I left Antalaya last Monday, and spent two days putting Katy back to being a micro camper, before we set off again on Wednesday. Ellen has been using Katy for the last few months, as she gave up her car just before she went to Japan last Nov. The lease was coming to an end, and it seemed a waste for Katy to just sit idle, so she has been a normal van for a while, working at the food bank in Worksop. Katy I were very excited to be on the road again for her first adventure to Wales!

I love Wales, I was actually born in Cardiff, but moved when I was one, so was never brought up there. Frequent visits to the south to see family over the years, and then later lots of family holidays to the north, plus visits to Snowdonia over the years have given me a deep love of my homeland. In fact at one stage I was going to retire to very near to where I am now, to Porthmadog. My plan was to buy a static caravan, use that as my base, and travel the world. Then my Mum moved to Spain, and plans changed.

I drove from Ellen’s to mid Wales on day one. My first park up was at a farm shop, about 11 miles from Bala Lake. Rhug Farmshop offer free park ups overnight, and welcome you to visit the shop and cafe, where I bought very nice cheeses, and kebabs for tea.

Day two was a bit wetter, but it did start off sunny, so I had a walk around the Conwy Falls, and then headed to Dollgellau for park up number two.

I stayed at a newly opened aire, which I found on Park4Nite. No pictures, as it started raining just after I’d finished setting up, and I forgot in the morning! It was a nice quiet night in what looks to be the car park of an old chapel, just outside the centre of the town. I took the scenic route, via Barmouth, passing Harlech Castle, with views of Snowdonia on my right and the Cambrian Coast on my left.

In all these years of visiting Wales, I have never been to the Llyn Peninsula, which is very remiss of me, so that is where I am now. Many people have recommended it to me, and I am so glad I came, as it is stunning. For those of you without a detailed knowledge of Welsh geography, it is the part at the top, that sticks out into the Atlantic, sometimes referred to as ‘Welsh Land’s End’.

It is an area with lots of little seaside towns, inland villages, and amazing coastline. As you know I do love a good coastal path, and Wales has one of the best, a whole 870 miles of it. And in the two weeks I am here, I am attempting to walk a small part of it. I probably won’t do more than 50 out of the total mileage, but it’s a start.

Wales is, as the info tells me, the only country in the world with a continuous waymarked path round its entire coastline. I think this is a pretty cool thing, especially if you love to walk where the mountains meet the sea, which is probably my favourite type of walking.

I am staying on a Haven caravan site. When my children were young we came to lots of these sites, but I hadn’t really considered it for my travels, until a post about touring pitches on one of my van life sites. It was then that I discovered that off season they offer bargain breaks, hence my booking two weeks here now.

I have another week later in the month a bit further down the coast, and in October have also booked some time at two of their Yorkshire sites. They really are fantastic value for money, this one is costing the same as an aire per night, around £15. Much as I love living in Katy, March can be a bit cold, so having this luxurious, for me, option is great.

I have got a cute little first floor apartment, with a fabulous kitchen, so I’ve been cooking lots. I loved being in Turkiye, and ate out almost every night, which was great, but I am really enjoying having such wonderful cooking facilities. I even have a microwave, which I haven’t got in Spain, and have just bought myself a little slow cooker, so there is beef stew on the menu tonight. Mine is the apartment on the bottom left, and is in small complex near one of the main entertainment areas.

The site is lovely, it is very large as you can see from the map below, but beautifully landscaped with lots of trees, lakes, and wildlife areas. It was busy at the weekend but really quiet now all the children are back at school.

There are so many gorgeous caravans here. We went to a site in Somerset every year when I was a child, and seeing them brings back so many memories, and of holidays with my children as well. The caravans here are so luxurious though, compared to what they used to be like when we were young, with gas mantles and no running water.

The best bit is that the site has direct access onto the coastal path, so the first day I walked around to Penychain, about 4 miles there and back. The views over towards Porthmadog and Snowdonia were stunning, and I love the contrast of the gorse against the blue sky.

I have been so lucky with the weather so far, it has been 16 degrees up until today. It is a little colder now, but still so sunny, and I have a view of the hills from my apartment as well. As in Turkiye, I am planning to do some writing while I’m here, so it is nice to have such a lovely place to work.

The following two days I have been to the other side of the peninsula, a mere 20 minutes drive. Firstly to Trefor, where there is a walk along the headland with views of the quarry, and some wonderful sea stacks. There were so many gulls and cormorants on them, which were great to watch. There is a detailed map of the walk here. I love the way the misty mountains just melt into the sea.

The second visit was to another Morfa, Morfa Nefyn , again a National Trust area, where there is a walk along the beach and up the headland, passing the village of Porthdinllean, with its famous pub, and headland golf course. There was no-one on the greens, but I did meet the pub cat!

I still have so many places to visit, I may well have to come back next year. There is so much to do here.

When I’m not walking I have lots planned. As well as my writing, and the cross stitched Christmas ornaments, I have started a crochet blanket. I always promised myself that when I learnt how to do a granny square that I would make one, so bought the wool whilst in Yorkshire. I am going for a moorland colour scheme, a little more muted than my pinks and turquoises in Katy, and have a lovely selection of blues, greens, purple and grey.

As well as the farm business at the Rhug park up, there was a really nice fabric shop, called Amanda’s Fabrics, so I had to have a little visit.

It would have been very rude not to buy anything 😉 so I chose some wool at random, only to find when I unpacked all of my craft stash here that it co-ordinates perfectly with the blanket colours. I am intending to try some squares in the variegated wool, or make a companion cushion cover.

I am so happy here, I love being back in the UK. Much as I love Spain, and my other travels, driving around in Katy is the ultimate joy, even if it involves narrow roads and dodging tractors! My winter exile seems to have gone really quickly this time, it only seems like a few days ago that I was making my way to Jane’s in Yorkshire to house sit for Frankie, and I now have less than a month before I return to Spain.

I shall return again next week, with more lovely Welsh coast for you to admire. Meanwhile, have fun, take care, stay safe, and thanks for visiting.