To drool over: Welsh food!

I hadn’t known much about Welsh food before I started planning my trip, but I made a point of trying traditional fare, such as cawl or Welsh cakes, whenever I could. Delicious!

Traditional Welsh food is flavourful, unpretentious and filling, and the quality of fresh, local produce really shines through in a well-prepared dish.

One of the attractions of staying in a B&B was, for me, the option of a hearty cooked Welsh breakfast, and I wasn’t disappointed. We stayed at the Old Radnor Barn in Talgarth, where the accommodation was delightful and the hosts were kind, friendly, helpful and patient with all our odd behaviour. (We had never stayed in a B&B before, and I think it showed!)

The Old Radnor Barn is child-friendly accommodation (complete with splasher pool in the garden if you visit in the warmer months). We booked a double room with a portable cot (available for use in any room for £5), but, as the family room was unoccupied that night, we were lucky enough to be upgraded to the larger room.

Breakfast was as wonderful as I’d hoped, with the most delicious bacon and sausages (from the famous Morris Butchers of Blaenavon) on offer… and I should point out that I'm not particularly carnivorous, but this was really good meat! (Had I wanted something lighter or meatless, there were, of course, plenty of other tasty options.)

When we arrived in the evening and were welcomed by Lynne (after somebody in my party - no names - accidentally barged straight into her kitchen and gave her a bit of a surprise), she was very helpful in suggesting local places to eat. In fact, even though it was late and we hadn’t pre-ordered dinner at the B&B (which you can do), she offered to rustle something up for us herself if we couldn’t find anything else.

There were a couple of family-friendly Talgarth eateries just a short walk away on Bronllys Road, including a fish and chip shop adjoining a pub (where you can apparently eat your fish and chips in the pub, a novel concept for me), though the fish and chip shop was shut that night, and a new Thai restaurant (the Gatha Thai) adjoining another pub, the Crown Inn.

This was the only time in my life that I’ve sat in a pub (with a Coke from the bar) waiting for my takeaway Thai. But what a memory! My daughter ran loose with the other (local) kids, everyone said hello… and suddenly, I saw the appeal of pubs, despite never having liked them in Australia. It was warm, friendly and very comfortable. And, to top it off, the food was pretty tasty, too.

I was very sorry to have to leave Talgarth so quickly. It was a beautiful spot and I would’ve loved to explore the wider area of the Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains thoroughly. (Maybe next time!)

Moving onwards, through cawl and delicious brown bread at Carreg Cennen Castle, and into the big city, there was a wide range of international cuisine to be found in Cardiff (and a good selection of child-friendly restaurants, offering children’s menus and colouring materials/activities).

If you expect food in Wales to be awful, you’re very much mistaken. There’s a lot of marvellous, quality food to be found… and even if you just want something quick and greasy, there’s plenty of good, vinegary fish and chips to be had!

Further information on Welsh food, for those who really love to eat

• An introduction to traditional Welsh foods
• Traditional Welsh recipes, so you can try cooking Welsh food yourself at home when you miss Wales (which I’m certain you will, once you’ve visited!)
• Local Welsh growers and producers – find out what's available at your planned destinations, or perhaps plan some extra pit-stops!
• Some suggestions for where to eat out "in style" in Wales
• Restaurants with rooms – a bit different from the B&B, and a mouth-wateringly good concept. It’s worth noting that Wales has two Michelin-starred restaurants, the Crown at Whitebrook and Plas Bodegroes, both of which are restaurants with rooms. (Here's a list of 5-star restaurants with rooms, as well as B&Bs and other accommodation, but this is just a starting point.)

Screamless: a small girl runs free in South-East and Mid Wales

My daughter doesn’t have the greatest liking for stuffy, indoor, grown-up carryings-on. She's never liked sitting still, or being pushed around or carried through museums, galleries or palaces. She has always preferred to run free.

Wales was, in retrospect, a stroke of genius in terms of choosing a family holiday destination. Firstly, because Mummy was desperate to visit, and secondly, because it was a destination that a small girl could enjoy. It was a place she could run almost wild, make noise, and make friends with strangers (adults and children alike). It was a place where she was welcome, and welcome to be herself.

