Day Nineteen – Thursday, 31 May 2012

Blarney – Killarney

Weather – overcast and misty at times

Temperature – maximum 18

Our first stop for the day was Cobh (pronounced Cove) which is the cruise ship harbour to Cork.  The Heritage Centre - The Queenstown Story came highly recommended so we detoured there before making our way along the south western coast up to Killarney.  Cobh has been known by Cove, has its name changed when Queen Victoria visited and eventually settled on Cobh the Irish spelling.

Walking down to the Heritage Centre we came across this row of colourful houses!

St Colmans - a prime view of the port.

Cobh is a busy port with 50 cruise liners berthing at the docks with 100,000 passengers and crew each year.  It is Ireland’s only dedicated cruise berth.  High above this pretty sea port is St Colmans, a very large church of neo-gothic architecture.

The Heritage Centre which is housed in an old Victorian railway station traces the history of Irish immigrants to America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina.  It also includes the history of the Titanic as Cobh was the last port of call for this doomed ship before it sank.  The last section dealt with the tragic sinking of the cruise ship Lusitania by a German U-boat in 1915.

Alongside the esplanade are two monuments to these tragic events.  The Titanic took on 123 passengers in Cobh.  One passenger, Father Browne sailed on the ship from Southampton to Cobh and recorded many photographs showing life on the Titanic.  He was only booked to go to the Irish port however generous passengers offered to pay his way to New York.  After telegramming his superiors he was told to disembark.  Of course, this saved his life as well as preserving rare images of life on board before the Titanic sank.  Many of his black and white photographs are used in the exhibition.

Many letters were sent from Cobh as it was the last port of call before America. As the sad news unfolded of the tragedy relatives and friends were receiving postcards and letters from their loved ones.

The Lusitania was another Cunard Line cruise ship which met a terrible end on May 7 1915.  One thousand one hundred and ninety-eight people perished.  Those who survived were looked after by the town’s people.  The inscription on the memorial reads:  “To those who helped in the rescue, gave aid and comfort and who buried the dead”.

It is truly amazing how many immigrants left Ireland for better lives elsewhere particularly because of the The Potato Famine between 1847 and 1849.  The years prior to this also had poor crops so many Irish were desperate for better lives.  Between 1815 and 1970 over 3 million Irish immigrated from Ireland which surely makes you realise there are a lot of people with Irish blood all over the world!

We then took our time and spent several hours following the coastal path to Killarney.  The weather was inclement and misty in parts however the scenery was so beautiful, green and lush.  We stopped at Bantry one of many lovely towns situated along the way. 

Glengarriff was one of the many little towns on the way.

The stretch of road between Kenmare and Killarney gave lovely views over mountains and down to the valley below.  Sheep grazed with young lambs and it was all picture postcard perfect!  We have to travel this road again as we explore the Ring of Kerry so I hope I take better photos next time and the weather is sunnier!

Green!

Our accommodation was already booked in Killarney so after quickly settling in we drove into Killarney central for a meal at a pub and a walk on the streets.  It is a lively town with many tourist shops. 

Tomorrow, depending on the weather we are off to see the Ring of Kerry.

Day Eighteen – Wednesday, 30 May 2012

Blarney

Accommodation – The White House B&B

Weather – sunny with overcast patches

Temperature – low twenties

We set off for Blarney Castle after over-indulging (yet again) on a B&B breakfast.  Another guest told us he took two hours to kiss the stone the other day as a cruise ship had visited via the port of Cobh.  Fortunately, we arrived early as the B&B is situated only 500 metres from the castle.

The beautiful gardens in the castle's grounds with Blarney Castle in the distance.

Blarney Castle.  The stone is on the other side at the top.

The castle was built in 1446 by Cormac MacCarthy and is surrounded by wonderful green lawns and picturesque gardens.  Queen Elizabeth I coined the expression:  “This is Blarney.  What he says he never means” as the chieftain MacCarthy was refusing to be persuaded by the English queen to accept English authority.

