Abersoch Life Magazine Autumn 2021

ABERSOCH LIFE

AUTUMN 2021 £3.00

ABERSOCH ROCKS

CAPTURING ABERSOCH ARTIST ABZ HEYWOOD IS PAINTING UP A STORM ON THE PENINSULA

ABERSOCH SENSATION MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

BIG HORIZONS

SMALL BOUNDARIES REFLECTIONS ON THE STRANGEST OF YEARS

ROCKPOOL LIFE DISCOVER WHAT LIVES IN OUR ROCK POOLS

5 REASONS WHY GROWING UP HERE DOES EXACTLY THAT!

HOOKED ON FISHING CATCHING ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

SURVIVE OR THRIVE THE REMARKABLE STORY OF LOCAL SURFER LLEWELYN WILLIAMS

FARM SHOPS THEIR RISE ON THE LLYN ^

ABERSOCH CALLING

ELISSA THURSFIELD EXAMINES STAFF SHORTAGES

BOATYARD BUOYS GETTING TO KNOW THE TEAM AT TOTAL BOAT SALES

WWW.ABERSOCHLIFE.COM

FASHION AND INTERIORS

DELIGHTFULLY CAPTIVATING DENTISTRY MEET CHRISTOFF LOTTER

ART SCENE WITH LOWRI LLEWELYN

EXPERT ADVICE ON BRIGHTENING UP YOUR HOME AND WARDROBE

SOCH PRESS | PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWCASE | MAP AND LISTINGS

ABERSOCHLIFE.COM

WELCOME CROESO TO ABERSOCH LIFE AUTUMN 2021 PHOTO: DESPITE EVERYTHING, WE HAVE HAD A FANTASTIC SUMMER AND HOPEFULLY A FANTASTIC AUTUMN TO COME BY: LUKE PILLING

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Abersoch

Sandals Ref: SANDAL

3 national parks.

2 languages.

1 perfect holiday.

With over 250 beautiful holiday homes across Pen Llŷn, from chalets in The Warren leisure park to spacious boutique-style luxury houses, your Great Welsh holiday might be closer than you think...

Book today at abersochholidayhomes.co.uk

CONTENTS ABERSOCH MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

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12.

INTRODUCTION

All hopes are that Autumn will be a continuation of summer!

16 .

SOCH PRESS

Lots going on and we’ve put together what we know so far!

2 0.

GROWING UP IN ABERSOCH

5 reasons that growing up in Abersoch Rocks.

2 6.

INTERIORS

Brighten up your homes with new items available from around Abersoch.

30.

PROPERTY SECTION

What’s new on the market or available to rent for your summer break.

34.

RNLI - RESPECT THE WATER

Tips to stay safe around the water. break.

38.

ROCK LIFE

Discover what lives in our rock pools with Bethany Birch and JDScuba legend Jake Davies

46.

CAPTURING ABERSOCH

56.

BIG HORIZONS, SMALL BOUNDARIES

Artist Abz Heywood is painting up a storm on the Peninsula.

Kevin Bell reflects on the strangest of years.

50.

62.

Elissa Thursfield examines our shocking staff shortages

Gina and Sam tell Bethany Birch what to expect this Autumn.

ABERSOCH CALLING!

FASHION

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CONTENTS ABERSOCH MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

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82.

DELIGHTFULLY CAPTIVATING DENTISTRY

112.

BUSINESS LISTINGS

Your guide to all the key businesses in the area.

From South Africa to Abersoch with Dr Lotter.

114.

86.

Leaving with a few words on love.

FINAL WORDS

SURVIVE OR THRIVE

Making the most of whatever life has to offer, the remarkable story of surfer Llewelyn Williams.

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94.

PHOTOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE

Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you feel you’re the luckiest person on earth? It happens a lot in Abersoch. Lap up every second of it and always be grateful.

Photo by Phill Boyd (Outwest Images)

More incredible images from our resident photographers.

102.

SOCH SOCIAL

Launching Abersoch Life’s new photo competition #abersochlife.

10 4.

BOATYARD BUOYS

66.

THE RISE OF THE LLŶN FARM SHOP

New ventures committed to providing the finest produce to our community.

72 .

SCENIC SEA FISHING

Catching all creatures great and small with Top Cat Marine Safari.

Getting to know the team at Total Boat Sales.

10 6.

ARTS COLUMN

Local talent brought to you by Lowri Llewelyn.

110.

CATCHING UP WITH THE COMMODORE

News from South Caernarfonshire Yacht Club.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

ALL ADVERTISING Printed & online

Kevin Bell kevin@sensationgroup.com

Luke Pilling

Llyr Williams Email llyr@sensationgroup.com

EDITOR Rebecca Hinde rebecca@sensationgroup.com

SENIOR WRITERS Lowri Llewelyn Bethany Birch Natasha Roberts

STAFF WRITERS Louise Overfield Emma Wallwork

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS Phill Boyd (outwestimages.myportfolio.com) John Wormald (totallyabersoch.co.uk) Martin Turtle (turtlephotography.co.uk) Luke Pilling (ABERSAPP) Eilir Davies-Hughes (eiliradventurephotography.co.uk)

MARKETING MANAGER Emma Wallwork

FINANCE MANAGER Tracy Brient

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Luke Pilling Kevin Bell Jake Davies

Mark Durston

www.abersochlife.com

Rose Cottage Abersoch Gwynedd LL53 7DS Tel: 01758 710011 / info@sensationgroup.com

Jake Davies Sioned Jones Elissa Thursfield

SENSATION GROUP

All material is copyright and should not be reproduced without the permission of the publishers. All details are correct to the best of our knowledge. The publishers do not endorse or recommend any of the entries or advertisements in the magazine unless otherwise stated. We advise that you make your own judgments, enquiries and comparisons as with any other form of advertising. When contacting any business we suggest that you confirm the exact type of goods and services offered, the qualifications held and all other relevant aspects of the service that you are seeking. The publishers cannot accept liability for loss damage or difficulties resulting from contacts made through the magazine, from errors, omissions, from claims made by the advertiser of from omissions or inaccuracies relating to advertisements or other material regardless of how caused.

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WORDS BY REBECCA HINDE

INTRODUCTION With the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (John Keats) just around the corner, we are clinging to the exuberance of summer. We are all hoping for another heady flash of heat, followed by a calm and balmy September.

For a summer that took so long to arrive it feels as though it is coming to an end rather too quickly. There was a distinct desperation by all to flock to the beaches, as soon as the rain gave way to a Mediterranean climate with alluring seas. The long lockdown of last winter made enjoying summer to the maximum an absolute priority. The village is still flooded with people, cars, kids, dogs (everyone has a dog now) boats (everyone has a boat now), caravans, paddleboards and jet skis. There’s a festival atmosphere with BBQs, beach parties, boat parties - I even witnessed a naked jet skier doing donuts off

the Warren beach in a jubilant frenzy of over excitement…Colleen Rooney was certainly having more fun on the beach here with the kids than poor Wayne. Russell Brand was spotted in Asda carpark - our guess is he was embarking of the historical religious pilgrimage to the mystical Bardsey Island.

The one unwelcome return visitor has been Covid, right at the beginning of the holidays - causing more chaos to our poor hospitality venues, but thankfully the weather allowed everyone to have a thoroughly great time outdoors regardless. Things were quickly pulled back under control and hopefully the season will stretch out a little bit longer to make up for the lost time.

In this autumn edition we look at some of the more peaceful pastimes of the Peninsula, such as rock pooling, sea fishing and

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painting. We look at life growing up around Abersoch. As we begin to think about slowing down for the coming cooler months we reflect with Kevin on the last year and how our smaller worlds have brought some greater connections. We rejoice at the Rise Of The Llŷn Farmshops and even take some time to celebrate our smiles by getting to know our well-travelled local dentist.

So grab whichever beverage suits your present state of affairs, get comfortable, and relax with us for a while. Whether you are a WAG or a Welsh fisherman, a school kid or seasoned sailor, a fearless adventurer or Instagram influencer - we are all blessed to be able to say that we form the richness of Abersoch Life.

PHOTO: THE AUTUMNAL SUNRISE ENVELOPING OUR MUCH LOVED BEACH HUTS BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

CYFLWYNIAD Gyda’r hydref rownd y gornel, rydym ni yma’n dal ein gafael ar afiaith yr haf.

Rydym i gyd yn gobeithio am gyfnod bach crasboeth arall, ac yna mis Medi tawel a thyner.

yn cael mwy o hwyl ar y traeth yma na’r hen Wayne druan. Gwelwyd Russell Brand ym maes pario Asda – tybed a oedd ar bererindod i Ynys Enlli i weld yr ugain mil o saint?

I haf a gymerodd cyhyd i gyrraedd mae’n teimlo’i fod yn dod i ben yn rhy sydyn.

Roedd pawb yn tyrru o ddifri i’r traethau cyn gynted ag yr ildiodd y glaw i hinsawdd trofannol a’r môr yn temtio. Gan gofio cyfnod clo hir y gaeaf roedd gwneud y mwyaf o’r tywydd yn flaenoriaeth bendant.

Mae’r pentref yn dal yn gorlifo â phobl, ceir, plant, cŵn (toes gan bawb gi erbyn hyn?), cychod (toes gan bawb gwch erbyn hyn?), carafannau, byrddau padlo a jet sgis. Mae naws gŵyl yma gyda barbeciws, partïon traeth, partïon cwch – nes i hyd yn oed weld jet-sgiwr noeth yn gwneud triciau oddi ar y traeth gydag arddangosfa or-frwdfrydig o gyffro ... roedd Colleen Rooney yn sicr

Yr unig ymwelwydd na chafodd groeso’n ôl yma oedd y Covid, reit ar ddechraur gwyliau – yn achosi mwy o ddryswch i’n llefydd arlwyo druain, ond diolch i’r tywydd, llwyddwyd i gael amser gwych yn yr awyr agored serch hynny. Daeth pethau’n ôl i drefn yn sydyn a gobeithio y bydd y tymor yn ymestyn ychydig yn hwy i wneud i fyny am yr amser a gollwyd.

oerach o’n blaenau, rydym yn myfyrio gyda Kevin am y flwyddyn a aeth heibio a sut rydym wedi gwneud mwy o gysylltiadau yn sgil ein bydoedd llai. Ymfalchiwn ym mhoblogrwydd Siopau Fferm Llŷn a beth am ddathlu’n gwên drwy ddod i adnabod ein deintydd prysur lleol.

P’un ai’ch bod yn seleb neu’n bysgotwr lleol, yn blentyn ysgol neu’n forwr eofn, yn anturiwr mawr neu’n dylanwadu ar Instagram, mae’n fraint i ni i gyd gael dweud ein bod yn rhan o wead cyfoethog bywyd Abersoch.

Yn y rhifyn hwn rydym yn cymryd golwg ar rai o ddiddordebau mwyaf heddychlon y Penrhyn, fel pysgota pyllau, pysgota’n y môr a pheintio. Edrychwn ar dyfu i fyny yng nghyffiniau Abersoch. Wrth i ni ddechrau meddwl am arafu ar gyfer y misoedd

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THE WRITERS

KEVIN BELL

REBECCA HINDE

BETHANY BIRCH

Kevin spends his life in, on, or by the water and (unsurprisingly) loves all things Abersoch. Which is why after visiting for over half a century, he now lives here in a little house backing onto his favourite beach—Porth Neigwl. With a collection of boards and boats that do not necessarily reflect his abilities, Kevin is a keen surfer, paddleboarder and sailor. When he’s not out on the waves or the water he’ll be found on the shore or in a boat with one of his equally embarrassingly large collection of fishing rods in his hands. Kevin loves encouraging new writers and pursuing his own writing— about Abersoch, the wild places on the peninsula and the water-sports that have been close to his heart all his life.

Rebecca has recently made the move from London to live in Abersoch full-time with her family. Having spent 13 years living in South East London where she founded Someth1ng Gallery, she is now looking forward to bringing more contemporary art up to Abersoch and taking talented Welsh artists down to the city. Going back to her roots, she knows Abersoch to be the perfect place for children to have the necessary space and freedom to grow through adolescence. The unique combination of energy and opportunity, peace and escapism that Abersoch offers, while being surrounded by spectacular pristine beaches and water, have made the move a simple decision.

Born and raised in the Midlands, Bethany spent her childhood escaping to the Welsh coast with her family where they holidayed most weekends.

Graduating from her Journalism degree at Nottingham Trent University in June 2020, she has since followed her dreams of moving full-time to the coast.

Swapping the city smog for the fresh air and simplicity of seaside living, Bethany made the move to Pwllheli to pursue her coastal desires. With a passion for writing and storytelling, Bethany now works as a freelance writer. Her happy place is an evening spent at Llanbedrog beach, watching the sky turn amber with her partner Ollie (and a G&T in hand!) Abersoch is calling!

LOWRI LLEWELYN

LOUISE OVERFIELD

NATASHA ROBERTS

Lowri is a freelance lifestyle and travel journalist born and raised in north Wales. A first language Welsh speaker, she’s passionate about helping visitors gain understanding of, and confidence speaking, this ancient tongue, and is proud that a piece on the subject was shared 27k times. When she’s not keeping you up-to-date with happenings on the Llŷn, she loves visiting offbeat destinations from Pakistan to Chernobyl.

At the young age of seventeen, Louise went travelling for thirteen years! She spent eight winter seasons snowboarding the slopes of Meribel, where she met her partner Dylan from Abersoch. After her travels, Louise decided to go to university to study English Language and Literature, then completed a PGCE so that she could become a teacher. Louise now lives on the peninsula with her partner and two kids Luca and Ronnie, and Nelly the dog.

Natasha is (and has been) many different things, but she currently enjoys her role as a primary school teacher. Outside of the classroom, you can find Natasha exploring the coastal paths, beaches and mountains of Pen Llyn with her young son and lively Labrador or with her nose stuck in a book. Natasha’s background ranges from waitressing in the local cafe’s and pubs of Abersoch to lecturing Law at Bangor University!

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SOCH PRESS

News from in and around Abersoch this Autumn.

It’s been a busy start to the season here in Abersoch and with new restaurants opening, water sport socials launching and soaring temperatures, it’s not hard to see why Abersoch has been bustling. For all the latest info on what’s been going on around the village check out the features below.

buffalo-style and their falafel patty burger.

With an extensive cocktail list and views of the harbour, head down and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere in the sun.

Potted Lobster The Potted Lobster has opened just in time for the summer season. With nothing but positive reviews, the Seafood restaurant has become the place to be this summer, offering a menu packed with fresh, locally sourced seafood and hand-crafted cocktails. The coastalthemed interior design creates a cool ambience throughout, with handpainted murals from artist Florence Super in the restaurant and beach-house vibes on the terrace. Bookings are filling fast, to reserve a table visit their website: thepottedlobster.co.uk/abersoch/

Black Sheep

SUP & SIP with Offaxis

Black Sheep’s highly anticipated opening did not disappoint. With Welsh Wagyu and a selection of prime cuts, the brand-new steakhouse is every meat lover’s dream. For those looking for a meat-free option, check out their ‘Out of the Garden’ menu, with inventive options like cauliflower wings

Join Offaxis for an evening of Stand-Up Paddle boarding followed by drinks on the beach, in collaboration with Lost at Sea Brewing co. Sessions run every Wednesday 7-8.30pm from the Offaxis shack at the Warren beach. The cost is £50 per person which includes all equipment,

ABERSOCH RNLI’S FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES With an already busy summer season for Abersoch RNLI, we highlight some upcoming fundraising activities to support the local crew.

The RNLI annual coffee morning will return on Saturday 23rd October. After last year’s event was cancelled due to COVID, there’s twice as much reason to indulge in some delicious cakes and fresh coffee, whilst supporting a worthwhile cause. Look out for posters around the village for more information.

The Abersoch RNLI New Year’s Day Dip is always a popular event attracting a huge crowd and we’re excited to confirm that the Dip is back on. The theme for 2022 is ‘Covid Heroes’ celebrating individuals who have truly made a difference over the last 18 months. Organisers are hoping to raise as much money as possible to ensure that the crew are well-equipped for any and all sea conditions.

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ABERSOCH LIFE ONLINE SHOP

PHOTO: DAWN STANWORTH

Abersoch Life recently launched their online shop with instant success!

The shop has lots of stunning Abersoch items that you wont find in the shops! From Abersoch illustrations to stunning framed and canvas photos by Outwest Images, from Abersoch mugs to bespoke Abersoch candles commissioned exclusively with Charismatic Cat. Hand picked items for Abersoch lovers.

More items will be added to the shop in the coming months including another coffee table book by Phill Boyd. shop.abersochlife.com

tuition, wetsuit hire and a free drink. After you’ve enjoyed your time on the water, relax with a refreshing drink and watch the sun go down over St Tuds. To book your place head to the Offaxis website or give them a call on 01758 713407.

Another Coast- Interior Design studio Another Coast is an interior design and styling company based out of Abersoch.

Firmly rooted in love of creative design and exceptional customer experience, Another Coast specialises in creating beautiful spaces for modern life. With a redefined understated coastal style, Elle’s interiors work perfectly with the surrounding landscape. From a full redesign to a single room refresh, Elle will help you to create an amazing space in your home.

PWLLHELI & SOUTHAMPTON TEL: 01758 703 013 - 07813 581 937 EMAIL: SALES@IDEALBOAT.COM

WWW.IDEALBOAT.COM

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SOCH PRESS

DON YOUR STURDY WALKING SHOES TO RAISE MONEY FOR MARIE CURIE NORTH WALES Join the Rotary Club Pwllheli and Marie Curie North Wales for a beautiful Coastal Walk on Saturday 4th September 2021.

SOCH SOCIAL It’s great to see the village lively again and full of community spirit. We love hearing about people’s experiences and connection to the area, which is why we’ve decided to launch Soch Social.

As our first Soch Social feature, we share the wonderful news that Amy Drogan & David Boulton (Mr & Mrs Boulton), tied the knot on Saturday 24th July. The couple were married by Andrew Carroll at St Pedrog’s in Llanbedrog, with the reception afterwards at Apres Sea.

