Author Archives: Martin

Risca, to the north-west of Newport in Wales, is not a tourist town by any means, but it is borded to the north by the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, and to the south by the Ebbw River and the Sirhowy … Continue reading →

We parked in a forest clearing in Bargain Wood, north of Tintern in Monmouthshire, and walked south on the Wye Valley Walk, crossing the river at Brockweir. Then back up the river to Bigsweir Bridge, up into Cuckoo Wood, around … Continue reading →

What an embarrassing, unnecessary shambles this chaotic exercise has been. All to negotiate separate deals with countries with whom we already trade via the EU. And to “secure our borders”. Apart from our only land border, which we’re determined will … Continue reading →

Ever since the M4 motorway crossing the River Severn was built in 1966, there has been a bridge toll. Although this didn’t stop us going to Wales for the day, or longer periods, we were less inclined to pop over … Continue reading →

We’ve avoided the annual trudge to the local muddy field where we buy our Christmas tree. I must admit that this is more at my suggestion than Sal’s. I’ve long suspected that she has a thing for the farmer who … Continue reading →

A new “walk” for us (that is, a documented, publicised route rather than just going where the fancy takes us with a map or local knowledge) is the Bristol Skyline which, perhaps not surprisingly, follows the high ground around Bristol, … Continue reading →

A colony of greater horseshoe bats lives here near Claverton Down, south of Bath.

It will be one hundred years since the end of the First World War in a few days time. Local school children have made this river of poppies, out of bottle tops, on the space in front of our house.