The Last Bass Outpost
Main Forums => The Outpost Cafe => Topic started by: Highlander on October 08, 2014, 01:32:30 AM
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Whilst some members of the 'post have had the golden-opportunity to meet up I've been wandering around in North Wales as part of a trip celebrating my daughter's 21st birthday. I also visited a few ancient churches as part of an art project I'm working on...
I don't have much time this morning as I'm off to an RAF reunion for a couple of days but will post this to give you an understanding of what I was getting up to...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/2014100735_zps937e6693.jpg)
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/2014100710a_zpsd9f85a7c.jpg)
This is a churchyard in North Wales we visited on the way home yesterday and can anyone guess the age of this yew tree...? Let me give you a clue... it's not in the hundreds...
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This is a churchyard in North Wales we visited on the way home yesterday and can anyone guess the age of this yew tree...? Let me give you a clue... it's not in the hundreds...
Eons!!
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Interesting! Will follow!
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Beautiful Ken, thanks for sharing :)
Watch out for those Hellcats at the RAF reunion! ;)
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It looks fascinating.
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Fascinating it is, Michael...
Watch out for those Hellcats at the RAF reunion! ;)
Larger rotor fixed to the top with this lot... no identification issues with this one... may get on their brand new pro simulator if time tomorrow... I was given an opportunity to fly the retiring type at last HQ visit in '12 but as operational base may not be free...
Love that pic of Uwe and you... and I promise not to make any jokes about you being seen with your "clothes" off picking up Germans on street corners... ;)
That tree is at most conservative estimate twice as old as Christianity... possibly as much as 5K old... one of the oldest living things on this planet...
Llangernyw Yew Tree (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llangernyw_Yew)
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My chiropractor's best friend is from Wales. I'll mention this about the tree on my next visit. I don't know what part of Wales he is from and how much he knows about this, but we'll see.
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Wow, that's really old wood! I'm surprised some crazed UK guitar star hasn't had it cut down to make a custom axe for a gig! It does look beautiful there in Wales. Have to get there sometime. Do they do crazy stuff like drive backwards and walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk? ;D
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Wow, that's really old wood! I'm surprised some crazed UK guitar star hasn't had it cut down to make a custom axe for a gig! ...
Or longbows. Wasn't yew traditionally the preferred wood for longbows?
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Or longbows. Wasn't yew traditionally the preferred wood for longbows?
It was, and I was thinking that tree is a LONG way from any tree young enough to serve as a longbow!
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Longbows indeed... the tree gifted me a nice section of bark... just lying there on the ground to have as a memento...
Anglesey, or Ynys Môn in Welsh, is also home to RAF Valley, one of the UK's training stations for high-speed yet-pilots, but only saw some of the Hawk trainers (Red Arrow's use them) on the way up to where we were staying...
First place we visited was an island off the island, adjacent to an historic bridge with a church with an unknown origin... no one knows who built it or why... but it is part of the name of what I call "that place" as the name is so long (2nd longest place-name in the world) they have reduced it to a third for the two-line road signs...! The church is dedicated to a Saint Tysilio...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002cStTysilio17_zpsc9d999c2.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002cStTysilio15_zps8b476db3.jpg)
I thought it might be a humorous image when I found this old and remarkably small slate gravestone in a remote corner of the graveyard hidden by a tree, because of the initials on it, but Roshina noted it was probably for a stillborn child... '02...? 1902, or 1802, or 1702... not known... definitely not 2002...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002cStTysilio8_zps8cbdea68.jpg)
St Tysilio's has a fine stained glass window...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002aHerculesoverMenai3_zps6bea127c.jpg)
A specialised Hercules (MC 130, probably USAF) gave us a demonstration of some low-level flying through the Menai Straits... and I mean pretty low...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002dMenai2_zps7bc2aac2.jpg)
The Menai Straits and the Thomas Telford designed suspension bridge... that's Snowdonia and Mount Snowdon in that range in the background... the highest range in Wales... you can get a steam train trip to the top...!
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002dMenai6_zpse8dd5ec2.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/random%20stuff/20141002ethatplace1_zps84ff2c65.jpg)
This is what Roshina calls a "Nelfie" (Nala selfie... :mrgreen:) and me with her vicious beast of a dog outside the renowned railway station at "that place...", and yes, I was sad enough to buy a "souvenir" platform ticket...
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Well, up at the north of the Island, post a 10 hour trip, the HOTB found a place to settle almost straight away, so post a brief walk along the cliffs that ended the first day...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/2248bd71-b7eb-45e9-9dbe-924aec11819c_zpsbfd00c83.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/315810f7-6dad-4d0c-8140-99fd2fb65b29_zps60c805f8.jpg)
First day was dry but blowing a gale so post an attempt to walk a beach up to two abandoned lighthouses we gave up (sand-blasting ain't fun) and we spent the remainder of our first full day wandering a forest looking for red squirrels, and failing... we did find a shredded pine cone, which was fairly conclusive proof of their presence... :-\
So on the way back I stumbled across a significant church (as you do in North Wales) called Llangadwaladr, and snapped a couple of pics...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141003bLlangadwaladr5_zpsdd8dc72a.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141003bLlangadwaladr11_zpse2e0fc9e.jpg)
Examples of a 19th century and a 15th century stained glass window, with an inset of the older one below...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141003bLlangadwaladr16_zps66a32883.jpg)
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It looks really interesting. I was talking to a friend the other day who I've traveled to several countries with. She was asking me if there were any more I could think of I'd want to go to. Scotland was at the top of my list. I've never been there.
