Our Shell Island Holiday

With the restrictions of the pandemic receding in the rear view mirror it was time to think about our first family holiday since 2019. All three boys had requested a return trip to Shell Island so a week at the end of June was duly booked.

For those of you who don’t know, Shell Island is an unspoilt spit of land near Llanbedr, in North Wales. The campsite is nestled in between the sand dunes and an estuary which cuts the site off from the mainland at high tide. Although, as it is so far from civilisation, it does have a couple of basic shops, a cafe/takeaway and a bar, the facilities are very basic so it is almost like wild camping. A big plus is that you do get choose wherever you want to pitch your tents or park your camper; whether near the little harbour, in the neatly mown fields or in the rough, amongst the sand dunes; with no restrictions on how you set up your camp, so long as you’re not too close to other campers. It is a paradise for kids, with space to play games, the huge sand dunes to explore, a beach that stretches for miles and the salty estuary, perfect for crabbing, and the promise of marshmallows around the campfire each evening.

Since Netti and Lils would be with us this time we needed yet another tent. We spent the few weeks prior to our holiday scouring Ebay and Facebook marketplace where we bagged a couple of bargain tents. Kate and Netti had decided they were glamping their tents up so were buying fairy lights, fluffy rugs and huge inflatable beds at an alarming rate. As we had decided that we were going to spend most of the time on site so the kids could enjoy just playing in the sand dunes and on the beach or ride their bikes around the site Paul sorted out a bike rack for the kids bikes. Except they didn’t fit like they were supposed to and Paul had to fit them as best he could.

Once we had all the equipment we needed we had to work out how it was all going to be transported. We couldn’t use the trailer since the bike rack was attached to it so it would have to be shared amongst the cars. Fortunately there were so many of us, plus dogs, we were having to take three cars. Kate, Harvey and Krystal in her car, Netti, Lils, Joey, Iris and myself in ours with Harry, Paul and Alfie in the camper. Paul decided that each car would take one of the tents along with the airbeds, bedding, kids clothes, dog beds and supplies. Since the two cars would be travelling faster than the fully loaded camper he reckoned that by the time he and Harry arrived we should have got their two tents set up. And it’s a good job we did.

The evening before our holiday Netti bought all their stuff and dumped it in the front room where it looked like a small mountain. Paul just stood there shaking his head, wondering where it was all going to go. The morning of our trip dawned bright and sunny with Netti arriving early to start loading up the car. We were squashing stuff into every nook and cranny and we eventually had everything in. I had told everyone we needed to be off around 10.30; Kate was even on time; but it was me who held everything up whilst I had a shower. Once on the road we made really good time over Woodhead and round Manchester before taking a break for our picnic lunch at Chester Services. After hearing from Paul that they’d set off and were about an hour or so behind us we recommenced our journey down to Shell Island, arriving late afternoon. We made for the spot we’d had last time, hoping it was free. It was, so we bounced across the field, corralled the cars and began pitching the tents whilst Harvey and Joey took themselves off to the sand dunes, glad to be able to stretch their legs after being cooped up for four hours. Then we got the phone call. The camper had broken down, not just a minor glitch easily solved but a full blown needed to be recovered glitch. They were somewhere on the A55, just past Chester services and were waiting for the RAC, which would put back their arrival by a couple of hours. To fill in the time I took the boys to the beach so they could get their feet wet in the sea where the water was so warm and inviting I couldn’t resist joining them for a cooling swim; Lils had decided to wait until Harry to arrived. After a while I noticed that Harvey’s shoulders were getting a bit red so told them to put their T-shirts on whilst they were in the water. When his legs started to follow suit I made them, reluctantly, come out of the sea and head back to camp before they got well and truly burnt. On our return to the tents we were informed that Paul and Harry would not be arriving anytime soon. Which meant we were stuck there with nothing to eat or drink since our food hadn’t been shared out like the equipment and was all in the hotbox in the camper! We looked at the time and decided we’d better head up to the main facilities where we could at least get coffee and fill the kids up with pizza. In the end we all had pizza and us adults resorted to an alcoholic beverage or two from the bar. Hoping for the best we ordered a pizza for Paul and Harry which the waitress kindly swaddled in foil to keep it warm when she found out what had happened. After informing the security bods about Paul’s late arrival we made our way back to the tents and carried on setting up whilst waiting to hear from him. The airbeds were inflated and shared out so at least the kids could go to bed. Netti and Kate were just trimming up their tents with strings of fairy lights when Paul phoned to say he had had a massive argument with their agent over our RAC Arrivals cover and a cancelled recovery truck so they were still waiting to be picked up. It didn’t look like they would be arriving that night.  Added to the worry about how Paul, Harry and Alfie were faring it was now getting late, we were all tired and tempers were beginning to fray. Since I should have been sleeping in the camper I now had nowhere to sleep nor any bedding. Both Kate and Netti offered to let me share with them but I chose to drop all the seats and bed down in the back of my car where I slept fitfully. In my waking moments my mind turned to planning how to get Harry and Alfie here whilst Paul continued to wait for the RAC. As it turned out I probably slept better than the others who spent a very cold night huddling together for warmth.

