Y Fenai

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Jane and I went over to Menai Bridge for lunch today and had a walk around Church Island beforehand. This tiny island is reached via a walkway over Menai Strait and is one of our favourite places for a stroll when we're out that way. I took a few photos using the Minox 35PL I mentioned the other day (Mounting Fuji) to finish off the roll of film. I didn't bother taking anything with my iPhone this time round, so we'll have to wait a while for the results to come back from the lab.

The island (Ynys Tysilio in Welsh: named after Saint Tysilio - Ynys being the Welsh for island) houses Tysilio's church, the current, tiny and atmospheric little chapel dating back to the early fourteen hundreds, although the saint and his original founding are rather earlier - a plaque above the door of the current structure reads that he founded the church in 630 AD. I love this little place and have visited it often over the forty-one years we've lived here.

After the rather short circuit of the tiny island, we took The Belgian Promenade - towards the Menai Bridge, the town itself is called Porthaethwy in Welsh - which was built by First World War Belgian refugees in gratitude for the island's hospitality: it leads from the Church Island causeway to Carreg yr Halen (Salt Rock). From Carreg yr Halen, the road takes you under the bridge itself: Telford's magnificent structure looming high above you as you pass under its nearest landward arch (the picture above was taken when Phil & Wendy came over to stay a short while ago). After pausing to take in the bridge's sheer beauty, we made for the Victoria Hotel and food, washed down with good ale. Nice. 

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