3 August 2015 - A bit more of Wales

It was peaceful waking up in the countryside of Herefordshire.  Sitting around the big kitchen table eating breakfast and chatting was great but we had to eventually get moving to see a bit more of Wales.  Farewell to Ed, Ruth and Rebecca for the time being until they come to Australia!

Luckily there was a translation!

We remarked on how good the roads were once we got to Wales but at the same time delighted in the narrow bumpy lanes of Herefordshire.  We had discussed a planned route with Ed and Ruth which started at Hay-on-Wye, just over the border we think as there were signs in Welsh.  We cannot work out any verbs in the sentences and the shortage of vowels is amazing.  In fact the Welsh alphabet has 28 letters including "dd", "ff", "ll" but  leaves out "z", "j" and a few others!  It remains a mystery though!  It is no clearer than Cambodian and makes Turkish look like an achievable goal!

Hay Castle

Hay-on-Wye is a historic town best known for its second hand book shops of which there are many.  There is a book festival every year.   Judging by the international number plates in the car park, it is a fashionable place to visit.  It is a lovely little historic town with lots of personality and narrow streets but as we have seen so many recently, apart from being a lovely spot to walk, it wasn't too different from many we've been privileged to see.

One of many bookshops in Hay-on-Wye

The local supermarket had about 30% of the stock as alcohol!

So that's how that do it!

External tiles featuring farm animals

Clock tower

Fairly typical Inn

Books everywhere!

Snack time

From there we headed through the Black Mountains up and up through beautiful desolate moors where sheep were grazing unrestricted by fences.  We just had to get out for a walk.  The ground was soft and mossy and springy and the kids literally galloped through the low grass.  The sheep were not perturbed by our visit.  It was a fitting spot to try our Welsh Cakes we'd bought in Hay-on-Wye.

Welsh scene and Welch cakes

This bridge was only just wide enough to fit our car through, single lane.  There was a width measuring spot before entering the bridge crossing!

The Black Mountains, Brecon Beacons, carved out in the Ice Age

Karl munching his Welsh Cakes - flat, sort of rock cakes with sultanas, buttery and crumbly and yummy.

Down the path...

Not sure what these were marking but we were at the top of the hill, but not the top of the highest hill.

Standing on the edge of the world!

Note fern trees growing at this height!

Sheep with tails still look funny!

Then the road led us through the coal mining villages of uninspiring little boxlike houses crowded on the hillsides but surrounded by fields.  I can never understand why all the places are so close together, sharing at least one wall with a neighbour when there is space to build on!  The cost of land, perhaps?  We couldn't really stop as there are no car parking spaces.  The towns look fairly impoverished.

Very typical houses, Abergavenny

Skenfirth Castle, Monmouthshire, Wales

With a bit of twisting and turning and a few more roundabouts we were back into the lush country side headed for Skenfrith Castle.  Rain had threatened us on the mountain but by the time we stopped for lunch, it was sunny.

Self-timed photo of us all.

Eating lunch

Great Tower built 1230

Even on maps today, the Welsh-English border is a little hard to determine and the Welsh and the English have spent a lot of time and energy and lives, determining whose bit of land belongs to who!  There are rivers which help determine borders but for many years they were all a bit fuzzy!  These days, once you notice signs in Welsh, you know you are in Wales!!  It is quite strange just driving over a border to another country!

Tim climbed up at slight personal risk!

Looking up - very grand!

What a magnificent ruin!  Built in 13th century on the banks of the River Monnow, its sturdy arches still stand.  It was good to still  and breathe in the history and think about all those who had lived in and around the castle.

Down to the riverside

River Monnow

This old wharf was discovered in 2003, it was built circa 1230, used for river transport

St Bridget's Church of Wales

By the 16 th Century, the little town of Skenfrith must have grown around the castle and the lovely St Bridget's Church of Wales is still in use today.  There are a handful of stone cottages and a postbox in a wall which make up the village.  There were some home made cakes for sale in the church and an honesty box so we stocked up on some more Welsh Cakes and an Almond Cake and supported the church at the same time!

Gorgeous old door

1663 - Stucco

John Morgan's tomb - 1557

Fascinating!

How's that?!  It is always good to stop and read what's on the wall.  History brought to life.  I would have liked to see portraits of all these characters through the centuries.

List of Vicars

Simple lovely interior

St Bridget's Church

From there we drove a short way to Grosmont, another Norman castle ruin, the second of three close together.  Grosmont has a deep and now empty moat which would have been dug by hand!!  Again, it was fun to explore and imagine the knights and ladies, servants and paupers who lived in or around the castle.

Grosmont town

Grosmont laneway

I'm always surprised at what still stands...like the top of this pillar..

Although the historical facts are roughly correct, one supposes, it seems this castle was built about 1070.  As a quick side issue, we did think about the architecture and what still stands as compared to Angkor Wat, Cambodia.  The temples at Angkor Wat are more intact at present despite their considerably more ornate styles. They were all built around the same time, of course, with no knowledge of each others' construction methods.

Steep steps up

Panorama of castle

In 1154 King Henry II  reclaimed the castle and had his soldiers placed within its walls as it functioned as a fortress.  Hubert de Burgh, at some time around then was running the Government in England was granted the castle but fell from grace in 1239.

By 1267, King Henry III gave Grosmont Castle to his second son Prince Edmund of Lancaster who converted it from a fortress to a residence.  I cannot determine when it was last lived in or when it fell into ruins but it was certainly worth a visit and a ponder!

Looking down on Grosmont

"Beauty Framed"

The Great Hall, Grosmont Castle

Loving the freedom!

Tim setting himself challenges

Grosmont is a very quaint village, also with an old church, St Nicholas, 13 th century. The church has an octagonal spire and a cruciform interior plan.  When we walked in it looked pretty empty but on researching, this was "typical medieval uncluttered" style with an unfurnished nave.  The timber used for the roof was dated to 1214-1244 and is thought to be the only pre-1400 church roof still in existence in Wales.  Again the floor of the church was made of stone plaques under which were buried various upright members of the church.

St Nicholas Church, Grosmont

Checking out the pulpit

From 1708

From Grosmont we enjoyed the rest of the country driving through the lanes, over narrow bridges and large rivers until we rejoined the M50 and a thousand (exaggeration!) roundabouts and reached Banbury by dinner time.  We hit the peak hour traffic in Banbury which meant we had to wait for about 1 minute at a roundabout on our way to Aldi!  Our one night away felt like a week's holiday!!