Hidden Gems

I am sure there are hidden gems in most places, so when you are visiting somewhere new it is helpful to have a recommendation from a local resident – in our case the local resident was Janet of Plantaliscious who, when she heard we were having a couple of days in Anglesey kindly invited us to call in for a cup of tea while we were there. It was a surreal experience seeing a garden I had got to know through a blog – and meeting the blogger! Thank you, Janet, for your hospitality – it was a pleasure to meet you.

Janet also recommended some places to visit on our short stay, including The Dingle, a nature reserve at Llangefni, a 10 hectare (25 acre) wooded valley, rich in wildlife and history. As well as the December pleasures of woodland trees and crunchy leaves underfoot, the sight of banks of bluebells promising spectacular blooms next spring, and the potential sighting of red squirrels (none sighted), the reserve was home to numerous sculptures, from cones and seedpods to leaves  and dragonflies, and an entrance of split oak timbers revealing work by a local poet and a range of circular castings featuring the wildlife that can be found in the reserve. A short walk, discretely hidden from the bustle of the town, but a little gem.