Tattenhall & Terrible Twosome in Whixall Moss Aug 11th

For a weekend away in the caravan with Jan i drove down to Tattenhall near Chester on Saturday evening,  the weather was looking great still, amazingly! 
After i arrived we took the dogs for a walk down along the canal near the Cheshire ice creme farm , a lovely warm evening for a short walk , the sun was already low as we walked down past the marina, the light was superb :)

walking along the short length of canal  i was surprised at the number of Magpie moths that were around, never seen so many but was too dark to photograph them.   the setting sun produced very little colour unfortunately!

The next morning i decided to take Jan to one of my favourite nature reserves, Whixall Moss in Shropshire which is not too far away.   the birds have finished nesting so dogs are allowed off lead now, BUT  I'm not sure that is entirely a good idea with our Terrible Twosome!!!!!!!  and BOGS!!!!

Not long after arriving i shoot my first Black Darter dragonfly , an old looking male  :)

The paths are formed of peat , with bog pools all over the area where huge numbers of dragonflies abound.   small black darters were numerous along the paths  , but the dogs are just disturbing them so photo opportunities are going to be limited!   

                   Ooops     Mollster has obviously been in a bog and is just climbing out  Arghhhh

Chester has just stupidly fallen in a deep pool!       but i shot a short video clip,   he stinks now!

the Terrible Twosome are now running and rolling in the dry grass trying to dry themselves, so funny.

                           Mollster is lying in the sun now , a short break from the madness  lol

I cant believe what just happened!   Chester was running along the grass covered path and in a cartoon style moment , he ran off the path hung in mid air momentarily then disappeared under a weed filled bog!  it must have looked like more grass  haha
                                                 He pops up out of the water   lol

                                           Im not letting you get out Moll says 

                                        OK then, i will pull you out, as she bites his ear and pulls

                                         there you go Chester , out you come   woof, woof

                                  Thank you Molly for helping me out Chester must be saying :)

                                                     Two totally soaked dogs playing  lol

Carrying on along the paths, i managed to shoot another Black Darter, a female this time

                        and an Emerald Damselfly, pity about the grass stem behind it  

and after following this Male Common Hawker dragonfly up and down a path finally got a shot

                               the end of a short weekend break in Cheshire and Shropshire.

                                          images shot with canon 5d mk2 and 17-40 L

Church Bay Anglesey 21 july 2013

The weekend after getting home from Cornwall there is a caravan club meet on Anglesey near Church Bay.  it looks like we brought the good weather back from Cornwall with us as its looking like a very warm sunny weekend.  Jan took the van down early on friday , here parents are down in their van also and i have driven down Saturday evening after work.  there is a separate field at the farm to run the dogs so Moll gets a run as soon as i get there.
  Sunday morning and Jan has just plugged in her i phone into the caravans 12v socket and all the electrics have blown!!!!!!!      so much for a new e-bay bought plug!!!!!!!      i have replaced the blown fuse but it has blown again , but the fuse is intact!     No what ?    we have no idea how to fix it.  the fridge runs off gas so that's ok and we have plugged into the car for lights temporarily.  and now Jan's fathers car has just broken down a mile away on his way to a local shop  !   its all going wrong today , the Green flag are on the way from Hollyhead so i drop him off at his car to wait for them before we take the dogs out.
 we drive a couple of miles down to Church Bay, i have not visited anywhere on this coast of the island so should be interesting walk.

Arriving at the tiny car park i have managed  to get the last space, Phew :)      the harbour is tiny , with a lovely flat sandy beach with the tide right up, so we are going to walk around the coastal path first.

Its just like the Cornwall coastline, stunning with deep blue sky .     just around the headland there is a small shingle bay, perfect for the dogs to swim, hopefully ;)

Chester is straight in swimming,    the water is quite deep very close in and the tide is on the turn so no waves to frighten Mollster

Molly has swum after the ball but given up when she couldn't get it in her mouth, Chesters jaws are a lot larger and can grab it much easier when it is floating!

                                                              At least she is swimming :)

                                                                     Go fetch it Chester!!!!!!!!

                                                                      Yay!   good Boy

A passing lady has just picked the ball up Chester dropped and thrown it way out into the water, too far for even Chester to swim out to fetch..........  Bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
                                               bloody stupid woman.........................

