Flight to Slimbridge

Michelle (my sister) dropped off baby Toby and I took him down to Slimbridge. Me and Toby have been here once before and for a little while he was asleep. As we went out into the grounds with our birdseed we were chased by the usual gang of ducks and geese some of whom were higher up the pecking order than others! It was great to see them all and being this time of year there were ducklings and signets. Infact when Toby and I had a play in the playground a mother Swan and her signets stood infront of a gate hissing at everybody. We had a nice meal in the cafe and Toby demolished a cake for me.
It must have been an animal day for me as I met 'mouser' who is a 9 week old fluffy kitten and very - very cute. 'Mouser' perched herself on my shoulder for a while until my sister came back. She is a long haired tabby kitten and almost not much bigger than my hand.
A nice day was contrasted with a horrible visit to the Consumerist Cathedral (the Mall) at Cribbs Cause way to try and find a kermit card for Lee. I hate the place. People with their noses at a permanent 90 degrees as if they are celebrities. If I was a celebrity I sure as hell wouldn't shop at Cribbs.

All roads lead back to Lampeter!

It was that time of year again when I always head back towards Lampeter. I woke up early so I could arrive early enough to attend service at St Thomas'. I was a little worried about the fuel strike however carried on driving up the valleys and past Llandovery and then on to the mountain road past Talley. Then the magical moment as you pass Cwmann with views over the Carron Valley with St Peters peeking above the woods. Anyway as I drove into town it was great to see Measyrhaf still there and with the same curtains in the windows. After 15 years!

I had an hour to kill so I walked to the university and popped into the Chapel and then walked down the river path to Brondeifi. I then knocked on Mrs Rees door who was shocked to see me after a year and a half. At St Thomas the service was pleasant with some nice hymns and a bit of Welsh for the final blessing. I then scarpered up a hill towards Sillian for a very quick cycle and then past falcondale lake where the trees have been cut down.
Next job was to find Pantycelyn my guest house which was situated out in the sticks - a Welsh Cob farm which was lovely http://www.pantycelyn.co.uk/ . Situated in a very quiet lane it was both friendly (in Lampeter fashion) and very comfortable. However I soon set off for Mwnt which meant a drive down to Cardigan where I found something to eat and then on to Llantood where I took a picture of the neglected St Illtyds church. I then stopped off at St Dogmeals Priory before landing up at Mwnt. The church here is on the St Davids pilgrim route which I would like to walk one day. It is situated next to a cliff and above a beach and still has a wonderful braced ceiling and remains of a rood loft.
I then set off for Aberearon where I had a short walk along the beach. For the first time inspite of having lived here for three years I could see the tower of St Davids church Aber arth perched high up above a cliff overlooking Cardigan bay. How on earth did I ever miss it?! I had to navigate up a very narrow road to get to it. In the evening I had a walk from Aberearon to Aber Arth along the sea shore. I arrived back at Panycelyn and watched the foal and horse from my window - unusually for me I fell asleep straight away.
The next day had an excellent cooked breakfast and headed off for Lampeter where I popped in on Mrs Rees (from St Thoms). It was mid day before I left but eventually and after I had been given all the gossip about the town. I headed off for Machynledd where I parked up and had a look in the Peter Snow hippy shop with all the coloured rugs and shirts. Came to the conclusion that being a hippy is getting to be an expensive buisness these days. Also so a van pull up at the eco shop (run by George Monbiot I think) which seemed a bit unethical.

I headed into Y Tabernacl Art gallery which was wonderful as this time it was John Pipers work. Superb collection of pen and ink. John Pipers work is fantastic.
Then I drove up to Corris and stopped off at the slate managers house and had a brief look around the village. Last time I was here was in 2001 when Vicky and I climbed Snowdon and had to stay in the converted school / hostel. I can remember bringing my bike once ( a mistake in Snowdonia! ) and cycling along a very narrow lane. Well this time I drove along it which was very worrying indeed! Eventually I managed to get back to the A470 after some wonderful views. Next stop was for an apple and a climb up the side of a mountain with views over to Cader Idris.
By evening I was getting hungry so stopped off at Aberdovey where I had a very expensive and tiny meal in a gastro pub. Then a walk along the beach and then a drive to Towyn. I stopped off at Pennal Parish church where I was shocked by the presence of a Shiva and Bhudda on two of the windows and then opposite a revealing painting of Jesus showing everything. I was initially shocked and quite angry at this but as I stopped to think a bit more about it and read the words Vietnam painted on his arms I realised that I had been more worried about the superficial impresion of the painting rather than the very important issues painted on his arm. Well it made me think anyway!!
I drove back trough the happy valley and back to Aberystwyth where I walked along the sea front and then headed back to Pantycelyn.
The next day began with breakfast downstairs which I shared with a German couple who introduced themselves. I was also introduced to Anne and Hugh's dogs and made a friend in Sally a Spaniel. I've always loved all dogs from an early age.

