Latest news with #ShipInn
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Two rescued after being thrown from water bike
Two people had to be rescued after they fell into the sea when their water bike overturned. Barrow RNLI Lifeboat Station said its inshore boat was called out just after 18:00 BST on Saturday, having been alerted by coastguards that the pair were in the water between Roa Island and Piel Island. Chris Couter, spokesman for the Barrow station, said a crew of three helped the pair out of water and took them to the Ship Inn pub on Piel Island to be assessed before their transfer to hospital. He thanked his "fantastic volunteers" and the pub's staff for helping to "take care of the casualties". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Easter egg gifts for RNLI crew after yacht rescue RNLI trainee gets first call out within minutes Barrow Lifeboat Station
BBC News
04-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Two rescued after being thrown from water bikes off Piel Island
Two people had to be rescued after they fell into the sea when their water bike RNLI Lifeboat Station said its inshore boat was called out just after 18:00 BST on Saturday, having been alerted by coastguards that the pair were in the water between Roa Island and Piel Couter, spokesman for the Barrow station, said a crew of three helped the pair out of water and took them to the Ship Inn pub on Piel Island to be assessed before their transfer to thanked his "fantastic volunteers" and the pub's staff for helping to "take care of the casualties". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Western Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Trefin to host series of events to mark VE Day anniversary
Trefin and nearby areas will hold a series of activities on Thursday, May 8, ending with the lighting of a beacon. These events will mirror those happening across the UK, marking the end of World War II in Europe on May 8. The day's programme will kick off in the village centre at 9am with the reading of the VE 80 Day proclamation, "Together We Stand." This will be followed by the raising of the unique VE 80 Day flag, in remembrance of the sacrifices made by millions during World War II. At noon, in Trefin Square, piper Lance Corporal Spencer from Cawdor Barracks will play a specially composed tune for the occasion, entitled "Celebratum." At 6.30pm, Llanrhian Church bell will ring in unison with other participating cathedrals and churches across Wales and the UK. In Trefin Square, the Lamp Light of Peace will be blessed, and hand bells will be rung by adults and children, dressed for the occasion. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes. The Ship Inn, Trefin, will host the early evening celebrations. A fish and chip supper will be available, but must be booked and paid for in advance. There will also be displays of various wartime memorabilia. The celebrations will continue at around 8pm in the field known as Penlac, overlooking the coast. The official Women's Institute VE 80 Day Orange and Ginger cake will be on offer, and music from the era will be played. Cor y Felin, the local community choir, will lead the singing of several well-known wartime songs. Representatives from each decade since the end of the war will read the VE 80 Day Global Tribute, alongside others around the world. A minute's silence will be held in honour of those who did not return home, followed by a bugler playing the Last Post and Reveille, and the piper playing Flowers of the Forest. At 9.30pm, the community will join nearly 1,000 choirs across the UK in singing the hymn I Vow to Thee My Country. The Coastal Beacon, part of the official chain of beacons around the UK and the world, will be lit at 9.30pm. The Lamplight of Peace will also be lit at the same time. The Ship Inn will be open for those wishing to continue the celebrations. Everyone is welcome to join in across the day, and the organisers encourage attendees to dress in wartime-style clothing. The Gwelliant Trefin Improvement Group has organised the events.