It was quite exciting entering the castle to visit one of Ireland’s iconic tourist attractions.  The steps up are steep and quite narrow and they eventually lead up to the top of the castle where an attendant helps you down on your bottom and leans you backwards and downwards to kiss the stone.  I would share a photo with you of me kissing the stone however David took a delightful shot up my nostrils and having been bequeathed the Taylor nose I will be deleting it!

You wouldn't want to have a back problem!

We explored the Poison Garden which is set out quite formally as gardens would have been centuries ago.  Each plant had a guide as to the nature of the poison and symptoms to look for if ingested. 

The Poison Garden.....lovely even with that name!

The next stop was the Blarney Woollen Mill which is the largest tourist shop in Ireland.  It was quite impressive as the quality of the goods was terrific – woollen goods including rugs, Aran knits, scarves and hats as well as Waterford crystal, Irish linen, china and clothing. 

Outside the store we spoke to a couple who came from the same village as David’s grandfather (Ludlow)...small world!  The woman asked me of my heritage and I explained that my ancestors go back to the 1880s in England and Scotland and 1840 in Ireland so I really had no relatives in either of the countries.  She then asked if I was going to stay over there…..’huh?’, I thought. “Yes, I think I’ll stay there!” I replied.

Our B&B host advised us not to take the car into Cork (fifteen minutes away) as the parking was a problem so we took the bus to the Cork terminus.  St Patricks Street was nearby and this lead down to the English Market which apparently is very famous (Queen Elizabeth visited last year) but I’d never heard of it.  It comprises of many food stalls – butchers, bakers, fishmongers, cafes, fruiterers etc.  It was time for a bite to eat so we squeezed into a tiny café with delicious home-made treats.

Our next visit was so much fun!  We crossed the River Lee to see the famous landmark of St Anne’s.  For five euro each we were permitted to climb up narrow stairs with a rope handrail to the bell tower, clock and parapet overlooking Cork.  We were even allowed to ring the bells……we chose Frere Jacques but I’m not sure that it sounded like it even after two goes!!!  We had to wear ear muffs as we went passed the eight bells to the top of the tower in case they were going to be rung by other tourists.

No, I wasn't jumping up and down clinging to ropes!  It's a matter of simply pulling the rope and reading the numbers from the sheet on the side.

I asked the attendant if the locals of Shandon complained about the noise of the bells to which he replied that they hadn’t today!

The church bells first rang in 1752.

The high tower also has a large clock with four faces which was installed in 1847.  It is known as the Four Faced Liar as the four faces of the clock rarely show the same time except on the hour.  An inscription reads:  Passenger measure your time for time is a measure of your being.

The Four Faced Liar and bell tower of St Anne's.

We had no firken idea either.....this is the old Butter Exchange and a firken is a butter barrel.  This building is now a dance studio.

The evening was spent at the Blarney Hotel with a large and noisy crowd.  Tonight we managed to stay until the band started and we watched a set of eight dancers perform Irish jigs.  I’d need an oxygen mask after one dance but they seemed to go on forever and none of them were spring chickens.  They were one dancer short so some unlucky ones including some Australians filled in and provided some hilarious times.

A fun day all round!

Day Seventeen – Tuesday, 29 May 2011

Wexford – Blarney

Accommodation - The White House B&B

Weather – overcast but dry

Temperature – maximum 18

It was our first full day in Ireland and I must admit not an awful lot of thought went into naming my blog!  I’ll have to make it a priority in editing when I return to OZ….perhaps “Sandra and David’s Adventures in the UK and Ireland!”……

We left Wexford around 9.30am and headed to Waterford the home of crystal.  After an awkward start finding the outlet (our GPS took us to the closed factory) we enjoyed a great tour of the city based centre.  We were a little unsure whether to go on a tour….you can get a bit ‘toured’ out…..but it was well worthwhile and made us realise just how careful and intricate a process it is to make their products.