Gall henebion fod yn beryglus - Rhaid goruchwylio plant bob amser (Ancient monuments can be dangerous - Children should be supervised at all times)

A visit to an awe-inspiring ruined castle or abbey is the perfect activity for anyone with children able to walk. You can all get some fresh air, explore, and even the youngest children will have a wonderful time, while burning off some excess energy that may have built up during a car ride. There’s no need for you to hold onto them constantly or hiss “Shhh! Get back! And don’t touch!”

And, without constant grizzling and pleas to leave (or glares from security guards worried about Junior's sticky fingers or muddy boots), the interested adult or older child can take the time to read their information leaflet or guidebook. Everybody wins.

Having said that, ruins do pose their own dangers. They’re not adventure playgrounds, and for the sake of the site, other visitors, and your own kids, adequate supervision and “no climbing” instructions are vital.

Many castles, too, have other dangers onsite, in the form of cliffs, steep and narrow staircases, missing floors, dark tunnels/stairwells, holes, steep hills, and so on. It’s all part of the experience and the excitement, but caution is vital.

Sites run by Cadw (the historic environment service of the Welsh Assembly Government) offer family tickets for two adults and any accompanying children under 16, a very good deal indeed if you have a medium or larger family! (Note: children under 5 have free entry.) And, whether you're accompanied by children or not, if you’re planning to visit a few sites within a limited timeframe, there are also good value 3- or 7-day Explorer Passes to choose from.

Most sites either have their own toilets/baby change facilities, or are within close proximity to such facilities (if you’re not sure, check the Cadw website for facilities and accessibility information).

Many popular attractions also have other family-friendly aspects, such as the working farm at the base of the walk to Carreg Cennen Castle. My daughter was fascinated by the farm animals (and so was I), which included some rare Welsh breeds. There were also farm buildings and displays to see, which added a whole new dimension to our castle visit, and gave us all an insight into another way of life.

The walk up the hill to the castle, past gorgeous sheep and stunning views of the countryside, was nothing short of exhilerating. (From the moment we’d seen the castle appear on the hill as we drove towards the farm, I’d had trouble believing it was real. The view was the stuff of my childhood dreams.) I couldn’t wait to get up there, and when I did, I wasn’t disappointed.

Although there had been plenty of cars in the carpark, the castle wasn’t crowded at all, and there was a very friendly atmosphere of a big family day out. Older children made friends with my daughter, even trying to speak Welsh with her (although her foreignness was obvious enough that friendly grownups asked plenty of questions about her origins). We had hired torches to take down into the cave below the castle, but found the way down a bit too difficult with a toddler. Carreg Cennen Castle is definitely one of those sites that requires parents to keep their wits about them, but it's well worth visiting if you get the chance.

Cardiff: a very quick glimpse (as seen by mother chasing toddler)

While there’s a wealth of things to do in Cardiff, many of them perfect for older children, my focus was, naturally, on finding things to do with a toddler. She was delighted to run loose in Bute Park, and around the Bay, where she had her first ever carousel ride (with me). She’s since seen photos of the carousel and demanded to go back to Cardiff!

My daughter even enjoyed popping inside the Millennium Centre to get out of the weather for a bit. We had a stop at one of the cafes there, and yes, took advantage of the excellent toilet/baby change facilities. I would have loved a tour of the building (and of the beautiful Senedd building close by), but on this flying visit, and with that toddler, it wasn’t to be. We did take her to visit the Doctor Who Up Close Exhibition in the Red Dragon Centre, which, perhaps surprisingly at her age then, she really enjoyed. I think she’d enjoy it even more now that she’s old enough to enjoy pretending she’s a “baby Dalek”. (Don’t ask.) And then there’s her reaction if she sees a man who she thinks resembles David Tennant…

My verdict: yes, I'm just bursting to take her back to that carousel!

(For more photos, please see the slideshow on the right-hand side of the blog.)

Across the Severn and beyond: an introduction to Wales in a hire car

The best tip I have for visiting Wales is to take a car.

