ABC Wednesday:Y is for Ynys Gored Goch

Ynys Gored Goch (Red Weir Island) also known as Whitebait Island sits in the Menai Strait between the two bridges that link Ynys Môn (Anglesey) to the mainland. The stretch of water is known as "The Swellies" due to whirlpools formed by the string tidal flow.

In 1590 the island belonged to the Diocese of Bangor who leased the island to Thomas Fletcher of Treborth who paid three pounds plus one barell full of herring. The island was used as a fishing trap. During high tides fish would swim into traps set near the island.

In the early 20th century, it was fashionable for visitors to cross to the island to enjoy whitebait teas. They would walk down to the shore by a footpath through the Coed Môr woods, ring a bell placed on the shore for the purpose, and a boat would put out from the island to collect them. The Gorad Whitebait Tea consisted of a pot of tea, brown bread and butter, and whitebait "fried in a basket", priced one shilling. During very high tides in the spring and autumn, the water sometimes reaches the outside of the houses on the front and west sides.

In more recent times the island has been privately owned and according to the details on the Wales Directory the two houses on the island are available for use as holiday accomodation, although this information may not be current.

Information sources:
Anglesey Today;
Wikipedia;
Anglesy Hidden Gems.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday and Wednesday Waters.

ABC Wednesday:S is for Surf Snowdonia

Surf Snowdonia, opened in August 2015, as a brand-new artificial wave facility at Dolgarrog in the Conwy Valley, North Wales. Privately funded, it cost £12m to build, on the site of a former aluminium factory – though it has been decontaminated since, and approved by Welsh environmental regulators. It is the first in the world. Surf Snowdonia uses WaveGarden technology, pioneered by a group of surfer-engineers in San Sebastián, Spain, and which is being rolled out globally from Spring 2016. The waves are created once a minute by a snow plough-like weight that moves underwater along a central pier.

The attraction is 300 metres (985ft) long and 110 metres (360ft) wide (around the size of six football pitches) containing six million gallons of water with three wave heights offering waves that are up to six feet high if you ride the whole way of 150 metres. The pool is filled with rainwater collected from Snowdonia reservoirs including Llyn Cowlyd. This water passes through the adjacent hydro-power station, originally built to power the former aluminium plant, before being pumped from the tail-race into the surfing pool.

For further information see the Surf Snowdonia website.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

Coot at Lapwing Lake

On Wednesday I showed you Lapwing Lake at Moore Nature Reserve. Here is what I found swimming across the lake.

The Coot (Fulica atra) is a common bird in British waters. It is all black with a distinctive white beak which distinguishes it from its smaller cousin, the moorhen, which has a red beak. Coots feed on aquatic plants, like duckweed and grasses, and animals such as snails and larvae brought up from the bottom of the pond or river.

A contribution to
Weekend Reflections;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Lapwing Lake

One of the lakes at Moore Nature Reserve which comprises almost 200 acres of woodland, meadows, lakes and ponds. It has been managed as a nature reserve since 1991, after being used as farmland and for sand quarrying. It is managed by wardens employed by FCC Environment, operators of the nearby Arpley Landfill site. Arpley Landfill began operating in 1988 and covers more than 500 acres. The landfill is being restored to a mix of woodland and grassland and, together with Moore Nature Reserve, should eventually provide an important public amenity and area of rich biodiversity on the edge of what is a busy, and growing urban area.

More information about the nature reserve can be found on its website.

All of my photographs taken that day can be found at Geo-trips plotted on a map and available as a slideshow.

A contribution to
Our World Tuesday;
NF Trees and Bushes;
ABC Wednesday;
Wednesday Waters.

London - A View Through Time

My photograph of a view from the London Monument 1961 has been included in a short film "London - A Journey Through Time" by James Fox.

It can be viewed on YouTube.

A contribution to Wednesday Waters.

Reflections at Droylsden Marina

Droylsden Marina lies off an arm of the Ashton Canal that used to lead to the now lost Hollinwood Branch.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Kitten at New Islington

A couple of weeks ago I was exploring the marina at New Islington which caters for boats on both the Ashton and Rochdale Canals but without providing an access between them. As I was there a little kitten appeared and started its own investigation of me.

I'm not sure whether black cats are supposed to be lucky or not but afterwards I made my way through Ancoats heading for a main road. As I cut across the area I encountered a large group of mainly adult males chanting "We are going out" coming towards me. I crossed the road and headed away from them. A few moments later I heard them running up the street followed by police cars with their sirens wailing. I was a couple of streets away and photographing an old church and a derelict pub by then. It was obviously all kicking off and my thoughts were to get away from the vicinity. There was a young couple nearby who had also been taking photographs of the buildings. Their car was parked nearby and I asked them for a lift out of the area. Fortunately they agreed and dropped me off near Piccadilly railway station.

I later heard on the news that they were so-called football fans and the police "kettled" them. See the news report on Manchester Evening News. I guess in the end I was indeed lucky.

A contribution to
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

A grey morning in Llandudno

Our weekend away in Llandudno recently was marked largely by the persistent rain and strong winds. I did manage to venture out a little bit on both Saturday and Sunday. At least the hotel was warm, comfortable and had an excellent wifi connection.

This was the view from our bedroom window before breakfast on Monday morning.

A contribution to The Weekend in Black and White and Scenic Weekends.

