Category Archives: Mid-life travel

May 25, 2013 · 11:30 am

My first real castle in Wales!

Another round robin trip today to Pembroke, think I’ve been to some of these train stations three or four times now. You have to keep going back to some of them to get the connections you need, had to change twice to get to Pembroke. I felt like an old pro today, I knew where I had to change, what time my next train was and even where to go when I got there. Except………………. I walked straight past the bloody Kings Arms Hotel; thank goodness they advertised they’re only 200 yards from the castle otherwise I could still be walking!

Teeny tiny stone staircases in Pembroke Castle, Wales

The pub had some great features, my room had a fantastic big window seat, the dining room was full of old pots, pans and other bits and pieces, just an all round good place to spend a couple of days. I figured since Wales apparently has more than 600 castles, I should at least have a look at one of them, and for me Pembroke was a good choice. Only a few rooms are furnished, there has been a power of work done over the years restoring large parts of the castle with other parts left in their ruined state. It was full of circular staircases – very tight, cramped stairs and lots of them, leading up, down and along passages, in and out of rooms. Thank goodness there were big holes everywhere so I couldn’t get lost! I was there fairly early, hadn’t seen anyone at all and when I walked into one of the rooms a video started playing and scared the bejezuz out of me; don’t you feel like an idiot when that happens, looking around to see if anyone saw you – even though the reason you got such a fright was because there was no-one else around.

The cavern under Pembroke Castle, Wales

Not content with scaring myself silly once that day I did it again later at the underground cavern. A VERY dark, steep circular staircase leads down, down, down to the cavern – and then f’n birds or bats fly past and scare the absolute crap out of you – I swear, my heart either stopped beating or jumped out of my chest, not sure which, but it was soooooo scary!! Once I got back to the surface – in a hurry, I might add, I sat and did some sketching for ages before heading back to the pub for a drink to help me warm up – hot chocolate, not wine this time.

Pembroke, Wales

Old type barometer in pub at Pembroke

Ruins of Pembroke Castle, Wales

Corridors in Pembroke Castle, Wales

On the walls of Pembroke Castle, Wales

Pembroke Castle, Wales

10 Comments

Filed under Mid-life travel, Travel, Wales

Tagged as Pembroke, Pembroke Castle, Wales

May 24, 2013 · 1:15 am

Poor old Newport

Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Mid-life travel, Travel, Wales

Tagged as Caerleon, Newport, Roman Baths

May 16, 2013 · 7:00 am

Ilfracombe – just because I could

Again I chose a place based on the fact it was on the way to where I was going and it was also a good distance to travel in one day on the train. I also planned to have a ‘do nothing’ stay at Ilfracombe because I hadn’t read anything about it, but as usually happens I found places to see and do. One of the more unusual things to see was the tunnels leading to the beach – although it will cost you £2.50 for the pleasure!

$One of Tunnel Beaches, Ilfracombe$

One of Tunnel Beaches, Ilfracombe

An entrepreneur had six tunnels hand carved in the 1820’s by Welsh miners to access natural rock pools on the seaward side of the cliffs. I think only one of the naturally formed pools is still properly intact and four of the tunnels still in use. At first they had segregated pools, men through the tunnel to the left and women through the one to the right; but somewhere along the line the rules were relaxed and mixed swimming was allowed. I was the only one there for quite a while and it was a bit spooky going through the tunnels and being down on the shingle beach with cliffs all around; especially after reading some of the accidents that had happened over the years. Yeah, I know, I let my imagination run away at times.

A Bath House that used to house, wait for it, salt water baths – of course, is nearby. I’m not sure if it’s open at all but it wasn’t when I was there. Some doctor way back when had the brilliant idea that bathing was good for the health and there’s a boiler still down near the beach that was used to heat and pump the sea water up to the baths. The baths were apparently in little cubicles under the house – all sounds rather primitive now, doesn’t it?

$Back view of Verity, sculpture by Damien Hirst - Ilfracombe$

Back view of Verity, sculpture by Damien Hirst – Ilfracombe

One of Englands well known and controversial artists, Damien Hirst, lives nearby and has donated a sculpture to the town to sit at the mouth of the harbour for 20 years. It’s called Verity and from what I heard it doesn’t sound like many locals are very impressed with it – see what you think!! I tried my hand at a sketch while I was at the harbour – mind you, my eyes really aren’t good enough to pick out the detail from the distance I was at, so I drew the left hand side.