Soch Social will showcase your photos and the stories behind them as a new feature in each edition of the magazine. Tag your photos with the hashtag #AbersochLife for a chance to be featured in Soch Social. Your photo and social media handle will be included in the publication, as well as an opportunity to win a year’s subscription to the magazine.

The wedding party walked down through the village then along the beach and were greeted with a joyful round of applause from onlookers, with the Beach patrol team announcing the engagement over the tannoy. We’d like to extend our Congratulations to the happy couple and dymuniadau gorau.

The circular route starts at Ty Newydd Hotel in Aberdaron, taking you along quiet country lanes and the scenic coastal path, incorporating wonderful views of Bardsey Island, hidden coves and rugged coastline.

Marie Curie provides frontline nursing at home and hospice care for people with a terminal illness. They also provide a free support line and wealth of information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement.

Your support and donations will help to provide these vital services to those most in need.

Email rotarypwllhelievents@gmail.com or message their Facebook page to get involved.

ABERSOCH RACES ARE BACK ON! It’s been a long wait and a lot has happened since the Abersoch races last ran, but it looks like the races in September and October this year are finally set to take place.

THE ROC Wales has become a weekend event, with the Spring and Summer races converging and taking place on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September. Saturday’s race is sold out, but some places are available for Sunday, as well as THE ROC England on Saturday 25th September, set in the Lake District. To secure a spot and find out more, head to theroc.com

RICHARD MILNES PHOTOGRAPHY

The races move into October for the Abersoch Triple Crown. All races are set to take place within 22 days of each other!

The HR ANCHOR Abersoch 10K is first on Saturday 2nd October, followed by the BRYN CETHIN BACH Abersoch Triathlon on Saturday 16th October, finishing off with the HOPALONG Abersoch Half marathon on Saturday 23rd October. Of course, each of these events include the ABERSOCH HOLIDAY HOMES 3K, 1K & 2K beach races respectively, combining to create the Beach Chief Race series.

Visit abersochtriplecrown.com to find out more.

EILIR ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY

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FOR SIMILAR NEWS STORIES: ABERSOCHLIFE.COM...

PWLLHELI & SOUTHAMPTON TEL: 01758 703 013 - 07813 581 937 EMAIL: SALES@IDEALBOAT.COM

WWW.IDEALBOAT.COM

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WORDS BY REBECCA HINDE

PHOTO: PADDLEBOARD, NEVER BORED! KIDS THRIVE LIVING BY THE SEA BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

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T

HEY SAY “GROWING UP IS NEVER EASY” BUT GROWING UP ON THE LLŶN PENINSULA IS PROBABLY AS UNCOMPLICATED AND REWARDING FOR A CHILD AS IT POSSIBLY COULD BE. HERE, KIDS AND PARENTS ENJOY THAT SENSE OF FREEDOM THAT COMES FROM VILLAGE FAMILIARITY. IT IS LIKE BEING PART OF A HUGE (MILDLY DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT MOSTLY SUPPORTIVE) EXTENDED FAMILY THAT CREATES A CONSTANT LOOKOUT AND FEEDBACK SYSTEM, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, THAT GIVES WAY TO A SENSE OF SECURITY WHILE ALLOWING OUR CHILDREN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. THIS COMBINED WITH THE MAGNIFICENT LANDSCAPE, THE OPEN ENVIRONMENT OF QUIET TRACKS AND EXPANSIVE FIELDS AND BEACHES, GIVES CHILDREN A HUGE AND REMARKABLE PLAYGROUND TO ROAM, EXPLORE AND TO DEVELOP IN. WE BRING YOU 5 (OF MANY) REASONS WHY GROWING UP IN ABERSOCH ROCKS.

Adventure

Adventures are what all good childhoods are made of, and a sense of adventure is hardwired into any child of the Peninsula. The sea, with her vast mysteriousness and endless possibilities of exploration and escape, ignites the adventurer in all who grow up alongside her. The sky reaching mountains and deep, dark caves that tell of explorers, dragons and pirates.

From the old grounded fishing boats

to weather beaten tractors, so many things here have such a visible history to excite children’s imaginations. The magical woodlands, thick with ferns, bluebells and fairies. Hidden streams and pools give way to waterfalls and rivers. The never-ending beaches with the wide-open skies above them speak deeply to children of limitless possibilities, of exploration and freedom. The continually and

dramatically shifting weather patterns create a never-ending variety of conditions to find fun in, changing the terrain and so the experiences in an instance. Here there are limitless places for young people to discover, explore and conquer - all within the safe environment of the Llŷn that allows them the joy to trailblaze independently.

PHOTO: SNOWDONIA WITHIN EASY REACH, JUST ONE OF OUR MANY LOCAL PLACES TO EXPLORE AND CONQUER BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

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ABERSOCH ROCKS

Balance Surfboard, skateboard, paddleboard… never bored! Kids of all ages (even the 60+ ones) from around Abersoch love anything that involves balancing on a board and traversing the land and sea.

The shame of Abersoch is that it is yet to have a local skatepark that is worthy of the enthusiasm and talent that so many of the children display here.

That doesn’t stop them hammering moves out wherever they can though, with parents even being known to build them their own half pipe in the back garden. Of course, the sea offers

an ever-expanding repertoire of boardbased activities that kids here cannot get enough of. This has given way to fantastic clubs such as the Clwb Syrffio Llŷn, the much-coveted Tuesday night surf club at Porth Neigwl, which sees 30 kids littering the seas with their big boards and bigger smiles. All boarding fundamentally involves learning to balance, and that takes practice, determination and a degree of courage to master - all great traits for children to develop. The fun and thrills that boarding brings to kids, an activity

PHOTO: BRIGHT AND BALANCED, ABERSOCH KIDS ARE MASTERS OF STABILITY BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

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that they can enjoy alone or with friends, keeps them strong, fit and healthy. And even though they will, of course, still binge on TikTok and YouTube, their screen to outdoor activities balance is far easier to regulate.

PHOTO: SCHOOLING HAPPENS FAR BEYOND THE CLASSROOM ON THE PENINSULA BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

Education There has been much talk of the enforced closing of Abersoch’s local primary school and a lot of the pain has come from the fact that our local schools are intrinsically linked to our community.

So familiar are the faces before you even start at school, that these places, often frequented by generations of family members, offer so much more than just a traditional school environment.

Children here enjoy close-knit schools with exceptional and inspirational views across the fields and to the sea. The school runs are uplifting and renewing, as you journey with the sun blazing across our remarkable countryside - even in the

rain the views are satisfyingly dramatic.

The children are all bilingual in English and Welsh, with the Welsh government fully supporting newcomers through language schools to find fluency in Welsh remarkably fast. Everyone knows that being bilingual is incredibly good for the brain, especially developing ones, and to have both a globally accessible language as well as an ancient one full of poetry and unknown to many, means that the kids here are armed with more ways of communicating than most. The schools here give children a strong academic grounding to go out into the world and to follow the paths they choose, however,

education comes in more ways than one on the Llŷn. The extensive and easily accessible wildlife both on and off land, combined with a rich fishing, farming and agricultural community, means that children here have an understanding of cycles and survival that many of their contemporaries are losing. They have a connection to nature, the earth and the water that simply cannot be taught but can only be learnt through experience.

The necessity for this kind of education is becoming rapidly more apparent as we deal with the changes in climate.

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ABERSOCH ROCKS

PHOTO: A LOVE OF OFF-ROADING STARTS YOUNG WHEN YOU HAVE SO MUCH TERRAIN TO EXPLORE BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

RIDING After boarding, riding in all its various guises is another top past time while growing up on the Llŷn Peninsula. Bikes, ponies, quads and motorbikes are all the playthings of the local kids - thanks to the masses of accessible outdoor space to roam about in. Sand and soft ground makes here the perfect place for pursuits that could involve you falling off something! The varied terrain offers continued new trials to have a go at,

with so many options for hacks and rides that monotony simply doesn’t exist. Everything is in a constant state of change and there are too many welltrodden paths that youngsters are still yet to tread! The land creates its very own assault courses via hills and ditches, streams and forests, offering exciting challenges for every level. The freedom of riding through this exceptional

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scenery, immersing themselves within it or journeying up high to feel as though they are on top of the world, the backdrop to their accomplishments and wanderings has to be unparalleled. Growing up with the gift of being free to ride for hours around this enviable place, more than rocks.

PHOTO: READY TO TAKE ON THE WINTER ROLLING IN ON PORTH NEIGWL (HELL’S MOUTH) BY: LUKE PILLING

Seasons Growing up in Abersoch, kids are very aware of the seasons. They have that close relationship to nature, as it envelops pretty much their every move.

They see and feel the changes and that connection to the cycles of life and the earth gives them a real grounding in life, being connected to your surroundings is incredibly beneficial to mental health and wellbeing. The seasons in Abersoch bring so much more though than just a change in nature, they bring a metamorphosis to the whole Peninsula. The rusted harbour begins to brim full of bright new boats and jet skis, the weathered tractors give way to shiny, growling, brand new Range

Rovers. The quiet isolation transforms into a playground of the rich, as the sunshine brings visitors from far and wide to experience the wonders of the place the children call home. The benefit for kids growing up here is that they get to experience so much, they get to see all sides of what life is about and what it has to offer. They are shown such a wide variety of things to achieve and aspire to, from physical ability and competition to the material. Their parents are made up of famers and business owners, locals to seasoned holidaymakers who have chosen to move here full time. They

get to closely observe surfers to shopaholics, environmentalists to entrepreneurs, farmers to financiers, they have the many options for the lives they may choose to live sprawled out around them. They also benefit from an ever increasing circle of friends, friends who appear here when the weather is good, friends free from the politics of school, who they have met on the sands and whose seasonal relationships often prosper well into adulthood and beyond.

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INTERIORS ABERSOCH MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

CREATED BY BETHANY BIRCH

EARTHY TONES & NATURAL TEXTURES NURTURE WITH NATURE THROUGHOUT THE HOME THIS AUTUMN SEASON THIS SEASON IS ALL ABOUT ADDING ELEMENTS OF NATURE WITHIN OUR HOMES. NURTURE YOUR INNER-SELF AND HOME INTERIOR BY SEAMLESSLY INCORPORATING NATURAL TEXTURES, EARTHY-COLOURS AND COSY ACCESSORIES TO TRANSITION INTO THE AUTUMN SEASON. THIS ISSUE WE HAVE A Q&A FEATURE, DISCUSSING ALL THINGS HOME INTERIOR AND GETTING THE AUTUMNAL HOME DECOR LOW-DOWN WITH GEORGINA FROM OUR LOCAL HOME AND CLOTHING STORE, LAVENDER HOUSE. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS ABOUT AUTUMN? Viewing the cold outdoors from the warmth of an old armchair with a steaming cup of coffee and a dog snuggled in beside me.

WHAT DOES AUTUMN INTERIOR MEAN TO YOU? Warmth, cosiness, preparing for Winter celebrations and when I have more time, space to be creative. For myself and others it is becoming more and more apparent that as we spend more time outdoors it makes us feel more relaxed. Therefore bringing the great outdoors indoors has become a trend for the future. Our homes are becoming all things and most importantly places to feel safe to retreat to. Natural materials, recycled wood, stoneware, terracotta, house plants, soft cotton throws

Large Outdoor Wicker Baskets Lantern TOTALLY ABERSOCH LAVENDER HOUSE

£POA £69

Parsley LIme Scented Candle Damla Organic Cotton Blanket FIRST LIGHT KIN & Co

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Flower Press Vases Tan Ceramic KIN & Co HOUSE LAVENDER

£75 £25

£POA £19.95

Flower NeutralPress Patterned Boho Cushion KIN Co FIRST&LIGHT

£18 £19.95

INTERIORS

and linens in earthy tones, create harmony and a feeling of living closely alongside nature even if we aren’t immersed in it. There is no feeling like on a cold winter’s day sitting indoors among soft linen cushions surrounded by your favourite treasures with a steaming coffee and a good book.

How would you sum up autumn home decor in 5 words?

Restful, healing, natural, retreat and texture.

Are there any upcoming trends that we should expect to see this autumn time within the home?

There is a well being and natural design aspect. Home gyms and offices are heading for stylish makeovers as our homes continue to evolve into multi functional spaces. Making these spaces places that we love to be rather than feel we have to be.

Are there any particular styles that you expect to see more of this autumn?

Living closely alongside nature even if you are not immersed in it is particularly strong this year.

Earthy tones, many shades of green in fabric and wallcoverings, paint, textures, natural recycled wood, pottery, plants, soft cotton throws and linen are all strong this autumn season.

Do you have any autumnal interior styling tips to easily adapt the home for the season?

Change your colour palette either in paint and accessories, it is such an easy, low cost way to adapt a home to match the new seasons trends.

Grey Patterned Throw Blanket FIRST LIGHT

Everlasting Flowers Autumnal Bouquet KIN & Co

£35

Run With The Wolves Soy Candle KIN & Co

£21

£26

What are some autumn mainstays for interior styling that we can rely on each year?

You cannot go wrong by surrounding yourselves with good quality accessories and homeware that you love, especially things that you or your family have made.

What are your personal favourite pieces from your autumn collection?

I love pottery. Houseplants have made a comeback and so many different ones are available now, I now have the excuse of buying artisan pottery holders to put them in.

Large Lantern TOTALLY ABERSOCH

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Mojave Glaze Ceramic Green Planter FIRST LIGHT

£72

£7.50

Hywelfa Ref HYWEL

Abersoch

The Keys to a cottage (and a kingdom of support) Join our family and let us fill your property with guests, this year and beyond.

Find out more about how our unique combination of local and national expertise and support can help you make the most of your property by visiting our website

www.abersochholidayhomes.co.uk

AUTUMN PROPERTY UPDATE WITH MARTIN LEWTHWAITE FROM BERESFORD ADAMS

TY DRAW Abersoch, Pwllheli, LL53 7EL

ASKING PRICE £975,000 BERESFORD ADAMS

A highly desirable and particularly spacious 7 bedroom detached residence, set within generous size mature gardens with excellent parking and a useful 1 bedroom log cabin. A much-favoured location along the Sarn Bach Road commanding wonderful views from the front elevation towards Cardigan Bay, St Tudwal’s (east) Island and the golf course in the foreground. The property is very convenient for all the village amenities and a 5/10 minute walk to the main beach and Abersoch Golf course.

Ty Draw was formerly a very prosperous guest house but has been a comfortable private family home since then, providing wellproportioned rooms arranged over three floors with the benefit of double glazing and oil fired central heating. The grounds are a particular feature with a driveway opening out to the rear onto an expansive parking and turning area with a sited detached log cabin to the rear boundary affording a sitting room/ kitchen, bedroom and shower room.

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THE FERNS Benar Headland, Abersoch, Pwllheli, LL53 7BA

ASKING PRICE £1,200,000 BERESFORD ADAMS

A fabulous modern detached 4 bedroom bungalow residence in a prestigious location. The Ferns is set in an area where properties rarely come onto the open market, only a few hundred yards from the Abersoch Main Beach and South Caernarfon Yacht Club. Lying within its own private generous size plot with sea views and gardens to all sides.

The property lies in a slightly elevated position off the roadway leading down to the beach, to the top end of a private lane, shared by only two other properties. A further pedestrian pathway passes the rear of the property and this provides a short cut down into the village amenities and onto Lon Rhoslyn to the picturesque Outer Harbour.

The spacious well-designed accommodation has undergone some recent improvements and at the heart of the property is a generous lounge and a spacious bright dining room with access to the gardens by patio doors, providing perfect social spaces to enjoy the outdoors.

AWEL Y MOR Bwlchtocyn, Near Abersoch LL53 7BN

ASKING PRICE £750,000 AQ HOMES

Awel Y Mor is located in a magnificent location which offers spectacular panoramic views of the Snowdonia Mountain range, Abersoch bay and towards Pwllheli. The views from Awel Y Mor are plentiful. The property offers three bedrooms, one bathroom, a wonderful lounge with dual aspect windows and a sliding patio door on front which leads to the patio area and garden. At the bottom of the garden there is a workshop.

There is a detached garage at the back of the property which the vendors historically used to occupy whilst letting out the main house. The garage in its current start does require attention, however, could be added on to the main house subject to planning and building regulations approval and boasts plenty of potential.

There is off-road parking at the back of the house and a great outdoor space with amazing views.

ROCKDALE High Street, Abersoch, Pwllheli, LL53 7DT

ASKING PRICE £975,000 AQ HOMES

Rockdale is a luxury, modern ground floor flat in the heart of Abersoch village, North Wales. Rockdale benefits from private off-road parking at the front of the property which is suitable for multiple vehicles. The property offers 2 bedrooms, one with an ensuite and an additional shower room. At the back of the property there is a private decking area with an outdoor kitchen facility and a cosy seating area with log burner.

Rockdale has been improved extensively by the current vendors to offer a stylish central property with modern fittings whilst retaining many of the original features. The kitchen features a central island and a built in window seat with an outlook on to the front drive. A spacious flat in the heart of the village. | 31

PROPERTY & INTERIORS

ESCAPE TO ABERSOCH

THIS AUTUMN ABERSOCH HOLIDAY LETS

S

ummer has arrived on the Llŷn! Over the last few weeks, the weather has really showed up to welcome visitors, old and new, with seemingly endless summer days of blue skies, calm waters and scorching temperatures.

With hopes of a longer summer season, now is the time to book your trip to enjoy the microclimate that Pen Llŷn has to offer. We’ve handpicked some great spots, with something to suit everyone.

Head to abersochlife.com for the definitive guide to all holiday accommodation in the Abersoch area.

FROM £825 P/WK

1.

BOOK

HOPEWOOD

www.abersochhomefromhome.co.uk homefromhome@beresfordadams.co.uk 01758 712408

This delightful detached property is situated in a peaceful, secluded location just off Lon Sarn Bach, within easy walking distance of the golf course, beach and village centre. This lovely house is beautifully presented and offers spacious accommodation for up to 10 guests. The fabulous outdoor space includes a decked balcony with steps leading down to a large garden, fronting onto Abersoch Golf Course and enjoying wonderful sea views.

