Wales - "Make hay while the sun shines, or at least it isn't raining"

Monday morning we said goodby to the last of the family visiting for Easter and, as it wasn't raining, Christine and I set out on another walk.

Dragon, hanging plant holders

A combination of high tide and heavy rain the night before had flooded the footpath we had walked on.

As we walked along the country lanes Christine would point out houses that had been derelict and had now been fixed up, most of them.

Moss on a bridge; green and deep and spongy.

Chris' grandmother used to live here. It was stone and then "rendered" and it looks like some of the rendering has fallen off. Or maybe its been done deliberately, for effect.

As we reached the point furthest from the house, it started raining in earnest. These horses were quite concerned about Christine's umbrella.

As were this bunch. Wheeling and snorting in a very muddy field.

We came home, soaking wet, and spent the rest of the day hunkered down in the house, warming up, enjoying the peace and quiet.
Today the weather was again "variable" but we had made plans and decided to follow through. We drove up to the Neath Valley where we walked up to the Lady Falls.

We parked next to a field full of sheep and lambs. This one was drinking and its little tail wiggling like crazy.

This little gang were running and jumping and looking totally uncoordinated.

There are lots of waterfalls in the Neath Valley and walks to many of them.

The path starts out along side the river

On the other side of the path it was "Metamorphosed mud stone shale" according to Chris

Water was running down the valley sides in little waterfalls,

streams

and oozing and dripping down rock and through boggy bits.

This was beside a gate. I couldn't see how even sheep could get down the side of this gorge.

There were ruins of the buildings

associated with the mines (iron ore and coal) that were blocked off.

At this time of year the green is provided by ferns and moss

on roots, trunks

and limbs of the trees.

The falls were lovely and Chris and Christine were surprised at the depth of the pool and power of the water.

They have always come during the summer when you can swim in the pool and walk behind the falls.

Above the falls, Chris happy on a rock with a cigarette and a cup of coffee (we had bought a thermos with us)

The sun came out as we left the falls

making everything glisten

and it had started to rain just as we reached the pub.

Christine had cider, I had red wine and Chris had a Guinness.

The ceiling of the pub was hung with water jugs, beer mugs and tea pots.

Christine had cod and chips, Chris had scampi and chips and I had lamb liver and onions with a jacket potato. We were hard pressed to stay awake for the drive home.