Please allow me to introduce you to a number of my favourite walks. WHATEVER THE SEASON!
I find myself in moods that vary from deep positive introspection sitting on the rock below the cliffs at Rhoscolyn, to glorious euphoria of walking through Newborough Forest to Llanddwyn Island.
The walks I'm going to present to you - little by little - are very personal choices, which I hope you will discover as starting points for your own journeys of discovery.
Above all, I hope that you Discover the Unexpected.
That view or moment of personal epiphany that just leaves you breathless and temporarily removed from whatever burdens you are carrying for yourself or others.
Last year’s Summer was all to brief and - because I was so busy with other things - it was gone before I really got a good hold of it.
So what do I do now that we have turned season and lost a valuable hour of light? I need light and, despite calls to reduce our Carbon Footprint, I admit freely that I keep the lights on.
There is a part of me that instinctively knows that I fade without daylight and the space which that creates about me. The shadows diminish and I begin to feel okay again.
The Brighter, the Better.
The More Sunshine, the Better.
Don’t think for a moment that I’m a depressive. Far from it.
My body knows what my soul needs and I accept it.
I choose (or is it struggle) to take almost everything in moderation except Daylight, the Beauty of Anglesey and Excellent Company.
SO, HOW DO I SURVIVE THROUGH THE WINTER?
I walk as often as opportunity allows and I embrace the seasonal changes.
Winter reminds me of the Spring that is to come and Summer reminds me of the reflection that Autumn brings.
Reflection on all that has passed during another busy year.
What can I to do to slow down Time's passage?
The busier I am the richer is my life, but time rushes past.
The more idle I am, then the days are intolerably long and empty.
Rich, tasty stews and casseroles and golden flickering coal fires casting shadows that enthrall.
Doing silly things with friends and planning Winter beach picnics.
Although Anglesey is a small island I am constantly discovering new paths and different perspectives on the familiar.
I like to know the names of places and of the views that I can see if I was looking at where I am now from way over there.
Mynydd Llwydiarth forest on Anglesey may not have Wolves or Bad Bears but it does have Red Squirrels. Even Better me, it’s a brilliant woodland walk and so peaceful.
Anglesey's Coastal Path is a glorious piece of geography to explore. It's never bland and it's never dull.
Walking along the north coast of the Island will reveal not only nature at its most tranquil but also at its most ferocious.
There are fabulous discoveries that reveal themselves to you suddenly, unexpectedly. The brickworks is a place where you can indulge yourself in some Industrial Archaeology. And Poke Your Nose Around.
I heartily recommend you to enjoy this hour long walk to build up a healthy appetite or to aid digestion.
Ynys Leurad is a small island in the tidal strait between Anglesey and Holy Island (Holyhead). Enjoy a pleasant - if not occasionally muddy - little pootle from Fourmile Bridge in the Valley/Trearddur Bay area.
Find the Prehistoric Irish Huts - Good Luck on that one and hopefully No Dead Bodies.
Coastal walks are such personal affairs and dependent on the mood you bring with you. When encumbered by life’s pressures I seek to arrive at the coast in wild, windy weather.
Aberffraw seems to suit the mood and the distraction of waves breaking wildly and the wind in my face seems to release me.
The images that I share with you here were taken in June of this year, when I just knew I had to walk. In solitude.
The sky was big and blue, the Sun shining bright and warm with a gentle refreshing breeze acting as pleasant physical external stimulation.
Llangefni is the administrative centre of Anglesey and is a valley that follows both the River Clai and River Cefni.
The River Cefni strikes on the Clai near the centre of the town after falling down through the obvious woodland called by locals as Y Dingl or The Dingle.
Now, it's the fabulous Dingle Nature Reserve woodland boardwalk path that I'd like you to discover.
This is a gentle walk of about a mile and a half that is ideal for fit or infirm, pushchair and wheelchair users.
Especially ideal for those who would like to take a breather.
The boardwalk will take you well away from the bustling town and into wonderfully gentle and interesting woodland full of sounds and sights guaranteed to delight, whatever the season.
Over the next few weeks I'l be offering you a number of other casual walks for your consideration.
For instance, have you heard about Anglesey's recently re-discovered Hidden Gem at Aberlleiniog Castle in Llangoed?
Again, in the midst of all the appalling furore that surrounds Anglesey County Council, sometimes they get it bang on right.
And they have here Congratulations where congratulations are rightly due.
Aberlleiniog Castle is a recent rediscovery of something that all the locals knew about, but was fading away by neglect and according to the Second Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy).
Entropy - what happens when we lay out all our wares for moth and rust to corrupt.
This is a lovely walk past a pair of very curious lamas through a well-designed and well-maintained little riverside path. No more than a few miles in its complete circuit.
I've got some nice pictures that I look forward to sharing with you.
How about a little walk to Penmon (Trwyn Du - Black Nose?)