Sunny Weekend Surprise

The North West Seakayakers end of season meet is often held in the midst of some horrendous autumn weather. This time we were blessed with a mini Indian summer.



It was breezy but warm in the golden sunshine and on the Saturday there was just enough swell to make the rock hopping fun and sporty.



On Sunday the southerly wind dropped just enough to allow a group of us to paddle from Rhoscolyn to Rhosneigr where we had tea and cakes in the sun. Before heading home many of us chose to bid farewell to Rhoscolyn by paying a visit to the celebrated 'White Eagle' pub.

Landlocked

Last weekend the weather was less than suitable for taking a trip to the coast. I stayed landlocked but managed to get nearly 30 miles of paddling done. I often paddle the Bridgwater Canal between Stretford and Warrington to keep active. I can trolley my kayak from my home to a convenient launch site in less than 20 minutes.

Sometimes when I see houses for sale along the way, I wonder if I would like to live beside the canal. It would be a little like having leisure facilities right on your doorstep.

The Mists of Man

During the last couple of days of our visit to the Isle of Man, Kirstine and I set out to explore the south west shores.



On Wednesday we started from Port Erin and braved strong southerly winds by sheltering beneath the cliffs of Bay Fine before taking a sneaky peek at Calf Sound.



Along the way we took the opportunity to explore the many deep caves along the way.


On Thursday, we started from Port Erin again but this time we headed north. With the wind and tide behind us, we quickly found ourselves beneath the towering cliffs of Bradda Head.


The Manx mists descended giving the towering rocky buttresses and eerie air. It was an exciting bouncy trip with gusts of Wind whistling around our ears. It was a great relief to reach Fleshwick Bay where we landed briefly for a quick bite to eat. We knew that the return would be challenging so we set off in determined fashion.


The wind buffeted off every headland slowing our progress but our persistence paid off as we crashed through the last few waves entering Port Erin for the last time.



It's sad to be leaving Keirron at Adventurous Experiences and his family at Ballabrooie behind. We have had a wonderful time here and we'll look forward to another visit very soon.

Isle of Man - Sea to Summit

When visiting an island, it can be easy to be consumed by the urge to circumnavigate.



However, during this particular visit, the weather will not be suitable. Taking a day off paddling we headed to the east coast town of Laxey with the aim of walking from the seafront, up the glen and over the moors to the summit of Snaefell.



The first challenge was to navigate our way through the narrow winding streets and lanes.



The best local landmark en route was 'Lady Isabella', the famous Laxey wheel. From there we found a quiet back road that led to a footpath that runs to an old abandoned mine at the head of Laxey Glen.



This is where we met the cloud base and lost the shelter of the steep sided valley.




This is what I would refer to as proper British hill walking conditions...



...the pass-time of stumbling around in a cloud looking for a mountain!



Eventually, after much stumbling we found the top of Snaefell, where it had always been, towering 621 metres over the Isle of Man.



Not only that, but the cafe was open for business (which we duly patronised) and there was a train waiting to take us back to Laxey!



The carriages are made mostly of teak and are all around 100 years old.



It is a noisy and ricketty experience as the train groans and creaks it's way back down the Glen along a precarious narrow gauge line to the coast.

The Seals of Maughold Head

Seeking shelter from the strong southerlies, Kirstine and I headed for the north east corner of the Isle of Man.

We launched from a pretty little bay called Port Lewaigue along the southern reaches of Ramsey Bay. The rocky shoreline rises to impressive cliffs that culminate to the island's most easterly point, Maughold head.

When we arrived we found the wind a little too much, so we turned back paddling gently among the rocks and shallow lagoons.

Our slow, quiet progress during the return meant that we could get close enough to some grey seals to watch them at play at really close quarters. Although this had only been a short paddle, our encounters with the seals had left us with wonderful lasting memories.

9th Isle of Man Sea Kayak Symposium

The Isle of Man has been a favourite kayaking destination of mine since I attended a symposium back in 2006. The warm welcoming nature of the people here along with the stunning coastline keeps me coming back for more. If only the weather could be relied upon!