Tables were set up and each place had a different Waterford setting.

A seriously over-the-top mirror but gorgeous!

Cheers!

One of the many stunning one-off pieces displayed.

The factory was set up in 1783 and this was when the Lismore pattern was made.  This pattern is still the most popular today.  Crystal is made up of white silica sand, potash and read lead.  If the content of lead falls below 20% then it is glass.

We saw so many beautiful pieces of crystal in the showroom:  a grizzly bear 75cms tall (sells for 30 000 euro);  a gridiron helmet; a world globe;  chandeliers everywhere;  wonderful vases (my favourites had Christmas scenes);  glasses; clocks and so much more.  The factory produces some beautiful one-off pieces as trophies and stunning pieces for special occasions including a tall lidded piece for Queen Elizabeth’s jubilee and a memorial for 9/11 showing the steel beams in the background.

The pieces for next year’s Time Square ball were sitting on the table.  Apparently there are new crystal pieces made each year for the New York’s iconic ball and auctioned off….for charity I hope!

We then took a detour off the main road and headed to the little village of Ardmore.  Fortunately, it was a quiet day and we enjoyed a late lunch at a local restaurant.  A walk around Ardmore is very pleasant and I can imagine that it would be very busy in summer as it has a great sandy beach.

On the way to Ardmore....isn't it pretty?

St Declan is said to have introduced Christianity here from 416 AD and is considered the oldest ecclesiastical centre in Ireland which predates St Patrick.  The old St Declan’s Cathedral and Romanesque Round Tower sit high on the hill overlooking Ardmore.  The church’s roof has long gone however enough remains to give it a real sense of the importance its presence has been to the village with the many many gravestones – both ancient and new surrounding this old building and even some inside.

Beautiful St Declan's high on the hill overlooking Ardmore. 

The Round Tower is remarkably preserved and was used by monks to hide the church’s treasures when invaded.  The door is very high up and could be accessed via a rope ladder.  When under threat the ladder was drawn up.

The interior of St Declan's....so old and so precious.

The remarkably well preserved Round Tower stands beside the church.

As it was already after three o’clock we decided to head to Blarney which is north of Cork.  We like the idea of staying out of busy areas but close enough to visit the cities next day.  Blarney is very small however it can be very busy apparently during the day.  We will see tomorrow when we set out for Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarney Stone…..although I don’t think I need any more gifts in that area!!

Our journey from County Wexford through County Waterford and County Cork was very enjoyable.  We marvelled at the green countryside…….green, green everywhere.  It’s easy to see how it’s known as the Emerald Isle.

A diverse day of sightseeing was finished off at the local pub and a good sit-down!

Day Sixteen – Monday, 28 May 2012

St Davids – Wexford, Ireland

Accommodation – The Maple Lodge, Castlebridge

Weather – sunny

Temperature – mid twenties

Today was a day of travel from Wales to Ireland.  We left St Davids after a slow start as it was only a little way to Fishguard and its nearby port. 

Fishguard is quite small, so unless we missed the main shopping area, we drove back to the port area and bought a paper, some sandwiches and joined the queue for the ferry to Rosslare.

The little Harbour at Fishguard.

We waited for two hours before boarding and I had a great time just reading and drinking coffee.

The voyage was very smooth however the temperature inside was freezing – so I had a choice, either freeze or sit up higher.  After a long snooze I chose to sit up on a higher deck and feel the swaying vessel.  Those travel pills did the trick and I felt fine.

It was a smooth disembarking, no passport checks and we were in Ireland.  We were soon to discover there were a few differences!

The accommodation we had booked to make life easier on arrival could not be found and we only had co-ordinates locked into our GPS.  It does help to have the correct co-ordinates locked in – but still we couldn’t find it.  Eventually, I saw a sign out of the corner of my eye as we were driving along the main road.