I woke early and peered out of the window to see Netti was already up. I climbed stiffly out of the car to be told Kate had gone in search of coffee and that Paul and Harry had arrived at the site at 3am and were parked in the car park. Within a few minutes Paul drove down the field and parked up followed by Kate minus any coffee; it was too early for the shop. Harry was full of tales of his adventure with grandad from zombie houses and spooky campsites to the strikingly strange recovery truck driver and the early hours journey to the campsite through the Welsh countryside at breakneck speed. He even got to watch the solstice sunrise from the car park before settling down to sleep on a makeshift bed on the camper worktop.

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The Breakdown

We had been travelling for a couple of hours and were well on our way. I was playing Melon Playground when Grandad said some thing that shook me to my core. 

“That’s not good.” He said

I asked what was wrong but he wouldn’t answer me. I was very frightened as we were on the motorway. He pulled off the motorway and was driving down to a roundabout when I heard a loud grating noise and saw a plume of grey smoke shoot up from the engine before it died in middle of the road. I sat there anxiously while grandad checked what was wrong. After a few minutes he called RAC and we waited…..and waited…..and waited. Two hours later an RAC man arrived and guided us, carefully, to an unused gateway in the middle of nowhere. When I say nowhere; there was a derelict house across the road which Grandad and I thought looked like it might be occupied by a serial killer or a hoard of zombies. I was drawn to it and wanted to go explore. Two things stopped me: 1. you die going to explore creepy houses, 2. I would probably be trespassing which is illegal.

Whilst Grandad was arguing with the RAC about being picked up; well, they had cancelled one truck; I FaceTimed Lil, who was already at the campsite, and we explored the road down to the zombie house. I didn’t get very far as it was a little too spooky, even for me.  

As I knew it was going to be a while I considered sleeping on the bed that Grandad had made for me out of two towels and some pillows on top of the kitchen unit. It turned out to be really comfy. Grandad called the RAC once more and although they said they had sent some-one out we prepared for the night in the van. 

I was woken up by the glare of lights cutting through the darkness as a truck pulled up in front of our camper. The driver jumped out and walked towards us; and let me tell you about this dude. He looked like he had side job as a Santa in a shopping centre. His grimy, greasy, grey hair hung limply down the sides of his wrinkled face to join up with the messy white beard which could have been home to a flock of birds. Perched on his large nose were the most bizarre luminous, lime green, goggle shaped glasses I’ve ever seen. His crumpled cargo shorts were as grey as his hair, topped with a brown checkered lumber jack shirt, a pair of heavy builder boots with fisherman socks rolled over them on his surely disgusting feet finished this fashionable ensemble. He set about lifting the van onto the truck. I was really worried about my bike, mounted precariously on the back of a rickety van, ratchet  strapped onto the back of a rickety truck, driven along narrow country lanes by a maniac.