5 Bedrooms | Sleeps 10 | 2 Bathrooms 32 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

FROM £920 P/WK

2.

BOOK

GWENDY

www.abersochhomefromhome.co.uk homefromhome@beresfordadams.co.uk 01758 712408

Gwendy is a fabulous three bedroomed house situated in an elevated position at the top of the popular Cae Du estate and enjoying superb panoramic views over the village towards Cardigan Bay and the St Tudwal’s islands. Recently renovated, this property is tastefully presented in a clean, contemporary style with a beautiful open plan kitchen/living/dining area opening onto a balcony which provides an ideal spot to watch the world go by. To the rear of the property is a garden and patio area.

FROM £600 P/WK

3.

TAN Y BRYN BACH

BOOK www.abersochholidayhomes.co.uk info@abersochholidayhomes.co.uk 01758 740992

Conveniently located midway between Abersoch and Llanbedrog, this light and tranquil holiday cottage is the perfect haven for a couple or family with its abundance of activities and attractions nearby. By greeted by far-reaching views out towards the sea and surrounding countryside as you step into the conservatory and enjoy amazing sunrises as dawn breaks each morning. The open plan kitchen/living area is warm and colourful, and the unique L-shaped bunk room is great for children.

2 Bedrooms | Sleeps 4 | 1 Bathrooms

3 Bedrooms | Sleeps 6 | 1 Bathrooms

FROM £759 P/WK

£1262 P/WK

4.

BOOK

BENAR

www.abersochholidayhomes.co.uk info@abersochholidayhomes.co.uk 01758 740992

Benar is a compact and conveniently located holiday cottage in Llanbedrog that’s been recently redecorated with modern fittings whilst retaining many of its original features. The modern kitchen boasts an impressive feature stone fireplace and the wood burner creates a cosy atmosphere to relax and unwind. The lawned garden features a paved patio area and views out towards the coast, with Snowdon Mountain visible on a clear day. Located just a mile from the beach, perfect for those looking to make the most of their seaside escape.

2 Bedrooms | Sleeps 4 | 1 Bathroom

5.

BOOK

GWYNANT

www.abersochholidayhomes.co.uk info@abersochholidayhomes.co.uk 01758 740992

Hidden away in a peaceful backwater in the centre of Llanbedrog village lies Gwynant holiday cottage. Believed to be one of the oldest cottages in the village, this characterful property has been newly-renovated and styled by a local interior designer whilst also retaining many traditional touches. The lounge boasts a large inglenook fireplace with cosy wood burning stove and the shakerstyle kitchen is equipped with everything you’ll need for your stay. Outside you will find a beautifully planted courtyard where you can sit and enjoy your morning coffee.

2 Bedrooms | Sleeps 4 | 1 Bathrooms | 33

RESPECT THE WATER WHEREVER YOU ARE What do you do if you see someone in trouble in the water?

All too often, people’s first instinct is to go into the water. As a result, too many people drown trying to save others or their pets.

If you see somebody in danger of drowning at the coast, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard straight away.

Look for something that floats and throw it out to them.

Help them stay calm and encourage them to float.

HELPING YOU TO STAY SAFE

AT THE BEACH • Go to a lifeguarded beach and swim between the red and yellow flags.

• Before going into the sea, consider your ability and the conditions; swimming in the sea is very different to swimming in a pool.

• When you enter the water, take time to acclimatise to the temperature.

• Have someone watching you from the beach and make sure they are able to call for help.

NEAR OPEN WATER • When you’re near open water, keep away from the edge; stick to designated paths and look out for safety signs; and keep clear of uneven, unstable or slippery ground.

• Avoid walking alone or at night, and always carry a means of calling for help.

• If exploring the coastline, always get local advice on the tide to make sure you don’t get cut off.

ON THE WATER • Carry a means of calling for help in case you do end up in trouble.

• Wear the appropriate flotation device, such as a lifejacket or buoyancy aid, it could save your life.

• If you are going out alone, tell someone ashore about your plans and what time you expect to be back.

To find out more visit: RNLI.org/RespectTheWater.

Please support us by sharing these important lifesaving skills.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea

Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (20003326) and the Bailiwick of Jersey (14)

34 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

FULLY BOOKED FOR 2021 UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER - NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR 2022 SET IN BEAUTIFUL LLANGIAN JUST OUTSIDE ABERSOCH. SAFARI TENTS 6,7 OR 8 PEOPLE WITH A MAXIMUM OF 4 ADULTS PER TENT - FROM £585 FOR A 3 NIGHT WEEKEND OR 4 NIGHT MIDWEEK BREAK. WOODY SAFARI TENTS (SLEEP 4) FROM £475 FOR A 3 NIGHT WEEKEND OR 4 NIGHT MIDWEEK BREAK. ALL TENTS HAVE THEIR OWN BATHROOMS AND HOT TUBS. WHY NOT N TREAT A LOVED ONE TO A WONDERFUL GLAMPING BREAK.

BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT AS THEY ARE BOOKING QUICKLY.

FEATURED ON CHANNEL 4’S 4 IN A BED SHOW CHECK IT OUT ON CATCH UP! Visit www.nightskyglamping.co.uk to look at our beautiful tents and to book your exciting 2021 glamping experience or email hello@nightskyglamping.co.uk if you have any queries or ring 01758 712811.

Holiday Cottages WE ALSO HAVE A RANGE OF BEAUTIFUL 1 BED, 3 BED, 4 BED AND 5 BED COTTAGES AVIALABLE IN LLANGIAN & LLANENGAN EXCELLENT AMENETIES INCLUDING LARGE GARDENS AND HOT TUBS TO HELP WIND DOWN THOSE ABERSOCH BEACH DAYS PRICES AND AVAILABILITY ALL ON WWW.NIGHTSKYGLAMPING.CO.UK OR EMAIL HELLO@NIGHTSKYGLAMPING.CO.UK

visit www.nightskyglamping.co.uk E-mail hello@nightskyglamping.co.uk or telephone 01758 712811

THE ROCK LIFE WORDS BY BETHANY BIRCH & JAKE DAVIES

What lives beneath the Llŷn’s rocks? Explore the wonders of our local rock pools with Marine Biologist Jake Davies.

PHOTO: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF ROCK POOLS BY: LUKE PILLING

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PHOTO: NOT FOR DECORATION, THE ELECTRIC BLUE BEADS OF BEADLET ANEMONE (ACTINIA EQUINA) ARE FULL OF STINGING CELLS TO DEFEND THEIR PATCH BY: JD SCUBA

R

OCK POOLS ARE MAGICAL PLACES FULL OF HIDDEN TREASURES AND ALIEN CREATURES. THESE MINIATURE WORLDS OFFER HOURS OF FUN, TURNING OVER ROCKS AND SEAWEED IN ANTICIPATION OF REVEALING NEW CREATURES; AND EXPLORING SILVERY POOLS WITH FADED ORANGE NETS, WITH OPTIMISTIC HOPES OF CATCHING A SKULKING CRAB OR SAND FISH. Here on the Llŷn Peninsula - especially on the North Coast - we’re treated to a mass of rock pooling spots, just waiting to be explored. From the pools at Morfa Nefyn beach to those at Porth Ceiriad, the Llŷn opportunes us with plenty of places for a day spent exploring. Although often associated with the summer season, the activity shouldn’t be abandoned once we transition into the cooler days of autumn in fact, it should be encouraged!

Once the waves have retreated come low tide, a whole new world takes

PHOTO: ON THE MOVE, ROUGH PERIWINKLE (LITTORINA SAXATILIS) LOOKING FOR A NEW GRAZING PATCH BY: JD SCUBA

over the shoreline. Rockpools emerge protruding from the wet sand while the sea gently laps in the distance; vibrant habitats remain, beneath rocks and the pools surface. Between each faithful tide, there is a microcosm of vibrant life that is played out, presenting us with an everchanging landscape, full of even more wonder and fascination under a closer inspection.

Peer into the pool and you’ll be met with your own reflection, peer a little further and you’ll be met with a whole new world of water-based wonder. What can you see? What life lives beneath the rocks?

What movements do you notice? What creatures show up and show off; what others hide beneath rocks and shells or prefer the stillness and shade of small crevasses and corners? How do your fingers feel beneath the silken water, how does the seaweed feel beneath your toes or held within your hand?

How does the air smell, how

does this change between the seasons - perhaps the air is laced with the sweet aroma of sunscreen come summer yet the tang of seaweed and sea salt is more prominent come autumn? How warm is the water, how does this compare to the temperature of the air? What do you hear, possibly the chorus of children laughing or the distant, background noise of jet skis and boats; or perhaps you’re lucky enough to have the open space to yourselves, your own private beach for a while and natures noises take over; seagulls, the lap of the waves at the shore and crunch of sand and pebbles beneath your feet as you walk? Rock pooling is a whole sensory experience, readily awaiting for you to discover.

I have vivid memories of rock pooling as a child, exploring new bays and becoming absorbed in the goings-on beneath the water’s surface. Comparative to the scale of the ocean, rock-pools felt both miniature and manageable - but no less magical especially as a child.

Offering a glimpse of the underwater workings, I was

| 39

ROCK POOLS PHOTO: PERFECTLY BLENDED INTO IT’S BACKGROUND - THE LONG SPINED SEA SCORPION (TAURULUS BUBALIS) BY: JD SCUBA

always left fascinated by my finds, always eager to continue exploring.

Sporting beach shoes, soggy, saltmatted hair, a plastic bucket in hand, a slightly-worn net over my shoulder and my sister to my side I was ready for my rock pooling safari. Scrambling over the seaweed, cautious not to slip, I’d survey my surroundings assessing my rock pooling options and head in the direction of the most favourable (likely being the biggest and deepest, or those closest to the shore and bustling with life).

These childhood expeditions are laced with fondness and bring back a real sense of nostalgia for me.

Recalling these days spent as a child, exploring hidden coves, searching rock pools and upturning rocks to reveal mystical creatures are some of my favourite memories. Each rock pooling memory layered with the ever-familiar scents of subtle sea spray and salty seaweed. Each rock pooling expedition remembered with just as much joy as the last; with echoes of laughter and squeals of excitement becoming the soundtrack to these fond memories.

Yet rock pooling outings don’t need to be saved for children, only

to be re-lived by pulling them from a bank of childhood memories. Despite the obvious connotations, rock pooling can be enjoyed by both the young, old and every age in between. What makes rock pooling so enticing is the sweet simplicity of the activity combined by its accessibility to almost all ages and groups of people. The excitement that’s sparked as a child upon discovering a new sea creature is hard to dampen, even twenty plus years on.

Adopting this seemingly childlike activity, as an adult, offers a wealth of fun. Alongside the fact that searching pools for hidden creatures can ignite a similar sense of joy that it did as a child, it’s also a brilliant way to incorporate a sense of mindfulness within your day.

Becoming absorbed within a new activity whilst being outdoors is guaranteed to leave you feeling both calmer and refreshed, all whilst gifting you with a fresh memory to pocket.

The educational benefits of rock pooling are often overlooked, yet these natural aquariums can offer a wealth of family fun all while learning. With your jelly shoes equipped, exploring the shores, pools and beneath rocks can unveil some particularly unusual creatures that would otherwise go unnoticed. As well as becoming educated on the sea creatures, rock pooling is also a fantastic

40 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

opportunity to become educated, or educate others, on these extraordinary habitats and their workings.

The saying ‘everyday is a school day’, could be no truer here. Regardless of your age, rock pooling poses as the ideal chance to spark discussions and encourage some curiosity into our everyday lives - Google is your best friend to identify unfamiliar creatures and gain answers to every probing question. Sites such as the RSPB ‘What Lives in a Rock Pool’ and the Countryfile ‘Rockpool identification guide’ are two particularly useful resources that are designed for children (but there’s no denying that us adults can learn a thing or two from these sites too!).

Like many oceanside activities, rockpooling isn’t limited to the summer season, or it’s shouldering seasons, it can be enjoyed year round. This annual activity can be just as much fun come a bleak, late-autumn day as it can on a long, hot mid-summers day. It’s the perfect enticement to head to the beach and enjoy some time spent outdoors after all, is there any better way to clear your head and boost your mood? With the correct attire to suit the weather, accompanied with a positive attitude you’ll be well set for a fun afternoon exploring the pools. (just be sure to check the tides and weather beforehand!).

GRAND G420

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harbourmarinepwllheli.co.uk Unit 2 D, Glan y Don Industrial Estate, Pwllheli, LL53 5YT

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ROCK POOLS

PHOTO: WEAVING THROUGH THE BEDROCK ARE SOME DEEP POOLS FULL OF LIFE BY: JD SCUBA

You don’t need a lot for rock pooling, making it accessible to many. However, sturdy shoes to battle the wet seaweed are particularly useful, along with a bucket and small net to collect any sea creatures that you’d like to observe a little more closely. A torch may also come in useful to peer under dark rocks and crevasses - often where crabs and sea anemones may be hiding. An ID guide is also useful to help ID the many species which can also be used to tick off the ones you’ve seen.

Local Marine Biologist, HSE Media Diver, and Underwater Photographer and Videographer Jake Davies, shares his knowledge on rock pooling, where to go, what to look out for and things to remember whilst out and about. He also reminisces on his childhood memories of days out rock pooling, and credits these early outings to being largely influential in following his current career path of Marine Biology:

JAKE: Where to go?

We’re blessed with a generous amount of rock pooling locations here on the Llŷn Peninsula. Both the Llŷn and Anglesey offer two of the best sites in

PHOTO: CLOSE UP OF THE PLATES OF A BARNACLE THAT HELP TO DEFEND IT WHILST EXPOSED TO THE MORE EXTREME OUTSIDE CONDITIONS BY: JD SCUBA

North Wales, so you’re never far from fantastic rock pooling opportunities here on the Peninsula. Some of the pools can be a little harder to get to, but personally, I think this only adds to the adventure! Along the South coast of the Peninsula many of the rockpools are found along the headlands such as Carrag Y Defaid, Llanbedrog, beneath SCYC yacht club as well as around the headland from Machroes beach which are only accessible on the larger tides. However, heading over to the North side of the Llŷn rockpools are much easier to find due to the ruggedness of the coast.

Some of the best can be found around the headland of Nefyn and Porthdinllaen.

Many of the small coves along the North coast also deliver some great rockpooling.

Adventure out to your local beach and you may find many pools that aren’t often explored which may hold some exciting surprises within.

As a child, I spent many hours exploring the rockpools found on Carreg Y Defaid and Llanbedrog on the South coast and around the headlands of Porthdinllaen and Nefyn on the North Coast. Each pool felt like a new adventure and the potential of discovering a new species. It’s the time looking into the pools and observing the many different species that played a part in shaping my career path towards marine biology.

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Whilst peering into rock pools I’ve been fortunate to see some interesting species which include octopus, a species that in some places has been filmed hunting in rock pools and in larger pools seeing an occasional conger eel which was a surprise when peering into the pool.

JAKE: What to look out for?

Rock Pools also known as tide pools are unique and dynamic habitats making them a challenging location to live. Found along rocky shores, they are formed due to the rise and fall of the tide. During high water pools are often submerged in seawater but as the tide falls rock pools form as water drains from the rocky shore and pools of water form within the spaces between the rocks which have no gaps for the water to leave.

Around the coast the tides rise and fall on average twice a day where each time the tide rises it replenishes the pools with essentials like nutrients and oxygen.

Rockpools are extreme habitats where many species have adapted to be able to withstand the ever changing conditions from high temperatures under the blazing midday sun to the freezing temperature and crashing waves during the winter.

ROCK POOLS

PHOTO: TOP AMBUSH PREDATOR THAT CAN BE FOUND IN THE POOLS, THE LONG SPINED SEA SCORPION (TAURULUS BUBALIS) BY: JD SCUBA

the pools are harmless but it’s good practice to avoid touching or handling many of the species especially if you are unsure on the species ID as some species such as the lesser weever fish (Echiichthys vipera) which has a poisonous spine can be found or blennies which can provide a painful nip.

So next time you’re on the shores edge and taking a look into the many tidal pools on the Llŷn it’s worth remembering that there’s more to these habitats than meets the eye. For many species they are extreme habitats and in order to survive they have had to adapt to the variety of challenging conditions they face on a daily occurrence.

JAKE: Things to remember: PHOTO: COMMON LIMPET (PATELLA VULGATA) IS ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC ROCKPOOL SPECIES BY: JD SCUBA

However, many species have adapted to tolerate the continually changing conditions. Certain species being more tolerable found higher up the shore where the conditions are more extreme to compare with lower shore where the pools are replenished much sooner. Some adaptations to the extreme conditions can be found in sea snails such as the rough periwinkle (Littorina saxatallis) that’s adapted by modifying a part of its gill used to breathe underwater to become a small lung.

The beadlet anemone (Actinia equine) a common species in rockpools, has adapted to the possible threat of drying

out by reducing its body size and withdrawing its tentacles to minimise water loss.

Where more mobile species such as crabs and fish will often follow the movement of the water to ensure they don’t remain in high pools for long periods.

When exploring rockpools head down to the lower pools as these will have the most life from small fish species such as common blennies (Lipophrys pholis) and common gobies (Pomatoschistus microps) to hermit crabs and the many sea snail species such as periwinkles. Life within and around the pools come in a range of shapes and sizes with every pool potentially being home to many exciting species. However, there are certain species that are almost always likely to be found that are: Beadlet anemones, edible periwinkles, limpets, common blennies, prawns and common shore crabs.

But, what make’s rock pools exciting is that every time you visit there’s always something new, especially towards the lower shore and the larger/deeper pools.

These can include octopus, most likely the curled octopus (Eledone cirrhosa), lobsters, pipefish (greater or worm) as well as the perfectly camouflaged long spined sea scorpion (Taurulus bubalis).

The majority of the species found within

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Prior to heading out to discover local rock pools, always check the weather conditions and tide times to make sure that it’s safe as shore conditions can quickly change. Appropriate footwear with plenty of grip is advised as the wet seaweed is slippery and the barnacle covered rocks can graze your skin. It’s best to head down to the shore as the tide is going out particularly on a low spring tide as it exposes parts of the shore that have some of the most exciting discoveries.

