Spinning Stories at the Spinnies Aberogwen

For 30 Days Wild 2023, we invited those that love to write to join us at Spinnies Aberogwen Nature Reserve for a creative writing walk. Here is a selection of wonderful prose written by some of the participants. This event was one of series enabled by funding from Welsh Government’s Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, administered by WCVA

'Journey into the Spinnies'
Written by Noreen Starkey

A refreshing breeze greeted me at the estuary of the River Ogwen where it emerges onto the tidal mudflats of Traeth Lafan. It’s been a couple of weeks now of hot sunny weather and it’s getting steadily warmer inland. I backtracked down the lushest country lane where the fully laden trees fluttered their leaves and the grasses, hedgerows and wild roses swayed gently and birdsong filled the air, most notably the chiffchaff and polygamous wren.

Soon I came across an entrance to the Viley Hide at the Spinnies Aberogwen Nature Reserve. It was all quiet and still apart from the cool breeze ripples on the lagoon and a lone moorhen that left its trail as it meandered around the island of common reed. In the quiet of the moment, I recalled my last visit here when I observed a little egret standing motionless, waiting patiently while the light flickered through the overhead canopy onto the water. Waiting, waiting and then pouncing eagerly on its unsuspecting prey. A wonderful sight I thought, however, I wondered how many little fish he needed to catch in this way in just one day and the time and patience needed. Then suddenly, up into the trees, it disappeared as something, just the tiniest sound of a twig breaking or a shadow of a large bird hovering or maybe even the light reflecting off my binocular lens from my viewing window in the hide, startled it. Always on guard to the dangers in the wild.

“These lagoons, the trees and the sandy beach pools

They are my world

Why do the they want to watch my every move?

Should I be worried?

Best I take flight it feels so scary

My family are waiting - I’m wise to be wary”

A gentle stroll later to the Kingfisher Hide hidden down a little woodland track. Surrounded by trees and scrubland, my eyes are drawn to the fallen trees and branches left to take on new life where they lay.

Photo of a fallen branch found at the Spinnies Aberogwen Nature reserve. The branch curves in a hook shape, like the one owned by Captain Hook, and faces towards the right.It is placed upon a wooden bench. — A fallen hooked branch @Noreen Starkey

I heard a whisper “come, come and sit on my bough

Come and look closer at my world now

I’m done standing tall

No buds in spring or leaf changing colours in fall

My cycle of life is not yet done

I’m home to Fungi, lichen, bees and bugs

Squirrels sit and leave spent acorn cups

I’m all entangled in sticky buds

Roots below and flowers above

Garlic mustard, speedwell, thorns

Ivy, bramble, buttercups

I love this place where I once stood tall

I’ll slowly rot here till there’s no trace at all

Then all the flowers and trees that grow

Will fix their roots where I once stood

Tall and proud, the king of the Wood”

No kingfisher spotted today at the Kingfisher Hide although I heard that I had just missed the little fella by minutes. Much to my delight a family of greylag goslings swam to shore and pecked around for seeds fallen from the reserves bird feeders.

“What an honour to have a hide in my name,

Why ever not, I’m a king after all

Underrated by my feathered friends

Adored by my human subjects

Upon my perch I’ll sit majestic as if a throne

If you see me there please curtesy and bow

for I am royal, with my feathers of orange and electric blue”

Photo of the former dipping pond board at the Spinnies Aberogwen Nature reserve. The board sits out onto the lagoon behind a tree and many bluebells. Noreen's husband stands on the board, looking over the left hand side. — Noreen's husband out on the old dipping pond board at the Spinnies Aberogwen Nature Reserve @Noreen Starkey

Moving on to the Main Hide I discovered a bench under the shady cool canopy of summertime leaves. I sat and imagined for a moment the trees during the other three seasons. Bare trees creaking and swaying in the cold winter winds with hibernating creatures hidden below. Autumnal colourful hues and harvests of fruit seeds and berries for squirrels, voles and pine martens. Springtime leafy buds and blossoms, fern fonds unravelling, nesting birds carrying twigs and moss to and fro, mating calls of the prolific wrens cheeky cuckoos, fledglings fluttering and twittering.

The lovely gate to an old, now disused, dipping pond almost hidden here. Scrub of bramble and weeds and fallen twigs and branches piled high. A poignant moment for me as I recall my late husband standing just there by that gate many years ago.

A pause for thought and sadness almost overwhelmed me when a cheery little wren perched himself on the gate and sang a merry little song. Nature at its most uplifting - wonderful.

Onwards and upwards, lifted by my favourite little bird, I wandered on to the Main Hide with vistas of the estuary on one side and the lagoon on the other. My wait with baited breath for a sighting of royalty (the king) wasn’t to be, however, a grey heron graced its presence on the muddy bank. Showing off It’s cool elongated reflection in the lagoon while it stood motionless hoping to catch a bite to eat. Moorhens and mallards serenely gliding on the still waters.