I then made myway to Lampeter. I had a look in the 'hippy shop' random collection at the bottom of Bridge street where we used to buy our inscense cones and josticks. The owners had a chat with me and said they have been in Lampeter for thirty years now. I called in Hags record shop - an excellent store run by the local labour councilor. All second hand CD's. Had a chat with the bloke behind the counter who said he had the best job in the world playing his favourite music. Even if his wages weren't great, he had the worlds best commute from a nearby farm. I left with a £2 Alarm single!

I then cycled from Market Square to Brondeifi and to Llandewi Brondeifi stopping at the bridge and post office at llanfair Clydogau where in 1992 we had walked to as students in the middle of the night. We started off at 11pm and arrived back at Lampeter at about 4am. We were very tired after that adventure! Anyway today I had a bannana and called in the post office to buy some post cards. I then cycled up the ancient valley to Llandewi Breifi - an ancient church sited on the 6th cent site where St David preached and the ground rose up apparently. Anyway there was a very tangible atmosphere in the ancient church as I looked at some 6th cent stones. It was also quite eery in that it was very silent and remote. A very creepy tombstone in the churchyard said, ' our lives hangd in the balance, dear reader you might think you are mighty - live at lunch time dead by evening.' Daniel williams 1835. Not a cheerful thought.

A ride back in the rain I headed off to Aberysytwyth where I walked up and down the sea front a few times and sat on the beach. I also walked up to the top of Constitution hill and admired the views across to Cader Idris. New Cafe up here.

The trip back to Bristol was only broken by a stop at falcondale lake where the trees have been cut down.

Hereford Church Crawling Trip

It was a good sunny morning as we set off for Herefordshire. I was picked up by Mr Phil and Dianne whom it was great to meet at last. We zoomed up the motorway with map in had to All Saints Brockhampton a building set in a choclate box village. The building by Letharby 1901 - 2 had struck me as being very imaginative and also quite forward thinking in some ways. Lovely thatched roof with timber porch and inside a concrete roof with transverse arches supporting the ceiling. We met Richard, Wynne Ruth and John and then travelled on to Much Marckle - a small but very afluent place with a huge medieval church. There was a guide waiting for us and a soprano who was hitting an interesting selection of notes not necessarily in the right order. Some interesting tombs here with a wide variety of carved animals.

We then travelled on to the old church at Kempley now in the hands of English Heritage and where a bus load of people got off a coach to look at the building which ironically during the winter is very isolated. The next church was the new 1903 St Edwards church which was my favourite with a low roof inside and very arty crafty inside.

Our next stop was the pub in Hoarwithy where I had an artychoke thingy with chips and we met Andy Foster before going into St Catherines church which is a little peice of Southern France stuck in Herefordshire.

Moving from here we bumped into some water dousers at Kilpeck - the ancient norman church with its Sheila-na-gigs making some very rude poses whilst holding up the ceiling. It was wonderful to look at the mountains nearby but again about 40 people hovering around water dousing! They were even doing it in the church!

We then moved on Dore Abbey where we had our group photo taken and then on to a church at Bacton with some large monuments and then on to my other favourite and most remote church of St Margaret which we had some difficulty finding. Several people climbed the rood loft.

The last on our list was clodock with a muscians gallery with a music stand still in space.

Our Journey home was hampered by the Severn Bridge being closed.

Bannana Sandwich's at Heston Brake Megalith

Heston Brake Megaliths are not widely known at all. They should be! They merit a few lines under Portskewitt in buildings of Wales. I parked up at Aust again and cycled across the bridge. I cycled past Black rock and then just before Portskewitt and over a hedge I noticed a small hill/chamber with errie stones standing on it. The gate to the footpath was not very obvious and was up a small lane. In the end I was really taken back by the view of the stones on top of a chamber which contrasted with the new bridge in the background. Apparently Heston Brake is 'a denuded cairn 60ft in length mid neolithic'.

