Posted:  Sunday 03 August 2008

Forty two of the South East Associates, joined me on a nostalgia (for me) trip to the land of my father (and mother and family), for our fourth ‘May Away’ trip.
We visited and walked on the beautiful Gower peninsula, the UK’s first designated ‘area of outstanding natural beauty’, famed for its beaches, medieval castles and megalithic monuments; explored Wales’ ‘waterfront city’, Swansea, and around the 5 miles sweep of the bay the Victorian resort of Mumbles.

We also took a coach to St Fagan’s near Cardiff, Wales’ national history museum; and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, near Carmarthen, with its elegant Great Glasshouse.
The Marriott hotel was our venue, superbly situated on Swansea Bay and adjacent to the Marina with its collection of museums, and a short walk from Swansea town centre.

At Three Cliffs Bay

The first day started a bit grey and drizzly but cleared up and for the rest of the trip we had great weather.

The plan was to see four of Gower’s many bays and so took a coach around Swansea bay to Mumbles (local poet Vernon Watkins once said “all good stories about Swansea end in Mumbles”), past Mumbles pier, the famous ‘green apple’ sweet stall and even Catherine Zeta’s/Michael Douglas’ house, to Caswell bay – one of the best swimming bays in Gower, to Parkmill and the Gower Heritage centre, situated at a 12th century water mill, which still produces flour.
The miller gave us a colourful talk on the process and dangers of milling – no metal against metal contacts (so – wooden cogs on the wheels and wooden clogs on the feet) which could create sparks and cause explosions.  This had happened (to their knowledge) at least four times in the history of the mill, sometimes with loss of life.  The thatched wooden roof and thick, stone walls preserve the structure and allow the roof to be blown off!

With the second highest tidal range in the world, the marshes are regularly inundated, and the sheep who graze there are the highly prized Welsh Salt Lamb sold in Swansea market.  Our expert coach driver negotiated the very narrow gates and lanes, and even told jokes as we returned.
For those with the energy (about 12 of us), before dinner was a visit to the Marina Towers Observatory, a short walk from the hotel and on the edge of the bay. A short talk was given by the enthusiastic amateurs of the Swansea Astronomical Society (one of whom was an old school friend), and a tour of the observatory and telescope, which they built themselves – a most impressive achievement.

Swansea Bay and Mumbles

The next day was a ‘free day’, during which the Associates variously visited: Swansea town centre with its famous market (Welsh Salt Lamb, Cockles, Lavabread, and Welshcakes); Glyn Vivyan art gallery with its collection of Swansea Porcelain; walked the sweep of the bay to Mumbles or to Clyne Gardens, in bloom in May; the National Waterfront Museum of Wales (exhibits of the vast industrial heritage of the area – the largest exporter of coal, steel and copper in the world in the late 19th century – called ‘Copperopolis’); the Tramway Museum (the last resting place of the Mumbles train – the world’s first passenger rail service, cruelly and needlessly dismantled in the 60’s); and a museum dedicated to Swansea’s most famous son - Dylan Thomas.

For an energetic few, a seven mile circular walk from Gower’s Port Eynon Bay along the rocky coastline was rewarded with superb summer weather and lunch and a pint in the cool gloom of the old ‘Ship’ pub in the village.

One party headed up the Swansea Valley to visit the Dan-yr-Ogof caves in the Brecon Beacons National Park, one of the largest and longest cave systems in Europe.

The coach took us to St Fagans just to the west of Cardiff, on day three.
Wales’ national history museum, it allows you to walk around Wales from Celtic times to the present day!
Standing in the grounds of St Fagan’s castle, a late 16th century manor house, the museum has assembled a collection of original buildings from different historical periods.
The re-erected buildings include houses, a farm, a school, chapel, row of shops from the early 20th century, and a splendid Workmen’s Institute – a real tribute to the self-improvement efforts of working men of the period, with its well-stocked library, reading room and small theatre.
Potters, blacksmiths, leather and wood workers all operate on the site.  One of the Associates had his belt buckle repaired there and then!
There was an amazing 13th century chapel, St Teilo’s, in process of restoration including the original wall paintings discovered during the move.
Also a 17th century farmhouse with bright red walls – painted with Bull’s Blood – to ward off evil spirits!

The highlight (for me) was an appearance of the Cwmbach Male Voice choir, who performed at the Workmen’s Institute.  They sang traditional Welsh songs and show songs.
The performance preceded a visit by the choir to the Italian town of Bardi, the home area of many of the Italian immigrants who came to Wales from the mid-19th century onwards, and introduced us to Fish ‘n Chips and of course, Ice Cream.
The Mayor of Bardi was present and gifts exchanged in anticipation of the visit – the first by any Welsh choir.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales

Our final day was at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, situated near Carmarthen - the first such built in the new millennium.
Created in the estate of William Paxton, a Victorian industrialist, it features a double-walled garden, Japanese, bee and bog gardens, a tropical house, lakes, ponds and water sculptures, an exhibition of medicinal plants and a late 19th century Apothecaries Hall.
Its most impressive feature is the Great Glasshouse – the largest single span glasshouse in the world, designed by Norman Foster and poised in the Welsh landscape like a giant raindrop.  Billed as the ‘only place you can visit the Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia, Chile and California in the same day’, it contains plants from all of the world’s Mediterranean climates.
We were given a guided tour, shown a film on the world of plants in the 360º Theatre Botanica, and then the Associates wandered, lunched and wandered more.

That evening we had a somewhat raucous farewell, and everyone declared that they’d enjoyed their visit to South Wales.

Kevin Williams

The translation:

            Oes yma lawer o bethau gwerth eu gweled?
           (Oys umm`a law`er ooh beth`aye goo-erth eye goo-el`edd?)

            Are there many things worth seeing here?

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(ph  03/08/2008)