Tag: Anglesey

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Olympic Torch Beaumaris Menai Bridge 29th May 2012

Flotilla of RAF rescue helicopter and boats accompany the Olympic torch down the Menai Strait
 

Early this morning, we walked down our lane to the shore of the Menai Strait and waited on the jetty by The Gazelle to see the Olympic Flame carried, on the Beaumaris RNLI Lifeboat, from the town of Beaumaris to Menai Bridge.

Its journey began at Beaumaris Castle; it was escorted through the town to the lifeboat station, by the root of Beaumaris Pier, where it was handed to the Lifeboat boat crew and taken aboard the station’s Atlantic 85 RIB, the Annette Mary Liddington.

The Inshore Lifeboat carrying the Olympic Torch then left bound for Menai Bridge, escorted by a flotilla of small boats, mainly RIBs, with the magnificent Sea King Air Sea Rescue helicopter from RAF Valley flying overhead like a guardian angel.

 
the armada powered toward us
 

It was very moving as this mini armada powered toward us, coming from the east as the sun rose higher into a bright sky, and most exciting as it passed between where we stood on the Anglesey shore and the end of Bangor Pier, where more well-wishers stood to wave it on its way.

 
Flotilla forges on to Menai Bridge
 

On arrival at Menai Bridge, the flame was carried through the town and across the beautiful Telford Suspension Bridge back to the Welsh mainland, continuing its journey to the mountains of Snowdonia where it was carried to the summit of Snowdon by the climber, Sir Chris Bonington, who travelled, for the first time, on the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Sunshine, blue skies and birdsong all day long – wonderful!

Dorothy Russell

12th May 2012

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Beaumaris Festival 31st May – 7th June 2012

Beaumaris Festival Brochure cover 2012
 

Don’t the years go by quickly!

It’s very nearly time for Beaumaris festival again – and there is a lot on offer this year. I looked at the concerts and talks and decided I would like to go to everything! Unfortunately time and budget constraints make this tricky so I will be forced to choose.

As well as the formal timetable, there is a Crafts Fair on The Green, an Art Exhibition at the Canolfan and the Woodturners will, once again, be in the Town Hall.

All the information you need to enjoy the Festival can be found on the website.

www.beaumarisfestival.com

Daf and I got back to Anglesey today, from a very rainy Lancashire, to discover that our guests had been walking in glorious sunshine and had been working on their tans! We really enjoyed our stay in Lancashire, but it reminded us why we love living on Anglesey!

The Giant Wheel will be on The Green in Beaumaris.

Beaumaris is gearing itself up to offer Anglesey residents and visitors to the Island a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the world from a different perspective with the “Beaumaris Eye” which comes to town from Saturday 26 May to Saturday 9 June. These dates coincide with the annual Beaumaris Festival.

 
Giant wheel at the 2012 Beaumaris Festival
 

The Giant Wheel, which at 35 metres high and with 24 gondolas each taking six passengers, will open up everyone’s eyes with views across the Island, down the Menai Strait, over to Caernarfon and Llandudno as well as the Snowdonia Mountain Range.

Dorothy Russell

12th May 2012

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Anglesey – Island of Quilts ‘Falling into Place’ Exhibition

The Isle of Anglesey is renowned for many things: beautiful beaches, water-sports, lovely walks, stunning views, wide range of specialist produce, history, golf – the list goes on and on.

However one thing you may not be aware of is the strength of Art/Crafts on the Island and one area in particular has a large following: Textile Art, especially in the form of Patchwork and Quilting. In case the only image which just popped into your mind was an old fashioned quilt on a Victorian bed, you will be in for a surprise. Bed quilts are wonderful, of course, but there is so much more, and it’s all happening here on Anglesey.

Anglesey - Island of Quilts 'Falling into Place' Exhibition

Take, for example, ‘Falling into Place’ currently on show at Canolfan Ucheldre, Holyhead. This is an exhibition of work by people of all ages who have attended my Courses and Individual Workshops and I am so very proud of all of them and what they have achieved.

‘Falling into Place’ runs from 7th January to 5th February 2012 at:-
  • Canolfan Ucheldre, Millbank, Holyhead, Anglesey LL65 1TE
  • 01407 763361
  • Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm. Sunday 2pm – 5pm.

If you can visit, I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing the work.

There are many groups working in textiles on Anglesey and we are very well supported by specialist shops: Tan Lan, Copperfield, Kit ‘n Kaboodle, Siop Eleni,The Sewing Machine Shop. Contacts for all of these are available on my site, www.dotrussell.co.uk. Envious visitors can’t believe we pack so much into one island: they think we’re spoilt – yes we are, and we love it. Anglesey really is the Island of Quilts.

