» Features

- Join Here
- Terms & Conditions
- What is Writers Club?

Spring has arrived! Having said that, the sky right now is threatening and dark, and if the forecast is to be believed, it will be like this for the rest of the week. Sunshine patches and intermittent storms (we even get hail here, although it’s usually the size of tic-tacs and quite harmless to cars and pedestrians alike) and the trees are looking less brown and more green.

After initially raving about the amazing public transport system out here, we bought a second-hand car a couple of weeks ago. And have rediscovered the pleasure of driving ourselves around and having a transport timetable that is exactly in synch with us!

Pricey padkos
So with our new found freedom we decided to hit the roads for a long weekend — and by Friday morning early were on our way with our padkos (all SA produce bought at the downtown South African shop. Who ever thought you would pay R30 for a bottle of Oros and enjoy it?) and armed with maps (plural!).

Our plan was a day trip around Wales with the first stop at Tintern Abbey. It's a 12th century abbey built by the Cistercian monks, set in a quiet valley and surrounded by trees and hills. It’s a truly tranquil and peaceful setting for the old church. The roofless ruins still bear testimony to great medieval architecture and masterly masonry. Grass now carpets the interior of the abbey while the huge window frames stand empty.

Our next stop was Caerleon — an important military site in Britain under the Roman Empire. There are actually many Roman ruins in Caerleon, including baths, heated changing rooms and a fortress, but as our time was limited we only went to see the amphitheatre. Apparently it could take 6000 spectators, but judging by the size it must have been a bit tight!

As we wandered deeper into Wales, the names of the towns and villages became progressively more unpronounceable. Vowels seemed to disappear with signs like The Ffwrrwm Arts & Craft Centre, Ystradgynlais and Mynydd Epynt.

Our last stretch of the journey involved a gentle meander through the Brecon Beacons National Park, which is a mix of rolling hills, moors and mountains, with quaint villages dotted alongside the road. The sun was out in full force and had the lambs skipping all over the fields! Sadly, it also had the local residents peeling off the layers and exposing improper amounts of pale flesh!

Our last planned stop of the day was back in England at Gloucester Cathedral. It is an impressive and towering structure, which has been a place of worship for over thirteen hundred years and is still in use today. Stunning stained glass windows, sinister and dark corridors, a herb garden and even a resident cat called Maud; it really is worth a visit. Apart from its incredible history that includes names like King Ethelred, Beornwulf, King Henry III (who was crowned in the Cathedral in 1216, when he was only nine years old) and so on, it was also used for some of the scenes in the Harry Potter films!

After a cup of tea at the cathedral’s tea room, we were back on the road towards home.

With every hamlet, village and town holding a seemingly endless amount of history, it becomes a difficult task to pick and choose where to stop off and what’s worth a closer look. A hefty entrance fee is usually a huge help in the whole deciding process, but you really don’t have to pay a lot for the beautiful sights. In fact, we have found that the sights we have enjoyed most have usually been free or there is a small fee involved (£1 - £3 per person). And for some or other reason, it also means less tourists and shorter queues.

For more on touring the United Kingdom, go to the Visit Britain website.