For equipment, all that is needed is a small net, a bucket and an ID guide. At the site it’s best to carefully approach the pools to take a closer look and observe the animals in the pools. If you do remove any animals, it’s best not to leave them too long in your bucket or out of water as it may harm them.

I’m sure we’ve all got our own rock pooling memories that are similar to mine, likely collected either as a child ourselves or more recently whilst spent in the company of children. But why not create a new memory this autumn time and enjoy a day, or afternoon, discovering the sea life that the Llŷn Peninsula has to offer - after all, it’s beautifully evident that a day spent rock pooling is simple yet wonderfully memorable (and bucket loads of fun!).

Whether young or old, rockpooling is a magical activity that can be enjoyed by all. With a net in hand, and nothing but exploring our local pools on the agenda you’re guaranteed to have a good day out splashing about and exploring the pools.; and likely learn something new whilst out and about too!

BR

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PHOTO: ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PLAS GLYN Y WEDDW SUMMER SHOW IS A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ABZ HEYWOOD

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ARTIST ABZ HEYWOOD IS PAINTING UP A STORM ON THE PENINSULA WORDS BY REBECCA HINDE PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUKE PILLING

THE REOPENING OF THE ORIEL PLAS GLYN-Y-WEDDW HAS BEEN SUCH A WELCOME RELIEF FOR ARTISTS AND VISITORS ALIKE. THE EXCEPTIONAL GALLERY SPACE IS AN ENCLAVE OF ESCAPISM, PERCHED ABOVE THE BEAUTIFUL AND OFTEN BUSY BAY AT LLANBEDROG. RETURNING THIS SUMMER IS THEIR MUCH-ANTICIPATED SUMMER SHOW, WHICH SEES THE GALLERY PACK THE WALLS WITH A DIVERSE ARRAY OF ARTISTS OF ALL DISCIPLINES. THERE IS A NEWCOMER ON THIS YEAR’S LIST OF EXHIBITORS, WHO IS FAST BECOMING ONE OF ABERSOCH’S DARLINGS. AT ONLY 23 YEARS OF AGE ABZ HEYWOOD’S ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PREDOMINANTLY WELSH ARTIST LED SHOW IS TESTAMENT TO THE QUALITY OF HER WORK. THE RELEVANCE TO OUR LOCAL AREA COMBINED WITH HER ALMOST EFFORTLESS MASTERY, MADE IT AN EASY DECISION FOR THE CURATORS. Abz is a landscape artist, specialising in atmospheric beach scenes with moody skies. I am going to be honest here, it takes a lot for me to engage with a landscape painting, I think that because I live in such dramatic setting, I often find them lacking the excitement or the true feeling of a place. I also find a lot of them to be quite generic, as in not having a notable style that’s instantly recognisable as the artist - however, Abz Heywood’s

landscapes are truly captivating.

On meeting this young, self-taught, very amiable and sweetsmiling girl, it really is quite extraordinary the confidence and ability that she displays on the canvas. She attacks them like a Turner and the results are mesmerising. The textures, palette, the loose and then aggressive strokes and mark making create precisely the feeling of being in those awe-inspiring atmospheric places, they fully ignite your senses, you can almost hear them.

The golden rule I always tell anyone about art is do not judge a single thing that you have not seen in the flesh. A digital image on a screen or a photo in a magazine is not a painting, and you have no way of truly knowing the merit of a work unless you have stood in front of it - I know this as I have been disappointed many times. This was not one of these times, and seeing Abz’s works radiating amongst other greats in the gallery was very satisfying. Even writing this I am still marvelling that she has only focused on making art a career the last four years, so how did she begin and how have landscapes become her inspiration?

“During A-levels I was a bit stuck with inspiration so my art teachers told me to go out on the weekend and paint a landscape. I didn’t need to take a lot with me just a sheet of paper and a few colours. Initially I was a bit hesitant

PHOTO: WISH YOU WELL - ACRYLIC AND MIXED MEDIA ON CANVAS

because what’s so special about painting a landscape? Or what if people passing by would see me? Then I got it. There was something about being in a big open space with just me and my sketchbook.

It felt free. It also helped boost my confidence because it allowed me to find my style. It’s all about interpretation and painting landscapes was the beginning for me.”

Abz is not afraid to mix media and experiment with technique. She works with acrylics (far faster at drying than oil, allowing an artist to work and layer rapidly), pastels, charcoal and graphite.

“Occasionally I stitch into the canvas using wire, rope and threads to enhance the texture depending on the piece of work.”

Her method involves experimenting in her crammed sketch books and referencing photos, recording things outside before returning to the studio.

“I take photos and create initial sketches en plein air as I like to get a feel for the place before creating a painting because it makes the process that bit more personal. | 47

ABZ HEYWOOD

PHOTO: SKETCHBOOKS FROM A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THE PROCESS

I mainly use my sketches to help loosen up my technique and to create a colour palette as opposed to concentrating on structure/form. I like all my energy to be poured straight into the painting itself as this really adds to the atmosphere of the piece. “ Her work feels very instinctive and natural, you can feel the movement of the process, like the rolling of a weather front coming down over the mountains. But how does the journey come to an end, how does she know that the painting is finished?

“This is the hardest question and one I get asked all the time! For me, it’s more a feeling I get when painting. You’ll think I’m crazy saying that but it’s hard to explain. If I’m happy with where it’s at and don’t think adding anything else will enhance the painting then that’s when I stop. It’s really difficult to learn when to stop, especially because I’m such a perfectionist but it’s also really important to not overwork a painting.”

WHAT ABOUT ABERSOCH INSPIRES YOU? “The scenery in and around Abersoch is stunning. It’s also where I created my first commission and without realising at the time, this was how my career started,

PHOTO: MASTER OF MARK MAKING SUBTLY BOLD

so it holds a special place in my heart. A lot of my work is inspired by the beach here in Abersoch. Every time I visit, I take lots of photos to use later on in my studio. My favourite photos are ones I took during hurricane Ophelia back in 2017. I love painting big skies with lots of atmosphere and this is the perfect place to capture this. Aside from the scenery, the people are lovely too and it’s really clear that family is the main focus and creating memories is what’s important. I stand by that. Everyone here is here for a good time, an escape and Abersoch is a happy place for so many people. I want people to look at my paintings and it be a reminder of that.”

WHO ARE YOUR CLIENTS? “My client base varies which I’m really grateful for. Everyone’s so loyal! What’s clear to me though is that my collectors are all people who appreciate that personal touch. Seeing my client base grow feels really special. As well as having support locally in Cheshire, I’ve also sent pieces worldwide now which is so cool.

I really value the support I’ve received in North Wales because this is where the majority of my inspiration comes from.

I also love to see that some of my clients now value art in a different light after viewing my work.”

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WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING AN ARTIST? WHAT IS THE BEST THING AND WHAT IS THE HARDEST? “To say “I’m an artist” is a complete dream. The best thing is that I’m spending every day doing what I love. The art world is very challenging so it’s a huge achievement for me to be doing this as my career and my younger self would be very proud. The hardest part is that being in the studio all day can be quite lonely and isolating and I’m my own biggest critic! Sometimes it’s important to take a step back and appreciate where you are right now. The reactions I get when my clients receive their commissions makes it all worthwhile and is a reminder that I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”

WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR NEXT REGARDING YOUR WORK? “I’d love to continue to grow my collection, in particular my seascapes.

The more paintings I do, the more my style and techniques develop and allows my work to become more recognisable.

Working on big canvases are a favourite of mine so I plan on creating more of these. I’d also like to take part in more exhibitions. It’s great that art is accessible to everyone and I hope that my work can inspire someone or even be an example that you can achieve anything

PHOTO: LEFT: “ENDLESS RAIN”, CENTRE: ABZ HEYWOOD ARTIST, RIGHT: “HEAVY HOURS”

and not to be afraid of breaking the boundaries a little. It’s quite touching when someone’s perspective on art changes after seeing my work in the studio or gallery and they can now appreciate not only the time that goes into creating, but also that art is down to interpretation. Group exhibitions are a great way of demonstrating this because despite all being under one roof, everyone’s work is so diverse.

A solo exhibition would be a huge goal of mine and one which would take me to the next step in my career.

As long as I’m painting every day, I’ll be happy!”

What an absolute joy it was to spend some time with Abz, her paintings, and her wonderfully proud father Mark, dutifully supporting her and helping her ferry her large canvases across the country. Keep a lookout as she may also be making a surprise TV appearance soon. In the meantime make sure you get down to the Oriel Plas Glyn Y-Weddw, if you are interested in buying any from the show I would advise extreme haste as I

guarantee they will have the tell-tale “sold” red dot. If you miss out, fear not, this artist has only just begun.

We will watch her progress with anticipation and admiration.

(To find out what else is on at the Oriel Plas Glyn Y-Weddw, take a look at Lowri’s Arts Column p.106108. Also make sure you grab the next winter edition of Abersoch Life, where we will be going behind the scenes at North Wales’ finest gallery)

| 49

ABERSOCH CALLING!

WORDS BY ELISSA THURSFIELD

WHERE HAVE ALL OUR STAFF GONE?

W

ith one of the busiest seasons to date, the frustrations from business owners down to our visitors regarding the sudden and dramatic lack of staff to run the village is impossible to miss. As if restrictions were not enough to overcome, now skeleton staffing levels are creaking under the strain of the demand and vacancy ads are everywhere. At a time when workers are usually fighting to capitalise on the wealth that pours into Abersoch during the holiday season, what on earth is causing this dramatic lack of employees? We caught up with RNLI HELMSMAN and HR Lawyer, Elissa Thursfield, to get a professional view on the situation and how it could possibly be overcome.

There has been a common theme on the lips of business owners and on social media pages over the last few months.

Elation at being able to open their businesses but the chronic worry about staff shortages.

I remember coming to the village with each season and being pushed out the door by my parents to look for a job. First port of call was always Mañana,the staff were always incredibly cool, all had the seasonaire attitude with bronzed skin and salty hair from days on the beach and boundless energy to take them through a busy shift before hitting some mysterious afterwork scene with the other locals.

There was a waiting list to work at

Manana. Next port of call would be the Vaynol, again super sought after and legendary tips!

So, what has happened in the village that used to be teaming with temporary workers, to the point where business owners would be turning people away?

The shortage being so dramatic it is even threatening the longevity of some venues in the village.

My report on the status on employment in the village can only be descried as a ‘perfect storm’ of factors that has made recruitment incredibly difficult.

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Housing & Local Policies

People are very quick to blame Brexit and house prices. The reality is that house prices have always been higher in the village than surrounding areas, yes, we have seen a phenomenal boom in prices over recent years, but in my view it simply isn’t solely to blame, a contributor certainly but not the sole factor.

Fundamentally the face of the village has changed, no longer is it solely a traditional seaside fishing village, rather an extremely popular village that sources significant income from tourism and filled with businesses that are brimming with potential. However, hand in hand with the increase in house prices we

STAFF SHORTAGES

are seeing significantly more wealth entering the village on a seasonal basis.

The increase in council tax for second homeowners means we are seeing less of the same faces (who would come for whole summers) and coming for a couple of weeks and then renting their homes out to meet the cost of the increase in tax and make the most of the property market.

The result, families with teenagers or University students who don’t want to work a season, preferring to enjoy the local playground with powerful boats and jet skis, and families that are not here for long enough for their young people to get a job.

Gone seem to be the days of families moving to the area for the entire summer holidays.

The difficulty faced by local families in a planning permission context should not be underestimated either. A common issue faced by locals is the absolute inability to gain permission to build on their own land, providing more housing stock straight into the hands of locals.

When permission to build is granted it is often under the cloud of a s106 restriction which causes immense issues with financing a build, there being a distinct lack of mortgage providers who are prepared to provide mortgages of s106 houses or new builds.

52 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

Brexit

Brexit may well have had an impact, any workers who didn’t apply for settled status in time, or who were not in the country before 31 December 2021 are less likely to be available now for work in the UK, however the chronic lack of rental property in the village means that even Brexit hadn’t happened, where do incoming workers stay?

Some businesses are lucky enough to have accommodation above their premises or available locally, but these are few and far between and certainly not enough to house a whole village of workers. This isn’t an issue exclusively for EU workers however, it is something that significantly affects locals, who struggle to find accommodation close to where they work.

Rental property in Pwllheli, Mynytho, Llanbedrog, Rhydyclafdy, Nefyn and all other surrounding areas is scarce as well, (due to the value of seasonal renting) meaning that some people working in the village will come from as far afield as Caernarfon and beyond to work here. Not only does this present travel costs, but also parking costs given the lack of free and available parking for people working in the village.

STAFF SHORTAGES

If your daily travel and parking costs were reaching £15-20, and you are working for not much more than minimum wage, you would question why you were driving so far to work.

Furlough

Let’s then add into the mix the COVID-19 Pandemic and the arrival of the furlough scheme. Hospitality was closed for such a significant period of 2020 and has faced rolling closures through 2021, with staff being paid to remain home on furlough, for the most part on 80% of their wages.

Staff who normally work seasonal jobs, arriving here in the summer months to work through until October are reluctant to leave a position where they are afforded furlough (if you terminate your employment, you lose you entitlement).

This has presented the difficulty whereby staff who would ordinarily have left a winter post to come and work for the summer have been reluctant to leave the furlough scheme, for risk that if the hospitality industry closes again, they will no longer be eligible for furlough and are unpaid.

Society Changes

If the challenges of housing, a pandemic and Brexit weren’t enough the sociological changes that are in progress can’t be underestimated. In a society where ‘influencers’ are becoming wealthier than investment bankers, image, perception and material items that can be tagged on social media are steadily becoming the markers of ‘success’.

The perception with some young people that wealth can be instant and without hard work is a dangerous one, thought the side effect being that working in a hot kitchen for 70 hours a week or ferrying drinks to tables doesn’t fit the ‘image’ that the Instagram world demands.

On the flip side, there is a sociological shift locally, there is a significant desire to be a homeowner, buy a reliable car, be able to take holidays with your children.

Seasonal work, with a lack of a permanent contract or guarantee of work makes that steady reliable existence extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Getting a mortgage without secure employment, or car finance is an exceptional task, and given the lack of year-round rental accommodation in the area getting on the property ladder is essential for local residents. At the time of writing there were 4 properties available for rent, all in Pwllheli and no larger than 2 bedrooms (a first floor flat with no parking above a shop is currently

advertised for £480 per month).

A 3-bedroom property in Llanbedrog is marketed for £850 per month. There was nothing in Abersoch, Mynytho or other surrounding areas.

A more positive change perhaps is the increase in the ‘side hustle’ as people take advantage of the power of the internet and remote working and who have been able to establish successful businesses working for themselves, there being a few such examples in Abersoch.

The seasonal aspect of the issue is the one problem that could potentially be solved; however, it requires a seismic shift in hospitality. There needs to be a move away from zero-hour contracts (or not giving contracts at all), and a shift away from the minimum hourly wage. The difficulty being the fear that expensive venues will drive away tourism.

Annualised hours contracts (a mechanism whereby an employee can be provided with a 12-month contract but works a set number of hours over the course of a year, rather than by the week) is a little used practice but could resolve several issues.

The employee is essentially paid a salary, whether they do lots of hours or none at all. However, these contracts require management to ensure that employees work at least the minimum the contract specifies and to ensure that when the

54 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

hours threshold is breached that additional hours are paid for.

The difficulty is that many businesses are operating without employment contracts in place, falsely believing this protects their business and means that their workers are instantly zero-hour workers, not employed or simply on a trial. The reality is it creates a melting pot of issues that could leave a vulnerable business open to significant liability.

Hospitality is hard, the hours are long, conditions difficult, dealing with the general public has its challenges and the pay can be poor. We live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK with an amazing microclimate, local culture and wildlife, which in the past has been sufficient to lure workers into the village with the promise of a great season.

With the changes to attitudes, I am not convinced that is going to be enough for future seasons. It isn’t just Abersoch, many areas are having the same problem with attracting staff to lower paid work, particularly in hospitality, it requires an industry change and a tough mindset to resolve.

REFLECTIONS ON THE STRANGEST OF ABERSOCH YEARS. WORDS BY KEVIN BELL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUKE PILLING PHOTO: FINDING A FORCE THAT WE CAN CONNECT TO AT PORTH NEIGWL

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I

’VE SPENT A LIFETIME BY THE WATER. ASIDE FROM TIME SPENT HERE FROM THE EARLY SIXTIES ONWARDS, AND A HOST OF ADVENTURES ACROSS THE LAKE DISTRICT, MY PREFERENCE WAS TO WANDER THE SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE WATERSIDES OF SMALL RIVERS AND TUMBLING STREAMS, OR THE BANKS OF SLEEPY, REEDFRINGED CARP POOLS SET DEEP IN THE WOODS, NOT LEAST AS DARKNESS CAST ITS SPELL. I’VE ALWAYS LOVED NIGHT FISHING, ESPECIALLY ON A WARM SUMMER’S NIGHT WHEN THE HEAT OF THE DAY IS REFLECTING BACK FROM THE EARTH, THE WILDLIFE RUSTLING THROUGH THE LONG GRASS BESIDE ME AS I LIE BACK TO LOOK AT THE STARS, WAITING AND WILLING A BIG CARP TO FALL FOR MY LATEST SECRET BAIT CONCOCTION.

PHOTO: THE WINDING PATHS ON THE CLIFFS AT PORTH NEIGWL

As I grew older my horizons widened as my ambitions changed. I may still have been lying back and looking at the stars but increasingly it was beside a vast inland sea on the continent or on one of the huge arterial rivers that traverse western Europe, driving trade along the surface as the big fish I sought swam in the dark, mysterious depths below. I’ve always enjoyed change. It’s good for you, keeps your brain fed and alive, challenges you in ways you maybe thought you couldn’t manage. Meeting and rising to those challenges strengthens your mental core, gives you the self-belief to keep pushing forwards in your life.