However no profound thoughts for me. I had my bannana sanwiches propped up against one of the stones wondering if neolithic man had bannana's and whether he had them in sandwiches. Probably never even saw a bannana! Whatever else neolithic man did he certainly chose some great places for picnics!

Anyway a cycle to Caldicot found a castle and medieval church. I then cycled on through the wonderful Cearwent Roman ruins which must be the best preserved roman walls and temples in the UK. I actually missed the roman town walls when I was here before - they are massive!! The church, St Tathans is full of Roman bits and peices in the porch. I then tried finding a medieval church at Wilcrick. I asked a parishioner at St Tathans and he had never heard of it! Not having a map I couldn't help. I flagged down a driver who had heard of it but wasn't sure how to get there.
In the end I headed inland towards Llanvaches which now is a peaceful place but in the mid 17th cent was the scene of the ejection of the vicar who formed a congregation which still meets at the 1639 Llanvaches congregational chapel. Most churchyards I have been to have some humour but the Victorian inscriptions here were sorrowful and for young people. The church medieval and small. I left this place and cycled up to Wentwood lake. I saw a small rabbit who stopped nearby and just stared and didn't move. We stayed looking at each other for a while before he slowly hopped into the side of the road. I then climbed some steep hill into Wentwood forest for a couple of miles and then from Pen Cae Mawr I had a wonderful view of the Blackmountains in the distance. I then cycled past the early ruined Pen Y Well where the builders have moved in. Like me they are sure that it is a very early building - they are doing a very sympathetic conversion. Sadly the very old gravestones are being moved to the walls of the garden. However the old chapel is being converted into a home - must be exceptionally creepy! I think it should have been left as a ruin given it's age and location. Anyway the builders were very sympathetic and interested. I told them it had been roofless for at least 70 years and they said that there was evidence of a fire in the building. They also found bits of the fire grate in the ruined vestry.
I cycled downhill for almost 10 miles back to the Severnbridge.

Two walks in one day!

Two walks in one day! The first walk began at Salem Methodist church - a building erected in 1787 at Winterbourne for workers in the hat industry. We met in the hall for a water aid walk and had a chat before setting out on rather a pleasant walk in literally 'pastures new.' Over a stile and into the Froome valley and under a mamoth railway bridge erected in 1902 but with a lovely stream below and most interestingly a quarry which had been cut to carry the railway above. We arrived back at Salem for drink and cakes which was pleasant.

In the evening Dan, Alison and Racheal called round and we headed off to Oldbury On Severn for a walk along the river bank towards the bridge. A pleasant evening with good views over to the Forest of Deane. I was somewhat amused to be approached by a young cow that followed us from the gate and allowed me to stroke it's nose which is a first. I've always assumed cows to be sort of passive - not bothered with humans - sort of animals but this one followed us in a most friendly way. Didn't make it to the bridge but walked back and called in the Blue Anchor for a drink and then drove up to the churchyard to see the views over the river Severn that are really quite fantastic - sitting on the bench where I often stop to have my sandwhiches during the day.

A ride to Chepstow and Mathern

I don't believe in ghosts but if I did Mathern would be the best place to find one. I travelled to Mathern the church and medieval Bishops palace which are situated near the river Severn and there was a stong smell of the estuary and sound of rooks as I cycled past.
At the medieval church I got a sense that the past isn't as far away as one thinks. I was amused by one of the tombs which was to a John Lee who died at 103, 'neer more shall we miss his drab coat and buttons.' (1827). Inside the dark medieval church there were some cups with water which I badly needed.
Earlier I had cycled to Chepstow and has a look at the modern bookshops there. I bought a book in the Welsh centre by Sian James called 'A little country.' which is set in post war Wales and apparently was made into a film. I cycled past the castle and across the bridge over the Wye and along Offa's Dyke to Tutshill church where a lady gave me some water to Drink.
I had parked the other side of the bridge at Pont Hafren Aust (Severn Bridge Aust) - a bridge which seemed to be shaking even more so than normal!