UK – Page 37 – TRAVEL WORDS

After the rain…

After driving from the Lake District yesterday to Dumfries and Galloway in southern Scotland, we hit heavy rain. Settling down to watch the women’s final at Roland Garros, we resigned ourselves to the rest of the day indoors as we watched the mizzle turn to drizzle and people with umbrellas passed by.

But, unexpectedly, as Maria Sharapova took the crown yet again, the sun came out, so donning raincoats (just in case) and armed with cameras, we ventured out to explore our new surroundings.

and what a pretty place it is…

The Tin Shed Experience

Ed is a truck driving photographer from Tennessee who hosts a photography challenge blog called Sunday Stills here on WordPress.

This week Ed would like to see any BARNS or SHEDS pics. in black and white.

The Tin Shed Experience – is a quirky 1940s museum in Laugharne (pronounced Larn) Carmarthenshire, – known for writer Dylan Thomas who lived and is buried there although he died in New York. This year is the centenary of his birth so if you happen to be in the town then I suggest you pop along and visit this quirky not for profit museum housed in an old zinc sheeted garage.

(click an image to enlarge)

My Year in Photos – 2013

2013 has been an unusual year for me in that I have not left the shores of the UK once! That doesn’t mean that I have stayed at home all year – no I have travelled to the south-east, the south-west, right across the Midlands to the east coast and to the west into Wales. The only direction I haven’t been in this year is North! And in between all this to-ing and fro-ing I even managed to have a few local trips, all of which have made me grateful that I have my health to enjoy such travels.

So here are some of my favourite memories of this year, enjoy them and I wish a Happy New Year to all my WordPress blogging friends 😀

This post links well with a couple of the end of year challenges, notably Sue’s ‘A Word in Your Ear’ Reflect, and the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge showing Joy.

January – Blakeney Quay

February – South Shropshire Hills

March – Hill Halton Farm

April – Fowey, Cornwall

May – Berrington Hall

June – Lower Slaughter

July – Large White and Lavender

August – Cley Windmill

September – Tenby, Wales

October – Mousehole Harbour

November – Autumn Tree in RHS Wisley Gardens

December – Net Shops Hastings

If you haven’t read about these trips then now’s the time to catch up:

North Cornwall

Before we left North Devon for home (which at the time was in west Surrey) we headed on down the coast to have another look at the North Cornwall coastal towns of Boscastle, Tintagel and Port Isaac – famous for the Doc Martin series on ITV. Of course getting there involved a stop off at another beach – Sandymouth, and the return was via the coastal road and a quick stop at Widecombe Bay. Writing these travelogues makes me understand why it is that I arrive back from holiday needing a holiday. I don’t seem to do relaxing! Continue reading North Cornwall

Just Back From… Laugharne

…and some like myself, just came one day, for a day, and never left; got off the bus, and forgot to get on again…”

~ Dylan Thomas

Laugharne (pronounced Larn) is probably most famous for being the last place where renowned Welsh poet Dylan Thomas lived, wrote, drank and is laid to rest; he died in New York.

His Boathouse and Writing Shed overlooking the wide Tâf estuary draw in the crowds and you can even get a cup of tea at the Boathouse, though not when we visited as it was closed for filming a new film about Dylan Thomas’s fourth and final reading tour of America which is being made to mark next year’s centenary of his birth. The play “Under Milkwood” and “Poem on his Birthday” were written here. There is even a ‘Birthday Walk’, which if done on your birthday entitles you to a complimentary birthday gift. Climb up Sir John’s Hill for mind-blowing views across three estuaries (River Tâf, Towey and the Gwendraeth) and over the bay to the Gower Peninsula.

Dylan Thomas Grave

The Boathouse (right)

The Writing Shed

It’s not all about Dylan though, there is also a ruined castle built in the thirteenth century with more spectacular views of the estuary and out to Carmarthen Bay, an interesting clock tower on the town hall, and a unique Tin Shed Experience – a quirky 1930s – 1940s museum. It is also one of the oldest self-governing townships in Britain, presided over by the Portreeve wearing his traditional chain of gold cockleshells.

Clock tower

Tin Shed Experience

St Martin’s Church

The Taf Estuary

Laugharne Castle

Close to Laugharne is the seven mile beach known as Pendine Sands which was used to set world land speed records as it has a wide, flat and firm surface. Several generations of the Campbell family have raced there and there is a Museum of Speed. And if you travel a little further west you will discover the turquoise waters of Amroth, reminiscent of neighbouring Saundersfoot and Tenby in Pembrokeshire.

Carmarthenshire is often overlooked by people rushing through to the beautiful Pembrokeshire coastline, but it has much to offer itself with a new Coast Path which passes through a range of habitats including fresh water marshes, salt marshes, sand dunes and pine forests.