And so it was that, in my late thirties, I moved yet further on from those sleepy pools, rivers and lakes to make a return to the sea. What had been a childhood passion, regularly stoked with annual trips here with my little family, gradually became the renewed force that would take over me life. I was particularly spellbound by the immersive nature of surfing and how, when you did finally catch a wave, it felt like the purest connection to the elements you could find. Rip Curl talk about ‘The Search’ and in a small way I came to realise that the search my adventures had been taking me on had been leading me back here, to the sea. To be carried along by a wave, by the very force of nature. I’ve never been religious, but I do believe in the soul and for me my soul has always been bound with an elemental connection with the earth and water. Wordsworth was a Pantheist - a diversely interpreted concept that can include a belief in a life

force running through all elements of nature, including rivers, trees, mountains and the sea.

That there is no God as such, but a force contained within the universe itself that we can connect to, with which we can harmonise our lives. That became my goal – to connect myself fully to the sea, to harmonize my life with the ebb and flow of the tide, with the breaking of the waves, with the endless horizon.

The latter point is perhaps the most powerful influence. As a younger man

I loved those small horizons of a treelined pool, that intimate connection with nature that came by being immersed in a self-contained, secretive environment.

That same intimacy eventually came to make me restless, to force me to lift my eyes above the trees on the far bank and to search out the furthest horizon. Above all that is the pull of the sea – sitting on the cliffs at Porth Neigwl or waiting on my longboard for the next set of waves to arrive, my eyes are drawn like a magnet to the unfettered horizon rippling across the bay, over the Irish

| 57

BIG HORIZONS - SMALL BOUNDARIES

PHOTO: THE LAND WHIPPED BY THE ELEMENTS AND THE SEASONS

Sea and out into the Atlantic. As horizons go it’s about as endless as you can find on earth – a view capable of similarly endless change as it is whipped by the elements and by the seasons, the forces over which we have no power. If you love change, and your restless soul needs to imagine limitless possibility, then come live by the sea.

Which is what we did – and we love it! But change of another sort was just around the corner - who would have known that as 2020 rolled towards Spring, the world itself would undergo such a profound shock and our lives would be pushed into another big reset. Like most folk I suspect, I found the impact of lockdown a mixed bag. Generally, I coped OK, taking on a number of projects to keep me busy, learning some new skills, making some new mistakes, but I can’t pretend that I didn’t sometimes feel the pressure of the enforced quiet of the darker winter months. To be clear, I had no complaints about the lockdowns – the older you get the more you value your health - but it was important to manage their impact.

Which is how those big horizons, and the smaller horizons placed on our outlook

PHOTO: FINDING THE JOY BENEATH OUR FEET

PHOTO: A SAND DUNE FRAMED VISTA OF YNYS ENLLI (BARDSEY ISLAND)

by the ongoing restrictions, came to merge.

I think as lockdown went on and on, we all came to realise that the art of survival lay in making the most of the much smaller boundaries placed on our world.

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To find the joy beneath our feet rather that at the end of a stretch of tarmac on an airfield thousands of miles away. Clearly that, in some ways, is much easier when you live in an elemental paradise like the Llyn Peninsula than perhaps in the middle of a big city or the heart of a sprawling suburban housing estate.

But pressure is pressure wherever you live, the nature of the challenge may be different but it’s still a challenge and similar principles apply in rising to it. There are four routes down to the beach from our house – the difference in three of them is so modest that you could be forgiven for thinking that they are barely variations at all. But one of them brings you out on the cliffs, one angles across the meadow, gradually opening a sand-dune framed vista of Mynydd Rhiw and Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island), and the other takes you along the main track, the horizon hidden until you summit that little hill of sand and see the beach laid out before you.

The latter is particularly stimulating if you love the waves because, depending on wind direction, whatever noise they are making it can still be impossible to be sure of the size of the surf until you crest that little summit.

BIG HORIZONS - SMALL BOUNDARIES

Those differences became weirdly important to me during lockdown. I head over to the beach a few times most days and thinking about which route to take, and why, was curiously stimulating.

Sometimes the presence of the herd of cows dictated my path but generally I’d make a little plan then take my wander along my chosen trail, the smallest of boundaries governing the most modest of adventures, arriving by the sea and then free to take in the endless horizon that never has, and never will be, subject to any artificial restrictions. Getting to know each dip in the path through the changing seasons; the areas that flooded in heavy rain, the favourite hiding places of the rabbits that roam freely over the field, the furry caterpillars slowly crossing the path, the slow worms sliding under the stone, the birds of prey hovering above and the neighbours waving from the other paths. Friends living in the city found similar modest wanders to take and help maintain their mental health, some of them finding mini-wildernesses and patches of green where they least expected. Like me, they may still have liked the opportunity to explore those distant horizons, but they increasingly came to see the value in witnessing what lay before them, letting their mind rather than their feet explore the possibilities and to take pleasure in ‘all the small things’ that it turned out had always lain all around them.

For many, that same combination of restriction, reflection and appreciation has led to a growing understand of the importance of our natural world, the impact we are making on our earth and its climate. Younger folk in particular inspire me as they grow increasingly empowered in their demands that we change the way we live, respect our natural resources, stop pretending that the earth has infinite capacity for exploitation and instead respect what we still have and work to reclaim what we have already lost. If you don’t believe me just look down at the sands on Porth Neigwl – the mermaids have been crying for decades now and the beach is littered with their tears (tiny, multi-coloured balls of plastic), entering the food chain as the birds peck at them and fish inhale them.

That cannot continue.

Which is why I believe that, frustrations apart, this past eighteen months may, in some ways, have been good for us and good for this wonderful part of the world. We have all learnt to appreciate

PHOTO: LET YOUR MIND EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES

the preciousness of what lies immediately beneath our feet and realised that you don’t have to board an aeroplane to witness wonder. This peninsula is so stunning, so heart-lifting, so wild and beautiful that you could travel here for the rest of your life and find something new each day. Is there a more uplifting experience that watching dawn cast it’s red spell over Cardigan Bay from the best seat in the house that is Abersoch? It may be a crazily busy village in high summer that may not always be to everybody’s tastes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way – not only do you have those views and those beaches, but all of life is here.

Witnessing it, rolling with it, is hugely stimulating, surely all you need.

And if ever you do feel trapped, if you need to set your mind free, your imagination run riot, then take a stroll down one of my little paths to Porth Neigwl. You don’t have to be a Pantheist

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to feel your connection with the natural world growing with every step towards the sea. When you see that horizon, when you know you are looking as far as the naked eye can see, you cannot help but feel liberated, to feel the pressures of life lift from your shoulders and float away on the sea breeze. To know that, whatever the world throws at us in the years to come, you are ready.

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FASHION

ABERSOCH MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

CREATED BY BETHANY BIRCH

A FASHION FRENZY - THIS SEASON’S MUST HAVES WITH A Q&A SPECIAL

THIS SEASON SEES NO RULES WHEN IT COMES TO AUTUMNAL FASHION CHOICES. COMBINE YOUR NEUTRALS AND CORE COLOURS WITH STATEMENT PIECES AND QUIRKY ACCESSORIES; DRESS UP YOUR LOUNGE WEAR TO ELEVATE YOUR HOMEBOUND LOOK OR DRESS TO THE NINES READY TO HEAD TO ALL THOSE OVERDUE OUTINGS AND PARTIES THAT WE’VE MISSED OVER THE PAST YEAR! THIS ISSUE WE SPEAK WITH SAM FROM FIRST LIGHT AND GINA FROM LAVENDER HOUSE, FOR A Q&A SPECIAL TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT UPCOMING TRENDS AND AUTUMN FASHION STAPLES - FROM NEUTRALS AND CLASSIC AUTUMN COLOURS TO BRIGHT COLOURS AND BOLD PRINTS, WE’RE GIVEN THE LOW-DOWN ON THIS SEASONS STYLE SECRETS (HEADS UP: GET COMBINING, PAIRING AND EVEN CLASHING, IT’S TIME TO GO BOLD!). TRANSITION INTO AUTUMN EFFORTLESSLY THIS SEASON WITH OUR STORE’S BEST PICKS, LOCAL FINDS AND FASHION ADVICE!

LAVENDER HOUSE: STRIPY DUNGAREES £45

GINA - LAVENDER HOUSE Are there any upcoming trends that we should expect to see this autumn?

This season the fashion rule is, there are no rules! In these unprecedented times anything goes... As we venture out more party wear is strong.

Are there any particular patterns, prints, colours or textures that we can expect to see more of this autumn?

What I see coming through our suppliers is winter brights mixed with core colours, jewel tones such as electric magenta, fired brick, dark sprigs (olive) and saturated neutrals like golden harvest.

Do you have any autumnal fashion styling tips?

Throw caution to the wind. Re-imagine your existing wardrobe by adding new pieces to it. For example, select one OTT item and pair it with a low key item, be it in style or colour.

LAVENDER HOUSE: ORANGE KNIT JUMPER £49

62 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

LAVENDER HOUSE: METALLIC ITALIAN LEATHER BAG £65

FASHION

ABERSOCH MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

What is one item of clothing that everyone should have in their wardrobe each autumn?

This season the fashion rule is, there are no rules! In these unprecedented times anything goes... As we venture out more party wear is strong.

What are your personal favourite pieces from your autumn collection?

Our off-the-shoulder, mohair oversized sweaters - they look great paired with anything! They come in a range of colours from nude to neon.

sam - FIRST LIGHT WHAT DOES AUTUMN FASHION MEAN TO YOU? I love Autumn fashion, it is definitely my favourite season!!

I absolutely LOVE knitwear, so I’m always excited when the new autumn knits start arriving in stores. Autumn to me is a layering knit and swapping my flip flops for a pair of new trainers! The weather is so changeable here, so anything goes, layer your fave summer dress with a lighter knit and trainers for a great autumn look.

Are there any particular patterns, prints, colours or textures that we can expect to see more of this autumn?

This season is a real mixed bag!!

There’s a definite feeling after lockdown that some people want to dress up and have fun with fashion again, so we will be seeing lots of colour and some really quirky statement pieces coming through. However, there is also still a really strong selection of more relaxed styles coming through. Neutrals are still a really strong theme this season and the lockdown staple of joggers and sweat is being elevated, with lots of knitted co-ords coming through. We have some amazing sets of slouchy FIRST LIGHT: NEUTRAL LOUNGE SET

knitted pants and tops coming through. Perfect for home or work, depending on how you style them!

Do you have any autumnal fashion styling tips?

Find yourself some good layering pieces, that way you can ‘extend’ your summer wardrobe a bit longer and you’ll be ready for whatever our weather throws your way! Team your summer dress with a lightweight knit, or pop a tee under it and add boots or trainers, that way you can still show off your beach tanned legs for a bit longer!! Always a pair of chunky boots and a great statement knit ! Mix and match with everything else in your wardrobe. You could go for classic neutral colours that go with everything, or this season why not go for a colour pop and clash?

What is one item of clothing that everyone should have in their wardrobe each autumn?

A great mid length cardigan, you can chuck it over everything!

What are some fashion accessories that we should be incorporating or purchasing this autumn to elevate our look?

There are a few trends for this season! The trend for chunky chain jewellery continues and is an easy update. Also FIRST LIGHT: statement oversize tote bags PATTERNED KNIT VEST are the bag of choice this autumn. And for anyone wanting to channel their inner ‘Margot’ ... silk head scarves are making a comeback!

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FASHION

ABERSOCH MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021

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A/W_2021_Abersoch_Life.indd 1

21/07/2021 10:55

PHOTO: HEALTHY FRESH PRODUCE IN ABUNDANCE IN MYNYTHO BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

LLŷN FARM SHOPS

WORDS BY NATASHA ROBERTS

The Abersoch summer brings with it a vast array of pleasurable phenomena, from pleasing beach days to an incredible ambience of relaxation, family feels and plain old good times. So far, the summer of 2021 has bought all of this, and more! Well, now that we’re on the subject of ‘more’ - this summer, alongside all of the unbroken enjoyment that Abersoch brings - we will see an upsurge of farm shops within the local area and throughout Llŷn! I was thrilled to visit our two closest offerings and relished in what they had in store; the first being the Farm Gate in Mynytho, and the second being Abersoch Farm Shop in Sarn Bach (just on the outskirts of Abersoch); the latter even boasting a café!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with farm shops (me being one of them before my visits!); farm shops can be small on-site shops that offer fresh homegrown or locally sourced meat and produce, to massive out of town shops with no farm attached! In our case, the majority of the Llŷn Farm Shops are on-site and supply a huge range of locally sourced produce. It is nothing short of a breath of fresh air to see the local community pull together to provide its inhabitants and visitors with fresh produce, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, all helping build a more resilient and sustainable local food supply chain.

So where are these local farm shops? And what can you expect from them?

My first visit was to Mynytho’s very own ‘Siop Giât Fferm’ (Farm Gate Shop). The Farm Shop is located on the humble and welcoming farm of Coed y Fron. By following Lôn Garmon (Garmon Road)

from Abersoch Village (turning left up the hill next to Land and Sea), and continuing along the road towards Mynytho, you will be greeted by a long wood-panel shedlike shop, displaying a large ‘Farm Gate Shop’ sign. Its pleasant appearance and welcoming nature are highly magnified by its ever-more cheerful and warmhearted staff. I was given the opportunity

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to further discuss the Farm Gate’s success with Karen, who co-owns both the farm and the shop with her husband, Gordon, and manages to happily run both with her family.

How did the Farm Gate Begin?

“At the beginning of March last year,

PHOTO: LOCAL AND TRACEABLE MEAT IS NOW AVAILABLE BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

PHOTO: KAREN & GORDON PROVIDING A FANTASTIC SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

PHOTO: A STYLISH NEW BUILDING HAS prior to lockdown, we BROUGHT AN EVEN WIDER SELECTION OF noticed that there was HIGH QUALITY NECESSITIES BY: OUTWEST PHOTO quite a big demand locally for eggs, so I asked my husband, Gordon, to build a small box at the end of the farm near the road for people to buy some eggs via an honesty box. Gordon then started to bring home the neighbours (Nant Farm) potatoes, carrots etc and lockdown happened so people started to walk down from the village to mainly get eggs but which a lady in Rhiw grows for us; started to question if the logs are all from local fallen trees we could get other products and then it (including Hell’s Mouth!); the cheese just expanded from there, allowing us to and the milk is sourced from South promote Welsh farming and agriculture.”

Caernarfonshire Creameries, which again is all supporting local communities - the Local growing is now increasing as a bread is from Llanaelhaearn, and the result of the Farm Gate’s success, with meat that we’re stocking comes from the family hiring and sourcing from local Bryn at the butcher’s from Sarn, which is farmers from Pen Llŷn throughout Wales. sourced locally on Pen Llŷn - so we have Karen and Gordon’s history is within full traceability for our products.”

Fresh Produce Companies, which they still work closely with in order to source But, perhaps even more exciting is the the best quality products. But it’s not only promise of an upcoming milkshake fresh fruit and vegetables that they sell… machine! This fantastic apparatus is being sited at Farm Gate by one of the local “…We also sell locally grown flowers dairy farmers which promotes a more

sustainable lifestyle by way of reusable glass bottles! How extraordinary, what better way to treat the kids (and big kids!).

The Farm Gate operates on an honesty box policy, which has worked extremely well for the farm, particularly over the lockdowns. Karen and Gordon weighed up their options with regards to managing the shop, and decided that given the current climate the safety and happiness of their customers should be prioritised and by conducting all their business employing an honesty box, and everyone in the local area were more than happy to comply and very comfortable with being able to shop contently for their daily needs!

“It’s worked for our local community, it’s worked for us, and now with the increase of tourism it’s still working - so we don’t see the need to change it.”

Equal with the Farm Gate’s extremely amiable and accommodating nature,

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FARM SHOPS

PHOTO: BOTH SEASONAL AND MORE EXOTIC FUIT AND VEGETABLES AVAILABLE BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

they also offer free delivery for all LL53 postcode’s (which is extremely convenient to us all!), which is accentuated by their online shop which allows all customers to order in advance.

Additionally, the Farm Gate has teamed up with our very own Abersoch Hire, who PHOTO: ANIMAL FRIENDLY FARMS MAKE HAPPY NEIGHBOURS will deliver all orders BY: OUTWEST PHOTO to those who use their change-over business. Overall, the Farm Gate has gained (Abersoch Farm Shop). This simple, yet and maintained a regular flow of loyal charming building offers not only a farm customers, which are increasing daily. shop but a local café as well, together They are an extremely supported and with a license to sell alcohol - what more supportive business that have given so could you possibly want? much back to the community - what an absolute gem of a Farm Shop!

I pounced on the opportunity to learn Siop Ffarm Abersoch Moving back down Lôn Garmon, towards Abersoch, and heading through the village towards Lôn Sarn Bach (Sarn Bach Road), on your left you will approach an outrageously wonderful workshop and cow shed conversion, which is now known as ‘Siop Ffarm Abersoch’

more about the establishment from its owner, Sion (also known as Sion Bodlondeb to his friends and locals), who was more than accommodating and delighted to discuss the upcoming Farm Shop and Café.

Sut y daeth y syniad am y Siop Ffarm, Sion? (How did the idea for the Farm Shop come about, Sion?)

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“The initial idea was to put a hut in the field just in front of the farmhouse to sell local produce from Pen Llŷn, like fruit and vegetables, and to make a small car park for the ease of customers - that was it! Just plain and simple.

This is going back about 2 years.

So, a business advisor came up from South Wales to further discuss the idea. He had a look around and asked what was in the shed, just up from the house. I told him it was nothing really, just my workshop. Anyway, I went to show him around and he instantly said “That’s where you’re going to do it!”. So we followed his business advice and the cowshed/workshop is now Siop Ffarm Abersoch (Abersoch Farm Shop).”

