The pilgrims route
| 11:07 UK time, Wednesday, 15 July 2009
As you'll already know if you've read my last blog - I'm out walking and filming for Weatherman Walking in NW Wales.
We finished filming late last night, around 8.30p so it was a long old day but well worth it!
I'd never been to the Lleyn Peninsula and it was truly inspiring. We had a wonderful days walking following the old pilgrim route to Bardsey.
Filming for the TV series:
St Hywyn church dates back to around the 6th century and a colleague of Hywyn's - Cadfan, the warrior saint who travelled with Hywyn from Brittany, was the man responsible for establishing the first Christian colony on Bardsey Island.
The title 'saint' in the Celtic church was not a title of honour, but indicated that a person was Christian.
The priests graves, are written in Latin date and back to the 6th century.
The vicar at the church from1967 to 1978 was R.S.Thomas - a respected but controversial Welsh poet who certainly ruffled a few feathers during his time at the church.
The weather as always was mixed with showers which felt at times like I was walking into a power shower at home!
Luckily, overall the light was good and we had enough sunshine to get all the filming done although the crew were a bit damp.
We also visited Porth Meudwy - 'Hermits Cove' where pilgrims from past and present gathered to catch a boat over to Bardsey.
Along the Lleyn Peninsula which is a listed SSSI - we saw choughs, kittiwakes, shags, cormorants and plenty more seabirds so this area is well worth a visit.
A highlight for me was seeing Bardsey Island for the first time. I can understand how people can be drawn to the island and I felt quite spiritual seeing this mystical place, which felt like the end of the world and one step closer to Heaven!
Derek overlooking Bardsey Island:
So we're now heading south - driving down to Monmouthsire for a few days to begin filming our next walk...
Don't forget to wear your suncream as although the temps have dropped recently, the sun is still strong enough to burn when you're out walking.
Derek
Bardsey Island on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales Nature
Bardsey Island on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Local
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