Twelve Months Twenty-Four Photos. Numbers Thirteen and Fourteen - July
Skomer Island is a truly wonderful place. After walking around it for a day I wanted to break out in spontaneous applause twice. Once for nature evolving such a beautiful island and then to humankind, for not fucking something so incredible up for once. If you happen to find yourself in Pembrokeshire then I strongly recommend you check the place out. The time when I visited, early July, seems to be in the sweet spot. The birds are finishing the raising of their young but the various different migratory groups haven't yet started to leave. One of the oddest things I've seen is a huge cliff face covered in thousands of birds all screeching as loud as they can. Tourist access to the island is controlled by boat. After driving down slowly narrowing country roads you reach a car park. After buying a timed ticket you are directed down to the beach. Boats take four or five groups of people out in the morning and then bring them back in the afternoon. After climbing up the path from where the boat mores on Skomer you are met by guides who explain the rules of the island which basically boil down to 'don't be dicks'. You then get 4 to 5 hours to do what you want and go where you want. We didn't dilly-dally much and still didn't get to see everything there is to see. But when the people selling the tickets in the shop at the start advise you take a hat and a bottle of water they are not just trying to sell you stuff for the sake of it, it's exposed head land and you could get sunburnt and you can get thirsty.
If you want to, you can see all my photos from my day out here.
Ah the Lambeth Country Show, showing other country shows how to show their country. I did feel a bit 'meh' about it this year, possibly because I went on my own and I think it's something best enjoyed through the medium of drinking Pimms with chums while looking at children melting down over their melted ice creams. Also, the rain, although I was heading home by this time anyway.
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