The Guardian
08-04-2025
- The Guardian
Anglesey adventure: exploring the treasures of Ynys Môn
In 1826, the opening of Thomas Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge connected mainland Wales to the island of Ynys Môn (Anglesey) for the very first time. The bridge was critical to creating a fast road link to the port of Holyhead and so improving communication links between London and Dublin. Today, motoring tourists take advantage of Telford's vision every day (albeit linking up with the A55 North Wales Expressway) as they head to Holyhead to board ferries to Ireland. But in doing so, they bypass the many meandering, slow lane charms that dot the coastline of Ynys Môn. This National Trust waterfront mansion dates back to the 16th century and sits amid 68 hectares (169 acres) of ornate gardens, woodland and parkland. It is perhaps most famous for one of its later owners, Henry Cyril Paget, fifth Marquess of Anglesey, whose flamboyant approach to life – including converting the family chapel into what he called the Gaiety theatre – was the stuff of scandal in stuffy Victorian Wales. His life will soon be brought to the big screen in a new film, Madfabulous. Just south of Plas Newydd is Tide cafe, located at Halen Môn – Anglesey Sea Salt. It is open for drinks and snacks year-round (10.30am-2.30pm). While there, you can pick up some of Halen Môn's much lauded sea salt. About 12 miles south of Amlwch lies Red Wharf Bay, a large sandy inlet that, at low tide, extends for 10 square miles. The Wales Coast Path hugs the bay, providing a panoramic view of the coast; it also offers the chance to explore Llanddona beach, which, in the 18th century was said to be controlled by a group of vicious outlaws known as the witches of Llanddona, who terrorised the local community. Returning to the top of the bay, the Ship Inn, The Old Boathouse or The Tavern on the Bay are good pit stops for a drink and food overlooking the sea. Penmon Point is the eastern tip of Ynys Môn, and one of its oldest and most holy sites. It is a wild headland offering views of Trwyn Du lighthouse and Ynys Seiriol, an island that, in the fifth century, provided solitude and sanctuary for its namesake saint. Today it's better known as Puffin Island because, up until the late 19th century, it was a breeding haven for the birds. Penmon Point is a favourite destination for walkers, birdwatchers and nature lovers, and offers views (on clear days) of Y Gogarth (the Great Orme headland). Two formidable white stone cottages face the sea at the tip of the point, while behind them sits the Pilot House cafe, serving food, drinks and cocktails indoors and in a colourful garden. For a more formal dining experience, head to Beaumaris and eat at Harry's Bistro, located in Henllys Hall golf club, or continue to Menai Bridge to explore the international cuisine of Freckled Angel or the tasting menu at Sosban & the Old Butchers – both located just a short distance from Telford's famous suspension bridge. Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Llanddwyn (also known as Newborough), near the island's southern tip, is perhaps Ynys Môn's best-known beach because of its views of Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Llŷn peninsula. However, I'd recommend heading north a few miles, over the Malltraeth cob (a causeway built by Telford), and on to the village of Aberffraw. Here you walk down the banks of the Ffraw to Traeth Mawr, a stunning wide sandy beach fit for a king. Rightly so. In the late 13th century, Aberffraw was the most important place in all of Wales – the seat of power for the princes of Gwynedd, Wales's dominant royal family. Venture a little farther north to Rhosneigr, an equally attractive stretch of coast once famed for both piracy and wreckers, who lured ships on to the jagged rocks near the Crigyll river. Today, Rhosneigr is better known for its culinary scene than its smuggling. The Oystercatcher is a restaurant and bar located in the dunes not far from the two main beaches. In the warmer months, the Zapatismo food truck serves Mexican fare. On the north coast of Anglesey lies a place so otherworldly that you won't be surprised to discover it's been a location for Doctor Who. This is Mynydd Parys, but its nickname is Copper Mountain because, for about 4,000 years, it was mined for valuable copper ore. In the 18th century, Mynydd Parys became the largest copper ore exporter in the world – much of it being sent by ship from the nearby port of Amlwch to copperworks in the Swansea valley. Today, the mines are closed and the scorched red, gold and brown alien landscape has been transformed into a series of dramatic and (dare I say) awe-inspiring walking trails. After a hike at Mynydd Parys, I like to head to Skye's creperie in Amlwch Harbour for great pancakes, brunch and even sushi. Matthew Yeomans explored the coastal fringes of Ynys Môn for his new book, Seascape: Notes from a Changing Coastline (University of Wales Press, £18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
The Guardian
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Castaway in Fife: exploring Robinson Crusoe country in east Scotland
