sunny Wales - Blaenavon steampunk on Saturday
We're now into our second month of pretty much non-stop summer. Much as I love the sunshine, I need to be outdoors in it and London was getting to me, so at the last minute, I purchased a couple of days extra leave and booked a Friday off to go away somewhere for the weekend. The choice was between Peak District or the Brecon Beacons and as there was a steampunk event in Blaenavon that weekend, we went with that option, booking a couple of nice pubs to stay in.
Friday I took the day off work. Got up early for a swim at Parliament Hill lido, then home to do laundry and sit out in the garden for a few hours before getting the bus to Rob's work, to set off to Wales.
We stayed in the Little Crown Inn, Pontypool for the first night - we stayed here last year for the Blaenavon event and were pleasantly surprised at what a lovely place it was, so we had to return. Located at the entrance to a former pit, the pub has developed a coal mining theme, with a replica mine shaft to enter to get to our beautiful boutique accommodation.
As with last year, the food was served in mahoosive portions and we attempted to recover afterwards with a drink out in the garden
marmalade gin with orange juice, not as wrong as that might sound!
Saturday morning, after a mahoosive breakfast (I tried to go light with a veggie breakfast but that came with the most gorgeous, and incredibly rich, glamorgan sausage - all the cheese!), we got as dressed up as the searing temperature would allow for and headed to Blaenavon.
tarting around in the hotel corridor before we leave
Had to take a slight unplanned detour over a mountain due to a road closure (which turned out to be a pretty serious accident, neccesitating the closure); amazing to see how these former bleak mining areas have been transformed by nature.
The steampunk event didn't seem as busy as last year but it was still very enjoyable. Lots of market stalls, friendly people and entertainment throughout the day. My parents came over to see us, with the dogs, but they too got held up by another road closure and only caught the final few hours of the event.
such a fab location for a steampunk event
Ichabod Steam and his animatronic band
the steampunk pantomime
Gurdybird, my parents's first experience of the hurdy-gurdy, which they enjoyed!
I made a purchase - a teensy sewing machine!
We said our goodbyes, then Rob and I continued on to our next destination, over the mountain to Crickhowell - passing a mountain-top lake on the way, which had people swimming in it. I was so eager to stop but we had a table booked for dinner.
Checked into our hotel in pretty Crickhowell, settled into our room and had a quick drink in the garden before dinner. We were staying in the Bear - a traditional old coaching in, a fascinating warren of a building but with a slightly stuffy atmosphere, more of a hotel than a pub.
The food however was fantastic, really well cooked with quality ingredents and an absolutely beautiful and rich dessert.
After dinner we went for a walk down to the riverside. Clambered down to the waters and wandered around there for a while, watching the sun slowly set over the water. we spotted a couple of paragliders descend from Table Mountain behind us, getting closer and closer until they were mere feet from our heads!
Before it got completely dark, we headed back via the castle - not that there was much left of it to see - then back to our hotel for a final nightcap before bed.
not the castle ...
the castle
the full gallery of pics for the weekend are here
Friday I took the day off work. Got up early for a swim at Parliament Hill lido, then home to do laundry and sit out in the garden for a few hours before getting the bus to Rob's work, to set off to Wales.
We stayed in the Little Crown Inn, Pontypool for the first night - we stayed here last year for the Blaenavon event and were pleasantly surprised at what a lovely place it was, so we had to return. Located at the entrance to a former pit, the pub has developed a coal mining theme, with a replica mine shaft to enter to get to our beautiful boutique accommodation.
As with last year, the food was served in mahoosive portions and we attempted to recover afterwards with a drink out in the garden
marmalade gin with orange juice, not as wrong as that might sound!
Saturday morning, after a mahoosive breakfast (I tried to go light with a veggie breakfast but that came with the most gorgeous, and incredibly rich, glamorgan sausage - all the cheese!), we got as dressed up as the searing temperature would allow for and headed to Blaenavon.
tarting around in the hotel corridor before we leave
Had to take a slight unplanned detour over a mountain due to a road closure (which turned out to be a pretty serious accident, neccesitating the closure); amazing to see how these former bleak mining areas have been transformed by nature.
The steampunk event didn't seem as busy as last year but it was still very enjoyable. Lots of market stalls, friendly people and entertainment throughout the day. My parents came over to see us, with the dogs, but they too got held up by another road closure and only caught the final few hours of the event.
such a fab location for a steampunk event
Ichabod Steam and his animatronic band
the steampunk pantomime
Gurdybird, my parents's first experience of the hurdy-gurdy, which they enjoyed!
I made a purchase - a teensy sewing machine!
We said our goodbyes, then Rob and I continued on to our next destination, over the mountain to Crickhowell - passing a mountain-top lake on the way, which had people swimming in it. I was so eager to stop but we had a table booked for dinner.
Checked into our hotel in pretty Crickhowell, settled into our room and had a quick drink in the garden before dinner. We were staying in the Bear - a traditional old coaching in, a fascinating warren of a building but with a slightly stuffy atmosphere, more of a hotel than a pub.
The food however was fantastic, really well cooked with quality ingredents and an absolutely beautiful and rich dessert.
After dinner we went for a walk down to the riverside. Clambered down to the waters and wandered around there for a while, watching the sun slowly set over the water. we spotted a couple of paragliders descend from Table Mountain behind us, getting closer and closer until they were mere feet from our heads!
Before it got completely dark, we headed back via the castle - not that there was much left of it to see - then back to our hotel for a final nightcap before bed.
not the castle ...
the castle
the full gallery of pics for the weekend are here