Well,... maybe, just one?
A glorious morning followed a stormy night. sleep pattern broken by periods of thunder, lightning and torrential rain.
Plan had been made the day before to head out if weather permitted... picnic packed.. walking shoes on and off into the day.
A leisurely scenic drive, past the slate mines, workings long-silenced and overtaken now, with the heady delights of Zip-Wire and underground tours; up and through the Crimea Pass and down into Dolwyddellan.... endless views stretching into the far distance, untrodden paths and hidden streams.... into Betws -Y-Coed... for a fleeting visit to the bookshop and then off on an adventure...
We drove down a Cwm we have never in all our years of coming to Wales, driven down before...it was, truly magnificent ! Great rounded domes of mountains and hills enclosing , like huge green arms, the tiny village at the very end of the Cwm... the road you drive in on is the road you drive out on. The heavens opened... a distant rumble as we turned to go back and as we made out way to our walking location... the clouds parted before us and the sun broke through once more...
Backpack on and down towards the small stone house at the bottom of the valley...the trail starts halfway down the hill... slate slabs forming the stepped way down... huge, grey blue slices of the earth... dry and solid yesterday, but a nightmare traverse in wet weather...shades of green and gold... sunlight and shadow...the leaves, the sunshine, vying with each other for pride of place.
Bird-song in the air, from the throats of hidden choristers, but not a glimpse... the day was dozing quietly... and the creatures with it...slowly and steadily down and down to the gate to Ty Mawr.
Sunlight sparking on the water of the stream, the ancient stones of the cottage hot to the touch... a shady spot for a picnic and a rest.
I wandered, I photographed and I searched in vain... the flutter-bys, the crawling creepers and even the humble bumble, were nowhere to be found...After another half hour or so walk and explore.. we made a slow, almost soporific walk back up the hill to the car... a beautiful walk and a totally relaxing day...
Back home.. I download my photographs... not a critter in sight...but wait... hold on... on the steps.. in the dappled sunlight... a shape, a large shape... tall and heavy and silent footed... It is... it is... a critter... and there, by the cottage in the other photograph... heading to the cottage... rummaging for food, maybe? It is most definitely a critter...Big Foot ? No... a HUMAN critter...and my very own critter...
Question is... does he count for this Photo-walk Challenge... ???
In my book, of course he does ...
Oldfloss x
PS
If you are in the area... do pay a visit... the lanes are narrow...but the finish line is well worth it.
#Photowalk Challenge June/July : Camera shy critters