Written by Harry

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The first jobs of the day were to fetch some water, unpack the camp stove and boil the kettle so we could finally have our morning coffee. The day was already scorching hot so pitching our awning was exhausting work. I can usually manage to inflate the awning myself but after my uncomfortable and unsettled night in the car I was shattered to start with. Thankfully Kate, Netti and Lils sprang to my aid. We spent the rest of the day pottering about setting up camp aid whilst Paul sorted out the important stuff such as the solar panel; well we might as well make use of the blazing sun whilst we had it; and the kids bikes so they could go off and explore. Kate inflated her fancy bed and squeezed it into her inner tent; it just fit if she had it sideways with Harvey on a single bed across the bottom. After coffee and breakfast Paul and Kate decided to check out the campsite shops. Mainly because we desperately needed some sun cream. Kate even bought a sun brolly so we didn’t have to keep moving our chairs into tiny patches of shade behind the tents. By early afternoon it was so hot and, apart from Kate’s small parasol, we had zero shade from the blistering sun so she and Paul to rigged up a shelter for the dogs using the windbreaks and a couple of spare groundsheets. Except the stupid things wouldn’t use it! Paul did though. By early evening we were all so tired we couldn’t wait to crawl into our beds. 

Once again the temperature was rocketing by the time we got up at 9am. After breakfast and coffee Netti, Kate and I went to check out the little on site supermarket. It was a well stocked little shop and although slightly pricier than a big supermarket in town, by the time we factored in the cost of fuel we’d use going to Porthmadog it broke about even. Plus we wouldn’t spend all day supermarket shopping. Whilst we were around the shops we bought flip-flops, sun hats and another parasol.

Back at the tents we set up the parasols and rigged up some more shade along the windbreaks. Throughout the afternoon the kids would start to play games but soon gave up it was so hot. Plus, everyone was still recovering from the previous two days.

The kids were desperate to get to the beach and the sea but we managed to hold them off until the searing heat of the day had died down. It was late afternoon when we made our way over the dunes to the beach. Thankfully, when we last went to the beach we had found an easier way back with a little parking area so Paul drove round with the dogs. Once we had settled Paul in his chair and piled our belongings round him we ran down the sand and into the warm waves. All the kids enjoyed diving through the waves and body surfing whilst Netti and Kate introduced the pups to the sea.

We spent a pleasant hour splashing about before heading back to camp for tea. Since we had promised the kids a campfire that evening we had a barbecue followed by toasting marshmallows over the campfire. As usual Joey’s inner pyromania came out to play as he ran round with flaming wooden skewers which only served to encourage the others to follow suit until the fire died down.

The next day promised to be every bit as hot as the previous two days. Since the only request from any of the kids had been from Harry who wanted to return to Harlech Castle; mainly since he had been saving up for a crossbow since our last visit; that was what we decided to do. We drove into Harlech, parked up and headed up through the town, calling in at a “we sell everything you could possibly need” shop to pick up some more sun cream for Krystal and a goop cloth for Alfie, before going in to the castle. Harry was eager to show Lils around but, being a teenage girl it was all a bit uncool for her to be seen running about a castle with her brother. We walked the walls, climbed the towers, explored the nooks and crannies and took loads of photos of kids and puppies. On our way out we stopped off at the cafe for a welcome cuppa and cake for the adults and pop and chips for the kids. The gift shop was a bit of a disappointment for Harry since they didn’t have any crossbows so he made do with some collectible knights and a promise from grandad that they would have a woodworking session and make their own crossbows. 

