Sea Level

In another one of our Sunday ‘let’s-just-see-where-we-end-up’ adventures, we explore the coastal area seen from the hills in last Sunday’s blip. 

Thankfully, I wake this morning pain-free. Things don’t look promising for walking, however; dark clouds and drizzle are the order of the day. But by the afternoon the sky seems brighter, so we head for Llanfairfechan and the glorious Mor Elias reserve. 

Usually, we’re there at high tide when the oyster catchers gather in vast numbers on the shore, with ducks and waders frequenting the marshes. But today the tide is way, way out and most birds make their way to the furthest edges of the sandbanks - far further than I’m comfortable to venture. I do find a group briefly gathering on the shingle, but soon they flit off noisily to join their comrades at the outer limits. 

Even without any bird life, this is just glorious, with endless stretches of wet sand reflecting dark dramatic skies, bright sunlight filtering through gaps to spotlight hills or buildings bright against the blackness. Decaying wooden groynes line the sand and boulders like blackened teeth, while a few intrepid trippers explore the sands, tiny silhouettes walking, digging, flying kites. 

Like last weekend’s venture, it is hard to choose which shots to include, let alone select a main, and as the sky is in a state of constant flux, even the same scene changes by the minute. Of course, in the end I have to go for one shot - but I may well yet change my mind!