3rd of October, 2025 - Llandudno to Kirk Ireton

I puddled around Llandudno for a while this morning, because I didn't see much when I got in last night. Found my way to Caernafon Castle and decided I was down the bottom of the hill in the car park and the Castle was at the top of the hill and I just didn't have the motivation to walk up to it - so, I'm sure it's a very interesting and impressive Castle, but I shall remain ignorant of its undoubted awesomeness because I never went in.

Instead, I found my way to Llandudno Promenade and took in the sights of a Welsh beach. It didn't take long. Actually, it was quite cute, although unrecognizable from the beaches at home. Not a ripple to be seen, let alone a wave and Storm Amy's about to hit, so you would think the sea would be a bit stirred up, but nope, not a wrinkle. Also, it seems like a great way to completely spoil a beach, but all you can see from the shore is a truck load of energy-producing windmills. I'm certainly seeing things here I wouldn't see at home! It's one of those stony, pebbly beaches you hear about in England too - imagine laying your towel out on that! I did, however, find one weeny little section of sand, right down the very end and at least it's good old yellow sand, not that volcanic black stuff they have in New Zealand!

One good thing about a British beach though, is the big wide Promenade they have for walking on between the beach and the road. It must be a godsend in summer.

See the little bit of yellow sand right at the very end of the beach?!

Not much of a view out to sea though.

Then it was time for me to leave Wales, sadly - not least because I had 4 hours driving ahead of me and I wanted to beat the storm that's due to hit the whole of England this afternoon. Imagine the WHOLE COUNTRY being affected by a single weather forecast!

It's amazing to me how many counties you pass through if you drive any sort of distance. I counted six counties in my 4 hour drive, but eventually I made it to Staffordshire and my accommodation for the night in the tiny (and I mean teeny weeny) village of Kirk Ireton. No photos of my travels though, because once the storm caught me it was too cold and wet and windy to stop and take pictures,

The good news is, the cute little cottage where I'm staying had an open fire going for me, so I snuggled up in an armchair and listened to the storm raging outside.

My car was parked in the street and I was a bit nervous about not bringing all my suitcases inside when there was a super sketchy looking character sitting on the bench directly opposite in the wind and the rain, wearing a green zombie mask (presumably to keep his face warm coz this wind is COLD!). I kept peering through the curtains to see what he was doing and wondering why on earth he was sitting in the middle of a storm with his hands in his pockets for no reason, when eventually the lady who owns the cottage told me he's not real. He's a character some local has made by stuffing jeans and a parka and a hoody with craft stuffing and nobody knows who does it, but he appears there every 1st of October, sits on that bench without moving and magically disappears again at the end of November. English people are weird - (and I'm apparently extremely gullible, I could have sworn he was up to no good!).