Off on a Demo.

I was optimistic about my chances of seeing the partial solar eclipse this morning as I thought the light cloud cover would make it easier to see. (Through the camera, not with the naked eye.) But although I took a number of photos this was the best I got with a tiny sliver of the sun covered up in the top right hand quadrant.

It was still cloudy when we drove down to Ynyslas to join a protest demo about the closing of the Visitors' Centre. 

There weren't many cars there when we arrived but once more people (and dogs) began arriving there were about 100 protestors in total. We had been asked to wear red if possible and an ample supply of red flags had been made at a workshop last week.

Then we made our way down to the Visitors' Centre and as well as some chanting, for the sake of the videos being made, we heard more about the work of the five wardens who are now out of a job. The NRW who are closing the centre from Monday have tried to make out their role was to provide refreshments which are just a self-service coffee machine and some pre-packed cakes and biscuits. What they actually do is; patrol the reserve clearing up rubbish and dog poo bags (disgusting dog owners!), ensure that the nesting sites of the ringed plover an endangered bird are fenced off to prevent disturbance by people and dogs and as the bird's territories extend to the waters' edge the fences have to be moved twice daily with the tides, ensure that people follow the beach safety rules of no inflatables or swimming (there are very dangerous currents) and because there is no phone signal they are the point of contact for the emergency services which includes whenever suspected ordnance is found as the dunes were a bomb testing site in the war. Last year there were two occasions when lifeboats had to be called out for people being swept away in the sea. One lady told us how she had fallen from her horse last year on the beach resulting in spinal injuries and had lain on the sand for four hours being looked after by one of the wardens until she could be taken to hospital. (The air ambulance had been called but in the end she went in a land ambulance.) And there are school parties already booked to come and see the excellent displays and learn about the dune and maritime ecosystems. They'll be disappointed.

It may only have been a small demo but as someone said- It's just a start.

After our protest Peter drove home but I had decided to walk back to Borth along the beach as it's only four miles.

No sooner had I started walking than I felt the first drops of rain but being me I carried on. I didn't even have a waterproof coat on as I'd borrowed a red fleece jacket of Peter's to wear. The rain got heavier and by the time I reached the beach my camera was safely in its plastic bag inside my backpack. I just put my head down and strode on with the wind sending icy needles of rain into my face. Very luckily before we left I'd grabbed a neck tube which I pulled over my nose to protect the lower part of my face. With that and the hood of a black hoody pulled over my woolly hat I must have looked like quite a suspect character. At least I could stride out on the sand and once I reached Borth I walked along the sea wall and then down the High st instead of on the awkward shingle. The four miles only took an hour and a quarter which is good going for me.

Once home I put on my warmest clothes, hung up my wet attire and warmed up watching the tv and the heavy rain outside the window.