Cold and wintry Easter

Trevor and I started the Easter trip with some fun and games in the mountains of Snowdonia. Snowy scenes greeted our arrival at Capel Curig so we grabbed our boots, crampons and axes. We headed our way to have a look at the east side of Moel Siabod. My old plastic boots decided to retire (loss of sole) just before we began to ascend the icy east ridge. We retreated to the warmth of the pub!

We returned the next day to explore the snowy lower slopes on our skis. Once again our activities were curtailed due to technical failure. This time, one of my ski boots began to fall apart! Nevertheless, we had plenty of fun in the snow.

The rest of the Easter break was spent based at Anglesey Outdoors and paddling on the southern and western shores of Anglesey.

The idea was to meet up with the team that will be going to East Greenland later in the year. Although there was a biting easterly wind, we managed to paddle in amongst the rocks and find plenty of shelter.

It was great for everyone to get to know one another, discuss equipment and sample some of the Clif Bars that will help keep us sustained on our expedition.

Baltic Menai - Two days on the Straits

Here we are in late March and people are struggling with ice and snow drifts. Yet, a small group of enthusiastic sea kayakers are persisting with the freezing temperatures and getting the most out of the weekends' paddling opportunity.

On Saturday morning I drove along the A55 through wintry scenes with fresh snow clinging to the trees. When I arrived at Menai Bridge I was greeted with a mixture of enthusiasm and words like, "We must be absolutely crazy!"

With plenty of warm layers under our drysuits we set off to get warmed up with some practice amongst the bridge pillars of the Menai suspension bridge.

We saw plenty of bird life as we drifted between the islands west side of The Swellies before heading into the woods for a sheltered lunch spot.

The return to Menai Bridge was helped by the new flood stream rising from the south but the strong north-easterly, with temperatures barely above freezing, we were glad to get off the water and into the pub!

Sunday was colder and the wind just as strong. This time we planned for a one-way trip from Menai Bridge to Moel y Don, opposite Y Felinheli. Pogies would have been handy.

One of the rewards of paddling in fierce weather is the ever changing light conditions. Every now and then, wintry shafts of golden sun shone through highlighting small patches of scenery.

Extended Winter or Delayed Spring

This time last year on a trip to Bardsey Island, chiffchaffs were heard singing in the hedgerows and temperatures reached the low 20s. Today's weather forecast shows no sign of rising temperatures yet last weekends trip to Anglesey was the kind of classic more typical of summertime.

Saturdays plan was to paddle from Chruch Bay to Cemlyn and back again. The weather was better than expected and before we arrived at Cemlyn we decided that after a short lunch break, we would visit The Skerries.

The ferry glide had to be quite accurate as we would be approaching the islands during the strongest part of the tide. A last minute hiccup necessitated a quick sprint to reach the lagoon and avoid being swept south towards Holyhead.

After a short break we clambered up to the lighthouse to experience the amazing view before crossing back to church Bay.

The trip had been longer than expected. When we landed at Church Bay we packed up quickly so that we could get to Caban at Brynfrefail in time for the evening talk by Olly Sanders.

Sunday mornings weather was less encouraging. Snow and hail gave the streets of Llanberis a thick layer of slush. The east coast of Anglesey to the north of Moelfre gave us plenty of entertainment.

Ynus Dulas is a must do for this coast. The seals there are so inquisitive we were followed almost all the way back to the mainland.

Stillness o'er Lune

Bright hazy sunshine and light winds greeted members of Ribble Canoe Club as they descended upon the shores of the Lune Estuary at Glasson in Lancashire.

Our arrival was timed so that we could watch the rising waters spilling in across the sands from Morecambe Bay. Before long we were making our way towards Lancaster with the flooding tide more than doubling our speed.

Upon reaching the normal tidal limit at Skerton weir, there was plenty of time for a birthday celebration by way of a huge chocolate cake.

Before heading back downstream with the ebb, we all indulged in a bit of cake busting play on the powerful jet of water produced by the weir.

Hiding from the icy blast

As the freezing easterly winds eased and turned north-easterly, scattered snow showers littered Anglesey's shores with temporary light dusting.

On Saturday, we kept out of the wind by keeping close in under the cliffs and kept ourselves entertained by weaving in and out of the rock gardens between Porth Trecastell and Malltraeth.

Swell from the south kept us on out toes. most of the time there were gentle surges between the rocks that could make life tricky. However, every now and then a bigger set would creep in. This would turn the rock gardens into a roaring, foamy and threatening place.