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I too would love to see Scotland and Ireland...those stained glass windows are stunning. And the outdoors are beyond stunning. Are Scots/Welsh/Irish friendly to folks from the US? Or are we "outsiders"?
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I too would love to see Scotland and Ireland...those stained glass windows are stunning. And the outdoors are beyond stunning. Are Scots/Welsh/Irish friendly to folks from the US? Or are we "outsiders"?
I've spent four months in Ireland (two trips.) I found it one of the most friendly places I've ever been to. Even the smallest towns were of interest to me, although I spent most of my time in Dublin. Of course, I haven't been to Scotland or Wales, but there may be some similarities, especially considering the Celtic background that Ireland, Scotland, and Wales all have.
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I love the expression stunning in context to little Britain when you have places like Yellowstone, the Rockies, the Grand Canyon... need I go on, 'cos I could... ;)
I guess the biggest attraction to Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and most of Europe, is the roots and the history... You go to Italy or Greece and our history pales into insignificance, but much of the far eastern parts of Europe, or maybe parts of Northern Africa are not so hot for USofA passport holders...
I guess much of it depends on your roots...
Most of the country out of the cities is pretty user friendly and most visitors are openly welcomed... I wouldn't want to stay in London for long if I didn't have to but it would be great to visit... plenty more to see other than stained glass windows... depends what you want to see...
Whilst in Wales, I was surprised how few Welsh people I met, and I only heard the language being spoken the once...
The next day was clear and crisp so we trundled over to the local church which has roots back to Saint Patrick (Mr PatMan) who history goes was in a boat that foundered near by (the reputed Island is visible over my shoulder) and survived to found this small holy site known as Llanbadrig...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004cLlanbadrig1_zpsd5709f2b.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004cLlanbadrig11_zpsefdfac9d.jpg)
There is not a great deal of the original church left but some of it is 15th century; the most unusual aspect is that when a benefactor rebuilt the church in the 1800's he wanted no religious icons and all the glass to be geometric in pattern, much like a Mosque, so the glass is quite unusual...
The angle of the shot is deliberate so when I process the two primary images I'll have a clear view of the three windows...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004cLlanbadrig31_zps909b0ecf.jpg)
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004cLlanbadrig25_zpsd9018aa3.jpg)
Nala did a "Titanic" to hide Wyfla, the local nuke power station we missed in the details for the place we were staying in... :-\
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I'm in Ohio...
The closest thing to "stunning" here, is parts of Kentucky...
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Ah... the better half's home state, and I've driven along that river whilst we were there in '03 ... lots of (blue) green :mrgreen:
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I love KY, but the pics of Wales are pretty impressive...
Whereabouts in KY is the better half from?
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My late MIL met her USAF future husband mid fifties, just down the road from here - USAAF/USAF HQ UK WWII was in Bushy Park about 3 miles from here - and post 1st daughter moved back home... the family had a tobacco farm up in the hills near Winchester but fell on hard times; place is called Stepstone... there's still family up there... the three girls were all born and raised in that area... Jackie was born in Mt Sterling... all that's left of the old place is a couple of gate posts and some pictures...
Back to windswept Wales...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004eSouthStack7_zps1fd8e6fa.jpg)
This is a lighthouse on a point called South Stack on Holy Island... I like lighthouses too...
More churches... this is St Gwenfaens and was taking a chance as I only knew of a glass in the entrance but I did not expect the 15 windows I found... simply stunning... this is two of them... There was also an interesting wrought-iron gate... some of the windows are very old but these two are only late 1800's...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004fRhoscolyn9_zps03c4d8ba.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141004fRhoscolyn63_zpscbeff330.jpg)
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Beautiful Ken!
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Beautiful Ken!
It certainly is!
thanks for sharing this.
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I want a bass made from that yew tree ... :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader:
Seriously, very beautiful pics. Wales is quite a bit different from England, I realized that when were there for the first time a few years ago. Some parts even reminded of southern France.
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I've always wondered why Wales didn't get more attention. You hear about England, Scotland, Ireland, even Northern Ireland, but not so much about Wales. It looks like sending an LBO investigative team may be the best solution to this. These pics are providing some insight into the way it really looks. Good to know.
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Remember that this is an Island of the north-west coast of Wales, and some of these images are from Islands off the Island...