Our lovely hostess (later confirmed at the pub) said there were no street addresses – just co-ordinates as everyone knows each other…..just ask if you can’t find a place.  I asked the waiter at the pub how does the postman know where to deliver mail to which he replied that he knew everyone!  Welcome to Ireland!

Well...hello Ireland!

We had a toast at the Riverbank Hotel in Wexford – a Guinness and a sav blanc and are looking forward to a great time in Ireland.

A short walk around Wexford riverwalk ended our first afternoon in the Emerald Isle.

Don't even think about walking your dog without a pooper-scooper....then make up your mind please - Yes or No!  A referendum is coming up soon to try and sort out Ireland's economy.

A river walk in Wexford.

Day Fifteen – Sunday, 27 May 2012

Brecon – St Davids

Accommodation - The City Inn

Temperature – 24

Weather – sunny

It was another sunny day as we set off for St Davids (yes, there is no apostrophe!).  This will be our last stopover before we head to Ireland on Monday.  As it was Sunday morning in Brecon the bells of St Mary’s rang for quite a long time.

We were in no rush and a friend had given us some information on Amroth and Narberth which she’d read about in a magazine.  As they were only a little out of the way it gave us the opportunity to stay away from the busy roads and explore the littler places of Wales.  We passed many farms and pulled over and bought some punnets of strawberries and cherries which the woman said had only been picked that day.  They were juicy and delicious and I had to make sure I had my fair share of them with David around!

Amroth is a seaside town which I think the Welsh know more about than tourists.  It has the added advantage over Swansea, The Mumbles and others in that it is quiet and the roads in and out are narrow.  There are quite a few caravan sites and some accommodation but the village is small.  The beach has largish pebbles and I was amused to see a beach competition:  pebble building! 

Further west were two larger seaside villages which were quite busy with roadside cafes and B&Bs along the waterfront.  I think David and I are the only ones who wear hats….we’ve seen many people very sunburnt over the past few days and unbelievably they continue to sit in the sun with lots of skin exposed long after they have been burnt.  Ouch!

Further north we visited Narberth which is just shy of the A40.  It is a very tidy little town – busy enough on weekdays to have parking outside the centre and the usual one way streets around the centre.  As it was lunchtime and there weren’t too many shops opened on a Sunday we managed to buy some rolls, takeaway coffee and a newspaper and sat in a lush green park and relaxed. 

Narberth and the memorial for fallen soldiers.  I cannot think of one town or village that does not have a beautifully tendered area to honour the town's losses.

You're kidding me!  They can't spell leek!  According to legend St David ordered his soldiers to wear a leek to identify themselves in an ancient battle against the Saxons.

St Davids is a beautiful little village known as the littlest city and Wales’ holiest site with the wonderful St David’s Cathedral.  It has been a place of pilgrimage for 1500 years and was particularly encouraged by Pope Calixtus II in 1294 when he declared that two pilgrimages to St David’s was equivalent to one pilgrimage to Rome.  The area is also known for its hiking and boat tours to Ramsey Island where you can see seals, porpoises (perhaps) and numerous sea birds.

Magnificent St David's Cathedral with the Bishop's House in the background.

The cathedral is particularly beautiful and is backed by the remains of the Bishop’s House.  Upon entering the nave we were to discover the choir was practising for Evensong so we were a bit spoilt.  The shrine of St David was built in 1275 and restored this year.  It sits next to the high altar.

We then wandered the streets and finally chose a pub to enjoy dinner, wine and a lager.  As it was still light when we had finished we took the opportunity to make the most of the day and visited St Non’s Bay where it is traditionally accepted where St David was born.  It is a rugged coastline topped with rich green fields and grazing cows.  The purported home of St Non stands derelict in a beautiful field.  St Non’s Well is a spring which is said to have been formed at the moment of St David’s birth and is said to have curative powers.

St Non's house and the Pembrokeshire coastline.

