Martin McDowell's Blog

Gospa Hamer, žena vrtnarja v majhni južno-valežanski vasici, naj bi ponoči sanjala o dečku, ki se je izgubil slab mesec poprej. Ko se je le opogumila in prepričala moža, da ji pomaga, se je 2. septembra leta 1900 skupaj z nekaj sorodniki odpravila na lastno iskalno akcijo. Ko je skupina z gospo Hamer na čelu [...]

[Read more →]

These were some of the photos from my latest trip to Slovenia. Ostrovica – Hochosterwitz Gospa Sveta – Maria Saal Blejski vintgar Kope in Huda luknja

[Read more →]

My original plan for this days hike was Y-Garn but that soon changed once I reached the peak and gazed upon the inviting summits of Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach. As if that was not enough and after all the struggle of descending off Glyder Fach I made a silly move and ascended up Tryfan. [...]

[Read more →]

This is marked as the toughest walk in the Brecon Becons & South Wales book and it turned out to be living up to its name. The most difficult part was trying to not get lost on Bryn Rhudd at the same time as not loosing interest in the walk as well. The views on [...]

[Read more →]

Here are just some of the best photos from the trip. Wales (mid and north) 2010 Gigrin Farm red kite feeding centre in Rhayader Stunning view of the Elan valley Craig Goch Craig Goch Penygarreg reservoir Claerwen reservoir Claerwen reservoir View from the dam at Claerwen reservoir (a red kite nest is in the trees [...]

[Read more →]

Today I was here. Took me a while to get here and find it. Had to give up the whole trek round the mountain ridges as I was going to run out of daylight by the end of the hike. Llyn y Fan Fach

[Read more →]

The Sunday between Christmas and the New Year I spent hiking around Pembrokeshire and this time I went for walk no. 12 (Around Ynys Barry) taken from the book mentioned in some of my previous posts There is a local attraction called the Blue Lagoon that is just a few minutes away from the Aber Eiddy [...]

[Read more →]

Had a big snowstorm last night that covered Pembrokeshire with a bit of snow. These photos taken from a hike up to the highest peak in the Preseli hills – Foel Cwmcerwyn. Very windy at the top! Pembrokeshire snow 2010 Near Foel Cwmcerwyn Near Foel Cwmcerwyn Near Foel Cwmcerwyn Foel Feddau, looking towards Newport (Carn [...]

[Read more →]

After all the worries about traveling from Haverfordwest to Stansted the 5 1/2 hour trip went fine. Blue skies in most of the Wales part, the first snow on the M4 spotted about 6 miles west of the exit for Slough. The roads are gritted and the only delay was on the M4 exit for [...]

[Read more →]

Not feeling very well in the morning of the last day, this cold has been getting the better of me and running around London does not help it getting any better. Drugging-up with anti-inflammatories not helped either. First port of call was the London eye I booked the previous day on-line. Looks amazing when standing [...]

[Read more →]

I started the day a bit more relaxing by taking a slow breakfast at the local Starbucks at London Bridge station opposite Guy’s Hospital. A friend told me I had to try the frappucino and their panninis. The guy at the counter asked me twice if I was sure about the frappucino? It is apparently [...]

[Read more →]

After only sleeping a few hours as I only went to bed at 4 am as a consequence from the previous night’s walkabout London I had a Fat Tyre bike tour planned for the Saturday morning. The tour takes place on bicycles you get from the tour company and it starts at 11am just outside [...]

[Read more →]

I soon realised my satnav is going to make me drive down the M4 right into the centre of London – no ifs or butts. Wasn’t that bad really, all I had to do is to imagine I was driving downtown Ljubljana – just on a much bigger scale. And it really went very well [...]

[Read more →]

Recently I haven not been writing about my treks round Pembrokeshire and how I have been working my way through the “Walking in Pembrokeshire” guide. I’ve done so many now I have been repeating some of them two to three times. This last walk I did for the first time and is worth mentioning as [...]

[Read more →]

Včeraj sem šel spet malo na ogled do lokacije snemanja novega filma o Robinu Hoodu na obali Freshwater West in zadeve so se precej spremenile od prejšnjega tedna, ko sem bil nazadnje tam. Varnostnikov ni bilo veliko in tokrat so me vsaj spustili na plažo, kljub temu, da je na tam potekalo snemanje. Povsod sami [...]

[Read more →]

V mesecu juniju 2009 so pričeli nedaleč od tod s snemanjem naslednje filmske upodobitve princa tatov – Robina Hooda. Lokacija, kjer poteka snemanje, se imenuje Freshwater West in gre za eno lepših plaž v Pembrokeshire-ju in Wales-u nasploh. Tu so pejšnji mesec celo snemali naslednji film o Harryu Potterju. Produkcija za Robina Hooda pa je [...]

[Read more →]

Ever since I moved to Wales 2 years ago I had a quiet wish to climb the highest peak in this country – Snowdon. Last weekend was showing to be a perfect opportunity to fulfil that wish. I was working only till 12 pm and the forecast was for sunshine and high temperatures stretching way [...]

[Read more →]

Had the opportunity to have a walk from Angle to the Freshwater West beach and it looks the production team has a lot of logistics to deal with. They seem to have chosen two locations to pitch-up marquees, one is just of the turn from the road to Angle on B4320 and B4319. The second, [...]

[Read more →]

Of course not literally, but it was published today in the local newspaper that the Freshwater West (the location of one of my recent trecks: The difference is in the Angle) will be used as a filming location for the upcoming movies Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood remake. The [...]

[Read more →]

I am convinced you everyone will see the huge difference in the views you see on the north side of the peninsula, compared to the south – while on the north side you see the beautiful town of Angle, but then as you move further along you are met with the view of all the [...]

[Read more →]