Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:52 am Post subject: The South Wales Mining Villages.
Early in 1963, I took my first ever Motoring Holiday as a driver. I was living in Dorset, and, during the previous year after passing my driving test, had driven almost every highway and byway of that County.
I felt ready for a new challenge. I owned a Peugeot 404 Estate then, and had fitted it out for sleeping in. (The two front seats made a very comfortable double bed.)
S my friend and I loaded up the car with all the things we'd need for a ten day holiday, sleeping in the car to save money for petrol and other expenses on route.
We left Dorset, and headed up country towards Wales.The new bridge over the Severn had not long been opened, although the Severn Ferry at Aust, was, still in operation.
It took us two days to get to Wales, slow, because there were no proper motorways open, plus we both enjoyed visiting old churches and interesting places along the route.
We made camp on the second night in a Farmers Field, near Chepstow. The next day, we drove into South Wales proper, and visited the Rhonda Valleys.
I can remember many Miners walking along the road, just leaving work. In those days, there will still plenty of working Coalmines in Wales, and I slowed the car, and looked at these men with wonder. They were in thier pit clothes, and had black faces and hands from all the coal dust. I had only ever seen pictures of this before, and it really brought it home to me just how hard and dangerous their work was.
We then drove on to Aberystwyth, and rode on the famous Cliff Railway. Again, a new experience for us both.
Next day, we travelled on into North Wales, and visited Llanberis where we rode the Snowden Mountain Railway to the summit of Mount Snowden.
We climed the last few hundred yards, and stood on the very top of the mountain. As we did so, the sun broke through the clouds, and far below us we could see Llanberis Lake, looking like a little pond from that height.
We continued our trip, up to Conway, but we never crossed to Yns Mon, (Anglesey).
We then went on to visit Hereford, and found the old buildings enjoyable.
In nine days, our car had covered almost two thousand miles, and I was feeling exhausted, (my friend couldn't drive) so I'd had to do all the driving.
But on arriving home, I wrote an article about the trip, which I had published in a now long-defunct magazine. The small cheque I recieved for it, helped to offset the cost of the holiday.
Would I do it again today? No. The mines and miners have gone, and, the effort wouldn't really be worth it. Sad, just how much has gone from our lives in such a short time.
Oh, just one other thing I almost forgot, We stayed overnight near the Nuclear Power station at Trawsffyndd, and next morning we washed ourselve in the water from the resivoir. Cattle were drinking from it, and it looked clean. A few hours later, our hands and faces started to itch like hell, and I happened to catch a glimpse of my face in the rear view mirror. My skin was all red and blotchy, as was that of my friend. We went to a chemist and bought some calomine lotion, which did help.
I swear to this day, that the water we had washed in had been contaminated with radioactivity from that Power Station. _________________ http://sewardchronicles.ning.com/
What a good idea for a new section of our forum Admin.
I like your story very much, Wales is still a lovely place to visit in spite of our changing times.
You are so right about how so many things have gone forever and it makes me sad to think that young people today will never experience many things our generation took for granted.
But also, how innocent, re the radio active water, I wonder, did you glow in the dark _________________ The purpose of life is a life of purpose
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What a good idea for a new section of our forum Admin. 
Wales is still a lovely place to visit in spite of our changing times.