The Holy Spring of St Non

We walked the cliff top path and then onto the Chapel of Our Lady and St Non which was built in 1935 out of the stones of old religious buildings.  It is said to be built in the style and size of churches in St Non’s time.  As we sat outside on a bench we took in the wonderful scenery of Pembrokeshire.  It’s a special part of the world and really deserved so much more of our time.

The beautiful coatline just behind St Non's.  The sign said:  "cliffs kill" ......

We detoured to St Justinian’s which is the little harbour for boats including the life boats to assist boats in distress. 

The way back was more direct and we were back in St Davids in no time ready to sit back and watch the BAFTAs….however David has found the hotel has SkySport and I’m now watching Soccer Aid and seen Gordon Ramsay being lifted off and injured!  The BAFTAs seem so much safer some how!

Day Fourteen – Saturday, 26 May 2012

Brecon

Weather – glorious sunshine with some wind

Temperature – mid twenties

After yesterday’s afternoon sleep we never thought we would sleep in….but we did.  I had to get David to check my watch which read 8.40am!! We quickly dressed and made it to the breakfast room before 9am.  Laundry was then collected in town as we’d left it for the lady to wash yesterday afternoon.  Everything came back clean (not ironed) for eight pound ten.

We booked a canal boat ride yesterday afternoon and just as well we did as the boat was fully booked.  The canal runs only a short distance behind the B&B we are staying at.  The ride lasted two and a half hours wending its way through the pretty green countryside and passed other boats and ducks.  Cyclists and walkers passed us as the maximum speed is 4mph!  This delightful little canal was restored in the 1950s as it fell into disuse and silting due to its closure in the mid-1900s.  Steam trains ended its demise as a commercial venture to transport coal.  The trip took 2 ½ hours with a stopover to turn the canal boat around.  The canal follows the Taff Trail and we saw many walkers and cyclists enjoying the sunshine – one group of about fifteen women cyclists were dressed as Spiderman however we had no idea why.

How about this....green green fields on a sunny day!

We hopped out to take photos and to allow the boat to turn around.

The boat owner had a little dog named Syd who knew the routine so well that he anticipated when to get off and on when it came to adjusting the lock.  The lock’s water depth had a variance of 3.1 metres so we descended on the way up the canal and rose on the way back.

A spectacular view from the train showing The Beacons in the distance.

It was then back into town to buy a takeaway roll and head to Brecon Mountain Railway near Merthyr Tydfil.  The railway is one of the so-called Great Little Trains of Wales and is one of ten lines passionately restored by steam train enthusiasts.  It’s a great way to see wonderful scenery and the Brecon line enters the Brecon Beacons National Park giving good views of the famous Beacons (mountains).  The engine was built in 1908 and came from East Germany.  The area houses a shed where two other engines are being restored.  The conductor was a dead ringer for the Fat Controller but I thought it a bit impolite to ask him for a photo however he did look the part – a dark suit, big tummy, tie and railway man’s hat!

Henry?  Thomas?  Percival?

Our day was running to schedule and we had a quick freshen up before a drink and bite to eat at the pub up the road.  It was then onto the highlight of our day – a concert at St Mary’s church with two Welsh choirs and some soloists.  The event was to raise funds to build a Welsh memorial on Flanders Fields as they are not represented there.  Twenty thousand Welsh soldiers perished on French fields so a memorial is definitely overdue!  The design has been agreed upon and will be three slabs of slate surrounded by the Welsh dragon and inscribed in English, French and Welsh.

St Mary's or otherwise known as The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin 

Two choirs performed on the evening - a male choir (Talgarth Choir) and a mixed choir (Cor Rygbi Gogledd Cymru).  Songs included This is the Moment, Song of the Jolly Roger, Stout-hearted Men and The Lord is my Shepherd.  It was great to hear Stout-hearted Men as my father used to sing the first two lines (Shoulder to shoulder and bolder and bolder, They grow as they go to the fore) and I’d never heard the rest!  Another was my grandmother’s favourite (The Holy City) and was sung exquisitely by the soloist Erin Mai.  I’m sure she would be on youtube if readers wanted to see her talent.

