Just like Jonah.

Wales. Green. Sheepy. Hilly.

 

So many, many sheep and lambs, so much grass and green things. Such a lot of hills and valleys and winding roads. And the weather, sublime. We both even wore shorts yesterday! And it was hot! (ish)

 

It has been perfectly sunny for three days in a row which has been so nice. And the beaches in Wales are actually really very good. I think it helps that there has been no wind at all so the sea is all calm and blue, but they look pretty good. Especially with the colourful houses that line the waterfront, or the green hills that go down to them, and a lines and lines of aeroplane trails across the sky. Wales must have the world's busiest airspace - there are constant paths being traced across the sky. At any one time you can count as ten or more trails being formed.

 

 

But a wee bit of background story. We left Exmoor and drove up to Gloucestershire to visit Clare, a friend of Jo's and her partner Calvin. They live in a beautiful part of England. We had a super meal and got to sleep in a real bed again too so that was a bonus.

 

On our way we passed through Wells to see the cathedral. It was amazing. Best church in all of Europe. And we have seen most of them (apart from France, so they might have a contender too). But it really was incredible. Photos don't do it justice, and I took over 70 photos of it too, so I tried. Here is a taste but you have to be inside it to get the full impact obviously.

 

All this modern stuff was built in the 1400's. How about that?

 

 

 

Next morning we wound our way through many lanes and after quite a bit of asking for directions and reversing down narrow roads we found Jo's friend Carolyn's house in another pretty part of England. After which it was New Country time again and we drove into Wales.

 

First stop was the Brecon Beacon national park where we were struck by full blown green, green, green, green, grass. With cute skippy lambs and steep hills. Its been a bumper breeding season by the looks of it. The stupid thing is we saw New Zealand lamb in a market. Why on earth would you bother flying packets of frozen NZ lamb chops over to Wales which has so many sheep? I don't get it. It can't possibly be cheaper, it can't possible be better tasting, and they looked pretty average too. What a waste of time and money.

 

Whats more Welsh than sheep? Coal mining! We totally went down a coal mine. Check Jo out. She loved it. Or not. (Rugby, slate, leeks and stone bridges are also perhaps more Welsh than sheep...)

 

Going down mine.

 

We all had to wear helmets and lights and carry breathing apparatus cos there is still a slight chance of methane and carbon monoxide and stuff down there. Pretty shit job mining coal back in the day I reckon. And the mine owners sounded like a pack of wankers. Pardon my language, but if you pay your workers in tokens that can only be redeemed at a store owned by you, and charge so much that the worker has to go into debt to buy enough food to feed the family, and then once they are in you debt they can't quit their job, then you are a wanker. But the guide showing us around was funny as, and it was very interesting if a little claustrophobic making for Jo.

 

I think many many years of working down mines perhaps explain why the Welsh are so short and um, solid. Ad pasty, jeepers guys, get some sun.

 

Next stop was Cardiff. Then along the coast to Tenby which is super lovely and has two very nice beaches.

 

 

Tenby in the evening. Lovely.

 

Not Tenby, but if you look closely, legs!

 

Also not Tenby, just quaint.

 

Then we meandered up the coast, through more hills, and up into slate country. That's pretty crazy. Whole mountains made of slate, and the houses are cool as, and blend in rather well. Amazing walls too for the sheep, walls that go straight up the hills. Now we have turned East again and are spending the night on near the northern Welsh coast in our first busy camp ground - it's a long weekend see. It's fun watching novices trying to put up massive, massive tents in strong winds while we shelter in our ship. (weather turned a bit crapper today, I preserved with shorts again though. And two woolly jumpers.)

 

Beautiful. Nice bridge too.

 

Welsh slate hills.

 

 

Tomorrow it's off to England and Yorkshire! Ale! Spotted Dick! Accents!