On Saturday, Kirstine and I joined Nico and Jukka's group for a short trip along the south coast from Port St Mary. Throughout the day Nico and Jukka along with local guide, John Keggin dispensed valuable wisdom and a host of top tips to keep everyone informed and entertained.



After a blustery grey start to the day, the skies cleared to reveal a breezy sunny day with blue skies. The overnight winds left us with enough swell for some challenging rock hopping and some fun in the surf.

The evening entertainment started with a delicious barbecue dished up by the Ballabrooie crew followed by a talk on American kayaking history by Tom Bergh and a talk on motivation in paddlesports by Nigel Dennis. Drinking, singing and dancing went on into the wee small hours...



Sunday brought in freshening winds from the south so the west facing inlet of Port Erin became the venue of choice. Hangovers were soon cleared making way for more action on the water. More skills sessions including four star training culminated with more surf action in the bay before many of the paddlers began heading home.

In the meantime Kirstine and I are staying on for the following week for some more adventures.

Goyt and Mersey Valleys

The plan for the weekend was to avoid any crazy Bank Holiday traffic. Chris and I headed east from our homes in south Manchester along the Mersey Valley on our mountain bikes.

Almost Immediately I was amazed at the abundance of Himalayan Balsam. This invasive plant was introduced to the UK in the mid 1800s but has quickly got out of control causing problems in many areas.

We soon arrived at Stockport where the Mersey Valley Canoe Trail begins. Whilst we were busy getting lost in the narrow streets,  Stockport's 'Hat Museum' stood out as one that I might like to have a good look at on another day.

Eventually we made it to New Zealand (street), which led to the first of the parks that occupy the lower Goyt Valley. Dense woodland sheltered us from an hour or so of intense rainfall. The rain made the awkward riverside paths even more tricky as we made our way through some heavily overgrown boggy woodland before finding the Midshires Way.

As the weather improved we found a clearing so we celebrated by stopping for lunch in the sunshine.

A little further up the valley we stopped at Marple Garden Centre for a well-earned cup of tea. One of the attractions at the garden centre is a miniature railway run by enthusiasts. Railways like these are  becoming more scarce possibly victim of 'health and safety culture'.

Our return journey took a different route through Stockport's Woodbank and Vernon Parks. Park life was bustling with people out enjoying the fine afternoon weather.

The wood sculpture is a monument to the animals that found people trapped in buildings after air raids in the Second World War.

Feeling weary we negotiated the busy streets of Stockport's town centre once more before heading out west along the Mersey Valley, back home for a barbecue supper.

Wild West Anglesey

Friday brought in an early start to the weekend but even by then the roads were getting busy with the beginning of the school holidays. Kirstine and I planned an early escape from the Welsh holiday traffic by paddling directly from the campsite at Rhoscolyn, to Trearddur Bay to get supplies in for the weekend.

Apart from avoiding the traffic and general chaos of supermarket shopping, we got a splendid afternoon of sea kayaking on the way to the shops.

We visited the seals that live at Rhoscolyn Beacon...

...and we explored the depths of the deep cave at Rhoscolyn Head.

On Saturday we joined a group from North West Sea Kayakers to circumnavigate Holy Island. Once again we started at Rhoscolyn wheeling our kayaks down to the beach to avoid busy roads laden with holiday traffic. The Cymyran Strait and Inland Sea were both very shallow but bristling with birdlife. We saw cattle egret, redshank and a female red breasted merganser with half a dozen fluffy chicks.

Before we could cross Holyhead Harbour entrance we had to wait for the fast ferry to pass before heading off towards North Stack.

We stopped briefly to chat to another group who were enjoying the sunshine and shelter of Parliament House Cave, before heading accross Gogarth Bay and round South Stack. Finally the ebb tide brought us back to Rhoscolyn in plenty of time for a barbecue supper.

On Sunday we hatched a plan to paddle from Church Bay, out to the Skerries and onwards to Cemlyn.

Most of the Arctic tern chicks have now fledged leaving a few latecomers with some catching up to do.

Parent birds are busy catching sand eels to feed to the rapidly growing youngsters.