I also had the good fortune to meet Ruth and her husband Steve, who are the owners of the Harbour Lights guesthouse. Ruth left a little pack of fudge in my room after my first night with a note wishing me a good time and when I left the following day she gave me a postcard of Ilfracombe with another lovely message wishing me safe and happy travels – a genuinely nice person.

So, I enjoyed my ‘do nothing’ break in Ilfracombe, next stop Newport – again because it’s on the way and a good distance to cover in one day.

$light at the end of the tunner - Tunnel Beach, Ilfracombe$

light at the end of the tunnel – Tunnel Beach, Ilfracombe

$tunnels to the beach at Ilfracombe, England$

tunnels to the beach at Ilfracombe, England

Gate to Tunnel Beach

$Just one of Ilfracombes many huge old hotels$

Just one of Ilfracombes many huge old hotels

$Boiler used for Ilfracombe Bath House$

Boiler used for Ilfracombe Bath House

6 Comments

Filed under England, Mid-life travel, Travel

Tagged as Damien Hirst, Ilfracombe, Tunnel Beach, Verity

May 11, 2013 · 10:15 am

Exploring around Penzance

Next day I made a beeline for St Michaels Mount, which is just off the coast of Marazion. I’d read that ferry boats would take you over when the tide was in, but hadn’t looked into it any further. At what I assumed was the correct bus stop, I asked the bus driver where to go and he said just over the road and down to the beach. I and three others headed off but were just about knocked off our feet at the first corner with the smell; think it must have been seaweed, it really was rank.

Heading to St. Michaels Mount

Anyhow, the causeway was covered and we couldn’t t see any ferries near where we were so we all just stood there for about five minutes like stranded shags on a rock. Then we spotted a tiny boat heading over to the castle from a big rocky outcrop just down the way so I headed off down the beach and found that the water was halfway up the outcrop on the other side and that’s where the ferry was taking people from. They operate from three or four different spots depending on the weather. So £2 and five minutes later I was inside the harbour of St. Michaels Mount.

It amazes me (and I love), how free the English are with allowing access to some places that in Australia would be either cordoned off or have viewing platforms built around them. Inside the castle there are a couple of areas cordoned off and you can’t just wander anywhere but mostly it’s very open and there are bits and pieces on display all over the place and it feels very lived in and homely. There’s a cafe and restaurant down at the harbour so I found a place in the sun out of the wind and had a bite to eat, a red wine and an hour or so drawing to cap off a great visit. It felt really weird to walk out of the harbour where we’d come in on the boat a few hours earlier. The walls are quite high and all the ferries were lying on the sand, high and dry; the sand didn’t even really feel wet, you don’t sink at all, very strange! I walked back on the sand for a way then headed over to the causeway for the last part, because I didn’t want to not have walked on the causeway.

My last big outing was to Lands End, and I had another completely fabulous day. I caught the open top loop bus this time and who should I see when I got on but two of the people I’d met the day before in Marazion. Turns out they were from Western Australia and boy have they travelled, I find it fascinating hearing about other people’s travels and only wish I could remember all the places everyone tells me to put on my list.

The famous sign at Lands End

I have no idea why, and it’s not my normal style, but I have been heading to Lands End since I arrived in England. I had no idea what was there and didn’t have any expectations, I just figured it was the most westerly point of England, so I’d go see it! I certainly wasn’t disappointed, although there really isn’t much there to see. I walked down to the “first and last” house in England, had a truly terrible coffee and scone at the restaurant, ambled across to the farm and craft centre where I talked with a couple of the artist for a while and walked further along the clifftop path – oh, and took another thousand photos.

I sat on the top deck of the bus, with a few other idiots for the rest of the loop, took more photos and just about froze to death by the time we reached St. Ives, after that I gave in and went downstairs from there back to Penzance.

Diane and Norman recommended a Thai restaurant just down the road for dinner, Thai Moon. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I started eating, although I probably should say inhaling, my food; it was seriously good Thai though.

I haven’t been buying souvenirs as such, but I came across a little old art shop in Chapel St and bought a new travel brush today – and it’s small enough that I don’t have to ditch something to fit it in!