Elan Valley, Rhayader, Brecon

So yesterday myself and my dear friend Sophie who I have not seen for five years finally met up and had a day out in the Elan Valley with Stan.

We started off wrapped in wooly hats and ended with sunshine and the most spectacular views I could have wished for.

With Sophie guiding us we visited all three reservoirs that make up Elan Valley and did a loop ending on the road to Rhayader.  As you leave the last reservoir and head up the valley the area opens. To some it may seem barron as it's just miles and miles of undulating hills and valleys. To me it was just breathtaking. 

Sophie said a brilliant quote that "the air was different" and it is. The open space, the views, the quiet to just be and listen to silence and nature and just watch the clouds moving is something so precious.

I hope you enjoy the photographs and would love to hear any comments. 

See you in the next chapter....

My Road to Happiness Cardi had to have at least a row knitted into the memories of making it. 

I gifted Sophie my a hat I'd designed, she loved it so much she wore it almost all day! 

My Take Time Shawl came in handy for warmth and colour. 

Without a shadow of a doubt this view sat on a bench over looking this valley seeing a red kite and just being was the highlight of my trip.

 

Llangorse Lake, Brecon

 

In between the showers I took a short drive to Llangorse Lake in Brecon,  beautiful. 

Stan's road trip to Brecon

So for 3 nights I'm doing something I NEVER thought I'd do!

I've headed off on a solo trip in my VW Caddy Camper.

I am so chuffed with myself as I didn't get lost on route and even found a great extra stop on the way which was just perfect.

It turns out to be a super small world, as the Ena at reception for the Weir Garden National Trust was so friendly and knew the owner of the campsite I'm staying at!

Ena said that I must go and visit the walled garden before I left. Wow I was so glad she told me too, it was just beautiful. 

I almost always have my knitting with me as I love to photograph my current projects in different settings. 

I came across a lovely enclosed seat. 

It made for dramatic black and white shots. 

But equally the walled garden was an amazing backdrop too. 

Then having recharged the batteries I headed to Hay on Wye as it had been recommended as a lovely town for a quick pitstop visit.

By now it was almost 4pm so time to head to the campsite I'm staying at which was only 15 minutes away. 

Set in a working farm surrounded by fields I made myselt at home. 

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I just hope the predicted weather does not come true for tommorw!!

Coleton Fishacre and Brixham

For the second of our days out we made the most of the National Trust.

We headed to Coleton Fishacre just down from Brixham.

Want an incredible house, built in the 1920's it is not garish. The architecture is just perfect the shape of the rooms, the turret room, views from each window it's just beautiful.

The gardens are a combination of brightly coloured and subtle and there is a walk you can take through the woods and down nearer to the sea. 

If you in the area I can't rate this enough as a place to visit.

As always we managed to make time for knitting. 

Without fail when I visit any National Trust cafe I like to have there delicious scones too. 

So we stayed for three hours here and decided before heading back we'd take a trip to Brixham as it was on route and I'd not been for years.

Wow it was packed!! Quite alot of mask wearing was involved as Brixham is not a big place and lots of people milling about.

It has a lovely harbour with both yatchets and huge fishing boats in.  The tide was out when we went so it looked like all the boats where stranded!

A quant town, but not one I'll visit again in the height of summer.

 

We spotted lots of people on the other side of the harbour huddled together looking in the water and there was a seal. This was amazing to see and my phone pictures could not do it justice as the seal was eating a very big eel!