It was my birthday at the end of May and as a treat I had a friend over from Bristol. We spent the week together just doing photography. I tried to take him to my most favourite places in Snowdonia and Anglesey as well as try to explore new areas even I have not been to.
One of the new locations we have visitied was Stwlan Dam and reservoir. The Dam was built as part of the Ffestiniog pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme, which was completed in 1963. Llyn Stwlan is located in a valley below the mountains Moelwyn Mawr and Moelwyn Bach above the village of Tanygrisiau and before construction of the dam was a very small lake. Now it has a capacity of 2 million cubic metres and supplies water at a rate of 27 cubic metres per second to drive the turbines at the power station below. The concrete buttress dam has a total length of 373m, including the spillway; a maximum width of 4m; and a maximum height of 34m. To get to the Dam and the reservoir behind one has to follow a very steep and windy road ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BDOIC2e6xI ). The climb was exhausting but well worth it.
Llyn Conwy was another location I never had visited before. Although the Llyn was at one time owned and looked after by Lord Penrhyn, who kept the lake well stocked for his fishing exertions I personally was not to impressed by the lake itself. It is said that there are three old huts on the sides of the lake. On the north shore, there is an old boathouse that was struck by lightning and destroyed on 5 July 1881, but was subsequently repaired. On the southern shore there is a more intact boathouse that is still in use today as there is a boat housed inside that was formerly used as a lifeboat. Also to the south of that is an old ruined hut that was formerly used by overnight fishermen as a dwelling place. Although I have seen at least one of the huts and tried to photograph it, there is no direct access to it and I found the viewpoints very restricted. Maybe closer inspection will allow different angles for photography but at my first visit to that location I found it a bit disappointing.
Although I have been to South Stack on Anglesey many times it was a pleasure to take my friend from Bristol to one of my favourite places on Anglesey. We were lucky both times we went there as the sunsets over the lighthouse and the RSPB building was just amazing. It makes the 3 hour drive well worth while when a few shots are good enough to be shared with other people.
Another Lighthouse we managed to visit during my friends visit was Penmon Lighthouse or Trwyn Du as it is called in Welsh. Trwyn Du Lighthouse is a lighthouse between Dinmor Point near Penmon and Ynys Seriol, or Puffin Island, marking the passage between the two islands.There had been a call for a light at this location for some years by master shipmen in the nearby city of Liverpool especially after the steamer the Rothsay Castle ran aground and broke up nearby in 1831 with 130 people losing their lives. The first lighthouse was erected in 1838, at a price of £11,589. It was just a shame that the light was not as good there as it was the day before at South Stack, but then again we should have been there earllier in the morning.
The third Lighthouse we visited on Anglesey was Point Lynas Lighthouse. Point Lynas Lighthouse is a truly stunning place, the lighthouse itself sits on a rocky headland sticking out into the Irish Sea, on the North coast of Anglesey. The lighthouse consists of a lighthouse tower, which is still operational, the Head Keepers house and two Keepers cottages all contained within a high castellated wall and accessed through an impressive stone arched gateway. The lighthouse goes back to the 1700s and has a fascinating history with it's links to the Mersey Docks. The architecture of the building is reminiscent of a castle and was designed by Jesse Hartley of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. The current lighthouse was built in 1835 and consists of a lighthouse tower, which is still operational as a lighthouse, the Head Keepers house which is occupied by the owners and East and West Keepers Cottages which are available as 4 star self catering holidays cottages. Over the last ten years the lighthouse has been slowly restored retaining all of the original features but providing all the modern facilities we consider essential today.
Besides Lighthouses my friend and myself did many other shots especially landscapes. We managed to visit and walk some of the Llanberis Pass which eventually would have let all the way up Snowdon. But my feet would not stand the strain but the shots we got on the way were lovely enough without straining to get all the way up Snowdon.
The main Birthday Treat however was a visit to Llyn Idwal for an evening / sunset shot over the lake. We spent a few hours at the lake waiting for the sun to set and give us a lovely glow over Pen-Yr-Ole-Wen. The sunset was not as spectacular as I would have wished for but it was one of the best birthdays I have had for a long many years. Thank you Brian for your company. x
