I’ve been wanting to visit Valle Crucis Abbey at Llangollen for a while now. This afternoon seemed like the ideal opportunity so with Teleri and my mum on board we set off.

Valle Crucis is in the most beautiful setting although quite why the 13th century monks chose to set up base next to a caravan site is beyond me. The building is the worse for wear but it’s character still shines through.

At Llangollen I started out as your average tourist visitor, stood on the bridge with an ice-cream, admiring the view and taking a few snaps.

But I could hear baby birds calling. At first I guessed that there was a nest in one of the bushes below but then I spotted a parent Dipper, frantically trying to satisfy the appetites of two offspring. At this point my “average snapper” lens was swapped for my 500mm. Boy did I get a few funny looks, but I knew what I was doing. Just a pity that the birds were so far away and badly backlit.

and I even spotted a bonus Common Sandpiper down there too!