Last Updated on 6th December 2016Everywhere in Britain, we walk in the footsteps of the past; it’s just not always that obvious. However, a relatively short, lung-bursting, stagger up to St David’s Head (Penmaen Dewi) in Pembrokeshire will take you…
St Davids, too much beer and the lost apostrophe
Last Updated on 27th February 2019The River Alun trickles through the neat Cathedral Close, between the Cathedral Church of St Davids and the majestic ruins of the 14th century Bishop’s Palace. In this little green valley, tradition says that St…
Castell Henllys
Last Updated on 6th December 2016Castell Henllys (‘Castle of the old court’) is just off the A487, between Newport and Cardigan and is a recreated ancient Celtic hill-fort. Park your chariot (or time machine) in the maes parcio (car park)…
Chirk Castle
Last Updated on 13th January 2020Chirk is a striking place, a wonderfully preserved late 13th century fortress on the Welsh/English border and home to the Myddelton family since 1595. Kids from 8 to 80 will enjoy the armoury displays and…
Portmeirion
Last Updated on 7th December 2016Portmeirion is one of those places you hear about and think you really should visit. Or you want to go because the 1960s cult TV series, The Prisoner, was filmed there. The Prisoner was ‘No…
Pentre Ifan
Last Updated on 9th December 2016Different rules apply in some of the remoter parts of Britain. Allegedly, fairies – described as “resembling little children in clothes like soldiers’ clothes and with red caps” – have been seen around the old…
Britain’s National Parks
Last Updated on 24th February 2020We all know what a national park is. Although definitions vary, they are usually rural areas of natural (or naturalised) beauty designated as ‘special’ in some way by their national governments. Normally, the environment within…
Valle Crucis Abbey
Last Updated on 24th March 2018The ruins of medieval abbeys and monasteries are found the length and breadth of Britain; but why on earth would you want to visit one? Well, no reason at all – except to wonder at…
A bit about Wales
Last Updated on 26th May 2019There are 22 ‘counties’ or ‘principal areas’ in Wales. Most modern guides differentiate between ‘North’, ‘Mid’ and ‘South’ Wales – though some don’t offer any regional breakdown at all. For the time being, that’s the…
Whatever happened to Wales?
Last Updated on 3rd June 2018 Wales is conquered and becomes an English colony Wales, like Scotland, was not a unified political entity in the early Middle Ages. It consisted of a number of kingdoms, the largest of which were…