Holiday in Wales. Day 1

So at the end of August Compostgirl and I went off for a long weekend in Wales. We headed first to near St Davids, to Solva for a Jackie Morris book launch

KArin Celestine, of Celestine and the Hare was also there :)

Beautiful Solva Middle Mill

Fun day in West Wales :)

After our exciting day with the book launch and then dinner, we slept well, got up and had an excellent breakfast and then paid our bill and left The Cambrian Inn. We called in at Solva Woollen Mill again and bought a few things ( chocolate and a beautiful rug)

This is my needlefelted "Small" riding on the back of one of Celestine and the Hare's sheep :)

 The chocolate is yummy :)

Then we set off for our day out in West Wales.We went to St David's and had a look at the Bishop's Palace and Cathedral, then we drove to Whitesands beach to have a look at rock pools and the sea shore

Compostgirl couldn't resist getting her feet wet so changed into a swimming costume and got wet in the sea. Far too cold for us so Compostman and I just watched :) Brrrr it was cold.

We saw seals bobbing in the water looking at the people on the beach  - I wonder what they were thinking?


Compostgirl dried off and dressed then we drove along the coast road admiring the view until we arrived at Fishguard, where we watched ferries arriving and departing

 

and went to the Sea Life centre. We have been here before and it is excellent to have a look at marine creatures.

it also has a very good cafe; where we stopped for an early lunch.

There were loads of seagulls in the car park and on the rocks which seemed to find Compostgirl very interesting. She tried to get one to feed near her feet but they were still a bit too wild to oblige - it amused us to watch their antics though :)

Finally we set off to visit Castell Henllys Iron Age Hill fort  - again somewhere we have been before and really loved. Compostgirl really wanted to re visit this place as she has not been there for 8 years.

Compostman and Compostgirl enter the gates at the top of the path up to the Hill Fort.

A Wicker Man stands on guard by the entrance.

Inside one of the reconstructed round houses

 back down the hill with a pause to pay our respects at the Sacred Spring.

Finally we went back down the hill to the visitor centre where Compostgirl had her face painted like a Celtic warrior. She is being fierce in this pose!

Sadly it was then time to go home so we said goodbye and spent a very tiresome 4 hours driving through torrential rain and spray to get home. We were all very tired by the long day but happy with our mini break in Wales :).

Jackie Morris book launch - Something about a Bear/Cat Walks

If you remember about a month ago I went on a road trip around Wales, partly to see friends  Jackie Morris and Karin from Celestine and the Hare  weave their magic with wool and needle and paint and brush and also to see other friends elsewhere. I was lucky enough for us as a family to be invited  to the upcoming launch of not one but two books by Jackie. The book launch, for Something about a Bear and Cat Walk, was to be held at Solva Woollen Mill starting at 4 pm on 24th September.

This was mid week and so it looked like I would be going alone, but after some discussion with school I was able to get permission for Compostgirl to attend as an educational visit! So, as it would be a very long drive back that night we decided to stay over and go somewhere the next day before returning home. After a lot of work sorting out a place to stay over night, chicken care and guinea pig care and cat care at home :) we collected Compostgirl from school late morning and set off. The three of us set off from home at noon to drive to Wales and on to Solva, for the launch party.

Solva Woollen Mill in the sunshine

This is Elmo, one of Jackie's cats :)

Lovely display of Jackie's books

All the bears in the wide wild world, on the book stand, made by Karin of Celestine and the Hare

Woollen Mill in operation - very noisy; very impressive

Beautiful rugs in the making

Panda and Black Bear had a cuddle with needlefelted Elmo (made by Karin) 

Jackie smiling with Sweary Panda and Mary next to her (also made by Karin). Jackie signed so many books for people and then read to us all from both the books; it was wonderful to hear her read aloud from her own works.

After the event (which was SO MUCH fun and Compostgirl especially was very excited to meet and talk to Jackie)  we drove down to Solva and booked into our room at the lovely Cambrian Inn

 Solva has a beautiful harbour so before dinner we all went for a walk, to build up an appetite

Looking back to the village

Compostgirl couldn't wait to go in the sea so took off her shoes and socks and had a paddle

 Too cold for me!

on the very pebbly beach

very interesting rock formations

A rare shot of Compostman and I :)

We then had a most excellent dinner at The Cambrian Inn with Jackie, Anna and Tom from Solva Woollen Mill, Tamsin and other friends as company and then the Compost family all went to bed (Compostgirl a bit late as it was a special occasion, we adults a bit early as we were shattered after a very busy day!) We all slept very soundly indeed.

More about the next day, soon.