ABC Wednesday: R is forRoad Train at Rest And Be Thankful

From Llandudno there is a Road Train you can catch that will take you on a tour of the Marine Drive a road that goes around the side of the promontory known as the Great Orme. At the top it breaks the journey with a 15-20 minutes stop at "Rest and be thankful" where there is a small café.

The view looking west ranges towards the island of Anglesey with the smaller Puffin Island visible just off shore.

Looking slightly east of north the view shows the top of a former lighthouse that has since been converted into a guesthouse.

Looking east rain can be seen coming over the wind turbines in Liverpool Bay whilst on the right is the Little Orme.

This shows the rear of the Rest and be Thankful where most people from the road train and the red car in the car park are partaking of some refreshments.

And finally a look at the road and two riders tackling the climb on their cycles.

A contribution to ABC Wednesday
and Wednesday Waters.

The view from the West Shore

Whilst back in Llandundo a week ago I took the road train from the noisy North Shore to the quieter West Shore.

Out of shot behind me is the busy children's playpark whilst the beach sits below the pebbled foreshore.

This is the view past one of the breakwaters up the estuary of Afon Conwy with the island of Anglesey just visible on the horizon.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Moorhens on the Ashton Canal

Last week I showed you some Geese on the Ashton Canal. The geese are common but a little further along I came across this perfect habitat for moorhens. I almost didn't spot them at first.

The Moorhen (Gallinula clioropus) is a member of the family of crakes and rails. It is a poor flier and prefers to go into hiding when danger threatens. Its name is a form of mere-hen. Seldom seen in flocks it spends all its time on shallow water near dense undergrowth in which it can hide. It can sink when danger threatens leaving just its bill above water. When it does take to the air it patters off across the water flying low and dangling its legs. The Moorhen has partially webbed, very long toes, to aid its passage across floating vegetation. As it swims it jerks its head and pecks up food, including slugs, snails, worms, insects, seeds and vegetation, which float on the surface of the water or amongst bankside vegetation. Its nest is built near the water, often in a bush or low branches. It will aggressively defend the nest against all comers. The hen lays 5 to 11 eggs between March and July. They hatch after 21 days and the young leave the nest after 2-3 days.

A contribution to
Weekend Reflections;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Reflections on the Ashton Canal

A gaggle of geese swim past an old narrowboat on the Ashton Canal between Portland Basin and Guide Bridge.

A contribution to
Weekend Reflections;
Scenic Weekends;
Saturday Critters;
Camera Critters.

Zozagardo at New Islington

The New Islington Marina is centred on Old Mill Street in an area of Ancoats, Manchester, that has seen considerable urban regeneration since the Millennium. The marina services both the Ashton Canal on one side and the Rochdale Canal on the other, although there is no direct connection between the two canals.

The Zozagardo is a 57ft, metal-hulled narrowboat from the River Weaver that has been based at the New Islington Marina since 2011.

The large central basin off the Rochdale Canal has a number of permanent moorings.

Some narrowboats have been moored at New Islington long enough to develop their own canal-side garden.

A contribution to
ABC Wednesday;
Wednesday Waters;
Skywatch Friday.

Llandudno sea view

This was our view is from the third floor side room where we stayed last month at the Esplanade Hotel.

Past the side of the Merrion Hotel is a section of South Parade set aside for the parking of motorcycles.

Beyond the promenade lies the beach and the pier. The pier originally started beyond the Grand Hotel before a landward extension was built around the side the Grand.

The top half of a landing slip for small boats can be seen. A further landing slip nearer the pier is fully submerged.

I took so many photographs that week that it will take me months to sort through them all. We've already booked a return visit for September.

A contribution to
Water World Wednesday;
Wednesday Waters;
signs, signs.

A view of the Conwy Valley

A contribution to
Our World Tuesday;
NF Trees and Bushes;
Water World Wednesday;
ABC Wednesday;
Wordless Wednesday.

Shadows on Bridge #2

Bridge #2 on the Peak Forest Canal carries the B6139 Ashton Street over the canal near Shepley Industrial Estate.

We passed under it last Friday when we celebrated our son's 34th birthday and escaped the aftermath of the election by taking a trip on Community Spirit, a narrowboat operated by the East Manchester Community Boat Project.

On this section of the journey the sun shone and cast shadows of the trees on the bridge.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

ABC Wednesday: O is for Orinoco Goose

The Orinoco Goose is a 5-star, 69ft long, 8-berth narrowboat that operates out of the Anderton Basin.

Seen here on the Ashton Canal at Portland Basin by the junction with the Peak Forest Canal, it is probably doing the circuit known as the "Cheshire Ring".

A contribution to
Water World Wednesday;
ABC Wednesday.

N is for Narrowboats

This narrowboat is called Tinkerbelle and is moored on the Ashton Canal just east of Portland Basin.

On the left past the moorings is Cavendish Mill, a Grade II* listed former cotton spinning mill built between 1884 and 1885 for the Cavendish Spinning Company. It ceased spinning cotton in 1934 and was then used for a variety of purposes before it was converted into housing in 1994.

There is no towpath beyond this point as the canal was closed until the turn of the 21st century when the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was restored and re-opened. The canal now passes through a tunnel under the Asda supermarket.

A contribution to Water World Wednesday and ABC Wednesday.

Blackpool Tower in a puddle

The iconic tower reflected in a puddle on the promenade.

A contribution to Weekend Reflections.

Waterloo Sunset

Taken September 2013 near Waterloo Road, Blackpool.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.