The evening ended with both choirs singing together with the finale being the Welsh national anthem – Land of My Fathers.  Everyone sang and the air was electric.

We wandered back to our B&B very happy chappies after such a wonderful day.

Day Thirteen – Friday, 25 May 2012

The Mumbles – Brecon

Weather – sunny 25 degrees

Accommodation – Borderers B&B, Brecon

It was a lovely drive out of The Mumbles as the weather was less hazy.  We could actually see Swansea over the water and the Mumbles pier.

It was an hour drive to Brecon which borders the Brecon Beacons National Park.  The information office gave us some clues to find accommodation and we quickly secured one as we had wanted to catch the 11.30 canal boat ride.  However, after all the rushing we discovered it wasn’t operating that day as they were making it wheelchair access friendly. 

Brecon has been inhabited for at least 4500 years so there is plenty of history in this area!  The town was named after the grandson (Brychan) of a 5^th century ruler.

It was time for a cuppa and off we strolled through delightful Brecon.  We sat next to two ladies discussing life in general.  We find the tables are closely packed so I eavesdropped on Clive’s dicky heart, the wife deciding he’s a big boy and he can make his own appointment, an ambulance outside Arthur’s house – only to discover it was his usual Tuesday pick-up.  Love village life….so much goes on and everybody knows all about it.

A cuppa, scone with jam and Rodda's clotted cream and a spot of eavesdropping!

It was a short walk to the Brecon Cathedral on the hill in the midday sun.  A memorial service was commencing in an hour so we timed our visit perfectly.   Every town has a church which has at the very least a Norman component, Saxon or nothing older than 14^th century.  This cathedral is no different and it has had a church on this site since Celtic times before the Norman Conquest.  The present church has been mostly built between 1301 and 1400.   It is beautifully preserved and a very busy part of the Brecon area being the cathedral for southern Wales.  The carved font is 1000 years old and is from the Norman church period.  It reveals the struggle between evil and good in the personification of angels and dragons.  Like all the churches we have visited we marvelled at the carved worn epitaphs on the floors and walls and the stained glass. One chapel, The Harvard Chapel, has been adopted by Royal Regiment of Wales and houses the Regimental colours including those carried in the Zulu wars.  Southern wales lost 5777 men during World War I and as so many have no known graves it was decided to dedicate this beautiful chapel (in 1922) to the left of the nave to the gallant men who gave their lives for King and Country.  All names are listed in a book on a lectern in beautiful writing in alphabetical order with their serial number.

I can read Welsh!  Bilingual signs are everywhere!

The moving tribute to Welsh soldiers.

The bells of the Cathedral ring once again over the town after restoration was completed in 1995….they had been silent for 177 years.  The first bells rang over Brecon in 1684 to herald the arrival of the Duke of Beaufort. 

Travel is exhausting and we decided to have a rest at our B&B – we awoke to find we had slept several hours and it was already nearing 5pm.  As it light until 9pm we set off for an evening drive through the Welsh countryside via Hay on Wye, crossing the border into England and visiting Leominster which is the area David’s family came from in the early 1900s.  It was a picture perfect drive through lush fields and green hedges. 

Leominster.

Herefordshire....a picture from the roadside.  Often we see beautiful scenery but the hedges and small lanes prevent us from stopping.

A very delicious dinner at a nearby B&B was a satisfying end to a lovely day in the country.

Day Twelve – Thursday, 24 May 2012

Bath – Cardiff – The Mumbles

Accommodation – The Charlton, The Mumbles

Temperature – 24 degrees

Weather – very early fog leading to a very hazy day!

