Day 44 - Tenby - Cusop

Our first point of call today was Three Cliffs Bay on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea, where we enjoyed a walk and lunch.

We then visited the Aberdulais Tin Works and waterfall where there was a water-powered tin works last century.  It was then a 90 minute drive back to Cusop.

Ready for anything

Day 43 - Tenby

St Davids was our destination today and we enjoyed spending time in the ruins of the Bishop's Palace and also visited the stunning St Davids Cathedral.  There's been a church on this site since the 6th century, and the current church was built in the 12th century.  The cathedral floor has subsided over time and there is a 14 ft drop from the front to the back, which is very noticeable.

Bishop's Palace

St David Cathedral

There were so many different roof styles.

We called in to Manorbier on our way back to Tenby.  There is a quite impressive castle which was closed as it was late afternoon, and we also walked to the beach and admired the intrepid surfers on a rocky beach with a very strong wind blowing.

Day 42 - Tenby

We had an enjoyable morning wandering around Tenby - it was quite mild and windy, but no rain.

Tudor Merchant's House

Font with cover, St Mary's Tenby

This afternoon we visited Pembroke Castle, which gets opur number 1 rating for castles visited this trip.  Alan and I climbed the stairs in most of the towers and walked the battlements and generally had a great time.

Day 41 - Tenby

Today is the first day we haven't been rained on since we arrived in England, and we've had a very good day in Pembrokeshire.

Our street in Tenby

We went to Stackpole, a former grand estate that is now a National Trust property.  We started at Stackpole Quay and walked to Barafundle, a beautiful sandy beach, and then on around Stackpole Head to Raming Hole.  I thoroughly enjoyed walking around the cliff tops with a strong breeze blowing.

Stackpole Quay

Barafundle

We then headed to another part of the estate where we enjoyed a walk beside some artificial lakes, before having a look at the lovely walled garden.

Eight-Arch Bridge

Day 40 - Cusop - Tenby

We were "industrial" today and visited Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site.  We started with a visit to the Big Pit and did a tour underground.  We also visited the mining galleries and the Pit head baths exhibition.  It was all so interesting.  Being a miner is another occupation that is not for me.  Some of the tunnels were so low, even for me!!

We visited the World Heritage Centre and went for a walk around the town.

Our final visit was to the Blaenavon Ironworks.

Stack Square Cottages

One of the cottages furnished as in 1944 for a BBC series

We then headed west across Wales, through some lovely country, to Tenby in Pembrokeshire, where we are spending the next few days. 

Day 39 - Cusop

Another drizzly day, though we almost saw sun at one point!!!  We started with a visit to Dore Abbey, and then stopped off at the ruins of Skenfrith Castle.

Dore Abbey

Skenfrith Castle

We arrived in Monmouth in time for lunch, and then spent a couple of hours checking out St Mary's Priory, Monmouth Castle and Monnow Bridge.

Monmouth Priory 

St Mary's Priory, Monmouth

Monnow Bridge, built around 1270 

Penny and I cleaned their church when we got back, and then we had a lovely tapas dinner in Hay-on-Wye.

Day 38 - Cusop

It has been drizzly today, and we took Gunner to his temporary home for the next week.  We continued on to Great Malvern, where we had an interesting visit to the Priory.  We had intended to go walking but it was too wet and muddy underfoot.  Penny dropped us in Hay-on-Wye and we browsed the shops before walking home.

Great Malvern Priory, started in the 11th century

Nave, with Norman columns

Great East Window

One of the Millenium Windows by Tom Denny, installed in 2004

Misericords (mercy seats)

Under each of the mercy seats is a carving

Abbey Gateway, now Malvern Museum