On Sunday the wind had dropped a little more but the temperature had remained at around 1 or 2 Celsius. It was hard to resist the classic coast between Rhoscolyn and Trearddur Bay.

The southerly swell remained giving us a few more "do I dare" moments. As a result, I have added a few minor gel-coat repairs to list of things to do.  

Local Bookshop

In the current tough economic climate there are frequent headlines telling us that local high street shops are suffering at the hands of supermarkets, out of town shopping centres and internet giants. Its pleasing to see that Chorlton has a thriving high street with a great variety of shops. Not only are there specialist shops and trendy cafes, but there are plenty of ordinary shops selling day-to-day goods.

Whilst I was out for my evening run last night I was pleased to see that 'Welsh Sea Kayaking' features in the new outdoor activity themed window display of Chorlton Bookshop.

North Wales Kayak Road Trip

I dashed out of work on the stroke of 5pm. Before the clock had struck 6 I was on the road with Trev and John heading for Anglesey and our Friday night digs at the Anglesey Outdoor Centre. Soon after we arrived we cooked up a pot of steaming hot chilli, washed it down with a few beers and began to make plans for the next day's paddling.

Anglesey's north coast has a wild and rugged feel which was exaggerated by the hazy winter sunshine and the chilly gusts tumbling down from the cliffs.

We hugged the shore and paddled deep into the secret nook and crannies of the bays at Cemaes and Porth Wen.

By the time we arrived at Bull Bay it was time for lunch. By good fortune we found a spot in the sunshine and out of the wind. Soon the day began to take on a Springtime feel.

Our retrun paddle to Cemlyn was more direct as we took full advantage of the west-going ebb tide stream. From Cemlyn we headed east to spend the evening at Porthmadog visiting our friend Stephanie. One of my freinds, Emma Black from my past life as a musician was also in town playing at The Ship. We all spent a fine evening fuelled by strong ale and songs.

It was difficult to get up early on Sunday but the sun was rising into a clear blue sky. This begged for some more paddling. We arranged to meet some others at the west shore of Llandudno for a paddle around the Great Orme followed by a dash across the bay to visit the Little Orme.

As we explored the darker corners, freshwater cascaded from the roof of the many cold caves that run deep into the Great Orme.

It was a relief to paddle in the sun once again before ending the day having a hot drink watching the sun set over the Anglesey skyline. In the flowerbeds, snowdrops are announcing the first signs of Spring.

Snowy Llanberis

Cancelled trains meant that I couldn't get to work at the Outdoors Show in London last weekend. My consolation prize came in the way of a last minute plan to join my friends from North West Sea Kayakers for land based weekend in the hills of Snowdonia.

Our journey on Friday evening was hampered by freezing temperatures, strong winds and drifting snow. The last part of the road to the youth hostel was impassable by car, so we waded through soft, thigh deep drifts before settling down to a few beers and some tall stories...

The walking on Saturday began gently enough along the lanes and past the farms that lie on the slopes to the south of Llanberis.

On the summit of Moel Cynghorion we got battered by icy winds and peppered with spindrift. Being well wrapped up meant that this was far from uncomfortable and actually an altogether stimulating experience.

On Sunday I took my first tour of the Llanberis slate quarries. Old buildings with abandoned winding gear punctuate steep walks and scrambles through oak woodland trough to the open moors above. 

Christmas Visiting

Between Christmas and New Year I did a little tour visiting some of my friends in north Wales.

Strong winds from the south brought some entertaining surf to Trearddur Bay on Anglesey so I joined Roger and Barry for some fun in the waves.

The next day I headed for southern Snowdonia to Porthmadog to visit Stephanie who had been on the expedition to east Greenland last Summer. Stephanie is a member of the Porthmadog Rowing Club and was keen for me to join in with their 'Frosty Fish' event.

The 'Frosty Fish' event is all about introducing beginners to Sea Rowing in Celtic Longboats. There a combination of experienced rowers and novices were organised into crews and the raced over a short course.

After the rowing was over there was plenty of hot food and mulled wine along with a prizes for the winning crews.

Wintry Day at Puffin Island

Amongst all of the freezing temperatures, rain showers and strong winds of late, it is always possible to find a lull in the weather and a sheltered stretch of water.

Barry, Stephanie and I found the northern end of the Menai Straits just perfect for a mornings paddle in the shadow of Snowdonia's sugar-dusted hills.