Despite the merits of using public transport, and tourist-targeted railways through scenic spots, access to a car affords tremendous freedom (especially if used in combination with other forms of transport). Isolated spots are more easily accessible, you can travel at your own pace and to your own timetable, and you can make as many impromptu stops as you like. Some places can be difficult to reach for the independent traveller who is relying on public transport, and some scenery is just too breathtaking to watch speeding by through a window. Sometimes you need to stop and explore the castle that appears out of nowhere on a hill, or the ruined chapel that peeks out from between the trees.

To that end, it would also be a wonderful place to take a cycling or walking holiday. Unfortunately, we only had a couple of days so couldn't afford such a relaxed pace of travel. In our case, a car was perfect.

Hiring a car

We arrived at Luton Airport (from Berlin) and picked up a hire car. Researching prices in advance, we found it was much cheaper to book a car through 1Car1, whose Luton branch is a short trip from the airport. We called them on arrival, they sent a car to collect us, and then we sorted out the paperwork and installation of the child car seat (which cost an extra £15 to hire). The whole process took quite a while, and I admit to feeling a bit impatient, but a little extra time saved us a lot of money over picking up a car at the airport.

(Note: a quick internet check revealed that 1Car1 went into administration in March 2009. I'm unsure of the business's fate.)

Don't get lost!

I recommend a sat-nav system if you'll be doing a lot of driving in out-of-the-way, unfamiliar territory, or a street directory, at the very least, if you can get hold of one along the way.

We managed to make our way through the entire trip using only print-outs of directions, from an internet service such as the AA's route planner, and a 1:650,000 scale map of Britain (picked up in Germany before departure). While this method was OK, and saved money (yes, I'm a cheapskate when I can get away with it), I have to confess that the starting points on the directions were not always entirely clear, especially if we were leaving a location that had, say, three exits on three different streets, or a car park that was located off the site of the attraction. (Although, a quick look at the AA website recently gave me the impression that the directions provided there are somewhat clearer than the directions I had at the time.)

While we were always able to head in the right general direction, and in most cases we made it to the target location without too many problems at all, we did have a problem reaching our Cardiff hotel after heading into the city from Caerphilly Castle. We drove around in circles for at least an hour in the city, due to the fact that our city maps, printed from the internet, didn't reveal which streets were only one-way, or which were closed to vehicles during peak traffic times. And, of course, our prior knowledge of Cardiff was zero.

If you enter Wales via the M4 Second Severn Crossing

• Make sure you have cash to pay the toll, as credit/debit cards are not accepted.
• Ideally, have the appropriate amount in coins so you can use the automated coin machines (which, as of 16 June of this year, have only "limited availability"). The staffed toll booth is probably not the best place to break your crisp £50 note. (Better yet, fellow foreign tourists, don't allow your bank to issue you any £50 notes at all. I had real trouble spending them in England, though no problems in Welsh shops.)
• Don't attempt to cross on a bicycle. There are no foot/bicycle lanes. Use the (old) M48 Severn Bridge instead.
• Check the latest information on tolls, closures and maintenance work here.

First views of Wales: through the car window

Wales is, immediately over the border from England, decidedly Welsh. (What a surprise: there really is a difference!)

Traffic signs are bilingual (Welsh first in some places, English first in others). Red dragons flutter on their white and green flags, and in late March, the ground was covered in clumps of daffodils (the floral emblem of Wales), more daffodils than I could have imagined. They seemed to spring up in every available space, and, as we headed into the Brecon Beacons, they almost covered some of the fields. Viewed through the soft, golden light of the setting sun, the colour alone was enough to make me gasp, especially when offset by the sombre grey stone of ruined castles and churches poking up, surprisingly often, in between.

The Welsh countryside is full of beautiful ruins, and home to over 400 castles (a very high concentration for a nation only about 20,800 square kilometres in area). And, unless you've researched them all thoroughly and know exactly when and where to expect them, as you drive around Wales, these castles and ruins seem to appear out of nowhere as you round a bend. At times like this you'll wish you were on a bicycle, so you could savour the view slowly, stop, and probably take a photo. In a car, sometimes you're gone too quickly and the most beautiful spots often don't have a safe place to park the car off the road.

