Ineluctably, Carn Fadryn

No trip to Towyn Farm is complete without an ascent of Carn Fadryn. Little S calls it Birthday Hill, because he has so often climbed it on his birthday. This year we were a little later, but he was still keen to return. Many of the rest of the party wanted to stay on the beach however, so it was a select band, just S, TBH and myself who made the trip.

Most of the usual elements were present, including Gatekeepers….

…and Labyrinth Spiders.

Lots of Gatekeepers in fact.

Expanding views as we climbed.

Oh, and did I mention the Gatekeepers? This was one of five on a small patch of Bell Heather.

The tapestry of flowers was as colourful as ever.

We always seem to spot several Dor Beetles.

And…

…Gatekeepers!

The extensive views from Carn Fadryn could be specifically designed for the panoramic function on my camera. (Click on the pictures to see larger versions).

Something I don’t recall being so noticeable on previous visits was the profusion of Bumblebees taking advantage of the flowers.

This very pale species seemed particularly prevalent.

We didn’t see Choughs this year, which we sometimes have, but we were compensated by a large and very boisterous group of ravens flying near the summit. Large groups of ravens, I believe, are often composed of juvenile or immature birds which  have not yet paired up with a partner. That might explain the exuberant, tumbling, acrobatic flights of some of the birds – adolescent showing off.

Wild Thyme.

English Stonecrop.

The presence of Butterflies on the summit is also something of a fixture. This year there were several Red Admirals and a couple of tatty looking Painted Ladies.

Towyn Farm: Cloud Ten

Lesser Black-backed Gull (I think).

Our tenth annual summer camping holiday at Towyn Farm near Tudweiliog on the Llyn Peninsula. (Eleventh for some of our friends, because we missed one year for a family birthday party). We were unusually late this year, meaning that S had his birthday before we got there – he has had almost all of his birthday’s in Wales.

Because I’m chary about taking my camera to the beach, my photos are wholly inadequate and don’t capture any of the things which are important about the holiday – the frisby flinging, beach tennis and mass games of cricket, games of Kubb, swimming and body-surfing, messing about in boats etc etc. There are no pictures of our various rock-pool finds, in particular of the Norway Lobster which B and I caught with a borrowed net. Or of the many fish I saw at low tide whilst snorkelling around the reef just off shore.

But most importantly, there are no photos of the gaggle of old friends whom we meet here every year and who make the holiday what it is.

The weather was very kind to us this year, with lots of sunshine and the rain largely confined to the nights or early mornings.

Our kids adore the sea and seemed to be quite happy to spend almost all day every day immersed in it, swimming, surfing, snorkelling, boating, floating on a ring, jumping about in the waves etc.

I’m already looking forward to next year.

Three is the Magic Number

A Three Walk Day: A wander in Eaves Wood – The Cove and The Lots – Clark’s Lot and the Lots again (with a very excited Little S)

Another Gatekeeper (they are everywhere now that I know to look out for them).

Ringlet.

We’ve had two Roe Deer fawns in our garden quite recently. This buck crossed my path in Eaves Wood. I’m sure that I’ve said this before on the blog, but the golden colour of their summer coat is stunning.

The Cove.

Morecambe Bay and Humphrey Head.

Bettony.

Bird’s-foot trefoil.

Lady’s Bedstraw.

Comma.

The Comma was photographed in our garden, not on any of the three walks, in an interlude whilst I was cutting the grass.

Why three walks?

Well, why not?

I was pleasantly surprised when Little S volunteered to join me for the final stroll of the day. He was almost frantic with anticipation for the coming few days.

Why was he so excited?

Because: school was set to finish, we were about to go away to the coast and if that wasn’t enough, his birthday, and his birthday party,  were imminent. He didn’t pause once for breath on that final, late stroll, but chatted incessantly, as he is wont to do. I think if he hadn’t, he might have exploded.