Clive Best

Cardiff Opera

We spent the weekend in Dinas Powys just outside Cardiff where Anna’s father lives. Cardiff is also a great town and the Test match was being held while we were there. The Bay area of Cardiff has seen huge development over the last few years and is beginning to get really nice. However there is so much space down there that it can seem a bit bleak.

Clive, Anna, Jack @ Sully

This weekend there was a food festival going on which transformed the area outside the Welsh Opera House. This transformed the area and created a really nice atmosphere.  Then on Sunday we went down to Sully for lunch with Celia and Meirig (old friends) and Jack (Anna’s father). Sully is almost exactly opposite Weston Super Mare on the other side of the Severn Estuary. In fact you can see Steep Holm and Flat Holm from both places.

This morning we left with the idea of travelling north  towards Shrewsbury. It

Hay Castle Bookshop

turns out that exit 25 doesn’t exist on the M4 so we had to take the A40 north towards Abergavenny. Although we didn’t stop in Abergavenny it looks a really lovely place set just east of the Breckon Beacons. Then we passed through Crickhowell before stopping at Hay on Wye - the famous book shop town. The town is pretty with a ruined castle but the main attraction are the book shops. You could easily spend hours in each one as they have vast numbers of rare and unusual books, all well cataloged. We bought a few but had to stop ourselves from spending all day there - and what better way to stop than going to the Pub for lunch. 

Ludlow is a really outstandingly beautiful place. I reckon it must be one of the best preserved anciant towns in Britain. There is a wonderful castle and St. Laurence’s Church which complements the whole town which dates from medieval times with 100’s of buildings from the 15 and 16th century. Recently it has also got a reputation for its restaurants. We couldn’t stay long as we our destination today was Shrewsbury which we reached through heavy rain. Found the hotel using the parking technique and all is well.

Now I am writing this sitting in an ancient pub opposite the hotel with free Wifi. Turning round I saw a mural of the Last Supper on the wall. The landlady says that it was discovered by decorators only 10 years ago when the young painter told his boss - “there seems to be wallpaper under here”. The Kings Head pub moved location a few hundred years ago and  took over a building which was itself much older and used as a  chapel and the mural had been painted around 1200! So here I sit looking at it thinking it must be priceless. She says they are not allowed to clean it despite the fact it was sitting there under many years of cigarette smoke. Pictures of Shrewsbury below:

The next morning I got up at 7 and went for a run along the river. The Severn flows in a big meander round Shrewsbury and the banks are very beautiful with nice long walks, cycles etc. Later I saw a woman

Cyclist with cat & dogs

cycling towards me and whistling to her two dogs which were obediently running either side of her cycle. She seemed to be leaning forward a little but otherwise going along quite fast. Looking back I saw her cat was perched on her back quite happily going along for the ride. She obviously does this trip every day and the cat just wanted to come along as well. Only in Britain do you find such eccentrics - especially with pets .