We enjoyed our stay outside Bath and had breakfast at the very old pub adjoining our accommodation.  A full English breakfast had been ordered the night before – I think I’m getting a little tired of the complete overload of food in the morning:  baked beans; hash brown; tomato; sausage; mushrooms; eggs and bacon!  No wonder David and I aren’t eating lunch!

We found our way to Cardiff and a parking lot without any trouble thanks to the GPS.  Cardiff Castle was just around the corner so we purchased tickets for the premium tour which allowed us into the private rooms of the Marquess of Bute. The family made a fortune from the coal industry and once owned fourteen homes throughout Britain and the world.  This 19^th century home was built on top of an old Roman fortress which was discovered when walls were being built around the estate.  The present day walls are built in the Roman manner.

This central city site houses The Keep built in 1081 by William I, The Black Tower built in the 13^th century, the Marquess’ home and the Roman walls which were rebuilt and used as air-raid shelters in world war II.  The Keep sits on top of a motte (a large green hill) twelve metres tall and surrounded by a moat.

The Keep surrounded by a moat....great views from the top.

The apartments of the Bute family are in the Victorian style and are really overly decorated with painted walls, carved wooden balustrading and very ornate decorations.  Some of the home incorporates 14^th century walls.

The Castle is a well presented tourist attraction with audio guides, film and information posts dotted around the site.  Adjoining the castle is the giant Millennium Stadium famous for its many football matches.

The dining area where Queen Elizabeth II has entertained guests including Nelson Mendela.

The present site was donated to the city of Cardiff in 1948 by the 5^th Marquess of Bute on the proviso that none of the estate which includes large expanses of land was to be divided. 

The Marquess was refused permission to have his own private zoo so he had animals carved and placed on the exterior fence!

The hop-on-bus was our next step in seeing as much of the city as we could.  It was a very hazy day however with muted sunlight and a good temperature we sat on top to see the city.  The Olympic torch is passing through Cardiff tomorrow so the city is getting ready with decorations and huge free-standing Olympic rings in a park.

Seriously?  But I want to go on Sunday!!!

Obviously fast children don't need a sign!

We hopped off at Cardiff Bay which is a very new development at the waterfront.  As Cardiff was previously a very large coal exporting port the city has redeveloped the area into a wonderful arts/dining/theatre centre.  The Wales Millennium Centre is at Cardiff Bay and houses the Welsh National Opera, Dance Company, and Orchestra.  The giant inscriptions on the front translate as:  ‘creating truth like glass from the inspiration’s furnace’ and ‘in thes stones horizons sing’.

Roald Dahl Place with the Millennium Theatre in the background.

We then ventured along the western coast via Porthcawl, Port Talbot until we decided on The Mumbles on the coast near Swansea.  The hotel is across from the very long esplanade and the water was out for miles when we arrived – we thought Manly could go out forever!  After an hour the tide came quickly in and the water was washing up on the rocks of the esplanade.

A very hazy day at The Mumbles with the pier in the background.

A lovely evening walk after dinner along the promenade was a relaxing way to end our first day in Wales.

Day Eleven – Wednesday 23 May, 2012

Padstow – Port Isaac – Tintagel – Bath

Temperature – 24 degrees

Weather – early morning overcast to sunny

Accommodation – The Old Crown Lodge, Kestel (outside Bath)

We set off for Port Isaac a short distance from Padstow after a lovely stay in Padstow.  Port Isaac is the location for the Doc Martin series and it is a tiny seaside harbour village.  As usual, we found the parking area and set out for the ten minute walk.

Isn't it pretty?

Although David and I aren’t avid fans we do enjoy the series and we managed to find the settings used in the series:  the pharmacy is actually a sweet shop; the restaurant is a private home overlooking the harbour and Doc Martin’s home is also a private residence.  The streets are very narrow and generally they are used for pedestrians only.  The village has a thriving lobster and fish market as well as a well-stocked art gallery of quality pottery and paintings.