The next morning the wind had died down a little but the day was dull and cool and looked to be set for the day. We noticed that several tents had disappeared and more were packing up to leave. We decided to stay on and since we still had some wind the boys thought it would be as good a time as any to try flying our kites. Fat chance. It seems that non of us are any good at it. Joey kept taking off on his bike, I think he quite enjoyed the cooler weather so later that afternoon I borrowed Lil’s bike and took Joey and Harvey to explore the other end of the island. It was flippin’ hard work, I can tell you! For a start the bike was slightly too big for me and secondly I couldn’t work out the gears, whatever happened to bikes with just three gears? Then; since I am getting too old for this kind of thing; I had to get off the bike and walk up all the inclines, however short. I kept telling myself that at least it would be all downhill on the way back, except it wasn’t. I did make it to the other end of the island though, where I  had to have a good rest before attempting the return trip. Never again! I do not do bikes!

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Bike Ride With Granny

Granny and I were bored with nothing to do so we went on a bike ride to find the other end of Shell Island. We had only got as far as my favourite tree when Harvey caught up with us. He only came because he didn’t want to play with Harry anymore. It was hard work cycling against the wind. It was ok when we were whizzing down the hills but not such fun when we had to go back up again. It was so bad that Granny had to keep getting off her bike and push it up the hills. She was so slow that Harvey was way in front of us for most of the way. 

When we got there Harvey only sat for a few minutes before heading straight back to the tents whilst me and Granny stayed there for a while longer. I went down onto some rocks to explore and I saw a boat spinning round in the little harbour as the tide went out. Granny called me back as she had spotted some black clouds rolling in and we felt the first cold spits of rain. We set off back to the tent and on our way we met a nice campsite worker who we chatted to. He told us that if we got up early enough the next morning we might see dolphins in the bay. We didn’t get up early enough so didn’t get to see them. Once again we struggled up hills but it was fun hurtling down across the camp field towards our tents. It felt like we had been gone for so long I thought it must be 8 o’clock at night by the time we got back. 

Written by Joey

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We got back to the tents just as the rain was starting to fall more heavily. Once again we all huddled into the awning and decided on a Chinese takeaway for dinner that evening.

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The Chinese Takeaway

We were all feeling a little low as the weather had changed from the glorious sun of the previous day to blustery wind and cold rain. As grandad didn’t want to stand outside getting lashed by the driving rain whilst he cooked we decided to have a takeaway. It was decided that Auntie Kat would drive Mum and I to the nearest takeaway in Harlech, 10 minutes away. As we parked at the side of the road and got out of the car we spotted the Chinese takeaway. With it’s faded red paint peeling from the walls, chunks of brick missing and a cracked window which was so grimy it was almost opaque it looked decidedly run down. We crossed the deserted street and peered at the sun bleached photos on the menu taped to the window; why do all Chinese takeaways have menus with faded photos and blue writing? As Auntie Kat is allergic to chillis we had to inspect it closely so we could avoid things with chillis. Whilst checking the menu we noticed the chippy next door which looked bright and cheery, with a bright, newly painted, glossy blue facade. Inside looked even better and there was a long line to the register. When we looked at the menu though we saw that it was a lot more expensive than the Chinese, so back we went. Inside it was even worse than the outside. We had to cram into an area of about 8ft to make our order with most of the space filled with boxes and supplies.

Behind the counter stood a tiny, dumpy Chinese woman with bow legs and a small, angry looking, chubby face. Her piercing little eyes shot us a disgruntled look as we entered and her mood didn’t improve when Auntie Kat and Mum went to order the special chow mien.

“So you want plain soft noodles?” the Chinese woman asked

“No, we want the special chow mien.” Aunty Kat replied

The Chinese woman’s face scrunched up angrily.

“So you want plain soft noodles?” she repeated. 

“No,” said Aunty Kat patiently, “ we want special chow mien with meat and veg.”

