Wild Welsh ponies and a lash of wet weather..

A surprising and magical meeting..a herd of wild ponies on the headland with views to Bardsey

I defiantly announced " I'm going camping this weekend come what may!" Brave but stupid words spoken as bravado in front of work colleagues who I knew would give the desired answer. " You must be bloody mad...have you seen the forecast?" Yes I'd seen the forecast and I was hoping and praying that something dramatic would happen to change it....after all they quite often get it wrong! Well for once it was very accurate..it rained...very much, but mostly from one direction. The rain was blown by the wind...which was far stronger than forecast. So strong that five miles away,in Abersoch, 45 small boats were smashed on the beach on the Monday evening.
Idyllic scene with Cilan and Bardsey top left with nothing but sea beyond

I was glad of Jos's company..for a while it looked like I was going to be "Billy no mates". I also delayed our travel a day because the forecast for Saturday was abysmal. So it was nice to arrive at Treheli in warm sunshine. I'm always uplifted by the view down across the wide bay, the sea and waves, which usually results in an excited, frenzied clatter of camping paraphernalia. So all pitched up..what next?
Cheesy grin can't deflect from the fact it's peeing it down...but it was fun and the chilli was great!

As the tide was in, a walk on the beach was out. I've been here so many times but have never been to the point or headland that lies South West of the campsite. Trwyn Talfarach. So we set out on the steep climb that takes the road up to Rhiw. The crags from which the village takes its name are notorious with us camp dwellers below as the "weather machine". At close to 200 meters above the sea, these crags are the first higher ground that the predominantly South Westerly wind hits, freshly ladden with moist sea air. The resulting lee-side is quite often misty and wet. So it was going to be nice to see the otherside of the "weather machine" and perhaps find an off switch!!
Morning after the storm..nice waves forming off "winkle pond"each one slightly different!

Beyond the craggs is the high point of Penarfynydd with a trigg point. The views here are far reaching and evocitively maritime. The land ends in points, past Aberdaron anchored safely in it's bay, pointing towards Bardsey, resting place of so many ancient saints and the Cetic Sea beyond. There's powerful peacefulness here that easily sells some of the faerie stories that almost make you hear a whisper on the wind.
Even in the depths of Winter have I ever seen so much water on this campsite..Aug 2008!

As though by magic, we stumbled on a herd of wild ponies! I counted ten and they let us approach just so far...before trotting off. All this time I never knew what was beyond the "weather machine", now I think I might just visit again. We didn't find a switch and things got very wet and very, very windy. The campsite was ravaged and the inhabitants dwindled, leaving only the hardy stalwarts to enjoy the morning after.This is a good place!