Before the mass migration to the south Atlantic this tiny group of islands is still swarming with birds...

...and its waters teeming with grey seals.

Podcast with Simon Willis

A short while ago I was interviewed by Simon Willis for another one his 'Sea Kayak Podcasts'.

 You can download the podcast by clicking here, or if  you prefer to listen online click here.

Lleyn Peninsula and Bardsey Island

The weekend provided ideal conditions for sea kayaking around the Lleyn Peninsula. Several of us based ourselves at the Aberafon campsite beside the pebbly beach, just to the north of Trefor. Having stopped for fish & chips on the way, we arrived just in time to raise a glass to the setting sun.

The next morning saw us heading off early to launch from Porth Oer in dazzling sunlight. The rock hopping between Porth Oer and the end of the Lleyn peninsula is excellent. There are countless gullies and teasing rock gardens ready to claim white gelcoat deposits from the boats of cocky or careless paddlers.

The crossing of Bardsey Sound is rarely 'straightforward' and this time 'slack water' evaded us in spite of careful planning. The wild west shores of Bardsey greeted us with yet more rock hopping fun amongst the kelp hollows with a few grey seals thrown in for good measure.

Soon after landing beside the slipway we set about exploring the island. The first item on the menu was the lighthouse and the southern tip that we had just passed in our kayaks. The red and white painted lighthouse along with the fog horn building look in need of a spot of paint and some other repairs.

The main course of our Bardsey adventure feast was the summit the hill that gives the island its grand facade. Mynydd Enlli towers 167 metres dominating the lower parts of the island to its west. The eastern cliffs and crags drop steeply to the turbulent waters of Bardsey Sound. Whilst adolescent choughs swoop amongst the rocky outcrops hundreds of Manx shearwater burrows remain silent by day. After dark these sea cliffs come alive with their ghostly, underground, nocturnal chuntering.

For dessert, we descended the west side of the hill via the 12th century abbey ruins and the bird observatory before launching our kayaks once more and heading back to Porth Oer in the golden, hazy afternoon sunshine.

Back at Aberafon campsite, the warm evening begged for a barbecue on the beach. Gradually tales of the day's adventures grew taller and more obscure until we were overcome by sleep.

The next morning brought a new adventure in the form of a paddle to the pub. The paddle from Trefor to Porth Dinllaen is full of all sorts of contrast. The first headland is riddled with all sorts of nooks and crannies. A luminous blue back-lit cave has an underwater passage through to a secret storm beach built steeply with fist-sized pebbles.

A series of dark craggy stacks stand guard over more rocky beaches that lie in the shadow of Yr Eifl. These 3 peaks mark the northern root of the Lleyn Peninsula. Further south is Nant Gwrtheyryn. This was once a cursed valley but is now re-born as the home of the Welsh national language and heritage centre. It is here that we stumbled upon a group of sea kayakers enjoying their morning Tai-Chi among the abandoned quarry workings above the beach.

The headland of Penrhyn Glas has tall cliffs with ledges tightly packed with kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots and cormorants. This is a noisy, hectic and messy place where guano rains down from the shanty towns above.

From here, 6 kilometres and three sandy bays separated several thirsty paddlers from the welcoming hostelry, 'Ty Coch' at Porth Dinllaen. The pace quickened in the final kilometre. The perfect beach picnic was an assortment of sausages, cheese, grapes and freshly dispensed draught beer.

The return to Trefor was much slower that expected. In the clear glassy waters we noticed other slow things too...

The Book Has Arrived

This is the moment at which I first managed to get my mucky paws on this long awaited book. This project has been the focus of my spare time for the last four years.

Photo: Will Herman

This has meant that I have spent most weekends and holidays paddling, researching, photographing and writing about some fantastic coastal scenery. Some of the coastlines, like those of Northumberland and Yorkshire, are already well known for their classic sea kayaking scenery. However, it is hoped that this guidebook will open up some of the less well known shores like the Durham Heritage Coast, Cumbrian estuaries and the Isle of Man.

You can order the book by clicking here

There will also be a small number of launch events open to all.