Standing in a Scottish seaside village, I am confronted by two smart red doors and a curious figure standing in a niche above them: a man, one hand clutching a staff, the other shading his eyes as he gazes out to sea. There's a flintlock pistol in his belt and he's dressed in tattered rags. Is it a tribute to locals who survived a night out in Kirkcaldy? No, there is a weathered plaque that I can just read: 'In memory of Alexander Selkirk, mariner, the original of Robinson Crusoe …' This is the site of a cottage where Selkirk was born in 1676. And suddenly a long-forgotten melody starts to play in my head, a sweeping lyrical tune that I haven't heard in half a century. It's shocking to discover what treasure lies forgotten between my ears, this being the theme from The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, a German television series that was aired in the UK at the time of the Apollo 11 moon landings (and repeatedly until 1982). From the moment I saw it, I gave up plans to be an astronaut and decided to travel the world instead. And now here I am back where it all began for Selkirk/Crusoe in Lower Largo in Fife. What is he looking at across the Firth of Forth? Perhaps it's the Isle of May, now a national nature reserve, or Bass Rock lighthouse where I went aged five on my first ever sea voyage, little suspecting that my hero was staring across the waves towards me. I am about to start out on a four-day section of the Fife coastal path, a 116-mile route that connects the firths of Forth and Tay and takes in some of Scotland's finest seaside villages. It is also one part of the Beach of Dreams, a UK-wide coastal arts festival taking place from 1 May- June. Leaving Mr Selkirk behind, I set out around a broad bay where the tide is retreating, bringing vast numbers of wading birds to feed on the exposed patches of sand. One of the joys of this walk, I am about to discover, is how the marine life subtly shifts and changes with each day. Here I've got great piles of razor clam shells and limpets, tomorrow will be yellow periwinkles, cockles and mussels. Past the wooded point and a fine field of kale perched on a cliff, I come to one of the highlights: the Elie Chain Walk at Kincraig Point. No one seems quite sure how this unusual, and adventurous, coastal feature started, but now there are eight shiny steel chains to help any nimble person clamber down, across and up the jagged coastal cliffs. It should only be done around low tide and, be warned, one chain is rather short and attached to a wobbly bolt. The reward is access to a secret world of crashing waves, sea arches and mysterious caves. Beyond lies the village of Elie, a beguiling mix of ancient stone houses and fun: there are foil surfers out on the water and a beachside sauna with a curl of wood smoke emerging from the chimney. I book myself in. There is also an excellent pub, the Ship Inn, famed for hosting cricket matches on the sands. At the sauna, I meet Judith Dunlop who kickstarted the hot box (portable sauna) on the beach idea around here, siting a converted horse trailer in her home town of Elie. Now she has two further locations up the coast and competitors too. It is possible, I calculate, to walk most days and finish, or start, with a dip in the sea and a sauna. Next day, I press on through the fishing villages of St Monans and Pittenweem (good cafe stops available at Bowhouse and Cocoa Tree) to meet artist Julie Brook at Anstruther. Julie wants to take me to see the location of an artwork called Tide Line that she is soon to begin building. Along with several other commissioned artworks around the UK, it will be a feature of the Beach of Dreams festival. Anstruther itself is a hive of activity and well worth exploring. By the recently refurbished Dreel Halls, a historic church and town hall, there are two shell houses, buildings rendered with millions of sea shells. Anstruther connects to another fishing village, Cellardyke, where there is a fine tidal swimming pool (and a sauna), and about a mile further along Julie points across the rocky inter-tidal zone, now being exposed by the retreating sea. 'We'll build it in there, a pathway that leads out into an area that is normally too slippery and hazardous for most people.' Work will be carefully timed, ending each day with the arrival of the sea. We wander out and Julie is immediately assessing certain rocks for their possibilities. 'It's amazing what can be done with levers and human strength – I think I might build a causeway across that pool and skirt that outcrop.' Her enthusiasm and vision are infectious. I want to get started immediately. 'Will you bring the path back to land over there?' I ask, ever practical. A path must lead somewhere. But Julie shakes her head. 'No. It will end in the sea.' That's the artist. A path can go nowhere, and still mean something. I can imagine a youthful Alexander Selkirk standing on the last stone, dabbling his bare toes in the waves and dreaming of escape. Eventually, I say goodbye to Julie and head along the coast, reaching the pretty harbour of Crail and a hot bowl of soup in the Harbour gallery and tearoom. After an uninspiring yomp through a holiday park, I'm soon back to wild rugged rocks and the mournful keening of curlews. There are some great tidal pool dips to be had, but now I'm sauna-adapted, I can't face it. Around the point of Fife Ness, the coastal scenery changes subtly again. The drifts of sea shells are covered in kelp, testament to the power of the north-easterly gales. At Kingsbarns I enjoy dinner at the Inn, a short walk up from Cambo Sands beach – where there is yet another lovely sauna. The Inn is a successful example of a community-enterprise, well-run and friendly with good food and rooms. My final walk takes me into St Andrews for a last sauna at East Sands with a sociable crowd of locals. A British sauna culture seems to be emerging: chattier than the Germans, hotter than the Scandinavians, and definitely not naked. I wonder what Selkirk would have made of it. In 1709, when he was finally rescued from his Pacific island after over four years, his rescuer, Captain Woodes Rogers, noted: 'How much a plain and temperate way of living conduces to the Health of the Body and the Vigour of the Mind … one may see that Solitude and Retirement from the World is not such an insufferable state of life.' Once back in Scotland, Selkirk missed his lonely island, but found a spot that reminded him of it: at Kincraig Point where the Elie Chain Walk now exists. Further information at Visit Scotland. Sawdays offers accommodation along the route of the walk at The Crusoe in Lower Largo (from £123), the Ship Inn in Elie (from £100) and Maybell Cottage in Pittenweem (from £175). Inn at Kingsbarns has doubles from £175. The Beach of Dreams festival starts on 1 May
