Everyone likes pictures

A woodland walk

2009-11-08T21:30:00.002Z

And all just outside the front door, well not quite, but its only about 1/2 a mile away. Its an ideal place to have a dog again, something I'll have to think about.!!

View from a hill

2009-10-28T06:25:00.001Z

This is the view from the Garth looking down into Taffs Well. Its about 40 minutes trek from the house to here.

Austrian transport

2009-10-14T06:08:00.003+01:00

Yes we had a holiday in Austria and the previous post was of Mozart's home in Saltzberg.

They like their bikes in Austria and there are cycle tracks verywhere, unfortunately though I did get to go on any.

A beautiful place, fantastic scenery and so clean and tidy that sometimes it seems unreal. But comparing everyday prices in Austria, Britain has got to be the cheapest place in Europe, ......if only we had the weather!!!

Its interesting that Alice in the previous post comments said the food was terrible, as I did'nt think so. But thats probably because us Brits are not reknowned for our cuisine and Alice is French.

Wednesday doorway

2009-10-07T17:22:00.001+01:00

Wednesday Doorway, but what city?

Magic mushrooms???

2009-09-17T06:00:00.001+01:00

Its autumn so there are mushrooms about, I wonder if you can eat these?

Valleys cafe

2009-09-09T00:05:00.001+01:00

The cafe is another feature of the valleys. Many of the cafes were originally started by Italian immigrants from Bardi who settled in the valleys, and are still run by their descendents. This one is in Porth. They are still well used, offering basic food /snacks and are excellent value.

A Sunday ride

2009-09-06T17:55:00.001+01:00

These were the views on our bike ride this Sunday. The pictures were taken above Ferndale and Taylorstown. Some of the best examples of ribbon conurbation you'll ever find.

I'm a big fan of the valleys and the valley towns, and they are now at their best. I dont think many people would want the coal mines back and all the pollution that came with them. The valleys and their people are now beautiful and unpretenious.

Plenty of history here

2009-09-03T05:23:00.001+01:00

Taffs Well is situated in a gorge between Cardiff and the South Wales valley and as well as the river there have been canals and railways transporting goods through it.

RCT Images [circa 1875]

There were very few bridges across the Taff and this ferry originally used to transport the iron workers from their homes in Taffs Well across the river to work in the Pentrych Ironworks.

This is Taffs Well lock on the now defunct Glamorganshire canal.

Taffs Well

2009-09-01T03:21:00.000+01:00

After a long break I thought it was about time to start back. I would have liked to have said it was a break to enjoy the summer, but whilst we did had some good sunny days I feel there were more rainy ones. Anyway .....................

This is the spring that gave the village its name, and what it looks like now, a bit neglected and in need of a clean. But there is lots more information here.

A fresh view.........

2009-07-15T06:51:00.001+01:00

A lot has happened since my last post, we have finally moved house. Its taken a couple of years but its happened, what a relief.....pheew. Its amazing how anyone gets to move house in the UK with our strange and haphazard system for conveyancing. Nothing is certain until the last minute, so no wonder its very stressful, and I hate dealing with this type of uncertainty, particularly when its your home is at stake.

Its a complete change of house, from a largeish old one, to a smaller new one, so I am looking forward to the much lower running costs. Its 30 years since we last moved, so you can imagine the amount of stuff that was accumulated, and even though over the last couple of years we have been gradually getting rid of it, its still far too much. Thankfully there's the garage.

The new place, Taffs Well, is only 7 miles from where we lived before, but more rural with a village feel about it. Its alongside the river Taff and the Well bit is because there used to be a hot spring here, and has been used since Roman times, but I've not found that particular watering hole yet.

This is the view from the window when I'm on the computer, its the Garth mountain.

Anyway, back to the cardboard boxes and all the unpacking.

One of many of Wales's inhabitants

2009-06-11T07:43:00.004+01:00

No jokes .......ok!!

I will be out of it for a while, but will be posting again soon.

Up up and away

2009-06-08T11:53:00.000+01:00

I didn't fancy this ride, as the ballon is only held by a single wire strand.

Summertime

2009-06-06T11:54:00.000+01:00

This is Bournemouth beach, just outside the New Forest park. As you can see very popular.

New Forest sunset

2009-06-04T11:47:00.001+01:00

Just spent a few days camping in the New Forest, when the weather is hot like it is now, there is nothing better. That's if you like camping of course!!

Cardiff bay bridge

2009-06-01T09:13:00.000+01:00

This is Cardiff's Bay Bridge. Not quiet up to Golden Gate standards, but it does the job.

Lets go fishing!

2009-05-30T09:06:00.001+01:00

Here's some of the best fishermen on the Taff. I wonder if they had been swapping fishing tales?

Sunday rides

2009-05-28T09:04:00.002+01:00

As I was early for the start I took a couple of pictures of the museum and civic hall. That really was the colour of the sky, it turned out to be of the best days of the year, so far. Lets hope this one glorious day isn't our summer.

We had a good ride of 70 miles, but the best bits are the cafe stops, and those calories are well and truly earned.

Bank holiday funfair

2009-05-26T09:17:00.001+01:00

This funfair was set up outside the Millenium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

Old Cardiff

2009-05-25T11:59:00.000+01:00

Finally continuing with the shopping theme, some old pictures and a street vendor.

Craft stalls

2009-05-23T20:18:00.001+01:00

But there is always the more traditional "shops". These craft stalls are here around Christmas time as well.

Modern Arcades

2009-05-20T23:58:00.004+01:00

The arcade theme is being carried on in this new development scheduled to open in September.

The statue seems a bit lost in all the construction work going on, I wonder what he thinks of it?

Here's an earlier view if it all.

Duke St. Arcade - inside and out

2009-05-19T23:57:00.000+01:00

Cardiff is known for its shopping arcades, as you see this one goes back to 1902.

On the Taff

2009-05-17T11:56:00.001+01:00

Sunday morning sculling on the Taff.

Sunday shopping

2009-05-11T01:23:00.000+01:00

This is at the Riverside food market, lots of organic products here. Also a good place for breakfast especially on a sunny Sunday morning.

Swan lake?

2009-05-08T20:50:00.001+01:00

Just the two of us

We can make it if we try

Just the two of us

Building castles in the sky

Just the two of us

You and I