Category Archives: Wales

Going West: The Poet’s Yew

Posted on September 8, 2020 by Sue Vincent

The rain continued as we walked from the Abbey to the church, the sky heavy and grey. Even the shelter of the trees was not enough to protect the lens from the constant drops, but it began to ease as … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient sites, Art, Birds, Churches, flight, History, Photography, Spirituality, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, Wales | Tagged Abbey, stained glass, Strata Florida, Welsh church | Leave a comment

Going West: The Valley of the Flowers

Posted on September 7, 2020 by Sue Vincent

The rain hammered against the car. We’d been twiddling our thumbs for a while, attempting to keep the windows from steaming up too badly while we grazed on what we had in the glove compartment, looked at the map and … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient sites, History, Photography, Poetry, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, travel, Wales | Tagged Cistercians, Dafydd ap Gwilym, Holy well, medieval floor tiles, Strata Florida, symbolism, yew tree | 2 Comments

Going West: Going to the Devil

Posted on September 6, 2020 by Sue Vincent

At the end of the mountain road we had taken lies a small community clinging to the sides of the gorge above the River Rheidol. Pontarfynach, though, is named for the Afon Mynach, one of its tributaries, that tumbles, roars … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Humour, Landscape, Photography, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, travel, Wales | Tagged bridges built by the Devil, Devil'd Bridge, folklore, Megan and the Devil, Pontarfynach, River Rheidol, story | Leave a comment

Going West: Mountain Road

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Sue Vincent

We were fed and watered… very well-fed, in fact after a home-cooked Welsh breakfast at the Mid-Wales Inn… and on the road early. The weather was finally dry, the sun attempting to peep through the clouds… and there was the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient sites, flowers, History, Landscape, nature, Photography, travel, Wales | Tagged Cwmystwyth, Elan Valley, gold found in Wales, royal wedding rings, welsh hills, welsh valleys | 2 Comments

Going West: Ghosts and Custard

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Sue Vincent

The trouble with booking a hotel online is that you have very little idea of what you are going to get. Sure, there may be reviews that give an idea of service and quality, but that actually tells you very … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure, Landscape, Photography, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, Wales | Tagged Mid Wales Inn, Pant y Dwr | 2 Comments

Going West: Googling the Road to Nowhere

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Sue Vincent

“Nine hours…” We had finally made it to Rhyader as the sodden daylight was fading. “Nine..” We’d only stopped once more on the way and that was to take on board some necessary refreshment. We’d called at the first pub … Continue reading →

Posted in adventure, Landscape, nature, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, travel, Wales | Tagged Rhyader | 2 Comments

Going West: Deep Magic…

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Sue Vincent

I’d seen the name when I’d planned the route… though ‘planned’ may be stretching things a bit far; I had a vague idea and my companion had a map. From Kilpeck to Rhyader, somewhere near which we would find our … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient sites, History, Photography, Sacred sites, Spirituality, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, travel, Wales | Tagged Aslan, burial mound, C.S. Lewis, dolmen, Herefordshire, King Arthur, Narnia, quoit, robin, Stone Table | Leave a comment

Going West: Going In

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Sue Vincent

It was either going to be spectacular… or very plain. Probably the latter, as we have found that with the highly decorated churches, it tends to be one or the other, inside or out. It was, then, no surprise to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient sites, Art, Churches, Goddess, History, Photography, Sacred sites, Stuart France and Sue Vincent, travel, Wales | Tagged font, holy water stoup, Kilpeck Norman church, symbolism | 2 Comments

Going West – Kilpeck’s West Window

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Sue Vincent

You’d have to go a long way to beat the door at Kilpeck church, but the western wall has a place all of its own. You might be forgiven for thinking it was a bit of Norse construction and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Ancient sites, Art, Churches, History, mystery, Mythology, Photography, Sacred sites, travel, Wales | Tagged carvings, Kilpeck, norman church | Leave a comment

Going West – The Kilpeck Corbels

Posted on August 29, 2020 by Sue Vincent

Kilpeck’s bellcote reminded me of the first church we had visited, where our adventures had begun, though this one is a nineteenth century addition, carved and decorated in keeping with the rest of the building; restorations have been gentle here. … Continue reading →