Yomping around the Brecon Beacons

When GO said we were going to the Brecon Beacons. The thing I was most looking forward to was hiking around the hills, and dales with spectacular views all around.  Unfortunately my trek around the waterfalls didn't happen this time.  I did however manage to get some time walking around the keeper's pond.

As we arrived at the car park we were all alone except for the sheep, they are everywhere in the Beacons, rightly so. I got out geared myself up for a wet and windy walk.

"I'll just set off, so I can take some photo's". I yelled.

"Hey, what are you doing?  Hey go away will you!  Stop it!"

I turned around thinking GO was shorting to me, only to discover a local getting very friendly with my husband.

Unfortunately I was no help, I couldn't help but laugh.  I just stood and watched as he somehow managed to escape his little stalker.

He doesn't look too traumatised.

The pond at the top of the mountain.

Still chuckling about the sheep.... What's that I see?

She's back and posing this time.

Lovely panoramic view, blocked by two tourists!

That's better

Look mum no hands, got to love the timer.

Messing around in the stream.

He's not scared of me sheep!

Photobomb.

I look daft, but I was warm.

Aw good times xx

Big pit

Lot's of cute little bikes all over the place

After the hassles of the previous day, we wanted to pack as much on as possible.  We made a tentative plan, not knowing what would lie ahead of us.  

Waiting for our turn to go into the coal mine - we were the first visitors of the day

Waiting in the Waiting Room

Safety Notices in Welsh and English

Cheeky Miners wanted their photos taken

Warnings Everywhere

Already to go underground - we didn't know what to expect

And the tour begins - the miners were very knowledgeable and
told us the history of mining as well as the story of the Big Pit

I try to make new friends where ever I go

He looks so outdoorsy

There were random little statues all over the place

The torch room was surprisingly dark

The Big Pit -in the rain

First stop was The Big Pit,  as we set off it started to rain, just a bit of drizzle, by the time we got to the Big Pit it was tipping it down.  

Having a brew in the canteen

We arrived and were the first car in the car park, not always a good thing as we weren't sure whether or not it was open. I spotted a lone man walking around the entrance andasked him if it was open, "we're open rain or shine, it's all underground" came the reply.  Which in hindsight was pretty obvious.

Coal mine Selfie

I was very scared I'm not a big fan of tight, dark places but it was actually very interesting.  We had to wear a helmet with a battery pack on a belt.  Then our group, of about ten people, got into the lift and went hundreds of feet underground.  Just like the miners of old.

Our tour guide was an ex miner and he was very passionate.  He was keen to make sure that we understood what life in the mines was like.  

After the coal mine, we browsed around the rest of the site, which had been turned into a living museum

Some Facts About Mine Life

Children used to spend 12 hours in pitch black unless their parent could afford a candle. Opening the safety doors in the mine.

Having a go at some brass rubbing

Horses used to live in the mines all their lives,  until it became law for them to have two weeks holiday every year.

Canaries were used to detect carbon monoxide, as they were seven times more sensitive to it's effects as a human.

Wales here we come.... Finally!

I am ashamed to admit that at the tender age of 38, after having lived in the UK for 15 years I have never visited Wales.

The bridge from Gavin and Stacey

I find it incredible that I, and more like me, have travelled that world.  Visiting every nook and cranny of the earth.  But we have never visited the many amazing sights of Great Britain.

We have, in the past made plans to visit Wales, only for us to change our plans at the last minute.  But this time G.O was in control of the trip planning, so we knew that not only would it be a trip we would carry out, it would be of the highest standard.  I tend to cut corners and drop a star here and there just to save a few pennies.

I made plans to add to my 1000miles by trekking through the Brecon Beacons and taking in the sights of all of the beautiful waterfalls.

View from the window

So we hopped into the car and nothing happened!  We tried again, nothing.  At this stage I gave up hope and went to lie down.  GAF was visiting and my head was pounding.

Just as I settled down for a nap GO came up stairs and told me we were off.  Apparantly the battery was flat, GO had called the recovery services and had a jump start.  "We need to run the car for a least fifteen minutes and it'll charge it up!"

So off we went, it was an emotional roller coaster of a day. I was excited about going to Wales, apprehensive about the car, yet also annoyed when the Sat Nav stopped working just as we needed it most.

My first Welsh cuppa

Eventually we arrived and the hotel was lovely, it was situated near a world heritage site, and was just on the border of the Brecon Beacons.  We settled in by the fire and had a relaxing cup of tea, it was great to have arrived.  We started to make plans for the following day, visit the Heritage Site before heading to the Waterfall centre and starting our trek. I checked us into Facebook (naturally) and began to chillax.

Next morning, after a good nights sleep we ate a traditional Welsh breakfast (pretty similar to an English only using local Welsh fare) and the made a move.  We got in the car, which started, all be it a tad wobbly.  

We wandered around the World Heritage Centre and found out all about the history  of Blaenavon and it's surrounding areas.  It had been a mining town up until Thatcher closed in down in the eighties,

but that's another story.  

I got chatting to a tour guide who was escorting local B&B and hotel workers around the town, teaching them about the history of the town.  He made a few suggestions about where we should visit, one place being the Keepers Pond just the mountain.  

We returned to the car and it wouldn't start, at first I thought GO was taking the Mickey. But he didn't look like he was joking and I realised that again the car was broken!  

I rang the breakdown services and rang the garage that we purchased the car from, I knew there were rules about just any body repairing the car.  After a lot of phone calls, all which basically told us the car couldn't been seen until the following week, not useful as we needed to be in Manchester the following day.

The breakdown guy arrived.  Again I couldn't listen to what he said and I went for a walk around the block.  When I got back to the car, breakdown guy had arranged for us to visit his friend's garage in the next town.  It was definitely just the battery that needed replacing. What a relief that won't be too expensive.

We arrived at Newtown Motors in Cwmbran and were met be a very friendly young man, who on hearing that we were on holiday assured us that the it was the battery and that it would be ready in a couple of hours.  He warned us that as our car was a powerful car the battery wouldn't be cheap. "£100-250". I laughingly said "well there's a morrison's down the road I could go pick up a couple of AA's for a fiver!"  

Discovering the massage chair

GO and I took a bumble around the town, stopping for a cup of tea and biscuit and doing some shopping.  When we finally returned to the garage, the guy old us that he felt so sorry for us that he wouldn't charge us for labour costs.  Which brought the total down significantly.  By that time the whole day had been written off, we returned to the hotel and had a lovely meal (KFC) and spent time in the hotel spa.  We we're determine ld to pack as much in as possible the next day.