Yesterday we had a trip out to Cors Ddyga on Anglesey. A beautiful RSPB nature reserve where we repeatedly saw unexpected wildlife and got very cold and wet. A place easy for me to get time outdoors in my wheelchair. Cors Ddyga is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK, and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
At the moment, it is very difficult for me to exercise anywhere because of the current COVID-19 restrictions. Very often, for me to go anywhere and do anything, I need to drive first.
The Welsh Government at the moment allows exercise as long as you start and finish from your home (lockdown #3 from December ’20 — Tier 4). This has meant I have been pretty much stuck inside my home unless I drive out for shopping, in which case I again do not leave the car.
This started in March when I stayed at home for 5 months without a break. The Firebreak lockdown later on was not much better, and in-between I have been acting as though shielding is in effect full time to try to protect us from COVID-19. I’m pretty sure I won’t survive it, so I’m obviously taking every caution, however not being outside affects me negatively.
Luckily, the rules allow for a wheelchair user to travel to somewhere convenient for exercise, and Cors Ddyga was where we went. It is somewhere I didn’t visit when we lived at our last place, which is a shame as it is wide open with great, flat access and space to pass anyone else with the same idea.
Cors Ddyga stretches all the way from Malltraeth to Llangefni in one direction, and in the middle stretches out past Gaerwen. It’s a huge low level wetland, full of marshes and lakes, with a significant part of it being taken up by the RSPB reserve.
So, with Cameras ready, we set off down the path. It was nice and flat, which made it easy for Cerys to push me in my wheelchair. Cerys had offered to push me if we went, but I was worried about the terrain making it more difficult. I was, however, pleasantly surprised (hence the blog). The paths were superb, and it allowed us to meander on for hours, nattering and just enjoying the fresh air.
Initially, we came across a beautiful fledgling mute swan. We rolled/walked up to it as quietly as possible to get some images (not easy with Spokey Dokeys on my wheels -grin-), only to find it wasn’t even slightly bothered by our being there. For Cerys, this was a first, having never seen a swan until now.
Carrying on, we approached a junction and a bridge. We had a choice of carrying straight on, or turning. All of a sudden, I caught sight of the water, and spotted an otter stood up boldly on a piece of debris. Sadly, it spotted me rather sooner than I’d have liked, and it rushed off before I managed to snap a picture. But wow, an otter! This time, neither Cerys nor I had seen one before. We were bowled over, it was more incredible than I have the ability to convey here.
Speaking to a chap who seemed to be working on the RSPB land, we were told that there was at least one large female and two cubs in the area. Exciting!
We then found some shelter, took a break and got out the flask to have a nice drink of our Oxo + Bisto combination and some snacks. I cannot recommend it highly enough to warm you up while you’re out in the cold.
Then just as I dropped some crisps accidentally, a robin turned up almost immediately to claim them. It was very friendly and kept hopping around us; then into the branches just above us and back down again. It was almost on my lap. I snapped some pics, and we headed back (title image).
The last surprises of the day were a whole rainbow, which I took video of briefly* and a heron that we almost walked past on one of the banks. Again, I didn’t snap properly because my camera was wet. The images are blurred from the rain on the lens. Beautifully elegant though!
The day was cold, windy (across flat land), and very, very wet. Cerys is aching today, and I ended up so cold in my wheelchair that my body started to shut down, and I was violently shivering. I am still not recovered today. It took about 15 minutes to warm up in the car afterwards to a level where I could consider driving.
In Cerys’ words though, “you have been staring at the computer screens, working constantly and have been effectively inside for weeks if not months now. We need to go out”. So we did.
I absolutely love nature, especially birds. I grew up with multiple bird books, David Attenborough and reading things like Tarka the Otter. It has done so much for my mental state to be able to just reset my view for a day, take some photos and experience some firsts.
I can say that we will almost certainly be going back.
Emma.