We enjoyed a coffee at a teeny tiny café overlooking the lanes and wrote some postcards to the Grandmas and grandchildren which will probably arrive after we return.

About half an hour up the road and down some narrow lanes we visited Tintagel the ancient ruined castle of the legendary King Arthur.  David and I came away wondering if he really did exist both coming away with a different viewpoint after viewing the film and reading the signs over the sight!  It certainly is a spectacular area and the island has been used as a form of defence for over 2000 years.  Objects collected indicate the area was used during the Bronze Age and objects have been collected from the site indicating early trade with the Mediterranean.  Evidence of Celtic kings in the 6^th and 7^th centuries has also been revealed.

Me...the pack horse with a beautiful background!

The site is located on a craggy cliff accessed via some steep wooden steps over the Cornish coastline.  We had spectacular views up and down the coast as the sun was shining…..so much so David and I had to wear our hats.  The current ruins date from the 13^th century and were built by Richard, the Earl of Cornwall.

Not a lot left but beautiful nevertheless....and a real work-out for the legs!

A wander around the village of Tintagel was a hot affair and many shops sell all the paraphernalia associated with King Arthur, Merlin, witches and spells.  The ‘new age’ crystals, oils, tarot cards also get a work out.  Tintagel also has a wonderful old building built in the 1500s which was the post office until the 19^th century.

About 3pm we set off for Bath some three hours away.  This is a big drive in UK terms however we did not want to miss the countryside so took the less major roads and enjoyed the scenery on the way.  Although we are often ‘oohing and aahing’ over the views it is impossible to take photos as there is nowhere to park on the side of the road. 

We checked into an old pub just outside Bath and enjoyed the old pub, the meal and comfortable lodgings.

A lovely day all round!

Day Ten – Tuesday, 22 March 2012

Marazion – Mousehole – St Ives – Padstow

Temperature – 17 degrees and overcast

Accommodation – Penjolly Guesthouse, Padstow

Our accommodation was a lovely B&B on the main road through Marazion and we would have stayed another night however the inn was full!  For the first time I tried kippers for breakfast and it was very enjoyable.  We took one more look around Marazion and saw tourists lined up on the causeway waiting for the water to subside.

The kipper was smoked locally...5kms down the road.

It was a day of touring beautiful harbour towns on the Cornish coast.  Mousehole is only a short driving distance from Marazion and was the smallest village we visited today.  It is still and active fishing port with safe harbour walls housing many small boats.  We wandered the tiny cobbled streets and came across the house where Dolly Pentreath passed away in 1777 at the age of 105.  She was the last person to speak Cornish fluently.  A famous portrait of her is exhibited at St Michael’s Mount.

The beautiful harbour village of Mousehole.

After an hour or so enjoying this little village we drove onto St Ives which is a much larger and busier harbour town. After parking on the hill we had a short walk to the centre.  We couldn’t pass Madeleine’s teahouse situated in an old house a street back from the harbour.  The window displayed amazing home-made cakes and the window had two pages to choose from including Victoria sponges, ginger smudge cake, and teacakes.  We had to choose the scones with jam and clotted cream as we couldn’t leave this part of the world without doing that!  The cream is incredibly thick and with two scones each it certainly filled us!

Yes....tide is still out just up the road!  St Ives.

You have to admire British optimism!

There are many many galleries in St Ives and it is touted as the art capital of the area.  We spent some time walking the streets and generally enjoying this lovely town.  The harbour was empty of water and is much bigger than Mousehole.

It was then onto Padstow where we quickly sorted our accommodation for the night (a very luxurious guesthouse just out of town) and went to the carpark for the walk down the hill.  Padstow is a very busy tourist town made especially famous by Rick Stein who had several eating houses including a café, patisserie, fish and chip outlet and world class restaurant.  We settled on a pub meal of mussels, hamburger and curry! 

Delighful and busy Padstow!

All up it was a lovely day of exploring these delightful harbour towns.