Don’t forget that you can join the fun by having a one to one, or small group, tailored workshop with me while you are holidaying on Anglesey/North Wales. You can even stay at Cottage at Coed y Berclas.

Dorothy Russell

8th January 2012

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Royal Wedding on Anglesey

Images from the televised Royal Wedding at Mona showground, Anglesey

Like many other people, Daf and I watched as Prince William and Kate Middleton were married and became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. We saw the ceremony relayed to huge monitors at the Anglesey Showground, as the Island celebrated with festivities entitled ‘One Big Day’. I was there demonstrating Patchwork and Quilting with members of my quilt classes.

Here on Anglesey, where they live and work, I’m sure the Duke and Duchess will continue to be referred to, with affection, as William and Kate.

Kate has appeared once more, in the newspapers, coming out of Waitrose in Menai Bridge (our local supermarket). It must be very difficult trying to maintain a ‘normal existence’ while being followed everywhere by cameras: perfect hair, make-up and dress, just to pop out for a spot of shopping – sounds like hard work to me! Nice security man to help with the bags though!

Images from the televised Royal Wedding at Mona showground, Anglesey

At the time of the wedding we had a lovely family staying in the cottage. We always have a welcome pack: tea, coffee, milk, butter and homemade Welsh cakes waiting for guests when they arrive. This time the tables were turned: our guests left us a special present – beautifully made chocolate crispies.

Images from the televised Royal Wedding at Mona showground, Anglesey

Thank you very much to Chris, Emma, Tom and Katie – they were lovely and they vanished like a magic trick, one minute they were there and the next they were gone!

Dorothy

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Waitrose at Menai Bridge

New Waitrose at Menai Bridge

If you’re coming to Coed y Berclas for a holiday, you can do your shopping here and save the suspension and the fuel consumption on your car – we now have a wide choice of supermarkets, a farmers market (once a month), Llangefni market (twice a week ) and a selection of independent shops in Menai Bridge and Beaumaris.

There has been a little excitement hereabouts; the Co-op in Menai Bridge has closed and after fairly extensive alterations the building will soon be home to the new Waitrose in Menai Bridge. Hopefully this will reverse the shopping flow across the bridges and the mainlanders will be heading to Anglesey to divest themselves of their hard earned cash. The new store will open on Thursday 25th March 2010.

Today Daf and I went to a Waitrose promotion day which was, of course, well attended. There was lots of information and a few tasty morsels of Welsh produce to try. The new manager was there to meet and greet and we were shown a scan-it-yourself system.

It seems the new staff are being steadily absorbed into the Waitrose way of doing things and I’m assured that to be a front-line, meet the public worker there are stringent rules of engagement.

I must say, I’m looking forward to a leisurely wander through the new store and a relaxed cuppa in the new Waitrose cafe but I think I might just wait until the queues reduce a little.

Dorothy

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Kite Surfers at Llanddwyn and European Geopark Status

Kite surfers at Llanddwyn beach

Daf and I had a lovely walk along Llanddwyn Beach in a brisk breeze and lovely sunshine the other day. It was great to get some exercise and blow away the winter cobwebs. Obviously the kite surfers felt the same way; they were out in force, their brightly coloured kites flying high and skimming them across the white capped waves. We just had to stop for a while to watch them: luckily Daf had his camera with him.

The Isle of Anglesey has been awarded European Geopark Status

On my first visit to Oriel Ynys Mon I stood in the history gallery fascinated by a relief map of the Isle of Anglesey which showed its fascinating geological structure. Huge upheavals exposing widely differing strata were evident and here lay the explanation of the environmental diversity across our Island.

Now this special geology has been recognised by the awarding of European Geopark Status. If, like me, you’d never heard of it and have no idea what it means, let me explain: a European Geopark is a clearly defined area with a number of important geological sites which are rare, aesthetically appealing and of scientific interest. They may also have cultural, archaeological and historic interest.

A superb description of Anglesey: there are beautiful examples at South Stack, Paris Mountain, Newborough and Llanddwyn and in many other places around the Island.

We have always known how diverse and beautiful Anglesey is and now we have ‘official recognition’.

Dorothy

23rd January 2010

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2009 Beaumaris Victorian Christmas

Victorian Chistmas ay Beaumaris

Daf and I popped down to Beaumaris this afternoon to take a look at the Victorian Christmas event. The organisers must have been anxious as the day approached – the weather had been wet and windy (with a terrific thunder storm a week ago) but the day dawned with the mountain peaks covered in the first snows of Winter and, although it wasn’t exactly dry underfoot, it wasn’t raining and the day remained calm.

