Wild Encounter

Several nights of very poor sleep and a slight flare-up - no doubt connected - have left me feeling rather low. In an attempt to lift my spirits, G suggests a morning outing prior to this afternoon’s Wimbledon final. I leave the destination up to him.

It seems we’re heading up to Sychnant, but we pass our usual area and he parks by the footpath to the headland we last visited in April.  The weather is absolutely perfect, and we soon leave behind the chattering groups of D of E  candidates that seem to frequent this part of Conwy at this time of year. 

The hills are covered in heather purples and gorse yellows, the air full of birdsong, and I can feel my spirits soar. It’s just wonderful to be surrounded by such beauty. 

Then, just as we are turning towards a small lake, we hear the sudden pounding of hooves on turf and press ourselves against the old stone walls as a small herd of chestnut Carneddau come galloping past us. These are the truly wild Carneddau ponies, wandering unrestricted on these remote hills, far less comfortable in human proximity than those that graze on the reserve, and though I’ve encountered them in this area before, I’ve never seen them as untamed as this. 

We walk on in their wake and find them at the lake - now shrunk to a third of its April size. They stand around the edges drinking, or wade into the water seemingly enjoying its coolness. One kicks up the peaty mud, another lies down in the shallow muddy water then rises, chestnut body now half black. 

We keep our distance sitting on the grass, watching all this beauty until, just as suddenly as they appeared, they turn to go, heading into the bracken to graze, just heads appearing from a sea of green. Then, surfeited, they gallop off into the distance.

We stay by the lake for a while, then, just as we decide to leave, I hear a loud whiny from the hills and see the leader of the herd standing proudly high above us.  The others follow, and soon their silhouettes line the ridge. 

Just as we reach the car park, I turn towards the hill once more and see them standing there, proudly, reigning over their Carneddau kingdom. 

It’s hard to choose a main, and I’m really torn between a shot of mare and foal and one of a pony drinking from the lake.  There are others in extras, including their arrival and departure, and the ponies high on the ridge above us.