Date walked: 24th June 2014
As I was writing this day up I was finding more to say than on most days and many images that I was reluctant to leave out, so I have split the day into two. Part two will be published in a week’s time.
Distance walked : about 6 miles
Map required: OS Explorer 253: Lleyn Peninsula West and 254 Lleyn Peninsula East.
I had three guide books to refer to for this walk:
Llyn Peninsula – The Official Guide- by Carl Rogers and Tony Bowerman, published by Northern Eye Books (2014).
The Wales Coast Path- a practical Guide for walkers by Chris Goddard and Katherine Evans and published by St David’s Press (2014). I have reviewed this book elsewhere on the blog.
The Lleyn Peninsula Coastal Path by John Cantrell published by Cicerone (2010)
All of the above guides assume that you are walking north to south. Since I am doing the opposite the detailed directions are of limited benefit but all contain various and differing practical information and historic background and I will refer to them as I feel so moved.
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For the last three walks I had a roof over my head in Aberdaron, but today I was going to wild camp. Which meant that for the next three days I was going to be carrying a tent, sleeping bag, mat and a change of clothes as well as a well stocked toiletries bag – a lot more weight than a day pack.
Although I do like walking with friends I was glad to be returned to my own company as I drove up to Morfa Nefyn. I was very lucky to find one space left in an unrestricted bay in the road that I had taken from the beach yesterday, so by 10 I was double checking that I had locked the car and heading along the cliff top path round Penrhyn Nefyn. This was a good vantage point to look back to Porth Dinllaen…..
…. and ahead to Porth Nefyn.
Passing though Nefyn’s back-streets a property called Garth Hudol caught my eye and had a plaque on it that I couldn’t read. My camera could though: “Elizabeth-Watkin Jones 1887-1966”.
The Coast Path then passes St Mary’s Church, which was being renovated; I liked its jolly ship weathervane but thought it’s tower rather out of proportion with the body of the church. The church is the home to a Maritime Museum.
A quiet green lane passes by a rather quiet well.
Not much further on, some of the spoil slope of the disused granite quarry of Gwylwyr Carreglefain had been laid as a neat wall.
The lower slopes of shattered rock were being colonised by a pretty little pink plant that I didn’t recognize.
The path continued to rise revealing a slightly intimidating series of hills which I was clearly going to have to cross.
Just before crossing a road, a high stone wall is all that’s left of the Plas Pistyll hotel that once stood there and right by that a rather bizarre fenced off viewing point.
Shortly after crossing the road I passed through the hamlet of Pistyll, on the far side of which St Beuno’s church was tucked into the hillside.
I only read afterwards in the official guide that the C15th church was an important stopping off point for medieval pilgrims route to Bardsey. It is also the stopping off point for the actor Rupert Davies.
I continued to climb along this most amenable of paths when I saw ambling towards me a long-haired young man carrying a ruck sack and a holdall. He beamed a friendly accented “hello” and told me that he had spent the last three days on a mountain. He announced that he was a poet from Holland and that he wanted to be famous.
“Would you like me to write you a poem?” he asked. “It will only take 10 minutes”.
We sat down and he said “Give me three words”.
I gave him “Wales, Coast, Path”.
He got out a pad and began to write whilst I enjoyed the most wonderful sky opposite us.
After about 15 minutes he stopped, straightened himself up and read the poem as if to an audience of more than one and some sheep. It’s rather long to reproduce in full so here’s the end:
“The coast is so full of wonder and pride, that it will take a keen eye to
whisper the beauty of it. But I will try. And maybe succeed to let you
guys and girls know that their is still much to know about live
but for the start, wander around and about Wales, being free
and maybe you will understand, then that beauty comes from within”
Cestmir the poet. email cestmir@live.nl
www.cestmirsgedichten.webs.com
I said that I couldn’t make him famous but I would include him in my blog. We chatted a bit more. He was going to travel the world for 2 years and was off to see JK Rowling.
“Oh, does she know that you are coming?” I asked.
“No, but I know where she lives; I found it on Google”
We shook hands and said goodbye; his open hearted spirit giving me an internal smile for the rest of the day.
Shortly after saying goodbye to Cestmir I found a pretty little camera or phone pouch on the path which I thought might be his and sent him a pic of it from my phone but he replied that it wasn’t his.
Love it.
But watch your ‘its’s
(I know, I have one on one of my sites which I so far failed to correct…)
Xxxx
Good. I shall return to sort out my it’ses. Mind you, that John is not going to bother me with such trivia any more.
One of the things I like about your blog (apart from the photographs) is the way it gets me all investigative of a Sunday morning. You didn’t get into St Beuno’s but if you want to know what you missed, have a look at http://penllyn.com/1/gallery/pistyll/pistyll%2004.jpg.
John Morgan’s well took a bit longer to research (and I don’t know if I’ve got the right answer). I’m hazarding a guess that the well is on the Pilgrim’s Trail and, taking the religious thinking, I’ve tracked down a Rev. John Morgan who was the rector of St Edern’s Church in the late 19th Century so maybe the well is dedicated to him. He appears to have had some wealth (owning shares in at least one ship) so may have made some financial provision for the well?
Thanks John, a fabulous contribution, filling in these gaps. Sounds very plausible about the Rev. Morgan.
I love the curve of the bay in the picture of Porth Nefyn.
A wandering poet – what a lovely life
But will he wander if he finds a wife ?
Do your wandering while you may my son
It will feed your soul when the walking’s done.
Paul
That’s wonderful, Paul!
Oh ! Thanks Anne x
If this be poetry at all
this man makes poets of us all.
Paul’s wise and well considered rhyme
will better stand the test of time.
Keep going you two. This is great !
Come on then, lets have your contribution!
I’m humbled by your poetic reply, thank you.
I’ve been thinking about doing some wild camping again, Charles perhaps on the South Downs Way – you’ve thrown down a gauntlet. Enjoyed your encounter with the wandering poet – but I can’t help but feel a little sorry for Ms Rowling. I wonder just how many other people look her up on Google and turn up at her door. Dave
Well I’m not doing a lot of it myself but would like to do more camps in out-of-the-way parts. I know what you mean about JKR. He was very benign but a bit weird!
I looked inside St Beuno’s church and am intrigued. What was all the grass/hay doing on the floor? What were the plants hanging on either side ofthe altar? They resembled the “weeping willow” carving on the headstones? Were they daffodils on the windowsill? Who looks after the church?
Off in a hurry
Could the pink flower be a SPURREY Ma
Not having been inside the church I really couldn’t say!
A Spurrey? I shall have a look.
You know the Welsh are famous for inventing or adapting ancient customs (like the Eisteddfod). Here, the parishioners have re-introduced the idea of Lammas. The church is “freshly strewn with rushes and sweet smelling wild medicinal herbs” and decorated with hanging bunches gathered from hedgerows and surrounding fields.
The church is still “active”, with a communion service being held there on the first Sunday afternoon of every month (and other services on special occasions). It’s part of the Parish of Nefyn with Edern, Tudweiliog & Llandudwen in the Bangor Diocese so it’s looked after by the Church in Wales (probably with help from Cadw). There’s no electricity there so winter afternoon services are by candlelight.
Following another comment thread on this post, you could have made something poetic out of “off in a hurry” and “spurrey” though! 🙂
Excellent and informative research, thanks John!
Very interesting comments from “John” on the old church. I had intended my last two lines to be my attempt to join in the versifying, but I shall have to try harder I think! Ma
Maybe you needed a flurry!