It was very much a local community event with ‘things’ happening in various locations around the town, such as Punch and Judy, a craft fair, charity stalls, judging of the best shop window display, best costume etc and it culminated in a procession led by the Beaumaris Silver Band along Castle Street to White Lion Square where the Christmas lights were switched on and prizes were handed out by the Snow Queen who had arrived in style in a horse drawn carriage accompanied by ‘Queen Victoria’ herself – the real Princess Victoria visited Beaumaris and stayed at the Bulkeley Arms Hotel before she became Queen – just part of the town’s rich history!

Dorothy

28th November 2009

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Time to think of Christmas!

Haf Bach, Beaumaris Fireworks display, Christmas and New Year Festivities.

Why does it always happen that the schools start back and the weather almost immediately improves. Here in Wales there’s a name for this September/October phenomenon – it’s called Haf Bach (Little Summer) and sure enough we are having beautiful sunny days and clear starry nights here on Anglesey. My Mother, who was a Primary School teacher frequently asked why British school holidays include August which is one of the most temperamental months, just as likely to be rainy as sunny. She suggested May, June and July as much more reliable and our experience would absolutely back this up.

However, here at Coed y Berclas we are beginning to contemplate November with the Beaumaris Fireworks display, and December which are not too far away; although I refuse to count the number of ‘shopping days to Christmas’.

November brings the Beaumaris Bonfire and brilliant Firework Display

This year, the Beaumaris Fireworks display will be from about 6:30 – 7:50 on Saturday November 7th – have a look at our Tariff Page for availability of the Cottage and come along to join in the fun – Daf and I will certainly be there.

Snowy Cottage at Christmas!

Christmas Day and New Years Day are on Friday this year

We are not sticking to our usual Saturday ‘turn-round’. You can choose any days (minimum stay 3 nights) you wish to stay at Coed y Berclas over the Festive Season and anyone booking seven consecutive nights over this period will find a hamper filled with seasonal treats waiting for them.

Bring in the New Year at the midnight Firework Display at Beaumaris Castle just two miles from Coed y Berclas.

Dorothy.

13th September 2009.

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Summer

On the lovely Isle of Anglesey, as elsewhere in the UK, we have been treated to a month of blue skies and long days of sunshine. This morning we have had a much needed shower to refresh the plants and encourage growth in my vegetable patch – some of the potatoes should be ready to dig up and enjoy while they are small and tasty.

Mourne Mountains summer 2009

Daf and I found time to sail over to Carlingford Lough, the border between Northern and Southern Ireland. It was beautiful with the Mountains of Mourne as a backdrop and we had a lovely relaxing time but the prices in Eire astounded us! I had heard from a number of friends that holidays in the Euro Zone were really expensive because of the comparative weakness of sterling but it still came as a shock – we certainly didn’t eat out – luckily the boat was well stocked!

What I don’t understand is why the whole of Europe and America isn’t holidaying in Britain (Wales!) this year while the exchange rate is so much in their favour!

Meanwhile my current quilt workshop series has just come to an end and I’m preparing for the next – ‘Beginners’ and ‘Intermediate’ – which commence in September. It feels a long way off but it’ll whizz by and we still have our Pot Luck Supper for the current workshop students to look forward to in a couple of weeks.

Dorothy. 3rd July 2009

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Cauldron wins first prize ‘Group Quilt’ at Malvern.

'Birthdays' A Quilt by Cauldron

Great excitement at Coed y Berclas – ‘Birthdays’ wall hanging by Cauldron.

Members Jenny Roberts, Gill Marshall and Doris Alcock won First Prize in the Group Quilts category at the Malvern Quilt Show – Quilts UK. Now all we have to do is produce more prize winners – so no pressure there then!

The next place to see my quilts – group and individual – is at the NEC, Birmingham, at Festival of Quilts in August; so if you’re in the area drop in to see if you can find them in probably the biggest quilt show in Europe. Later in the year I will have a quilt in The Great Northern Quilt Show which takes place in September at Harrogate Showground.

In the meantime the larger group to which we all belong, Llandygai Patchers, will be holding our own Patchwork and Quilting Show in the English Presbyterian Church in Menai Bridge, Anglesey in the first week of August – this will include some quilts made by members of my workshop series.

The next issue of the Anglesey Informer will have a two page spread about my own Patchwork and Quilting and my Workshops. It will be out in June; it’s free, and as the title suggests, it gives a lot of information about Anglesey. There is a little pile of past copies building up in our holiday Cottage.

Dorothy