LFCC, High Society and Wales (aka Merlin Location Tour) - Part 2
Hi again! ;)
Something I probably should mention is that I had no car, so, wherever I went I took the train or bus... or just walked. ;) Sometimes it gets really interesting, when you have to think about a particular route or place you wanna go and how to even get there. ;)
So, on Tuesday I made a trip to Merthyr Tydfil, but on the way there I got off the train at Quaker's Yard, a tiny little village halfway to Merthyr Tydfil. Thanks to merlinlocations I learned that the Pontygwaith bridge, where Uther and Lady Catrina had their picnic, had to be nearby. After actually finding the secluded trail indicated on the map alongside the river, I took a nice stroll and arrived at the bridge about half an hour later.
Unfortunately it seemed there was no way to actually get to the grounds below the bridge. But then I discovered that the garden of Pontygwaith's Farm was open to the public even when no one seemed to be around. It was a beautifully maintained garden in japanese style (I think) in the middle of nowhere... kinda weird when you think about it. ;)
Finally, I got to the true reason why I was there. And this is the moment when I'll start using screenshots as well to show off my findings. :D
Nice, isn't it? ;)
Anyway, after leaving a small donation I made my way back to Quaker's Yard and took the next train to Merthyr Tydfil, which was - once upon a time - the largest town in Wales. Like Abergavenny, Merthyr Tydfil isn't too exciting, but it has a few nice sights and a castle with a museum inside, that made the trip worthwhile. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the castle/museum. :(
On Wednesday I re-visited Castle Coch (this time only from the outside ;)), the Blue Pool and the Three Bears Caves. I didn't take so many pictures as I did this in spades two years ago, so, if you want to see screenshots for the actual locations, go and look here. ;)
When I entered the little canyon that leads to the Blue Pool, I experienced something that had my heart beating a lot faster...
Out of the blue there was an air raid siren from WWII going off. First I thought it was a scheduled testing, because it was exactly 1pm, but it went on and on... and suddenly there was a loud "boom!" and the ground beneath my feet actually shook and I was there, seemingly all alone in the world. That was the moment when I started feeling really uneasy. And when there was a second "boom!", I actually thought for a moment they had started WWIII without letting me know.
Now some of you may laugh, but at that point I really didn't know, that there are a few quarries around which are still using those sirens to warn of an impending detonation. ;)
Look, it's actually blue! :D
But whereas the Blue Pool looked exactly the same as two years ago, they pimped up the Three Bears Caves. ;)
They built a railing...
placed a couple of wooden bears in front of it...
and even put up an information board.
Unfortunately, there was a sign saying that the access to the caves was forbidden. Normally I wouldn't really pay attention (the Blue Pool had been fenced off as well *whistles innocently*), but coincidentally there were some construction workers who had their watchful eyes on me. Damn! ;)
So I made my way back to Cardiff and enjoyed a sunny evening in Cardiff Bay.
It still exists! :)
Oops, did I say in part 1, that I had to stop because of the length of the entry? Well, uhm... sorry... *lol*
I hope you've enjoyed these pictures nonetheless. Now for my last day in Wales I just need to make a new entry, because I think it deserves it. So, see you soon(-ish) with the 3rd and last part. ;)
Something I probably should mention is that I had no car, so, wherever I went I took the train or bus... or just walked. ;) Sometimes it gets really interesting, when you have to think about a particular route or place you wanna go and how to even get there. ;)
So, on Tuesday I made a trip to Merthyr Tydfil, but on the way there I got off the train at Quaker's Yard, a tiny little village halfway to Merthyr Tydfil. Thanks to merlinlocations I learned that the Pontygwaith bridge, where Uther and Lady Catrina had their picnic, had to be nearby. After actually finding the secluded trail indicated on the map alongside the river, I took a nice stroll and arrived at the bridge about half an hour later.
Unfortunately it seemed there was no way to actually get to the grounds below the bridge. But then I discovered that the garden of Pontygwaith's Farm was open to the public even when no one seemed to be around. It was a beautifully maintained garden in japanese style (I think) in the middle of nowhere... kinda weird when you think about it. ;)
Finally, I got to the true reason why I was there. And this is the moment when I'll start using screenshots as well to show off my findings. :D
Nice, isn't it? ;)
Anyway, after leaving a small donation I made my way back to Quaker's Yard and took the next train to Merthyr Tydfil, which was - once upon a time - the largest town in Wales. Like Abergavenny, Merthyr Tydfil isn't too exciting, but it has a few nice sights and a castle with a museum inside, that made the trip worthwhile. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the castle/museum. :(
On Wednesday I re-visited Castle Coch (this time only from the outside ;)), the Blue Pool and the Three Bears Caves. I didn't take so many pictures as I did this in spades two years ago, so, if you want to see screenshots for the actual locations, go and look here. ;)
When I entered the little canyon that leads to the Blue Pool, I experienced something that had my heart beating a lot faster...
Out of the blue there was an air raid siren from WWII going off. First I thought it was a scheduled testing, because it was exactly 1pm, but it went on and on... and suddenly there was a loud "boom!" and the ground beneath my feet actually shook and I was there, seemingly all alone in the world. That was the moment when I started feeling really uneasy. And when there was a second "boom!", I actually thought for a moment they had started WWIII without letting me know.
Now some of you may laugh, but at that point I really didn't know, that there are a few quarries around which are still using those sirens to warn of an impending detonation. ;)
Look, it's actually blue! :D
But whereas the Blue Pool looked exactly the same as two years ago, they pimped up the Three Bears Caves. ;)
They built a railing...
placed a couple of wooden bears in front of it...
and even put up an information board.
Unfortunately, there was a sign saying that the access to the caves was forbidden. Normally I wouldn't really pay attention (the Blue Pool had been fenced off as well *whistles innocently*), but coincidentally there were some construction workers who had their watchful eyes on me. Damn! ;)
So I made my way back to Cardiff and enjoyed a sunny evening in Cardiff Bay.
It still exists! :)
Oops, did I say in part 1, that I had to stop because of the length of the entry? Well, uhm... sorry... *lol*
I hope you've enjoyed these pictures nonetheless. Now for my last day in Wales I just need to make a new entry, because I think it deserves it. So, see you soon(-ish) with the 3rd and last part. ;)