Glamorgan Canal in Pontypridd

The canal here runs behind the  Sainsbury Supermarket, which was built on the site of the Brown Lenox factory which was famous for chain making.  The factory was established in 1816 and was located here because of its easy access to the high quantities of pig iron and coal needed in production.

The anchor chain for the Titanic was reputedly made here.

 Two canal basins were constructed, one for the receipt of raw materials the other for dispatching finished goods. 

 As you can see there is some restoration work going on and things are looking up as there is only one supermarket trolley in the canal.

 The chains would have been shipped down the canal to Cardiff docks and from there to whichever shipyard needed them.

This famous picture of Isombard Kingdom Brunel shows him standing in front of the anchor chains, a product of the Pontypridd factory, of the SS Great Britain. 

Spanakopita

The idea for this came from  reading a couple of books by Victoria Hislop, The Thread and The Island, both set in Greece, with good storylines and very well written.  In these she often mentions Greek dishes, and spanakopita was one. 

The basis is the recipe here, but the thought of doing the filo pastry with all that olive oil put me off, so I adapted in and put it into a flan, blind baking the pastry first.  I think it works well.  I made it for my daughter and she enjoyed it.

Treforest Trail

This is part of the Treforest Community Route and it joins up with the existing Church Village Community Route creating a lovely 6 mile traffic-free trail from Llantrisant to Treforest.  

As this was once an old railway line maybe these archways were for the workers to take cover from passing carriages.

 

There are a couple of pieces of artwork along the way and below is one of them.  Click and enlarge the notice board shot to see who they are.  Many people will be familiar with one of the statues.

 

Llandaf Cathedral

Llandaf Cathedral on a sunny January day

 

 

 

Just along the path where the bench seat is in the wall and you come to Llandaf Cathedral

Insole Court

These shots are from last Saturday, it was fine weather so just right for an urban ramble on the bike.

 

Insole Court was built in the 1850’s by the colliery owner James Harvey Insole when he was making enough money for him to build this “small country house” on what was then the outskirts of Cardiff.  The current owner is Cardiff Council and it is now a Grade 2 listed building and  in need of restoration, but with all projects like this funding is the main barrier they are up against. Hopefully it will happen and be made available for public enjoyment. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was just down the road from the Insole Court on an old footpath to the Cathedral, was this built in seat for weary walkers?  

 



Whitchurch - the old Glamorgan canal

A couple of miles from Taffs Well and just off the Taff Trail you can join the path that runs alongside the old Glamorgan canal, which originally went from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff.  This area is now a well used nature reserve with hides and feeders for the birds.