Ferry to Islay

Up at 0345, a car full of stuff, 6 hours on the road, 2 hours on a ferry, then another hour across Islay and we're on holiday.

Very murky and hazy weather but at least it's not raining.

Ferry route

Foam from the ferry

The Paps of Jura in the haze

Gannet

The first of many, many Song Thrushes

Gill on the ferry

Murky view from the ferry

Men at work

Port Askaig

Black Guillemot

Young Great Northern Diver

Guillemots and a Razorbill about to be swamped by the ferry

Shag

Moel Arthur

A very linear walk from Moel Arthur, past Penycloddiau and back again. Should have been more circular but the byway back was a complete quagmire.

Moel Arthur route

Moel Arthur elevation

Very hazy in the distance and the hillsides are mostly brown with heather.

View from Moel Arthur summit

View from Moel Arthur northwards

Hazy skies

Puddles and brown heather on the top of Penycloddiau

The mud got so bad we had to turn around and go back the way we came.

I didn't pack my snorkel

Llangollen

Good Friday ramble around Llangollen and Velvet Hill. Extremely bright most of the day so photos not so good, but a good bit of exercise and at least it's not raining!

Llangollen elevation

Llangollen route

Tourist barge on the canal

Birch bark

Birch bark

Castell Dinas Bran

View from the Castell

Sedimentary rocks on the hills

Moel Famau

Our annual March march around Moel Famau and Foel Fenli (which is also Moel Fenli depending on which signs you believe).

A grey, washed out day so lots of grey, washed out pictures. It brightened up for the last few miles.

Moel Famau elevation

Moel Famau route

Loggerheads Park

Daffodils in the gloom

Grey view from the path to the summit

More haze at the turning for the summit

Some hills just visible from Foel Fenli

Some hills still just visible from Foel Fenli

A scene reminiscent of a Ghibli film

Looking down the valley at the mists

Mists at the end of the valley

Tree still bare but covered with lichens

It is spring after all!

Profusion of daffodils on the way back to Loggerheads

Harrock Hill

Breaking our legs in gently this year with a walk around Harrock Hill. A little bit of wintery shower on the way there but it just about stayed dry with some sunny spells.

Harrock Hill elevation

Harrock Hill route

We took a slight diversion at the beginning in the hopes of avoiding some of the mud, but it was no use, much of the route was churned up and very muddy after all the winter rains.

Looming clouds over a wood

Leeds and Liverpool Canal

The dismal life of the modern train driver

"Gill's House"

Threatening clouds over Lancashire

Get muddy, clean boots, get muddy, clean boots, get muddy...