Furthermore, any photos you take, or view, of the Welsh countryside will struggle to capture the real beauty of the place. Looking at the trees on the hills near Tintern Abbey, for example, I was fascinated by the softness, the painted-on look of them. A photograph couldn't quite capture that.

But, having a car does enable you to stop wherever you can park, and I certainly found myself stopping unexpectedly at Llandovery when I caught sight of the castle and shiny statue of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan (not to be confused with Llywelyn ap Gruffydd) on the hill.

(Note for parents: this is a great place for your kids to stretch their legs. Clambering up to the castle is great fun, but there's also a playground/park behind the hill. As it's in town, you can also find the all-important food and drink.)

Before you drive off

If you're coming from abroad, you should make yourself acquainted with the basic UK-specific road rules and penalties for their infringement; even if you're an experienced driver, driving in another country, possibly on the other side of the road (depending on where you come from) can be a strange experience. Before you hire a car, you should also check with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to make sure your licence is valid in the UK (though most are).

Tales from Wales: how one little girl's obsession began

One of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to escape your everyday life is to pick up a book.

Some stories fade as soon as you read them, and some stay with you for life, informing your attitudes, your conscience, and your vision of the world around you. And sometimes, they kickstart unexpected obsessions.

When I was about eleven years old, on my summer holidays (just after New Year), I borrowed a book from my cousin, who I was staying with at the time. The book was The Earth Witch, by Louise Lawrence (the pen name of Elizabeth Holden, an English writer with a passion for Wales). It took me right out of the world I knew and into a damp, dark landscape of brooding, eerie power, a world where nature is menacing and terrible as well as life-giving. This was my first glimpse of the beliefs and mythology of old Wales, revealed through the prism of a modern setting. It's a story that doesn't retell any one particular myth, but draws on the author's wide knowledge of tales of the Mabinogion and other myths and folklore. The richness of intertextual references whet my appetite for hunting down those old stories, as if somehow I could find the "truth" contained in the fiction. I craved knowledge of Welsh landscape, history and literature and mythology. From then on, I was hooked on the subject, even though I lived on the other side of the world and had no Welsh heritage at all.

The best place to start for anyone wanting to read Welsh mythology is, of course, the Mabinogion, a collection of myths (the Four Branches of the Mabinogi), tales and romances (Welsh versions of Arthurian tales). There are, of course, plenty of debates about accuracy of translation, origins of stories and so on, which I won't enter into here, as I'm certainly no expert!

One of my favourite stories from the Mabinogion is the story of Lleu, Goronwy and Blodeuwedd (also spelled Blodeuedd), contained in "Math, Son of Mathonwy", one of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi. The Visit Wales website has a light, easy-to-read retelling (along with a couple of other tales), and some links to local websites that give readers a look at the real backdrops of the tales. Even if you can't or won't visit Wales, a look at the landscape really helps bring the stories to life.

The following experimental film, inspired by the Lleu-Blodeuwedd-Goronwy story, also gives a look at some relevant locations.

This particular story, while not very long, has been retold and reinterpreted many times. One famous and very enjoyable example (yes, for adults as well as younger readers!) is Alan Garner's book, The Owl Service. I first read it as an adult and found it quite compelling.

The following tale, of Bran and Branwen (from the branch "Branwen, Daughter of Llyr"), is a straightforward retelling for children (and will suit those who don't enjoy experimental interpretations).

(For more information on the DVD, see the Valley Stream Cultural Media site.)

For a broad and fascinating look at Wales, which ties myth and history together with landscape and culture (an "evocation of every aspect of Welshness"), try Jan Morris's Wales: Epic Views of a Small Country. It allowed me armchair travel to Wales, when I was too far away and too poor to afford a real trip, and later, when I finally made it there, it gave me plenty of background information on a place that was every bit as fascinating and beautiful as I expected it to be, and even more so.

Books ignited my obsession, but a visit only fuelled it...

This post has, obviously, barely scratched the surface of the wealth of literature out there. Any suggestions on further Welsh-themed reading would be more than welcome!