Landscape
The landscape on Anglesey fascinates me. It is not bold like the lakes or soft like the Chilterns, but here are hints of the open Lancashire moorland that I love so well, especially at the north end of the island. It has a magical feel, especially after it has rained and the sun brings a soft mist above and around the trees and fields. Driving down some of the narrow lanes between hedges and small glades of tree dappled with sunlight, even now in January, when branches are bare, it is easy to imagine that Herne or a Druid may step out into the road at any point and there are most decidedly still lots of nature spirits here. I sense their presence often. The side roads are so quiet here, that you can drive slowly, bimbling along, (a great word I have recently learned) looking at things in depth, without anyone bothering you to go any faster. I went 5 miles and back today and saw no-one but a walker.
The golden light of the early evening sun lit up the old quarried hillside opposite the house yesterday and revealed the most beautiful array of rich earth colours. Glowing gold amber and bronze, it is hard to believe it is only the first week of January. I travelled a way up the road to get a view of the mainland. The first snow of the Winter sat on the tops of the coastal mountains of North Wales.
But at the North side of the island, it is easy to see why the Druids called this their ‘Holy Mountain. It sits proud of the land around it and looking at it from Church Bay where this photo was taken, the busy ferry port that disfigures the mountain can hardly be seen. I cannot wait to get to explore it more closely. It is a nature reserve and so much of it is untouched by development.
Phillip Coppens, author and investigative journalist, has an interesting article about the Celtic heritage of Anglesey on his website.
http://philipcoppens.com/anglesey.html