We have to carry on walking without playing now  Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh      i didnt say anything, good job really  lol    im not happy

                                                                Drying in the sun :)

                                           its a  Wonderful coastline here , must explore here again.

We have come to a beautiful small secluded bay, the seaweed is glowing in the bright sun

                                                           Mollster posing again :)

                  and that stupid woman has arrived with her husband in wetsuits,  plonkers!!!!!

 Leaving the cove we make our way back to the first beach , lovely wild flowers along the cliffs :)

 

Think we must come back to shoot the sunset tonight , looks a good location .  we spend an hour on the beach with the dogs after getting another ball out of the car.   then back to the caravan to try and fix the electrics problem!
Back at the van, the broken down car cant be fixed here, so has to be towed back to a garage!.and We just cant work out where the blown fuse is in the van,i  have checked all visible fuses are ok , and stupidly Jan has just plugged her phone in to charge and blown the circuit from the car!!!!!!   Arghhhhhhh     my phone is almost flat also :(             at this rate i am going to miss the sun set , so a mad dash down to the beach and......................

                                               MISSED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    so not happy right now!

Anyhow next morning we have to pack up early to go back home, cant stay longer without lights , but a dog walk is in order, so Sand beach is only a few miles away and.......
straight into the water , Awwww   bless them ..........

             Mollster is swimming again  Yay                       Chester is watching in amazement   lol

 
                                                                      One last shot :)

Crantock Beach , last day in Cornwall and Chedar Gorge 13/14th july 2013

Today is our last day in Cornwall , the weather has been amazing for the last 9 days , today is no exception and looks like another 30 degrees+ sunny day :)
We have decided to spend the whole day on the beach ,  Crantock is on the North coast near Newquay ,  not far from Holywell,the first beach we visited HERE.   following the sat nav using MY co ordinates we arrived at the wrong beach!!!!   Ooops   any how , 10 minutes later we where in a que for the national trust car park at Crantock bay, which was full!  but a £3 a day field car park was fairly empty so wasn't worth waiting for the free one.   it was just a couple minutes walk over a sand dune until we got our first view of the beach...........

                                                                  WOW!!!!!!!!!

What a superb bay this is, the tide is out and the sand is really beautiful with crystal clear water :)
the river runs into the bay and the opposite side is only accessible at low tide from here.

The dogs are straight into the stream, which we are following out to the bay. Chester is swimming already 

Walking out into the bay, the tide is still going out and i have waded out onto a sand "island" with the dogs. throwing the ball through the deeper water for them.  they are now posing , soaking wet  :)         look at the water clarity!   amazing.

Throwing the ball out and Mollster is swimming    yay!   Chester is looking on in disbelief :)

                                             Here they are fetching the ball having fun :)

they are having a great time, Mol doesn't seem bothered as there are no big waves that she is afraid of

 

We have been back to the car for lunch and are now back on the beach, the tide is on the turn now

Wading over the stream i have found a very deep rock pool , and Chester jumps in and swims to fetch the ball.

                                   Now i just have to get Mollster to fetch the ball and swim !

Well!   she did try her best , her mouth is not as big as Chesters and not so easy i guess with it floating, thats her excuse anyhow   lol   Chester continues swimming.

                                  Poor Chester , he is soaked to the skin and looking very tired

the tide is rushing in now across the shallow bay so its time to go,  its been a long day but have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.    walking back through pools on the beach the water is quite hot from the sun, and the sand dune we are climbing up is almost too hot to walk on,  reaching the top Chester sits down in a heap!!!!!   he is totally knackered , poor little guy :(       he looks so funny and everyone passing is smiling and laughing at him :D

The end of our Cornwall holiday, we will leave tomorrow for Burnham on sea , then home the following morning,  so sad :(  its been a superb 12 days

its time to pack up now , here is the beautiful secluded camp site we have stayed near St Austell.

the following morning we have driven to the same site at Burnham on sea for a stop over , We are going to visit Chedar Gorge which is not far away this evening.

the sun has gone but the Gorge is very impressive!

                                                                 Mollster in the Gorge :)

                     Back at the caravan the sun is setting on the last evening of our holiday.

                                                             The end of the Holiday!