A full week of Welshness! St Fagans for traditional village, the Royal Mint for the history of making money, Bara Brith, Welsh cakes, Penderyn whisky, BBQs and singing. What’s not to like?
Michelle says:
After months of planning, we were headed to Wales at last. Our home for the week was the White Wheat Caravan Park, a small family-owned site on the edge of the Welsh seaside town Porthcawl. Some of the management team arrived on Sunday afternoon to get everything set up ready for the week ahead but as the wind was picking up a bit only one tent was erected, and the rest of the construction plans were postponed until Monday morning.
Monday morning saw the arrival of gruesome weather with lashing rain and gale force winds. A strong gust of wind caught the roof of our lovely new marquee as it was being put up and caused significant damage to it, bending some of the supporting posts as if they were silver foil. I silently hoped this was not an omen for the rest of the week and wondered if it was too early to open the wine (It was 11.00am). I consoled myself with a cup of tea and one (or two) of Val’s amazing Welsh cakes.
As the day rolled on the wind and rain gradually moved on the pastures new. Blue skies and sunshine arrived just in time to welcome the steady stream of campervans of all shapes and sizes gradually filling the pitches complete with smiling occupants looking forward to the days ahead. Monday night concluded with a welcome BBQ. After so much planning and with mother nature trying her best to scupper our plans, I was certainly relieved to see the long line of tables and chairs snaking across the lawn and to hear the lively chatter and laughter of our club members and our German guests as they settled in.
Tuesday morning saw our first outing – St Fagan’s Welsh History Museum near Cardiff, an amazing place and worth a visit by young and old alike. I can certainly recommend the cream scones. In the evening some of us strolled down to the beach to enjoy a drink from the super café Coney Surf Shack introduced to me by member Kim-Ann and then the Porthcawl fireworks which sparkled over the sea. The evening just gets better with impromptu singsong with our German party one of whom had brought his guitar and music over from Germany. A pattern is set for the rest of the camp.
Wednesday started with bright sunshine and a morning visit to the beautiful Castell Coch, a stunning Victorian indulgence and a testament to love. Then a short drive on to The Royal Mint Experience and a nice lunch at the Mint café – locally sourced steak pie, chips and mushy peas – I am northern after all – £7.95 – bargain! At 2.15pm we gathered with mounting anticipation for our private tour of the minting room. We are greeted by a mean looking security guard and then our guide Daniel who is not at all mean looking. The tour ended with a very informative exhibition which includes the first ever minted coin from the time of King Alfred. Some of us even minted our own £2 coin – a super memento of the day. We headed back to the camp for a quiet night but the evening took a turn for the better with impromptu sing song with our German friends one of whom has brought his guitar and music over from Germanysome guitar work from Ulli.
Thursday we were heading off further afield today in rather drizzly and dank weather to The Big Pit. What a fascinating museum and exhibition space it is. The underground visit has certainly left me with a better understanding of Welsh coal mining and the mining communities. Thankfully the afternoon brightened up ready for our Welsh themed BBQ back at the campsite. Freshly made Dragons Breath sausages resting on a bed of delicious leeks accompanied by homemade coleslaw and potato salad were swiftly dispatched. I didn’t even get to see the homemade Bara Brith (I was not happy!). Val assures me no Dragons were harmed in the making of the sausages.
Friday was a free day when members and guests explored the local area at their leisure – Cardiff, Swansea, Porthcawl and the Gower. For me it was Porthcawl for shopping, gin tasting and a trip to the 100 year old fun fair.
Saturday – I had initially planned a convoy outing along the promenade but due to a number of reasons I had to cancel. However, all was not lost and disappointed frowns turned to smiles of joy when new member Simone Smith suggested a convoy to Cowbridge. Simone is a local and knew the way and with Nick’s help a beautiful convoy of campers headed off to explore.
Sunday morning was sunny and warn but sadly saw us packing up and saying our goodbyes to old and new friends and one by one the camp became silent.
Before I sign off I would like to thank the people who did all the work tirelessly behind the scenes and who without their help, kindness and their time, this event would not have been possible. My grateful thanks go out to Val, Malcolm, Kim Ann, Martin, James, Marina, Nick and Steve.
A huge thank you goes to campsite owners Alyson and Mike who did us proud. They even installed large new sinks in readiness for our visit and Alyson made VW Campervan blinds and embroidered campervan pictures to make us feel welcome. And I can’t forget Barney, a site resident who was very helpful during our time there and his fresh roast lamb sandwiches were to die for – thank you!!!
Some of you will know that this was my first event, and it would be fair to say it was a bit nerve wracking at times. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was made very special by all of the lovely members who came, our wonderful Germain guests and all people I met during the week I was there.
Michelle
