Swimming in the Dingle, Nant Y Pandy

by Gordon Weare
(Otago, New Zealand)

Who needed a beach, when we could spend all summer swimming in the Cefni river in the Dingle.

A local garage would give us inner tubes and a gang of us boys and girls, would spend many hours swimming in the river, these river parts had names, Llyn Pwmp was No1. Spwnin' just a bit further up.. and a bit close to the railway. the railway had trains on it then - steam trains.

We swam nude and had the sun to dry us. Horseflies could sure bite. I recall plenty of trout and millions of eels! and the great dread, adder snakes, seen often swimming across the river, oily off the rail.

'The Tanks' was a great swim took, vandals kept throwing glass into it, and eventually they kicked in the brickwork.

I even had a Winter swim! Cracking the ice, never again, until I did an Arctic Survival Course in much later years.

We used to sing a lot, 'House of the Rising Sun' by The Animals was a winnner.

I've lived in New Zealand now some 35 years, and been around the globe before that. I grew up in Pencraig, Llangefni. It just bare land then, and housing areas began to spread rapidly.

I climbed the ivy on the old mill on Y Graig (The Rock). Long Summers, good gang of friends and a painful school life. But what warm memories.

As I get older the echoes get louder. There are things I miss, and always will. However, life has been very good to me and I am very fortunate and appreciative.

Best Wishes to all friends in and from Llangefni

Gordon Weare (ex 'Terrible Twin') from 17 Pencraig; near the Theater Fach.

gordonweare@hotmail.com