We crossed Puffin sound to find that the grey seals were as playful and inquisitive as ever. All along the rocky shore line there were herring gulls and shags, whilst flocks of small wading birds darted amongst us only inches from the waves.

Anglesey Winter Sunshine

Last weekend's weather was exceptional. Between the squally showers, the low winter sunshine danced and dazzled on the water, effectively up-lighting the cliffs near Trearddur Bay.

The passing of each shower provided a rainbow with the colours amplified against a slate grey stormy sky.

We spent most of the day rock hopping along the shores between Porth Dafarch and Rhoscolyn Head. The residual swell presented a series of challenges in timing and I added a handful of new battle scars to my Delphin.

Landing shortly before sunset gave the perfect end to a wonderfully energising day on the water.

The following morning we headed to Moelfre for some shelter from the forecast westerly winds. Almost immediately we were treated to a jaw dropping display from a pod of bottle-nosed dolphins.  At one point they were all around us jumping several feet clear of the water doing back flips and somersaults.

For a while we hardly noticed the truly atmospheric surroundings with the backdrop of Snowdonia's mountain ridges coated with the first snows of winter.

Kendal Mountain Festival 2012

Having attended the Kendal Mountain Festival many times before, it was really exciting to be coming to the UK's leading adventure sports event as a film maker.

 It was such a privilege to be showing my film 'Gino's Greenland' on the same billing as Justine Curgenven's 'Tierra Del Fuego' film and 'Hanuman Airlines'.  'Hanuman Airlines' tells the story of Sanu Babu Sunawar and his amazing journey from the summit of Mount Everest to the Indian Ocean.

It was truly nerve racking to be introducing my film to a cinema packed full of people. I felt so proud to see my images of Greenland on the big screen and to feel the reaction of the audience during key moments of the story.

Its times like this that make all of the hard work worth while. From the planning of the expedition, preparing kit, the filming and endless editing. I don't mind admitting that I felt like giving up during the final stages of production of 'Gino's Greenland'. However, my experience as a film maker at the Kendal Mountain Festival has made it all worth while. Its a great festival run by loads of enthusiastic, friendly and encouraging people. If you have never been before, put it in your diary for next year.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the paddlers who were on the expedition with me.  Chris, John, Jules, Dave, Stephanie, Martin and Kirstine not only put up with my filming but took their own special parts in the story. Thanks also to Lucy Martin from the Scott Polar Research Institute for the use of Gino Watkins images. The story would be nothing without them. Finally, thanks to Henry Iddon and to Kirstine whose encouragement got me through those difficult final stages of the production. 

Gino's Greenland Film Premiere

I am pleased to announce that my latest short film 'Gino's Greenland' has been accepted as a finalist at the Kendal Mountain Festival.

The Kendal Mountain Festival is an excellent opportunity to see the latest adventure films from around the world. I will be presenting 'Gino's Greenland' as part of the 'Wild Water' programme on the afternoon of Friday 16th November, as well as the evenings of Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th.  Enjoy the trailer and hope to see you there.

 

 

The dramatic and unique Arctic environment of Greenland holds a particular fascination for kayakers as the sport has its origins in the icy fiords, where kayaks were first used as a way of life by local hunters. British explorer Gino Watkins was one of the first westerners to visit remote East Greenland in 1929-32; he used traditional skills which he learnt from the locals.

Intrigued by the history as well as being attracted by the rugged beauty of the landscape its unique wildlife, a group of sea kayakers head out to find what remains of Gino’s Greenland.

The Kendal Mountain Festival is an excellent opportunity to see the latest adventure films from around the world. I will be presenting 'Gino's Greenland' as part of the 'Wild Water' programme on the afternoon of Friday 16th November, as well as the evenings of Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th.  Enjoy the trailer and hope to see you there.

Paddling Closer to Home

My local stretch is the upper reaches of the river Mersey as it winds its way across its flood plain in south Manchester. I was brought up hereabouts. Throughout my childhood the river and the surrounding swamps and rubbish tips used to smell quite bad.

These days the tips have been cleared and replaced with nature reserves. This urban river runs much cleaner too. In recent years more paddling has been taking place. Macclesfield and District Canoe Club hold their Mersey Descent event each year and Manchester Canoe Club also hold races on the river. A tremendous effort effort has been put into creating a Mersey Canoe Trail with portage steps around some of the more tricky weirs. A map can be downloaded by clicking this link. It was great to meet someone paddling as I was out for a walk on Sunday. We stopped to chat, talked about the weather, then went our separate ways. Its just great to see my local river coming back to life!