And what an absolute beauty of a building it now is, with two floors and even a balcony overlooking Abersoch and across mid-Wales. Sion worked closely with his family members and the local team of builders and handymen to raise

FARM SHOPS PHOTO: SIOP FFARM ABERSOCH HAS BEEN HIGHLY ANTICIPATED AND WILL NOT DISAPPOINT

PHOTO: THE CAFE WILL BOAST EXCEPTIONAL VIEWS ACCROSS THE BAY BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

the building to all its glory, going above and beyond to support the local community. But that’s not all that Sion and his family have done to support the area…

Uchaf Eco-centre. The café will serve coffee, a range of cakes, and sandwiches and soups which are all made from the local community garden! All cakes, pastries and sourdough will be freshly baked on-site. Even more exciting, the evenings promise music events, traditional Welsh Noson Lawen performances, storytellings, cultural events and celebrations - to community pizza nights! If all that doesn’t convince you, then you should know that by supporting these local and sustainable products as well as creating valuable training opportunities for young people and volunteers at the Felin Uchaf Centre.

“Following the initial plan, we will be selling food locally to Pen Llŷn, but also through doing the research we found that there were so many different things that we could sell, like artwork! Anything that we cannot get local to Pen Llŷn will then be extended to source from Wales - but the bottom line is that everything will be local to the Welsh Community.”

And Sion really does mean that everything will be local to the Welsh Community as the entire staff will also be Welsh-speaking, which will be perfect for those within the local community and also those of us who want to practice our Welsh-speaking skills!

Going forward with their business development plan, Sion is hoping to sell his own produce from Bodlondeb Farm.

In the next couple of years, these will hopefully include their own-brand honey, jams and very own woollen products! I for one am very excited about this.

It’s not only Siop Ffarm Abersoch and the Farm Gate that are dominating the Llŷn with their incredible, fresh and wonderful produce - there have been a vast array of Farm Shops popping up all over the Llŷn including Felin Uchaf, Rhoshirwaun who are currently taking donation to create a Community Garden Cafe, Farm Shop and Workspace Hub by completing an Eco-building at their Menter Y Felin

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So, if you ever want to contribute towards supporting our local Welsh community, chip in to assist with reducing pollution (fewer air miles/travel due to all products being local can only mean good things for the environment!) and enjoy a wider range of organic produce alongside other Welsh products, then why not visit one (or all!) of these Farm Shops and show your support. I can guarantee that you will experience nothing but positive and happy vibes as you embrace all they have to offer.

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PHOTO: DAYS LIKE THESE, PERFECT CONDITIONS TO SET OUT FOR A SEA FISH

Scenic

SEA FISHING Catching all creatures great and small with Top Cat Marine Safari

WORDS BY REBECCA HINDE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY LUKE PILLING

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PHOTO: THE PERFECTLY PLACED FISHERMAN’S COTTAGE AT RHIW

PHOTO: LESSONS IN LIFE SAVING - HOW TO MAKE A MAY DAY CALL

F

ollowing on from our beginner’s guide to land fishing, this issue we are encouraging you to have a go at sea fishing, and who better to guide us on this journey than the exceptionally knowledgeable, passionate and all round excellent guide, Brett Garner - of Top Cat Marine Safaris. Self confessed nature junkie, there is not a lot of wildlife on the Peninsula that Brett doesn’t know about. Having lived here since he was seven, his love affair with our diverse habitats and the creatures that thrive within them began as a small boy chasing slow worms in the sun. Fast forward to today, when that boy moved from land to the sea, where Brett has now accumulated decades of knowledge of our shores and everything that lives within them.

When you first speak to Brett you will instantly notice is his friendly and

distinctive Midlands accent (not what you would expect from a Welsh fisherman) but don’t be fooled, you could not meet a man more connected to, and a product of, Pen Llŷn. Besides a brief return to Birmingham as a boy, he knew he could never feel settled living away from the sea. He found friends here in nature, he became a scholar of the fascinating natural world around him, the landscape was his classroom.

Brett’s tough early years created a gem of a man. His face speaks of hardships (no commercial fisherman’s face in the land wouldn’t) but, more so, it contains that sparkling joy of a child. There is an awesomeness of the magic of our glorious earth that contagiously radiates from inside him.

Not one for social media and marketing, Brett’s tours are rapidly gaining a word of mouth cult following from delighted families and avid fishing enthusiasts who have managed to get booked on.

(As anyone who has tried will know, it’s both availability and weather forecast dependent, and with only Brynn, the fantastic captain of Jenny II in Abersoch, running such boating trips, grabbing a spot on one is lucky).

Brett’s tours set off from the exquisitely

peaceful and undisturbed far end of Porth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth). A scenic 15 minute drive through narrow winding roads will open out to the splendour of the glistening water, as you drop down to the tranquil, lush, treelined enclave that is Rhiw. The tour begins with meeting the traditionally fisherman tanned, sea-salt haired, lean, smiling gentlemen that is Brett - leaning against his dusty, tackle laden truck, in the carpark opposite the nicest place to have a cup of tea imaginable (the National Trust’s - Plas yn Rhiw).

A quick all aboard and a short bumpy ride winds you through a chorus of grasshoppers and down to the painfully picturesque launch spot. Here, a beautiful old, almost abandoned looking fisherman’s cottage sits above a satisfyingly, sea-smoothed carpet of rocks that create a path into the pristine water.

Brett hops out and about while everyone takes in the scenery, the quietness is overwhelming - having come from the noisy and crowed Abersoch village. The expanse on the beach at Porth Neigwl makes the view out to sea appear neverending and it’s even more remarkable that no other boats are visible as far as the eye can see. It really feels as though you have gone back in time, to an era before | 73

TOP CAT SAFARI’S

PHOTO: THE EXCITEMENT OF THE PULL ON THE LINE

PHOTO: BRETT’S ENTHUSIASM RADIATES, HIS EXPERIENCE TELLS HIM TODAY WILL BE A BOUNTIFUL ONE!

the Llŷn Peninsula became a thronging tourist destination.

PHOTO: ONE FOR DINNER! - THE SATISFACTION OF GETTING INTO THE BOAT!

Before you can blink, the sound of a tractor engine disturbs the silence and Brett is backing the star of the show, Top Cat, his golden boat into the sea.

Top Cat is a 6.9m Cheetah Catamaran, originally designed in 1989 by commercial fisherman Sean Strevens who fished for lobster and crab from a surf beach in the Isle Of Wight, making him remarkably similar to Brett. The Cheetah has two hulls, designed to handle rough seas and to be able to beach in the surf, with a self draining deck to sit level when surfed onto the land. Low fuel economy, high stability, comfortable, these boats have been designed for fishing and conducting safe safaris and tours.

Everyone is soon aboard and the trip is underway. Brett is instantly engaging and begins going through all the safety features on the boat, from the lifejackets down to how to operate the radio to call for help, should anything happen to him. My daughter Laurel loves being given this sense of responsibility and it becomes clear that we are going to receive far more than a simple fishing trip but will also glean a real insight and education - everyone is excited.

Participation is encouraged at every point

by Brett, so turns are taken to drive the boat west towards Aberdaron, just a short distance, before it’s time to drop the lines.

The weights rapidly pull the lines down through the water as Top Cat bobs away contently. Brett has an almost knowing grin on his face as a quiet sense of anticipation falls over us. Then, in

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what feels like no time at all, things start happening! That exhilaration of feeling the fishing line pull tight never diminishes, and for children it is pure pleasure. Brett’s enthusiastic but calm and professional demeanour gives kids and anyone less confident a great sense of security, and soon mackerel are flying into the boat. They are seamlessly removed from the hooks and thrown into the ice buckets for barbecuing later. It is apparent from the first catch that Brett cares for animals deeply. He handles the fish firmly but with care, catching them effortlessly as they flip about on the lines being swung towards him. He is also expert at removing hooks from the startled mouths, you can tell he is sensitive to the emotions of both the fish and those less sea-hardened aboard. He is a keen environmentalist, throwing the Pollock back stating “If we kept every fish we caught, there would be none left!”. He talks of quotas and it is clear that he believes very strongly about the need to fully respect these, even down to a single Pollock.

“There are plenty of fish in the sea for man but there will never be enough for man’s greed” he declares.

As the fish come thick and fast, Brett stands upright and turns to the other side

TOP CAT SAFARI’S

PHOTO: WHEN THERE ARE FISH, THE DOLPHINS ARE NEVER FAR BEHIND

of the boat and begins pointing at the waves. Unbelievably two dolphins rise from the water, Brett is not the only one with a keen sense for mackerel.

We watch them enthralled until they return to the deep, and then Brett reels in the lines - there will be no more fish in the area for a while once those wonderful creatures have cruised by.

Top Cat bounces back into action and we head off towards Ynys Gwylan-fawr (Sea Gull Islands) the tiny islands off Aberdaron beach.

Only an hour at sea and Laurel already considers herself a professional fisherman, having landed several mackerel. She chatters away about which is the biggest as she proudly surveys the catch. She soon distracted by the sight of the islands and more excitement ensues at the first glance of a puffin, an Atlantic puffin to be precise. Who does not love puffins?

The clown like painted faces feel pretty exotic in the baking sun. In fact the whole journey feels as though we have been transported abroad, with the tour really living up to its “safari” name. We see cormorants, guillemots, razorbills and more, with Brett an expert on their breeding, feeding and migratory patterns.

As we bob along one member of the crew is slightly grimacing under their

PHOTO: THE LOW CLIFFS ON THE PENINSULA ARE THE PERFECT NESTING GROUND FOR CORMORANTS

PHOTO: PUFFINS GALORE JUST OFF ABERDARON BEACH

smile and their face has turned an interesting pale green. With such a successful beginning this feels as though it could ruin everything! For anyone who hasn’t experienced sea-sickness, it is like sickness of any kind - awful. But a seasoned tour operator like Brett leaps into action, pulling a red Tupperware box from the cabin, he opens it to reveal a

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mountain of sugar dusted, homemade shortbread. Eyes widen and within minutes green has turned to rosey pink and our journey continues.

Fishing at sea does not entail just fish.

In fact for Brett, fishing predominately means catching lobster. His hobby of crab line fishing as a young child grew into a thriving business. Nurtured by the then Harbour Master of Aberdaron, Stan Harrison, Brett took the leap to go self employed and bought his first boat that he fondly refers to as “The Knee Trembler”. He had a modest 23 pots he used to fish with, until one day, 300 yards from the shore, his foot went straight through the floor of the boat. He realised he had to take better service of his trade and went from a 16ft, up to a 19ft Orkney fishing boat before graduating to become the skipper of his fantastic Top Cat. Brett smiles fondly remembering his journey to today, but as we eagerly ask about how many lobsters he might catch, his shoulders shrug and an uncharacteristic sadness flickers across his face. In a beat he throws his head up and smiles, “Well we’ll definitely catch a lot of spider crabs!”.

Laurel squeaked in giddy anticipation, she had seen many large groups of spider crabs off the Quarry beach while on her

TOP CAT SAFARI’S PHOTO: AN EDUCATION IS GLEANED FROM EVERY CREATURE BROUGHT ONTO THE BOAT

PHOTO: BOTH THE BOAT AND BRET HAVE SOME HEAVY LIFTING TO GET THE LOBSTER POTS ON BOARD

paddle board - but no one had been brave enough to swim down and grab one. The thought of getting up close to one of these large crustaceans was thrilling, but Brett’s excitement was less palpable. As we headed out to find the tell tale buoys of the pots, each fisherman having their own colour, Brett spoke of the overfishing on the Llŷn. He spoke of the lack of regulation of pots meaning too many were now being used and how the large influx of Spider Crabs was a knock on effect of fewer lobster to eat them. In fact, the dire state of the fishing industry was why he had to branch out into doing guided tours - fortunately he is excellent at them!

The obvious hardships and bleak looking future was clear for a moment across his face, but he soon caught himself and turned his attention back to the younger crew member, pointing to the white buoys. Brett smiled and slowly manoeuvred the boat alongside. A heave and a crank and soon a dripping, seaweed encrusted chain was winding back into the boat, Top Cat leaning slightly under the strain.

The weightiness of whatever was coming added to the expectations and when the pot arose, glistening in the sun, it did not disappoint! It was bulging with claws, and making creepy clicking noises. Brett

to Laurel, who had discovered a surprising bravery - entirely thanks to Brett.

PHOTO: ENCOURAGING COURAGE. WHAT ON EARTH IS SCARY ABOUT A MASSIVE SPIDER LIKE CRAB?!

opened the back and confidently thrust his arm inside, raising his eyebrows cheerfully at us. Everyone took a step back as he whisked out a huge looking Spider Crab, all legs and pincers, it was like a terrifying magic act! Brett remained completely unflustered and his calm poise reassured us and before I knew it he was handing the daunting creature

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We toured about collecting more pots and more surprises; colourful lobster and big brown crabs were hauled aboard and were kept or released depending on size, regulation (did they have eggs etc) and need. PreCovid, Brett was a regular on the schools circuit, delighting kids with crabs and kernels of knowledge, and that gift of engagement to educate is what sets his tours apart. Every step he takes is explained, we are included, and it makes everything so interesting, learning from someone so knowledgeable and refreshingly passionate. Before we know it, nearly three hours have flown past in a whirlwind of marine wildlife. But there was still one trick up his sleeve as we gathered ourselves to head back to land.

Thick cables appeared, buttons were pressed, and something disappeared with a splash overboard. We were beckoned to a screen in the cabin. A blur flicked into a clear image of brightly swaying seaweed, as Brett proudly shows off his latest bit of kit - a camera that drops to send live footage from the sandy bottom.

A keen diver, Brett enjoys exploring the

Charismatic Cat

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TOP CAT SAFARI’S

PHOTO: LEARNING ABOUT LOBSTERS - REGULATIONS AND ETHICS

PHOTO: BRETT’S AMAZING UNDERWATER CAMERA THAT ALLOWS EXPLORATION OF THE SEA BED

PHOTO: SEA SICKNESS IS NO MATCH FOR MRS GARNER’S LIFE SAVING SHORTBREAD

darker depths and now he can share an underwater aspect with his eager crew.

The water was exceptionally clear and the images enthralling.

Just time for one last drop of the fishing lines for a few more mackerel before we made our final journey back round the sloping green Peninsula. The sun was still high in the sky and my skin was tight from the salt, sun and smiling. As we pulled up to the smooth undisturbed rocks that lay patiently awaiting our return, and Brett leapt out to retrieve the tractor to heave us ashore - a stillness fell over us as we

PHOTO: PROUDLY PACKING THE CATCH ON ICE

PHOTO: BACK ON SHORE WITH A REMARKABLE HAUL. LIGHT THE BBQ!

contemplated just how remarkable the last few hours had been. The trip had been an exhaustion of all of the senses, our minds and hearts bursting from every miraculous creature we had encountered. I have been sea fishing many times before but never experienced a day so rich with such an array of sea life. That day will remain so special to me, as I witnessed the spark of that passion for the sea ignite in my daughter’s eyes. It was a day that memories are made of, a really rewarding adventure.

Top Cat Marine Safari’s is an absolute must tour for anyone with any desire to fish or just to explore the coast from a fisherman’s perspective.

Contact Brett at Top Cat Marine Safari on 07772 346982 for pricing, availability and tour options.

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PHOTO: DR LOTTER’S REASSURING SMILE RELAXES EVEN THE MOST NERVOUS OF VISTORS BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

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WORDS BY NATASHA ROBERTS

From Winburg, South Africa to Abersoch, Pen Llŷn - Meet our local Dentist, Christoff Lotter.

PHOTO: THE TEAM. SOPHIE DALE, GEORGIE BATTY, CHRISTOFF LOTTER, GWENAN BAINES AND LOUISE ROBERTS BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

I have had the pleasure of meeting Christoff many a time, being both local to the beautiful village of Abersoch, and I have always been awestruck by his extremely amiable manner, both as an individual and a professional.

Christoff, also known as Dr Lotter to many, always upholds his DISTINCTLY polite manner, engages in thoughtful conversation with all around him and demonstrates an obvious love and passion towards his work, all of which is complemented by his alluring and justly fascinating background; from Winburg, SA to Abersoch, Pen Llŷn - Dr Lotter is nothing short

of a highly interesting individual.

Just off the main street of Abersoch lies the small yet delightfully enchanting dentist practice of Christoff Lotter. At first glance, the practice could be mistaken for a humble and beautiful home (especially with its well-kept lawn!) - and I would forgive you for thinking such things as stepping foot in the practice fills you with nothing but homelike feelings of comfort, relaxation and snugness. The warm, welcoming smiles and attentiveness of the local staff radiate familial feels, and the unique setting leaves you with an overwhelming sense of care and contentment.

Not even the restrictions and drawbacks of the effects of Covid-19 can detain the pleasantness of the practice. I was greeted by the charming and cheerful Dr Lotter at the entrance doors and guided into

the comfortable waiting area to further discuss Christoff’s background, practice and life in Abersoch. It is absolutely no wonder that Abersoch Dental Surgery has grown to such a high level of success boasting a constant flow of repeat and new customers, as it is being driven by a man who possesses such high aspirations for dentistry.

“For as long as I can remember, I had always wanted to study medicine or dentistry” - said Dr Christoff Lotter, casually allowing his love and passion for his work to pour through his words. “I was about 17 when I started to look at dentistry, we used to go to the dentist for 6-monthly checkups. The dentist who saw us was extremely nice and was a great influence on me. From this, I applied for dentistry at 3 universities and medicine at two. I was accepted for all courses, but chose dentistry at Stellenbosch University as I enjoy working with my hands much more.”

Stellenbosch University is very close to Cape Town, being a mere 50km away. This modest distance served as a handsome cornerstone of Christoff’s youth as he was able to travel to and from the capital city, which served in shaping his progression from adolescent to wellestablished and wholly rounded man. But this bodes the question - why move from such an amusing, busy and attractive place to a tiny, yet stunning, corner of Wales?

“After spending five and a half years in University, I graduated and went straight into practising as a dentist in South Africa. I was 24 years old - far too young to be settling, so I decided to call up some friends who had moved to Kent, England and were practising as dentists there. I decided to move, and join my friends.

The plan was to travel, work and see the world. We were all sharing a home, all with the same jobs and all within the same age bracket - this is how I met my wife, Jane. Once things started to get a bit more serious, we decided we wanted to move and travel a bit more so we asked

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PHOTO: PROFESSIONAL PAIN FREE DENTISTRY BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

the health boards which areas of the country needed dentists. They specified around Anglesey and North Wales - so we drove up one day and came through Abersoch and fell completely in love with the place, and decided to move.”

