Trips out from Tredegar

Wales, a country we’ve explored in times gone by when the girls were little and our mobile home was a huge frame tent. We’re back now and our choice of accommodation is our Bailey Pursuit, comfort as we get older.  Staying at Tredegar House Caravan and Motorhome club site, click HERE for site review, for only five nights we have so much to see, and ultimately was not nearly enough time, so here is brief overview of some great stuff to do from this site.

We drove across to the Brecon Beacons early in our stay. The Boss has a holiday fixation with war graves, bridges and waterfalls. The Four Falls Walk was a must for him despite all the moaning, groaning and ear ache he knew he’d get off me. Stoically I stumbled on.  I’m not the best on my feet. I could fall over the pattern on a carpet and the paths weren’t the best for someone so clumsy. We made it, I think my jaw ached as much as my legs, moaning for most of the way. It was worth the aches and pains, the final waterfall on the walk was simply stunning. 

A trip to Bristol on a beautifully, sunny day was well worth the drive and the extra toll bridge fee. Ordinarily we would normally have stayed in Wales and explored but we had an appointment back in England and Bristol was the closest destination when the hunger pangs started.

Headed for  and parked easily at the Cabot Circus. A huge indoor, yet appearing to be outdoors shopping centre. Possibly the nicest shopping centre, architecturally, that I’ve ever seen. Having been before and experienced the shopping side of things, today we used it only to eat.

Heading out of the centre we made our way towards Bristol Harbour. The world and his wife were out enjoying the March sunshine. A hop, skip and a jump out of the city centre, Bristol sports vast amounts of green. Green that today was being used as it should. People kicked their shoes off and shared lunch. Chatting on the phone, working on laptops. The green space alongside of the river was being used to its full extent. A busker serenaded lunchtime with a gently played guitar. A tightrope had been strung between two trees as 3 young adults showed us their skills for added lunchtime entertainment.

On the way back from Bristol, back in Wales now, we took the short diversion off the M4 to Caerleon, once home to the Roman Legionary Fortress, Isca Augusta. Both the Wales National Roman Legion Museum and Roman Baths Museum are situated in Caerleon but, (a) because they are just closing and (b) because it’s hard to get money out of The Boss’ pockets we are deliberately heading for the Amphitheatre, visually stunning remains of the Roman Amphitheatre that stood around the period 90AD, give or take a year. Looking down at the arena from the banked terraces you could almost imagine the noise of thousands watching live hunts, public executions and Gladiator competitions where life and death was decided by a thumbs up or a thumbs down, a bit like YouTube then.  A short walk around town and we realised that Caerleon deserved much more than the time we gave it.

On our final full day we had a lazy morning and a big full breakfast before planning a trip to Cardiff Bay. St Fagans National History Museum had been recommended by a couple of people so we thought it was worth an hour on route to Cardiff. Oh dear, we underestimated this place, a whole day would hardly be enough time to enjoy this ‘Free’ attraction. In four hours we saw a Lamb being born, a whole load of Welsh history and only half the site, we practically left site as they were locking the doors. More on this trip can be found via this link: St Fagans National History Museum 

Finally we made it to Cardiff Bay exiting the A4232 just before the tunnels and parking easily at Mermaids Quay. First stop, food, all the big food establishments are found by the waterfront so we were soon sorted. We walked this off by walking around the Dock area as far as The Doctor Who Experience, passing the Welsh Assembly buildings but you can continue on through park area to Cardiff Bay Barrage near Penarth. Once again, short on time we needed to get back to the caravan for our night cap. Cardiff Centre? The Castle had been one of the only places we intended to visit this trip, we didn’t even see it from the outside, looks like we are coming back to Cardiff and Wales again.