I did meet a couple of other visitors, but they were leaving as I headed towards the dunes and the sea beyond.
I was wrapped up and warm, the Mayo and Kermode podcast chattering away in my ears.
The dunes were higher than I remembered. Many of the spaces full of water from the recent rain. I had my Wellies on, but, there were many places too deep even for me.
Eventually after what seemed long hard slog, though, in reality, it was 10 minutes, if that, I trudged down the final face on to the beach itself. I was the only person there.
I looked up and down the beach, to my left the sand stretched away and merged into the shadows at the base of the distant hills. The only signs of life being the occasional seagull standing around waiting for the tide to turn I imagine. The clouds that had lifted during my journey west, now were beginning to break apart allowing the sun to show through. I ventured towards the distant hills across the still damp sand.
There are all sorts of bits and pieces washed up on the sand, this time there were few if any man made objects. Most were marine in origin, there was alt of seaweed of various species, but every so often a piece of non marine origin stood out.
To be honest nothing much happened for the next while, I walked, the sun tried and mainly failed to breakthrough the cloud cover, the wind blew and the waves rolled up and down. Mayo and Kermode bickered gently in my ears. I eventually turned around and retraced my steps northward.
Continuing past my original start point I walked on up the sand. In the distance I could see the sand ending and the rocks taking over. A cormorant, flew towards me, heading south.
Abruptly the sand ended, replaced by rocks and stones, ranging in size from full blown boulders to pebbles and grit. On the seaward edge the gulls ignore me and continue to watch the sea. Standing looking at the rocks I could see they are covered with seaweed, mussels and barnacles. After a while I catch a couple of flashes of unexpected movement in and on the rocks. Standing still and waiting, not my greatest attribute, gave me a chance to search the nearby rocks more thoroughly and eventually I caught sight of the culprit. In fact there were three of them, Turnstones,
They deigned to stop their foraging every so often and occasionally there would be more than one in the same place, all three, not a chance. I moved slowly closer, to get better pictures. On the whole they ignored me scurrying around the rocks searching for food. However they managed to keep their distance so I left them to it after a while and continued on.
The rocks are easy at first to clamber through, it just means you have to spend so much more of your attention on watching where you are going and planning out your route. So less and less time is spent looking at the scenery and or contemplating well, life, the universe and my navel. After a while Kermode and Mayo have finished and Melvin Bragg and his friends are telling me all about the South Sea Bubble. It is time to head back to the car. Through the deserted camp site and back along the causeway catching site of flock of Shelduck foraging in the salt marsh and a couple of Redshank running around in the channels.
Eventually the car and a sit down. It has been a while since I have been out on my own for any length of time and the thought of just getting in the car and heading back home. It was still light so I drove back down to Barmouth and spent another hour wandering around on the beach. Here I was not the only one dotted around the expanse of sand were small groups, and occasional individuals, getting out into the fresh air while it was light and the rain held off.
As the light finally faded I headed back to the car and then back through the hills to Birmingham and home
