A Wales of a day!

I’ve been down in England spending a few days with my brother-in-law, John, and on Saturday he suggested we drive across to Wales for a wee day of adventuring. And as I can’t resist a good adventure, I happily accepted the idea of a pilgrimage.

Our first stop of the day was actually in England, as there’s a village called Knockin. And how can you not stop off at the Knockin Shop as you pass by? We also took the opportunity to stretch our legs a bit to admire some of the old houses and the old Village Pound.

Then we made our way to Llangynog where we parked the car before heading out on our walk. There, I was most impressed by the stone wall that included several agates and geodes. There were also a couple of nice buildings to enjoy. But Llangynog was merely our base and not the main adventure.

And so, we began our pilgrimage to Pennant Melangell to see St Melangell’s Church – a true pilgrimage destination, named for a 4th-century female saint. The site has been home to a Christian church for over 1,200 years – and has been home to a couple of yew trees for more than 2,000 years. Parts of the current church date from the 12th century, and it is home to an amazing 15th-century screen. Of course, as often happens, the church has been restored, rebuilt, and expanded over the years.

After our pilgrimage, we walked back to Llangynog, although along another path. Then, when we returned to the car, we enjoyed a short drive to Pistyll Rhaeadr, which is (incorrectly, apparently) known as the highest waterfall in Wales. The waterfall was flowing quite fast and looked amazing. Although we opted not to take the full walk around the area, as there wasn’t enough daylight left for us to complete the journey before dark.

I was pretty exhausted by the time we got back to John’s. But not so exhausted that I couldn’t manage to head out again for a bonfire and a couple of drinks at his local pub. And then we enjoyed a late night of chatting before I finally retired to bed. Who knew a day in Wales could be so tiring.

As always, I enjoyed my time with John. He enjoys looking at fally-downy old buildings just as much as I do, and that means I never feel rushed or, worse, boring when I start to talk about a site’s historic relevance. There are loads of other great places to see in the area, and the company always leaves me feeling happy and energised, so I’ve promised not to leave it so long before my next visit down.

Anyhow, here are some photos from the day’s adventures for you to enjoy.