Cardiff and the Gower Peninsula

Again we’ve been left with lots not done due to rubbish weather, but we’ve decided to persevere, as the chances of getting a couple of months of good weather in Wales are slim!

27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales, UK - Traffic alondgside Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, Wales, UK
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales, UK – Traffic alongside Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, Wales, UK

A very complete castle, and apparently beautiful inside.

The Animal Wall in Cardiff city centre, Wales, UK.
The Animal Wall in Cardiff city centre, Wales, UK.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 - Shoppers in Queen Street.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 – Shoppers in Queen Street.
27 June 2016: Cardfiff, Wales, UK - Shoppers at the entrance to Queens Arcade, Queen Street, Cardiff, Wales.
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales, UK – Shoppers at the entrance to Queens Arcade, Queen Street, Cardiff, Wales.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 - John Lewis Department Store.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 – John Lewis Department Store.

Good shopping centre, though not particularly attractive.

Cardiff City Hall, a Grade I listed building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales.
Cardiff City Hall, a Grade I listed building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales.

Not a lot of old buildings left, but what there are are very impressive. This is massive, can’t really show it in a photo.

27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales, UK - Hayes Place and the Duke of Wellington pub, on a sunny summer day.
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales, UK – Hayes Place and the Duke of Wellington pub, on a sunny summer day.

A nice city to walk around, lots of attractive squares.

27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales - The Senedd, the home of the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff Bay, Wales.
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales – The Senedd, the home of the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff Bay, Wales.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 - Mermaid Quay
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 – Mermaid Quay

The old docks, used to be known as Tiger Bay, has of course been done up.

27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales - Roald Dahl Plass with the Wales Millennium Centre and the Water Tower, Cardiff, Wales, UK
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales – Roald Dahl Plass with the Wales Millennium Centre and the Water Tower, Cardiff, Wales, UK
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales - Cardiff Bay, with the Waterfront, The Senedd, the Wales Millennium Centre, the Pierhead Building and Mermaid Quay,  Cardiff, Wales, UK
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales – Cardiff Bay, with the Waterfront, The Senedd, the Wales Millennium Centre, the Pierhead Building and Mermaid Quay, Cardiff, Wales, UK
27 June 2016: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales - formerly Cardiff Arms Park, now the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, UK
27 June 2016: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales – formerly Cardiff Arms Park, now the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, UK

Wales is of course famous for its rugby, as well as (now) its football team, and they have this very impressive stadium…

Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 - The Boardwalk, Millennium Stadium, and the River Taff.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 – The Boardwalk, Millennium Stadium, and the River Taff.

with a nice boardwalk. Those pictures on the floor are, I think, the flags of the other rugby playing nations – NZ is there.

27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales - The Wales Millennium Centre, a performing arts venue in Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales.
27 June 2016: Cardiff, Wales – The Wales Millennium Centre, a performing arts venue in Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales.

Outdoor cafes, of course. This was just about the only good day we got in this week. Still, we are well rested!

Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 - Cardiff Castle from Bute Park.
Cardiff, Wales: 27 June 2016 – Cardiff Castle from Bute Park.
Swansea, Wales: 1 July 2016 -  2016 - Shopping in Swansea city centre.
Swansea, Wales: 1 July 2016 – 2016 – Shopping in Swansea city centre.

Swansea isn’t much of a place. this is a very flattering photo! It does have a marina, which has remained unphotographed for the moment, also a barrage across the river, lots of apartments built on the river, we will have to come back some time.

Bracelet Bay, The Mumbles, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK
Bracelet Bay, The Mumbles, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK

Swansea isn’t much, but the Gower Peninsula has some lovely spots.

Bracelet Bay and The Mumbles Lighthouse, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK
Bracelet Bay and The Mumbles Lighthouse, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK
Mumbles Pier, The Mumblres, Gower peninsula, South Wales.
Mumbles Pier, The Mumbles, Gower peninsula, South Wales.
Dawn at Bracelet Bay on the Gower Peninsula, Soth Wales, UK.
Dawn at Bracelet Bay on the Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK.
Rhossili Bay, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK
Rhossili Bay, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK
Mewslade; Bay; beach; cliffs; rocks; Gower; Peninsula; South; Wales; summer; sunny; day; sun; sunshine; people; Britain; British; beaches; UK; United Kingdom
Mewslade Bay, Gower Peninsula, South Wales, UK

We first approached this from the nearest car park, but it was high tide, and we failed to find it. We then walked from Rhossili Bay, a lovely cliff walk, took us three hours there and back. Now we know where it is, we can organise ourselves for low tide at sunrise, but that’s for another time.

Transporter Bridge, Newport, Gwent, South Wales, UK.
Transporter Bridge, Newport, Gwent, South Wales, UK.

Have wanted to see a Transporter Bridge since I first heard about them 5 years ago. You can, if you have a head for heights, climb up and walk across, but I haven’t, and Colin wasn’t inclined for some reason. It’s a lot of steps.

Transporter Bridge, Newport, Gwent, South Wales, UK, showing the gondola.
Transporter Bridge, Newport, Gwent, South Wales, UK, showing the gondola.

The gondola hangs underneath and carries people and cars.

Sign at the Transporter Bridge, Newport, Gwent, South Wales, showing distances to the other transporter bridges still standing in the world today,
Sign at the Transporter Bridge, Newport, Gwent, South Wales, showing distances to the other transporter bridges still standing in the world today,

There are two others in the UK, one at Middlesborough which is operational, and one at Warrington which is not.

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Another famous spot we’ve long wanted to visit is Nash Point, but what did we find?

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Ed, the car park attendant, told us that a production company was down there. They were filming a new series for Sky TV called Britannia. It’s about the Roman invasion of Britain, 2000 years ago. The amount of trucks and caravans they had was incredible.

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The village of the ancient Britons. Bottom left is a salt pan – built from polystyrene. It took 3 weeks to build the set, and they were filming for 3 days, then it all had to be cleared away.

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Apparently, the Romans come ashore and burn down this hut. Would like to have seen that, but no clear indication of when it would happen.

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Only two people were in costume. This girl is having white stuff all over her face.

So another place to go back to!

We are now at Tenby. Beautiful place, awful weather!

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