Castell Caerdydd

On 27 May 202527 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Cardiff Castle! Tuesday 20 May – a visit to the Welsh capital, and on this occasion, we’ll take a look at the castle. It’s quite a place! In particular the interior of the 3rd Marquess of Bute’s mansion, paid for by the south Wales miners and the sales of the coal they dug, is quite astonishing. Can’t help thinking that the lives of those human moles could have been improved if the wealth generated by the coal had been spread just a little more evenly. The castle is now owned and managed by Cardiff Council.

Castell Caerdydd
Cardiff Castle

A corner of the Arab room - walls and ceiling

Conventio inter Robertum et Stephanum de utroque liberando

It's gone midday - anywhere to eat around here?

Perhaps some of Pete's soup? Perhaps not...

Broomy Hill

On 26 May 202526 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Sunday 25 May: Hereford – for the waterworks museum and miniature railway. The museum has “Steam Days”, twice a month during the season, coinciding with the public running days on the miniature railway. We’d thought about a visit for some time: today the time and weather seemed right.

The museum’s real fascination lies in its collection of water-pumping engines of several types, operating for demonstration purposes on steam days. The sight and sound of all these engines is mesmerising! The miniature railway operates on a satisfyingly complex layout (there’s a map on their website), with several trains running in a way that maximises that complexity. Great fun!

Waterworks Museum, Hereford
Hereford Society of Model Engineers

Soon be summer at Shirlett

On 22 May 202522 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

It can’t be far off! There are signs of summer all the way along the lane on this fine evening – the wild rose is coming into flower, as is the honeysuckle, and here and there the brambles are flowering. Will there be blackberries in June?

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=365615&Y=298315&A=Y&Z=120

Rome in Shropshire

On 16 May 202516 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn NT and EH, PhotographyLeave a comment

Wroxeter (or Viriconium) was a Roman city, the fourth-largest in Britain. The remarkable ruins date back to those days, but across the road to Wroxeter village is a much newer Roman structure – the town house built for a Channel 4 TV programme. Just a mile or two to the east, the Wrekin looks on indifferently. It’s seen it all.

Wroxeter Roman City: English Heritage

It's the tallest Roman wall in the country!

Return to Aberdare…

On 08 May 202508 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Railways...Leave a comment

… and Merthyr, and a trip to Treherbert: Wednesday 7 May. Last time I rode on a trains from Cardiff to Aberdare, there was still coal traffic on the branch (it didn’t last much longer), and we travelled in one of the dreaded ‘Pacers’ (it wasn’t that bad – but it was rather basic).
The lines up the valleys have since been taken apart and put back together, more or less, since that trip just nine years ago. We travelled on new electric trains, running mostly ‘under the wires’ but at times on battery power, through some very fine new stations (and some older ones). Truly a quality experience (even if the Treorchy schoolchildren were rather noisy! We should have caught a later train from Treherbert)
A full(ish) illustrated account will appear on Geoff’s Rail Diaries in due course; meanwhile, here’s a taster:

Old and new at Pontypridd (no wires here...)

From Shirlett to the Smithies

On 05 May 202505 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

An old favourite, perfect for a fine afternoon. There’s a cool breeze, though the trees provide some shelter and the sun is warm when it shines. There’s a bright yellow chicken in a old oak tree, the robins are singing ferociously and there’s a red kite wheeling in the distance, nicely caught in the sunlight.

Can't find the scarlet pimpernel: here's the yellow variety

Far-off kite (a speck in the sky); Titterstone Clee

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=366240&Y=297950&A=Y&Z=120

Late sunshine

On 03 May 202503 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

We’d had enough of domestic/garden duties by about 3.30 – which is when we realised that the sun had come out after a mostly-grey day. A quick wander around the Willey lanes should be good…

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=367515&Y=298310&A=Y&Z=120

May: Seven Springs and Bannister’s

On 02 May 202502 May 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

Ne’er cast a clout…
…till May be out. Does it refer to the month or the hawthorn blossom? There’s plenty of the latter (a pleasant perfume in the air), and though the temperature is comfortable, it’s no more than that (and certainly cooler than the past two days). Wait until June, in other words!

Bluebells and bracken in Bannister's Coppice

A pleasant pong in the woods: wild garlic

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=361910&Y=302130&A=Y&Z=120

Cool in Comer Woods

On 30 Apr 202530 Apr 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, WalksLeave a comment

A day of still air and strong sunshine – it’s going to be warm this afternoon. Comer Woods should be ideal. It’s very pleasant here under under the trees and beside the pools, and it’s fairly quiet today. A cold drink at the cafe might have been a perfect end to our wanderings, but it closes at 3pm – abut a minute before we got there, in other words…
The car said the air temperature was 25C as we approached Bridgnorth, on our way home. It won’t last…

New beech, as seen from the (melting) chocolate seat

View OS map on Streetmap http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map?X=375015&Y=290080&A=Y&Z=120

Lazing around Ludlow

On 27 Apr 202527 Apr 2025 By geoffspagesIn Photography, Shropshire hills, Walks1 Comment

It’s a warm and sunny Sunday, and we’re not feeling overly energetic. We’ll have a ride down to Ludlow, to walk down through the town (it’s very busy!) and over Dinham Bridge to the path leading back to Ludford Bridge. Back up Broad Street for a last look in the centre, then home again.