Southern wales has too much built up areas until you get past Swansea, and the mountainous centre is more interesting... the centre, then up the west coast and the north are the places to go...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141005aNantYPandy17_zps28755fbe.jpg)More red squirrel seeking and failing... several places, including this forestry area known as Nant Y Pandy reputedly have some, but in this case, not even a sign of a stripped pine cone... and abandoned industry is always something I try and capture in an image...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141005cYnysLlanddwyn22_zpsd66929ae.jpg)This ruinous 16th century church has significance to the Catholic peoples of old and prior to King Henry VIII - St Dwynwen's on Ynys Llanddwyn was a significant place of pilgrimage but good King Henry did his worst and this is all that's left... at one point donations made here accounted for the largest proportion of all income in Britain for the Catholic faith...
At the tip of the Island are two abandoned lighthouses, which always have the potential for fascinating images...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141005cYnysLlanddwyn28_zps382febbd.jpg)
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141005cYnysLlanddwyn45_zps052da02b.jpg)... And clouds always add mood to the occasion...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141005eA50259_zps22df212f.jpg)Road signs are somewhat different in Wales too...
If any of you haven't guessed yet, photography may play a part in my future plans... ;)
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I really like the pictures and the story to go with them. THank you for sharing! One of the things I was most struck by when I was "over there" (in Scotland anyway, in 2000) was the sense of history. Here, something 100 years old is positively ancient, and I easily saw things centuries older than that...
ANd yeah, why is it we never hear about Wales, the rest of the UK is more in the news regularly.
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You have a way with the pictures AND stories
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I'd like to concentrate on that side of things and am keeping lots of things crossed that all the plans come together at the right time...
Daan... the Welsh got sort of homogenised into the British (read "English") psyche and that's why they have got somewhat lost; also due to geography - far too much attachment to England, physically and metaphysically...
I want a bass made from that yew tree ... :vader: :vader: :vader: :vader:
On a serious note (very deep one on a low C) I was curious about that and there are some boutique makers that do use some of it, but I'd have terrible conscience issues re the age of such material...
Also, your comments re parts of Europe and Wales... makes perfect sense... think of your own homeland, and how divers that is, and some of the "fairy-tale" castles you have, not to mention the mountains...!
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I've always wondered why Wales didn't get more attention. You hear about England, Scotland, Ireland, even Northern Ireland, but not so much about Wales. It looks like sending an LBO investigative team may be the best solution to this. These pics are providing some insight into the way it really looks. Good to know.
With Americans I think it's the language. They speak well . . . . . Welsh :-[
PS Good on the photog!
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Kenny,
Do you know if the railroad served an industry, or? It's a nice pic too!
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Wonderful photos, Ken.
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Cheers Dave...
Kenny,
Do you know if the railroad served an industry, or? It's a nice pic too!
Talk a little time to study a guy called Beeching, Mark, and what he did to the British Railway system, then I'll come back to you with some highlights of the horror...
I think this remnant was, at least, a passenger line... the railway still runs from London to Holyhead, which is a main port for Ireland shipping... I tracked it through all the way up to Amlwych, which was once one of the most significant places in the world for copper... it is also noted that it had a ridiculous ratio of bars per head of people... 4 to 1...!
The line opened in 1864 and closed circa 1990... HERE's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglesey_Central_Railway) a link to the lines history...
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Cool, thanks Ken, I'll do a bit of reading. :)
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Good stuff. I never made it out that far into Wales on my last visit since I pretty much headed out for Scotland straight out from Cardiff. Unfortunately I'm not sure I'll have any opportunity to revisit since it seems the centuries old farm may be up for sale and my cousin's family could be headed back to the States. Shame you didn't get to meet more Welshmen, maybe the Wurzels were hiding with the red squirrels.
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Indeed... :mrgreen:
Like most realities... so many places... so little time...
There are several old buoys round the area that add a bit of colour to the shore-line...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141006aPenrhyn8_zps35be94cd.jpg)
Forgot to add... the geology of Anglesey is unusual and I came home with a couple of bags full of the pebbles and rocks to try and polish up... a bit of a failing of mine... shiny object syndrome... quite common within the Brethren of the LBO, I believe...
This is a section of beach called Red Wharf Bay...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141006cRedWharfBay4_zps773fea46.jpg)
... and yes, the small white creature revels in getting covered in it...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141006cRedWharfBay17_zpsedd11e13.jpg)
and another church... this one dedicated to St Gallgo...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/20141006dStGallgo3_zpsa2bd5f5d.jpg)
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Last entry for this...
This started with a tree and a church on an Island with a much younger tree... the big yew central to this picture on that Island is a mere 1000 years old...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/201410073_zpsb8134ee0.jpg)
The forest behind me in the shot is where we found the chewed pine-cone, but we didn't see any red squirrels... oh well...
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/2014100718_zpsa25bc586.jpg) (http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/2014100730_zpsf6e84a90.jpg)
As for the church with the 4000 year old tree... this is some of the glass to be found in there...
So endeth the Welsh odyssey...