That was in 1997 when Christoff bought his present-day practice in Abersoch.

Fast-forward 24 years later and the fantastically talented and hard-working couple now have two practices; one in Abersoch and the other in Pwllheli. They also share 4 sons; Jannie, Michael, Christe and Collum Dewi. Being huge believers in traditions and culture, Christoff and Jane both decided to follow the South African tradition of naming their first son after the father’s father; the second son after the mother’s father, the third son gets named after the father of the child; and as there was no established tradition for naming the fourth son the couple decided to choose both an Irish and Welsh name - Collum Dewi - beginning their very own tradition!

As have the lucky ones of us, the boys have thoroughly enjoyed a fabulous Abersoch upbringing and lifestyle of watersports, socialising and relishing all the Llŷn has to offer youths - from sandy beaches to earning some extra money working within the local shops.

The proficient boys have also followed

PHOTO: NOW THAT’S SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT! BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

in their father’s footprints having been involved with the brilliant and acclaimed Pwllheli Rugby Club, where Dr Lotter still volunteers as coach to the youths from time to time.

Being such a family man, Christoff is a firm devotee to upholding familial customs, particularly in regards to his heritage. Being raised in South Africa, Christoff is accustomed to family gatherings, which he instils and imparts by way of family BBQ’s - but Christoff doesn’t only invite blood relatives, he holds BBQ’s for his dentistry family as well! Welcoming all his staff to his wonderful home, where he has an incredible in-built hut for just such occasions.

“All of that BBQ’ing and socialising calls for a strong need to take care of one’s teeth, Christoff! Tell us what your top tips for the people of Abersoch (and others!) to manage to maintain their pearly whites?”

1. “I would say that it is surprising

how many people do not brush their teeth for 2 minutes, twice a day. It is very important and should never be underestimated when it comes to caring for your teeth!”

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2. “Flossing. I would firstly advise

people to use interdental brushes when flossing their teeth to disturb any matter that is lurking between their teeth. If your teeth are too close together, or you find this uncomfortable, then you should use floss for the same purposes.”

3. “Diet. It is okay to have some

comforts within your diet - but you must be aware of what you are putting in your body, particularly in between meals.

Sweets, chocolate, and sugary drinks can often cause problems (especially if you do not brush twice a day!); so, it’s important to be attentive to this to take care of your teeth properly.”

In addition to this marvelous advice, Dr Lotter offers extremely reasonable private dental care packages starting from £12 a month with further services such as teeth whitening and beauty enhancements. All of which can be found on the Abersoch Dentist Instagram of @abersochdentist and through phoning up the friendly team for a quick chat!

So, if you fancy improving your dental health whilst also being acquainted with a very interesting man, why not give Abersoch Dentist’s a call? I can assure you now, you’ll be glad that you did!

or

SURVIVE THRIVE FOLLOW THE INSPIRATIONAL JOURNEY OF LOCAL-BASED LLYWELYN WILLIAMS FROM LIFE-CHANGING INJURY TO SURFING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WORDS BY BETHANY BIRCH

PHOTO: FULL OF PASSION AND POWER, JUST LIKE THE BACKDROP OF THE AMBER SKY. BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

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PHOTO: “AS SOON AS I CAME UP FROM UNDERNEATH THE WATER I FELT THAT I WAS BORN AGAIN, AND SURFING WAS GOING TO BE MY LIFE.” BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

I

NSPIRATIONAL, RESILIENT AND FIERCELY OPTIMISTIC ARE JUST THREE WORDS THAT COME TO MIND WHEN THINKING OF LOCAL ADAPTIVE SURFER, LLYWELYN WILLIAMS. HE’S THE EPITOME OF AN INSPIRATIONAL FIGURE, WITH AN UNWAVERING SENSE OF DETERMINATION, RESOLVE AND COURAGE THAT HE CARRIES WITH HIM THROUGHOUT LIFE; IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO BE MOVED BY LLYWELYN, HIS COMMENDABLE MINDSET AND HIS HEROIC STORY. IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO WATCH THE SURFERS RIDE THE WAVES AT PORTH CEIRIAD THEN YOU’LL HAVE LIKELY WITNESSED THE TALENTS OF LLYWELYN IN AMONGST THE WAVES. SPECTATING THE SURFERS FROM THE SAND IS ALWAYS ENJOYABLE, BUT WATCHING LLYWELYN IS SIMPLY EXTRAORDINARY. SURFING IN THE DROP KNEE POSITION WITH ONLY ONE KNEE, LLYWELYN IS A MASTER OF THE WAVES AND ESPECIALLY IMPRESSIVE TO SPECTATE.

PHOTO: LLYWELYN SPORTING HIS OWN CLOTHING BRAND ‘HOPALONG CLOTHING’ - “HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE ABLE TO SPONSOR ATHLETES AND DISABLED PEOPLE [WITH HOPALONG CLOTHING] TO GET TO THEIR EVENTS TO COMPETE AND REACH THEIR GOALS.” BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

The horrific accident left Llywelyn fighting for his life, he was rushed to hospital where he was put in an induced coma and lost his right leg through amputation as well as suffering many other injuries.

Despite all of the hardships and challenges Llywelyn has been through and graciously overcome; he remains admirably optimistic.

Waking up from his coma, Llywelyn’s hospital room was decorated by friends and family with imagery of waves, surfers and the ocean. He may have lost his leg, but he certainly hadn’t lost his spirit.

After weeks spent in intensive care followed by intense physiotherapy sessions, his body may have been in the hospital room but his mind was on the waves. He had one burning question in mind: ‘when can I get back in the water?’.

Llywelyn’s life was forever changed when hit by a car ten years ago, at the age of 16 when skateboarding home from the Warren to Abersoch in September 2011.

Living in Bwlchtocyn, Llywelyn has spent countless hours and days at both Porth Ceiriad and Abersoch Beach. Regularly offering the perfect surfing conditions for advanced surfers, Porth Ceiriad makes top place for Llywelyn as his favourite beach.

Llywelyn’s deep-rooted love for surfing began years ago during his first surf lesson, saying that “I fell in love with

| 87

LLYWELYN WILLIAMS

PHOTO: “AFTER TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD I STILL HAVEN’T BEEN ANYWHERE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE LLŶN.” BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

surfing at the age of 12 during my first lesson through the youth club”, and his passion has only flourished from there.

In fact, the South-East facing beach often described as a pot of Welsh gold - holds a firm grip on Llywelyn’s heart for several reasons. One of which being that this was the first beach visited after the accident. “I kept asking the doctor ‘can I go back in [the sea]’ but he wanted my bed sore on the back of my head to heal I still have a scar on the back of my head from the sore, which is just a bit bigger than a £2 coin”. Once approved by his Doctor, Llywelyn called his friends and headed straight to Porth Ceiriad beach.

His friends carried him onto the beach and helped him into the water with one friend at each side; along with his body board and swimming hat (to protect his bed sore) he was chucked in the water and says that “as soon as I came up from underneath the water I felt that I was born again, and surfing was going to be my life”, and that’s certainly what happened.

His fateful accident back in 2011 may have been life-changing but there’s no denying that his time spent in the water riding the waves has changed his life too, this time for the better, saying that “when I got back into the water all I wanted to do was surf”, and that’s what he’s done ever since. “When I’m in the waves it’s calm

clears my mind” he says, commending time spent in the water and on his board for providing him with a sense of freedom and tranquility.

When it’s just him and the waves, or out with his surfing buddies nothing else matters; being immersed within the water, focused on the ocean’s rhythms and movements, while looking out towards the beach and fauna and flora that surround the waves is undoubtedly good for both our bodies and minds.

Llywelyn adds that “it also gives my joints time to rest as I’m always weight bearing when on land and my shoulders, ankle and wrists hurt, especially during the winter when it’s cold.”. The contact with the sea water and feeling of being weightless offers him some respite from his physical aches and pains that he experiences when on land; as well as gifting him mental purity and peace.

Already competing in many different surfing competitions around the world, Llywelyn has surfed the water’s in Hawaii, Indonesia, Australia, France, Spain, California and all throughout the UK. His first competition saw him competing at the semi finals at the ISA (International Surfing Association) World Adaptive Championships in 2016 which was just the beginning of his surfing career.

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Since competing in 2016 Llywelyn has gone on to compete in many other competitions across the world. Finishing first in 2018 at the English Adaptive Championships was an especially proud moment for Llywelyn. He has since gone on to defend his English title for 4 years which continues to be one of his proudest achievements; alongside becoming the first ever Bali adaptive champion and placing 4th in the world at the ISA World Adaptive Championships.

Another particularly proud accomplishment for Llywelyn was “arranging and organising the first ever Welsh Adaptive Surfing Championships, that was also the first ever adaptive championships that was held at a wave pool (Surfsnowdonia)! I’ll be arranging the second one next year (2022). Aspiring to do more for the adaptive surfing community, especially the younger generation, is something that is on Llywelyn’s agenda.

Recently returning from the English Adaptive Championships on the 8th July Llywelyn shares the news that he won first position and as a result has continued to defend his title for the fourth year running! With ambitions as big as the waves he’s surfed, Llywelyn’s next ambitions consist of competing in the paralympics as an adaptive

PHOTO: SURFING’S ALL ABOUT WHERE THE MIND’S AT, IT’S A WHOLE NEW WORLD OUT IN THE WAVES. BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

surfer; to become the world champion in the kneeling division; to have a surf competition in Wales each year and to help to build the adaptive surfing world, while encouraging more people to get involved, especially the younger generation.

With hopes of being able to help other athletes and disabled people, Llywelyn has also founded the fitness clothing brand ‘Hopalong Clothing’ to assist with pursuing this dream. “I’m starting a clothing brand - Hopalong Clothing - that hopefully in the future I will be able to sponsor athletes and disabled people to get to their events to compete and reach their goals”, explains Llywelyn. He has big ambitions for Hopalong, and aims to create a brand with a vision of doing good, helping others and simply enabling people to feel good whilst wearing their fitness clothing. “Hopalong is not just a clothing brand” says Llywelyn, emphasising the importance for them to do good with their brand, aiming to “shake up the fashion industry and reinvest in keeping the Earth a clean and safe place”. Living life with the loss of a leg inevitably comes with it’s own challenges, from pains that Llywelyn experiences from weight bearing to generally getting around and performing daily tasks; however, this is

something that Llywelyn has come to live with, without complaints and has fully embraced He soon came to accept the loss of his leg after his right leg was amputated due to the accident, however he was not willing to accept a life less full than he had always envisioned.

learning and an unquestionable zest and enthusiasm for life, always striving for more seems to be a non-negotiable for Llywelyn. This relentless desire combined with his fierce mindset are perhaps the driving forces behind his extraordinary accomplishments.

Working as a Groundworks Drive Excavator for his family business D.W Williams & Sons, Llywelyn’s weeks generally consist of working and surfing. “Day-to-day I wake up, check the surf forecast, go to work 8 hours a day all week, wait for the next competition and get in the water as much as I can”, says Llywelyn.

From adjusting your technique and position to getting wetsuits custom made, surfing for Llywelyn also has presented its own unique challenge. He explains how he surfs in what is known in the surfing world as the ‘drop knee surfing technique’, stating that “as I only have one knee I surf on that and hold the rail on the board, what side depends on which way I go on the wave”.

Llywelyn goes on to explain how “there are many different surfing styles for adaptive surfers with many different disabilities… My challenges are to try new maneuvers on the waves, and to try surfing different ways and learn more.”. With an insatiable appetite for

As such an inspirational character, Llywelyn says that he’s always been gifted with a positive mindset. He accredits his admirable attitude to his mindset and wonderful support network that surrounds him, saying that “I’ve always had a positive mindset, I have an amazing family and a group of friends that helped me to recover after hospital and pushed me to work hard”.

Llywelyn is keen to recognise the importance of the adaptive surfing community, and it’s close-knit community feel. “The surfing community is huge anyway but when adaptive crew from all over the world come together

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LLYWELYN WILLIAMS PHOTO: SIGHTS ARE ALWAYS SET ON THE SEA FOR LLYWELYN; ASSESSING THE SURF AND TAKING IN THE SCENERY. BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

PHOTO: LLYWELYN AND PARTNER, SARAH GIBBONS, IN THEIR HAPPY PLACE THAT THEY’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO CALL HOME. BY: OUTWEST IMAGES

it’s like one big family” adding that ““where we can all talk and relate to each other injuries that able bodied people wouldn’t quite understand”.

- after all, I can’t be the only one feeling inspired by Llywelyn’s story!

If getting in amongst the waves isn’t your thing and the waves aren’t calling you, then let Llywelyn’s story act as a metaphor for life - if you put your mind to something and refuse to be beaten by your challenges or obstacles then you can achieve anything you want to.

Llywelyn’s story is a true reflection of his inspirational character and ‘love for life’ attitude and someone that I think we can all learn a little something from. Llywelyn is a true embodiment of the quote “you can’t control the waves, but you can learn to surf”, be it both literally and metaphorically!

He also gives praise to the community of Abersoch who helped him whilst out and about in his wheelchair, and gratefully acknowledges Phil Wood at Abersoch Watersports “where I worked previously to the accident that gave me a job back in the shop in my wheelchair, he also helped with getting wetsuits adapted for me and board.”.

On top of the heart-warming local community spirit, Llywelyn is keen to recognise the unparalleled beauty that the Llŷn is home to. Despite travelling the world and surfing plenty of international waves he says, “what is there not to love, its home and after traveling around the world I still haven’t been anywhere as beautiful as the Llŷn” - what better testimony to the beauty of the Llŷn Peninsula is there than that!?

For many surfing is an entire lifestyle - it’s a way of life - an addiction, a community, a social activity, a spiritual connection, a path of self-discovery, a moment of solace and re-connection, a form of

mindfulness, a hobby and a sport. It’s just you, your board and the waves, but it’s also so much more than that.

Upon asking Llywelyn what his advice would be for anyone considering giving surfing a go, his answer was to simply ‘do it!’. So, why not get in the water and give it a go - safely and responsibly, of course

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His dreams may be big, but I have no hesitations in believing that they will be met and more. As he has done for ten plus years now, Llywelyn will only continue pushing his own boundaries and as a result, inspiring others to do the same.

Llywlelyn has not only survived the rough waters but thrived in them. He’s rode the waves of life, he’s dove right in and upon surfacing he’s sought out more - always with his eyes on the horizon but not one to miss the present moment. Now that’s what you call living!

Photography

Showcase

Compass Jellyfish by Outwest Images Known also as Chrysaora Hysoscella, we get the pleasure of seeing these fascinating creatures in Abersoch Bay. Keep clear though as they can give a nasty sting!

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ROB DAVID INTERIOR DESIGN

SPECIALIST IN RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES Tel 01758 740 125 Mob 07775 806 035 robdavidinteriordesign.com

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Photography

Showcase

Sailing in Cardigan Bay by Outwest Images There has never been so many boats in the bay as we've seen this summer. Staycations have impacted people in many ways but seeing more of these majestic vessels on the water is appreciated by all.

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Photography

Showcase

Shoreline Beauty at Porth Ceiriad

by Totally Abersoch A picture book beach just around the corner from Abersoch. No matter how big the surf, it's a favourite hangout for many.

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Photography

Showcase Surfer at Porth Ceiriad by Outwest Images A classic Autumn surfing shot of Phill Wood (Abersoch Watersports). Expect plenty of activity on the water here during this great season.

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SOCIAL #abersochlife

@wiggy77

SOCH SOCIAL will showcase your photos and the stories behind them as a new feature in each edition of the magazine.

Tag your photos with the hashtag #AbersochLife for a chance to be featured.

Your photo and social media handle will be included in the publication, as well as an opportunity to win a year’s subscription to the magazine.

This iss!ues winner Family padd

le fun at M

@mrdrewsteele

Drew Steele showing some love at The Warren beach.

@favouriytesofanortherngirl

Drinks with a view towards St. Tudwals islands.

@the.globe.girl

Lauren Harper taking in the views of Porth Ceiriad.

@chaneldunning

Out on the water . Chanel, her par tne Rich and son Hu go enjoying boat r in Abersoch. days

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@giovanabraia

The fitness guru sailing around Abersoch bay.

@sharkettsisters

Imogen and Antonia Sharkett floating around Abersoch’s crystal clear waters after a weekend full of sunshine.

achroes.

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Travel blogger Monica has been embracing the Abersoch lifestyle this summer with her family.

@lizalonghunt

Hanging out at

Porth Ceiriad.

ADVERTISEMENT PHOTO: DANIEL WILDE & EMYR HUGHES OF TOTAL BOAT SALES. PWLLHELI BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

WORDS BY REBECCA HINDE

Q

uietly tucked away on the banks of the outer harbour, with panoramic views across to Pwllheli Marina, sits a bustling boatyard - run by old friends Daniel Wilde and Emyr Hughes (aka Pugsy). Crammed with vessels; from sun-bleached, loyal voyagers waiting to be launched, to brand new, still wrapped RIBs soon to be built - the yard is an exciting carnival of fun-filled adventures. More modest in size than its counterparts across the water, do not be fooled by the scope of service that this boating powerhouse can offer. From brokerage to maintenance, launch and recovery, Total Boat Sales services every aspect of boat ownership.

Run by the pair of before returning Wales to PHOTO: SONIA RUSSELL RUNS THE PUBLIC highly trained and grow his own business.

LAUNCH SERVICES BY: OUTWEST PHOTO experienced boating He has an in depth experts, TBS offers understanding of both one of the finest, boats and financial bespoke solutions on packages, as well as the Llŷn Peninsula. marketing in the digital The streamlined team domain. Emyr has spent have a reputation over 25 years working on of knowledge and boats and is one of the ability, offering most capable mechanics a personal and and boat builders in dependable service town. The unlikely pair to their clients.