This went back and fourth for a few minutes until the little Chinese woman finally understood what they wanted and stomped off into the kitchen, muttering under her breath. Auntie Kat and I went and sat down on some grubby chairs to wait for our food whilst Mum went for fish and chips for Joey; he will not eat Chinese. As we waited Auntie Kat decided to make a phone call. At the same time as she raised her phone to her ear the takeaway phone rang. When the little Chinese lady answered the call ended straight away. At the very same time Auntie Kat finished her phone call. The old Chinese lady glared angrily at Auntie Kat, obviously thinking it was her. Fortunately, when she hit redial Auntie Kat’s phone remained silent. With a huff she waddled off into the kitchen, tripping over piles of boxes as she went. She did put 4 lollies in the box of food for us kids though.

Written by Lillian

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After our meal we played My Botticelli; a guess who I am game; until darkness fell. By the time we were settling down the wind had got up again and it looked like we’d have another unsettled night.

Surprisingly, the next morning the weather appeared to be improving. It was still windy but there were blue skies and white fluffy clouds. After a family discussion we decided not to follow everyone else and brave it for another day. We did dismantle the dog shelters, took down the ineffectual windbreaks and started to pack a few things away just in case we had to beat a hasty retreat. As lunchtime drew near Paul decided that we’d go over to the bar and have fishing chips for lunch accompanied by a pint or two. Being a Saturday the place was packed with fed up campers and day-trippers with their assorted canine friends. It was the only time we’ve ever known Alfie to go for another dog, seemingly unprovoked, but we think he was protecting his pups form a huge balding Afghan Hound and a Rottweiler owned by a group of noisy, tattooed Liverpudlians on a trip to the seaside for the day. Since the sun was now shining and the kids had been asking to go crabbing all week Kate and Netti took them down to the estuary to catch a few crabs whilst Paul and I drove to the end of the island so I could take all the photos I didn’t get the day before since I’d forgotten to take my camera or phone. In the short space of time it took me to wander around taking my photos the black clouds rolled in again and by the time we’d driven back to the shops the hail was coming at us sideways. Kate, Netti and the kids had been caught out in the rock pools and were soaked through to the skin by the time they reached the cars. Back at the tents we continued with our tidying up and packing whilst the kids played board games as the weather continued to worsen. That night was horrendous. The howling wind tore through our little camp, the gusts strong enough to make the camper rock. About 1am I was woken from my unsettled sleep by something hitting the top of the camper. I was a little confused when I rolled over; I could see sky where I shouldn’t be able to see sky. I poked Paul to wake him. He went to investigate and found that about a foot of the awning had become detached where the wind had forced the awning attachments to move along the rail. He managed to get it back in place but for the rest of the night he was up and down repeating the process. 

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Stormy Weather

Back in June we went to Shell Island where there are fun sand dunes to play on and an amazing beach! We had nice sunny weather, until the 4th day when the it changed dramatically. The nice hot sunny weather turned into cold, rainy, windy, stormy weather that blew our tent inwards! 

It started as a light breeze which grew and grew until a 50 mile an hour gust sounded like an explosive boom as it hit the tent. And when the rain came it sounded like an army of men marching back and forth over the tent. It was so bad the adults had to tighten the ropes on the tents and fasten the storm straps; even then the wind was blowing so strongly the tent looked deformed. The storm was so bad I had to get Krystal and cuddle her in my bed, she was very scared and wouldn’t stop shaking, an hour went by on my phone before I turned it off, shortly after that I fell asleep.

When woke up the next day, the wind and rain had calmed down but it was still miserable. We spent the day round the tents. Then, me, Granny and Joey went on a bike ride, Granny borrowed Lilly’s bike and we rode from 1 end of the island to the other, we then waited there for a bit and listened to granny telling stories about going on a boat with her uncle. I decided to go back to the tents before Joey and Granny because I was cold. We went into granny and grandad’s awning for our dinner that evening. After dinner we just sat around talking about lots of different things. I was even allowed to try rum! As we talked the wind got stronger so me and my mum went back to our tent for the night before it got too bad.

