Just 2 hours west of where we live is the most beautiful country of Wales. John and I finally took a few days off to explore the southwestern part of Wales.
We started with a few hours wandering around Cardiff, the capital of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom.
We walked around the castle grounds and the pedestrian part of the city. It's a lovely city.
We then headed west to the Pembroke peninsula and as we approached a round-about, there loomed Carew Castle just waiting to be explored.
Carew Castle is an enormous stone castle in a picturesque location next to a mill pond. The castle is ruined now, but was once a powerful stronghold and a grand Elizabethan mansion.
We spent two nights based in Stackpole at a beautiful National Trust property that now owns 100s of acres of the most beautiful walking trails and the unspoilt beaches of Barafundle Bay and Broad Haven.
Stackpole is both a listed designed landscape and an internationally important nature reserve. We saw so many varieties of birds and even two otters not far from this bridge as we were walking in the evening.
We were there just as spring was beginning to explode into a million shades of green. It was just gorgeous!
We took a walk along the cliff tops and the gorse was blooming bright yellow.
There was a small heard of "wild" ponies grazing and the foals where about 6 weeks old and adorable.
I wish I could capture the magic of the light, the new green and the sparkle of the water in the background.
Stakepole is just a few miles south of Pembroke and it's famous castle.
It was here that Henry VII was born and spent much of his childhood.
Pembroke is one of the greatest pre-Edwardian castles in Britain even though it is in ruins. There is a natural cave below the castle grounds called The Wogan. The cave overlooks the river and there is a spiral staircase that goes up into the castle making for easy access to the river and the sea.
After two days on the Pembroke Peninsula we headed east to the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons National Park. We explored the gorgeous ruins of Carreg Cennen Castle.
The view from the castle was beautiful. The castle dates back initially to the roman times with the remains of this fortress being built in the 1300s. Wales is full of medieval castles.
Next stop, Ystradfellte and the 6 mile loop walk of 4 spectacular waterfalls. If you look closely, you can see me with my arms spread wide behind the waterfall.
The area is considered to be part of the Waterfall Country -- a beautiful area laced with rivers and hills and lots of waterfalls. This Waterfalls walk follows the Afon Mellte river and passes the falls: Sgwd Clun-gwyn and Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn, t Sgwd yr Eira = where the footpath passes behind the waterfall.
This is the view from our Bed and Breakfast at Celyn Farms in the Brecon Beacon's Nationial partk. This is Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Our last day we explored another important part of Wales -- a coal mine. We took a guided tour of the Big Pit coal mine
that was opened at the beginning of the 19th century. Our guide was an ex-miner who
actually worked in the mine so was fully experienced in the actual workings. We
had to wear the very same equipment – helmet, cap lamp, belt, battery and ‘self
rescuer’ – used by miners. It was a fascinating and sobering experience.
In the early 1800's women and children worked in the mines pushing and pulling the drams like the ones in this photo. By the early 1900s women were replaced by ponies but children as young as six still worked the mines. Here is a minute long clip from the BBC that describes the conditions in the mine for the children:
hhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/children-working-in-coal-mines/145.html
At the end of the tour there is an exhibit that explains all about coal, it's demand, the working and political situations of the mines, the lives of the miner and their families -- everything you want to know about coal. One fact haunted me: Between 1851 and 1920 there where over 3000 deaths in the mines in Wales. Look at the bottom line of this next sign...there were 3,390 deaths in the Chinese mines between January and July 2002!
We ended our trip by wandering down the Wye Valley, that valley that separates Wales from England. 4 days in Wales was not enough! We look forward to retuning for more of this beautiful land.
Our last stop was Tintern Abbey, one of the
best-preserved medieval abbey in Wales. Tintern
was the second Cistercian foundation in Britain, and the first in Wales. The
present-day remains are a mixture of building works covering a 400-year period
between 1131 and 1536.
In 1536 Tintern Abbey surrendered to King Henry VIII’s officials and ended a way of
life which had lasted 400 years. It has been a ruin ever since.
Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky.
William Wordsworth's LINES WRITTEN A FEW MILES ABOVE TINTERN ABBEY
“Dychwelyd i wlad eich hynafiaid; gwaed yn galw i waed.Return to the land of your fathers; blood calls to blood.” ― Horton Deakins
I'm looking forward to retuning.
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