Out on the estuary a calm view at low tide of swans and gulls and Egrets bathing and preening in the Aberogwen.

A walk out of the hide onto the shingle beach, I was met with a strong and overwhelming stench from the blocked sluice. I’m told this has been caused by the rising tides due to climate change and that someone would be here to unblock it soon. Now I am worried about the stagnant waters that are trapped inside to lagoons and how it will affect the wildlife within. After such an uplifting morning this was not what I expected. I wanted to sit and enjoy this spot with its natural sights and smells but decided to head back into the reserve.

A photo of the meadow at the Spinnies Aberogwen Nature Reserve. On the left is a tree. — The meadow at Spinnies Aberogwen Nature Reserve @ Noreen Starkey

Where I chanced upon the wild meadow. Somewhere sheltered from the mid day sun. Somewhere to sit and reflect on the day so far. Surrounded by grasses and bees and butterflies and insects, I sat and ate my lunch with the smell of the warm earth and wild grasses, the buzzing of bees on the bramble, wild rose, caper spurge and potentilla. A fitting finale at the Spinnies Aberogwen.

'A Writer’s Walk Through the Spinnies Aberogwen'

Written by Michelle Payne (NWWT Engagement Officer)

Photo of a water rail, hidden in reeds, about to take a step out into the water — Water rail @ Amy Lewis

At the Viley Hide, I can picture myself as a water rail.
In the undergrowth, hidden in the reeds,
Staying nice and cool on a hot summer’s day,
Travelling through the bushes,
Circling areas I know best,
Wading into the water when it’s quiet and calm,
I do enjoy being on the water,
But I prefer to keep hidden onshore.
I’m quite shy of humans,
Ducking away at sudden movements.
You might hear me rather than see me,
I’ve heard I have quite a distinctive pig-like squeal when I call.

On the way to the Kingfisher Hide, I notice amongst the bramble
White little flowers, five petals forming a star
Bright amongst the dark green leaves
Even standing out in the shade
Soft and delicate to the touch
They very fragile, with petals that easily fall
Bees hover all around them
Attracted to their pollen and nectar
Ready to buzz away and take the food home
Back to their young and their hive

Photo of a kingfisher, perched on a curves branch. — Kingfisher @ Irene Greenwood

In the Kingfisher Hide, I imagine myself as the kingfisher.
The most famous bird at the Spinnies
All the lagoons are my domain
Why would I stick at this one little hide,
When I can perch wherever I like?
I am a small little bird though
And I like my own space
Sometimes it would be nice if other birds got the attention
Instead of all eyes on me
I like to be active in the morning and dusk
Posing for the many photos taken of me
I’m more harder to see during the day
I have other places to be!

Sitting on the bench on the way to the Main Hide, I remember the seasons
The lagoon is in full view in the winter, as the leaves have long gone from the trees,
As they start to come back in the spring,
Songbirds sing and young ducklings emerge from the reeds
In the summer, plant life has exploded and the lagoon is harder to see through the trees
But if you keep quiet, you might spot the birds on the old gate
The water reeds tower high above the water, flowers fully bloomed
I can imagine the leaves turning red and falling away in the autumn,
Allowing the lagoons to be seen in full once more

Spinnies Aberogwen Nature Reserve © Eirly Edwards - Behi

The view of the lagoon in the Main Hide is calm and still
The waders floating gently across the water
And the butterflies flittering across the bushes
While the view of the shore is scattered in white
All the large shorebirds, swans, egrets and more, across the water
As far as the eye can see
Wings all moving quickly as they search for fish to eat
One view is small and contained
One view spreads across all the way to Anglesey
I feel calm looking over the lagoon
While my eyes want to explore every part of the estuary
But the lagoon draws me back,
Calming my mind and my thoughts

Out on the beach, the air is strong and salty to the taste
A little too much so
I don’t want to take too much in the scent
The sluice tunnel is blocked once more
And the sea air can’t disguise the smell
But the sand, when I moved away from the stones and rocks
Is soft and squishy and nice under my boots
The wind is rustling through my hair, just right behind my ear
As if its trying to whisper its secrets to me
Maybe even the secrets of the River Ogwen itself

Picnic — ©Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography

The meadow is hidden amongst the blackthorn and hawthorn
A little oasis away from the noise of the beach and the people in the hides
Listening closely you can hear the crickets humming
You can wander around, searching for all kinds of mini-creatures
Or you can just sit back and simply enjoy a picnic
Ending your writing journey
At the Spinnies Aberogwen

If you enjoy writing and stepping out into nature, keep an eye out on the What's On webpage for more writing walks and other fun events in future.