Tuesday 16 June 2009

Ponies of Trwyn Talfarach

View across Porth Neigwl at breakfast!

I think it was probably nearly midday before we set out for a walk. This was on my recent little camping trip to the end of the Llyn Peninsula with friends. We'd spent all morning slowly barbecuing and eating a hearty breakfast, whilst slowly cooking in the clear bright sun ourselves!
Sheer delight..finding the herd on the steepest, trickiest part of the headland.

Last year I'd visited this headland for the first time and had been delighted by finding a small herd of ponies. The land is owned by the National Trust and I presume they have put the ponies here for conservation grazing. This is a wild and beautiful place and their presence just seems to add that little extra surprise.
Boss hoss in the middle watched me very closely and I kept my distance..

We followed the rough path that leads to the rocky outcrop which marks the end of sensible walking. Sat eating our butties, admiring the views. Up till now there was no sign of the ponies. Although this was not my main aim of the day, I was curious as to where they were.
I was so busy watching below that I hardly noticed these two to my right. You couldn't have asked for a prettier pose!

By way of a distraction I looked down to the sea below and wondered if I could possibly, safely, make my way to the water. The going was steep with rock ledges half covered in ivy, long grass, heather, bracken and gorse. Every now and then I found little tracks..pony tracks. Then almost unbelievably there they were, right below on the lushest most inaccessible part of the whole headland. How I wished I'd not said I'll only be ten minutes to my friends on the cliff top. I'd 've gladly stayed here all day.
View from Trwyn Talfarach across Porth Ysgo towards Bardsey and the Irish Sea beyond.

We continued our walk with a rugged descent, with Choughs dancing in the air, to a rarely visited beach, where we were overflown by a Red Kite. I managed to confidently guide us up a non existent path in the heat of the day. Sandals and shorts now not such a good idea. Which eventually took us on to farmland and an interesting chat with a friendly farmer about the sheep shearer shortage. Perhaps an idea for a second income?

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