The next morning we had to wait inside our tent again as the rain was back and angrier than ever sounding like an army firing their guns 1 after the other! It finally subsided so we decided to go to the pub for burgers, but I had to get chicken bites because my mouth was completely full of cold sores. While we were eating, it started raining. Again! My mum had to go back to our tents in her car and get our raincoats for us. I went and slept in my mum’s car for around 15 minutes because I was so tired. After my power nap, my mum came and got me from the car to go crabbing as the rain stopped and the sun came out. We collected a bucket of shells and even found a baby crab! 10 minutes later we were being pelted with hail stones.

During the walk back to the cars the hail started to feel like being shot by plastic pellets, some hit me in the eye, some hit my ears, and some hit my nose, one piece of ice even went UP my nose.

After our Chinese takeaway dinner, we started playing Botticelli and roasting marshmallows on a portable stove until it was time to go back to our tent. When we went out of the awning to go to our tent, the wind sounded like an explosion! That night, we started packing clothes and stuff up ready to leave the next morning. 

I woke up to everyone packing stuff up, I helped pack our stuff into the car and waited with Krystal, until my mum shouted me to help with our tent because the wind was howling under the floor turning it into bouncy castle! We struggled a lot when taking the tents down because the wind was turning them into giant kites. The awning looked like a giant balloon on the side of the van and was being ripped away with each new gust. As the tents were so full of air, Joey and I had the job of squashing the air out of the folded up tents by rolling on them so they could be packed away, not an easy task in a howling gale and driving rain. At least we got the Best McDonald’s ever on the way home.

Written by Harvey

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Fortunately we all survived the night with tents intact but not for long. With every succeeding gust all our tents were being blown flat and Netti came across to say she’d heard something crack with the last strong gust. When Kate came out of her tent to say that Harvey was fretting about Krystal and yet another airbed had deflated on her we had a quick conflab and decided we really ought to call it a day before we lost the tents completely. Looking round the site it appeared everyone was having the same idea. We started by emptying Netti’s tent; she had to drag Joey out, he thought it was funny when the tent flattened over him; and trying to flatten it without it becoming a giant kite. Since, as I have mentioned, I have done this before I had a few suggestions to make, like leaving the guy ropes pegged whilst we dropped the poles. It was a struggle but we managed to get both tents down without too much hassle. The next job was to clean out the camper where two frightened pups had pooed everywhere. Once that was done we had to sort out all the stuff we’d chucked in the awning. Paul and Netti had decided that it wasn’t fair to expect Harry to wait for the RAC with Paul so we had to make room in the car for him. Which meant the camper was now packed to the gunwales with all the stuff we’d originally brought in the cars. Even so, in the end someone was going to have to wait with Paul. Netti decided it would be her; I think she engineered it that way. The wind was now blowing under the empty awning lifting the groundsheet like a bouncy castle. Well we had to, didn’t we? The hardest part of packing the awning away was the deflating and getting it flat enough to pack away. In the end, as it was now raining heavily again, we just rolled it up and stuffed it on top of everything else in the back of the camper. Whilst Paul made his phone call to the RAC Harry, Lils and I took all the rubbish up to the bins which were overflowing with discarded tents and windbreaks. As we walked back down the now deserted field we spotted the site tractor and trailer going round picking up all the tents which folk had just abandoned. We did our final checks for leftovers before making our way to the reception area where we left Paul and Netti to wait for their recovery truck. The journey home was uneventful with a stop for a McDonalds at Chester. Just as we we ready to leave the services Paul messaged to say they had been picked up and were on their way. They arrived home about 90 minutes after us which was pretty good considering the RAC agent Paul had spoken to that morning had never heard of the Arrivals cover and was going to refuse assistance unless he paid for it until Paul insisted on speaking to her manager. Once the van was off the truck and parked in front of the house we unpacked the camper, chucking everything onto a tarpaulin spread over the garage floor, leaving it to be sorted over the next few days. 

As we all look back on the week we all agree that despite being eventful we all had a good time and it will be a holiday we’ll remember for years to come. And we did have some sunny days. 

Paul did make a complaint to the RAC and a couple of weeks later he received an apology and a compensatory cheque for £50.