Angelsey

The entire rural coastline of Angelsey has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  We haven't seen it all - the Angelsey Coastal Path is about 200k or 125 miles long - but we certainly appreciated the parts we did see.  We had stunning sea views from clifftops where we watched Harbour Porpoises breaking the surf; we walked through woods hearing  Buzzards calling and sat counting large flocks of Curlews and Terns on wide open beaches.  We visited historical sites and marvelled at the age of the rock formations (it has some of the oldest rocks in the world) and ended the week at an RAF air display.




In August the country lanes were filled with Crocosmia.

This month we were surrounded by Fuschia ..

...... rose-hips as big as babies' fists and the "glossy purple clots" of blackberries "like thickened wine".

This Magpie Moth was enjoying the afternoon sun.  Our visit also gave us Gatekeeper, Small White, Small Tortoishell, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Small and Large Heath, Small Copper, Common Blue and Peacock butterflies.

We saw about 80 species of birds including Chough. 

There are only about 500 breeding pairs of Chough around the UK so it was nice to get a close view of this one. We saw large numbers of Curlew and enjoyed seeing the Sandwich and Common Terns.

Rock Pipit

Wheatear

Here's something you don't see everyday!

My what big claws you've got!

We visited a 12th century chapel:

and the site of an iron-age village at Din Lligwy:

and a burial chamber thought to date back to 3000BC:

The capstone weighs over 25 tons! How did they shift it into place without machines?

We followed in the footsteps of Charles Dickens as we visited the site of  ship wreck that claimed the lives of over 450 people just yards from the shore.  It was October 1859 when hurricane force winds pushed the Royal Charter onto the rocks.  The passengers were wealthy people returning from Australia with large sums of gold.

We finished the week at RAF Valley.  The Squadron was celebrating its 100th year anniversary and our eldest son took part in the air display.

If you want to extend your 'visit' to Wales then Janet, a fellow blogger, is redesigning her Angelsey garden at Plantaliscious.  I'm sure she would be delighted if you visited her there!

GBBD August 2012

Crocosmia is displaying well this month.  I had one main clump two years ago but it was full of grass so I dug it up, weeded it and divided it.  This year I have five healthy clumps and two neighbours have bulging pots. 

A friend gave me a clump of Lucifer but it hasn't fully flowered yet ... I'm looking forward to seeing the dark red shade.

Another dominant feature of my garden at the moment is the sunflowers.  We erected a trellis and I planted lots of gaillardia and sunflowers to grow up it.  We had a sack full of sunflower seeds to feed the birds so I went mad!  At the allotment I threw handfuls down and now they are six feet tall and bursting with seeds for next winter.

A second trellis is covered in sweetpeas and I scattered a free packet of Morning Glory underneath.

The Golden Rod is taller than me and is constantly covered in bees or butterflies.  I'm a bit worried it will turn into an invasive plant though .... it is rather too healthy after only a year in the garden!!

For more Garden Bloggers' Bloom Days visit May Dreams Gardens.