- Daniel; a confident, Daniel, started forthright, immediately his boating work engaging and natural PHOTO: TOTAL BOAT SALES SERVICES EVERY BOATING NEED experience at a young born salesman and BY: LUKE PILLING age with Sunseeker Emyr; a reserved, head Powerboats, down, no nonsense progressing to technician, form the Marketing Manager for the Boating perfect partnership for this extremely later Marine Manager of boatsales.com.

Industry Association of Australia and busy business. au (Australia’s No.1 Marine marketplace), 104 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

PHOTO: THE BRIG EAGLE 10 - SOCIALISE IN STYLE ON THE SEA

There is also a pivotal third member of the team, crucial to getting clients onto the water.

Sonia Russell runs the public slipway next to the yard - an invaluable point of entry in an almost saturated launching market.

UK boat sales have seen an unparalleled increase over the last year, with orders now being taken to receive a boat by Autumn 2022!

Business is booming and securing even brand new boats requires reputation and tenacity, something Dan has in abundance.

TBS are authorised dealers for BRIG RIBs, Selva Marine & Fliteboard efoils. They are also approved dealers and fully-trained service agents for Suzuki Outboard Engines.

RIBs are presently their biggest seller having gained huge popularity over recent years, thanks in part to Bear Grylls and the RNLI. Known for their stability and reputation for being unsinkable, as well as being light and easy to manoeuvre, the RIB is a popular and efficient choice.

Under Daniel’s guidance you can select

efoils that allow you to hover surf out to sea! Often spotted supernaturally floating across the sea off of the Warren beach, OffAxis has teamed up with Total Boat Sales to offer lessons on these extraordinary craft.

PHOTO: TOTAL BOAT SALES CAN OFFER A RANGE OF OPTIONS TO CUSTOMISE YOUR BRIG TO YOUR OWN BESPOKE SPECIFICATIONS

PHOTO: PREMIUM RESELLER OF FLIGHT ELECTRIC FOIL BOARDS

Themselves hugely passionate about boating, Daniel and Pugsy work incredibly hard to share that joy with as many people as possible.

They are very approachable and always ready to assist however they can. If you are looking to buy or sell a boat, do not hesitate to get in touch.

Abersoch comes truly into its own from the water and there really is nothing more pleasurable than enjoying the sun on a boat with family and friends, or even having a quiet fish alone.

multiple options using their bespoke BRIG building tool, the result is a unique boat tailored to your precise requirements.

Another more unusual product that is proving very popular, are the outrageously fun Fliteboard | 105

WORDS BY LOWRI LLEWELYN

A

s I write this, it’s a scorching 25 degrees outside, and I’m crossing my fingers that by the time this issue is in shops we’ll still be enjoying the sunshine.

However, you can of course have too much of a good thing and my absolute favourite place to cool down on the Llŷn (well, besides the obvious) is Oriel Plas Glyn Y Weddw. If this is your first time visiting us, this Grade II* listed Gothic Victorian mansion located a short walk from Llanbedrog beach is the oldest gallery in Wales, and an unmissable pitstop on your summer adventure.

The Oriel’s grand summer exhibition will feature a whopping 80 artists from Wales and beyond, an extra highlight being the opportunity to buy some original artwork and take it home that very day.

This year’s show will also feature Anghysbell, a solo exhibition by Manon Awst supported by Arts Council Wales. Manon is a multidisciplinary

PHOTO: MANON AWST - DELWEDD ANGHYSBYELL

artist whose work focuses on the ‘constant flow and transformation of materials over a range of timescales, through which she playfully exposes the overlapping of cultural, ecological and geological narratives’.

‘Anghysbell is where domains of culture and landscape, the domestic and political materialise: stratified layers which, under great pressure, create the physical world we live in.

These works speak to a land not made in the mists of myth and legend – but one that exists firmly in the present, shaped by invisible natural forces and deep time.

Sediment and clasts transform into outcrops, mountains, inlets: a deep quarry or a leisure park, a home, a second home or a rewilding project.

Throughout this exhibition you’ll discover a quiet invitation to touch, alongside an urgent warning not to

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engage. Objects made of renewable polymers, recycled marine waste; products of industries such as mining and 3D printing, are a tactile but forbidding reminder of the inevitable effect our touch and our desires have on the landscape around us.

Anghysbell explores the process of mark-making, from its earliest iterations as prehistoric rock art to the impact our gestures make on our environment today; revealing the stories we tell about the land, and the stories the land has to tell about us.’

Also part of the summer show is Grounded, an exhibition by Katherine Jones, whose pen, ink and watercolour drawings of special places across Wales and beyond are inspired by her architecture training.

However, my personal highlight will be the Llŷn’s very own Niki Pilkington, who’s returned to us after several

ARTS COLUMN

PHOTO: BEUTIFUL INK DRAWING OF PORTMEIRION - KATHERINE JONES

years living away in Paris, New York and Los Angeles. Fledgling illustrator Niki worked at the Oriel long before becoming the household name we know today, her combination of traditional idioms and phrases and contemporary designs inspired by the Welsh-speaking volunteers around her. As an avid collector of Niki’s prints I have to say that her brand new Paned o de design is one of my absolute favourites - keep your eyes peeled for Niki’s very own exhibition sometime next year.

PHOTO: THE INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE NEON TOUCHES FROM LOCAL ARTIST NIKKI PILKINGTON

Directed by Steffan Donnelly (an old schoolmate of mine!) and featuring live music, expect a production ‘brimming with humour, satire and song’. Suitable for ages 13+.

Also back this summer are Illyria, just in time to make the most of the Oriel’s outdoor amphitheatre.

This award-winning outdoor theatre company has delighted both adults and children alike for a period of 30 years, and August’s program of Much Ado About Nothing (18th) and The Further Adventures of Doctor Dolittle (25th) is sure to prove an unforgettable evening out for the entire family.

My personal highlight this season, meanwhile, will be Gwlad Yr Asyn by Wyn Mason on August 16 and 17th.

Ari is not your usual donkey; she was raised in a cosy home by a kind old lady. Now living in a donkey farm somewhere in West Wales, she yearns for a life once more among humans.

After being bought by a new owner, an unexpected friendship grows

is the use of language access app Sibrwd, available to guide the audience through the story by means of a voice in the ear, whatever their level of Welsh fluency. Welsh has become quite trendy of late, earning the title of fastest-growing language within the UK on Duolingo, so I’m thrilled that learners won’t be discouraged from enjoying some of the best theatre Wales has to offer this summer.

Be sure to book ahead at www.oriel.org.uk to avoid disappointment.

between her and an unruly, rebellious donkey, and Ari is suddenly aware of her mortality. Faced with a chance to escape, will Ari choose freedom beyond the open gate? Or will years of servitude and the comfort allowed to her by her oppressors hold her back?

As much as I love donkeys, what really caught my eye about this performance

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PHOTO: GWLAD YR ASYN AT THE AMPHITHEATRE IN AUGUST

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CATCHING UP WITH THE

THE COMMODORE special place SCYC, as a true members’ club, is. A core part of so many members’ lives over the past century and an important generator of so much income for the local economy.

Our local council’s own calculations value the benefit to the local economy generated by the tens of thousands of visitors attracted by the Club’s events over the years in the many millions of pounds.

O

NE HUNDRED NOT OUT. WELL, ALMOST ONE HUNDRED! SOUTH CAERNARVONSHIRE YACHT CLUB CELEBRATES ITS CENTENARY IN 2024 AND WE HAVE STARTED RECENTLY TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE MILESTONE WILL BE MARKED. I HOPE IT’S NOT TEMPTING FATE

BY ASSUMING THAT COVID RESTRICTIONS WILL BE BUT A DIM AND DISTANT MEMORY BY THEN AND THAT WE WILL BE FREE TO CELEBRATE IN STYLE! Thinking about the Club’s history has caused me to reflect upon what a

The faces at the Club may have changed with the passage of time, and the dress-codes and protocols relaxed, but the essence of the Club, the spirit and character that make it the thriving and buzzing members’ club that it is, remains as strong as ever and is a driving force behind the purple patch that we are experiencing in new member numbers. I mentioned in a previous article that member numbers were the highest that that they have been in years and that growth has continued. What is hugely encouraging and pleasing is the increasing number of young members and young families around the Club. In my previous life it would have been one of the key factors for success for the organisation, and I’d have been very happy with the trends!

Whilst the faces may have changed, a glance at the names on the boards around the Club tells a story of continuity. So many of the names are still represented in the membership as new generations step into the shoes of the old, safeguarding the history of the Club whilst ensuring that we move

110 | ABERSOCH LIFE MAGAZINE | AUTUMN 2021

with the times and that SCYC remains somewhere where today’s generation enjoys spending time and being part of.

At the time of writing, we are about to hit the peak August sailing season which coincides, happily, with the Welsh government’s relaxation of Covid restrictions. Barring any aboutturns, this means that we will be running a full programme of racing throughout August for all of the Club’s classes. The racing calendar will be rounded off in September with the Squib National Championships when an expected sixty boats will battle it out to be crowned National Champion. It will all be the usual adrenalin-fuelled excitement on the water, and great to watch from the shore.

Whilst many members are quite happy keeping their feet dry, we have been making particular efforts this season to encourage the less-experienced out onto the water. As part of that initiative, and with an eye to the Club’s future, we are running organised dinghy-sailing coaching courses for young members which we think will be particularly popular with the younger families amongst the membership.

It’s all looking good. Whilst our centenary will be a time to reflect and celebrate the past hundred years, we’ll also be looking forward with huge confidence to the future.

Nick

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11 AQHOMES 01758 730729 Abersoch's Trusted Independent Family Estate Agents aqhomes.uk

3 CRUST PIZZERIA Lon Pont Morgan, Abersoch, LL53 7AN 01758 712896 Your Italian Experience, Crafted with care. Eat in or Takeaway www.crust.wales 4 LLANBEDROG BEACH BAR & RESTAURANT, Llanbedrog, LL53 7TR 01758 740730 Fully licensed in the most idylic location on Llanbedrog beach aquabeachbar.co.uk 5 THE SNACK SHACK, TynY-mur, Lon Garmon, Abersoch, LL537UL 07899 788788 A flavour full street food vibe mixed with some banging creative specials sourced locally FB: @/thesnackshack 6 THELITTLETEAROOMS at Mickey's, Far End of Abersoch Beach, Bwlchtocyn, LL53 7EU Unique beachside Cafe & Boatyard, serving great Coffee and good food. thelittletearooms.com

12 BRYN BACH, Bwlchtocyn, Pwllheli LL53 7BY. 07391 561160 Touring Caravans, Camping & Boutique Camping in a superb location. abersochcamping.co.uk 13 WERN FAWR MANOR FARM, Llanbedrog, LL53 7PH 01758 740156 High quality holiday homes & cottages near Abersoch in a delightful & unique setting. wernfawr.co.uk 14 BRYN CETHIN BACH Abersoch, LL53 7UL 01758 712719 5 Star Caravan & Chalet Park with private fishing lake and stunning views bryncethinbach.co.uk 15 NIGHTSKY GLAMPING, Llangian, Abersoch LL53 7LN 01758 712811 Luxury Safari Tents, Bell Tents and Alpacas. A memorable glamping experience in a stunning location. nightskyglamping.co.uk

HOTELS & B&B'S 7 TREMFAN HALL, Llanbedrog, Pwllheli 01758 740169 Delicious Food, Great Atmosphere, Stunning Views. tremfanhall.com 8 WOODLANDS HALL HOTEL, Edern, LL53 6JB 01758 713303 Ideal Hotel Accommodation for Golf Breaks, weddings and breaks in North Wales. woodlandshall.wales

ACCOMMODATION 9 ABERSOCH HOLIDAY HOMES, 01758 740992 Stunning holiday properties to rent in the village. abersochholidayhomes.co.uk

SHOPS 16 TURTLE PHOTOGRAPHY, Aber Uchaf, Abersoch 01758 713641 Landscape & seascape gallery, prints, postcards, framed pictures, photo restoration. turtlephotography.co.uk 17 TOTALLY ABERSOCH, Abersoch. 01758 713666 Gallery and gifts, 800 yrds up the road past Golf Rd & Cae Du. totallyabersoch.co.uk 18 SPAR CAE DU, Abersoch.

Providing you with all your local shopping needs 19 LAVENDER HOUSE, Between Abersoch and Pwllheli on the A499, Nr Llyn Golf Range. 01758 614343 A great destination for home lovers. 10-4.30 p.m 7days a week. lovelavenderhouse.co.u

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20 COURTS, High Street, 01758 712318 Local newsagents with a big selection of toys, sweets, beach items, and much more 21 TEMPLETON JONES Lon Pen Cei, Abersoch, LL53 7AP Classic and contempory clothing templetonjones.co.uk 21 WEST COAST SURF SHOP, Lon Pen Cei, Abersoch LL53 7AP. 01758 713067 Wetsuit sales & hire, Learn to surf, Ray-Ban sunnies, Patagonia clothing & wetsuits westcoastsurf.co.uk 22 OFFAXIS Lon Engan, Abersoch, LL53 7HP 01758 713 407 Wake, SUP Wetsuits and more.. offaxis.co.uk 23 GWIN LLŶN WINES Pwllheli 01758 701004 Stocking all that you need by way of wines and spirits this summer with some fantastic brands on offer. gwinllynwines.co.uk 24 AP CARAVANS, Abersoch LL53 7AA Caravan sales and repairs with Hobby and LMC apcaravans.co.uk 25 CHATTELS, 42 City Road, Chester, CH1 3AE 01244 322280 Imaginitive furniture for individuals chattels-designerfurniture.co.uk

26 IECHYD HEALTH FOOD SHOP, Y Maes, Pwllheli, LL53 5HD 01758 612223 Independent Health and Wellbeing store offering a wide range of products. iechyd.net 27 ABERSOCH FARM SHOP & CAFE Lon Sarn Bach, Abersoch, LL53 7BG Selling Local and Welsh Produce. @abersochfarmshop

RECREATION 28 ABERSOCH GOLF CLUB, Abersoch 01758 712662 18 hole stunning links course. abersochgolf.co.uk 29 SOUTH CAERNARFONSHIRE YACHT CLUB, Abersoch, 01758 712338 One of the most iconic yacht clubs in the UK. scyc.co.uk

30 SCUBA DIVE LLYN, Abersoch. 07944 253 242 Dive in for an unforgettable experience and discover Scuba Diving. scubadivellyn.co.uk 31 CANOFF, The flying disc game for 2-4 players. canoff.co.uk

BUILDERS & HOME IMPROVEMENTS 32 CHRIS JONES BUILDING & PLASTERING, Dinas Gwynedd, 07765 593221.

Plastering, Roofing, Patios & Extensions 33 LLŶN BUILDING CONTRACTORS Abersoch Road, Llanbedrog 01758 740406 Building and civil engineering contractors, plumbing heating and electrical contractors. Plus much more.

34 DERWEN LLYN, CONSTRUCTION

01758 614 776, Pwllheli, LL53 7RT

Delivering all types of construction projects throughout North Wales to a wide range of public and private sector clients derwenllyn.co.uk 35 SUNROCK BALCONIES & BALUSTRADES, 07778 464464 Specialising in balconies & balustrading in a wide variety of styles, sizes & finishes. sunrockbalconies.co.u 36 ALTRA GLASS, Caernarfon 01286 875697 Double Glazing Repair. altraglass.co.uk 37 ROB DAVID INTERIOR DESIGN & ART, 01758 740125 Interior design with over 20 years' of experience on residential & commercial projects. robdavidinteriordesign.com 38 TY'N LLWYN TREE SERVICES Llannor, Pwllheli 01758 612608 All aspects of tree work including log splitting and 24 hour emergency call out.

39 MOETHUS FLOORING, High Street, Pwllheli, LL53 5RR Carpets, Wood, Laminate & Luxury Vynil Flooring, plus much more. moethus.cymru

BOAT BROKERS & SAILING 40 IDEAL BOAT Pwllheli Harbour. 01758 614600 Dealers in Chaparral, AMP, Saxdor, Husky, Robalo and HO boats. idealboat.com

TO BUY A PRINT OF THE MAP GO TO

SHOP. ABERSOCHLIFE .COM

41 HARBOUR MARINE SERVICES Pwllheli Harbour.

01758 701707 Authorised Suzuki Dealer and agents for GRAND inflatable Boats. harbourmarinepwllheli.co.uk 42 TOTAL BOAT SALES Pwllheli Outer Harbour.

LL53 5AW 01758 437600 Boat brokerage specialising in ew and used Ribs, Sports Boats, Day Fishing Boats. totalboatsales.com

HEALTH & BEAUTY 43 PEN LLŶN PHYSIOTHERAPY, Abersoch Craft Centre. 07971 121613.

Rebecca Bode, Chartered Physiotherapist B’Phys(Hons) MCSP. penllynphysio.co.uk 44 ABERSOCH & LLANBEDROG PHARMACY, Abersoch Rd, Llanbedrog, LL53 7TH 01758 740229 Offering a range of NHS & private services. Medicines, toiletries, health & beauty fferyllwyrllyn.co.uk

WEDDINGS 45 PLAS BODUAN WEDDING VENUE, Boduan, LL53 6DR 01758 720286 Plas Boduan is a beautiful Grade II listed Georgian style Manor House specialising in weddings with accommodation for the bride & groom only! plasboduan.com

ACCOUNTS & LEGAL 46 GWYN THOMAS ACCOUNTANTS, New Street, Pwllheli. 01758 701770 Chartered accountants gwynthomas-co.co.uk 47 ROBYNS OWEN SOLICITORS, Pwllheli, LL53 5RY 01758 613177 For all your legal requirements robynsowen.co.uk

FOR OUR FULL LIST OF ABERSOCH RELATED BUSINESSES CHECK

ABERSOCHLIFE .COM LISTINGS

ILLUSTRATION BY JESSICA SMITH - COPYRIGHT SENSATION GROUP 2021

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LAST WORDS

“Summertime. It was a song. It was a season. I wondered if that season would ever live inside of me.”

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Benjamin Alire Sáenz

PHOTO: RIDING INTO THE SUNSET BY: OUTWEST PHOTO

114 | ABERSOCH SENSATION MAGAZINE AUTUMN 2021