The Annual Catch Up 2024

Hi there everyone 😀

If you’ve followed my blog for a while you will know that just over 10 years ago I retired.

From a few years before then, apart from during 2020, due to COVID. I have had an annual catch up with a group of old work friends. We tend to go away for three or four days and spend some real quality time together, explore new and old places and have a real good catch up on all the news.

We started out local, with a few different spots in The Peak District but we’ve now been to lots of different places … including these which I have blogged about …

• 2014 … Ashford in the Water
• 2015 … Bridgenorth
• 2016 … Harrogate
• 2017 … Betws-y-Coed
• 2018 … Robin Hoods Bay
• 2019 … Broadway
• 2021 … Hawes
• 2022 … Ross-on-Wye
• 2023 … Pickering

This year we decided that we would have our catch up on the very lovely Llyn Peninsular in North Wales … so our friends could come and have a look at our lodge and we could step up and take our turn at hosting a BBQ.

We started our weekend catch up on the Thursday evening with a meal at Y Bryncynan, which is just a short drive away from us and within walking distance of our friends’ caravan site and hotel …

The weather forecast for the Friday looked a bit damp and drizzly so we decided to meet up at Lavender House for a bit of a mooch round before deciding what to do next. 

As it was still pretty damp when we came out of Lavender House we decided to head for the gallery in Llanbedrog for a coffee and wait for the rain to pass before having a walk on the beach …

We then braved the narrow lanes for a quick wander on Quarry Beach …

It was then a drive into Abersoch for a mooch and some lunch before heading all heading back for a bit of a chill before meeting up again at Bombay Joe’s for a curry … which was followed by a glorious sunset at Nefyn beach to round off the day …

On Friday the plans were for us to do the Porthdinllaen walk … up over the golf course at Morfa Nefyn and back along the beach with a pitstop at Ty Coch. We met up at the NT car park and it was dry but cloudy as we headed out …

Martin wasn’t up for the whole walk so we waved him off down the direct route to the pub …

The views up top were fabulous … in all directions …

Sue and I opted for a bit of a breather perched on a fence whilst the others took the longer route up past the coastguard lookout point in search of seals … which they found in abundance. 

We slowly made our way down to lifeboat beach, which has to be one of the most lovely beaches ever … though it’s not the kind of spot you would want to be carting a day’s worth of beach paraphernalia to 🙈

From here we tentatively made our way around the headland … watching our step carefully around the rocky path …

… until finally we were on the beach …

… where Martin had bagged us a great table for lunch …

After some very nice baguettes it was time to head off along the beach …

It was quite busy by the pub but soon got a bit quieter as we made our way along the beach …

At Porthdinllaen we made our way up from the beach and back to the car. Martin and I left the others having ice creams and we headed back to get BBQ ready. 

We were really lucky with the weather and, whilst it was a bit chilly, we were able to spend the whole of the evening sat outside in the decking …

 

After a lovely evening of plenty of food, drink and chat it was time to wave everyone off … until the next time … where it looks Stamford is on the cards 😀

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