So the folks were up this week, so we looked at a little bit of the culture and industry of Wales which doesn’t really exist much any more – mining.
First up though was a fantastic Christmas Fair, well when I say fantastic I mean small, it was run by the scout group Kate is part of, it consisted of five or six tables with some second hand toys, second hand cakes, a tombola and a hoopla game and a great smell of bacon. We bought some stuff for a quid, won a couple of drinks and were out of there – perhaps we were too early, perhaps it was just rubbish.
Off to Abertillery then to see the Six Bells Guardian. This was a memorial commissioned a few years back to commemorate some real grafters at the Six Bells colliery at Abertillery. It is a massive steel statute made up of “slices” of steel in the shape of a miner. From a distance it looks almost transparent, up close it is solid, and quite remarkable. The definition of the miner is amazing, its pretty large, one finger is the size of your arm, and it stands proud over looking the valley. It was a chilly, frosty morning and it was magnificent.
Just across from the car park is Ty Ebbw Fach, which is a little tea house and small museum which served a selection of hot and cold food and coffee and stuff – really nicely made out, all good.
After this we headed over the hills Blaenavon and “BIG PIT”. Big Pit is a museum which is a mine. 300ft pit which you tour around, for the princely sum of no pounds – now that’s value. Even the parking was on £2. We ambled though and within 5 mins we were being kitted out with our helmet and light, then told we could no bring any contraband into the pit – this is mobile phones, lighters, smoking materials, watches anything like that – even though they are not in production they still have to adhere to the rules on mines. Into the tight lift and down we went.
Rob was our guide and a very pleasant bloke he was too, the tour just really walks around in the mine and he regales us with information and stories – some a little fabricated I figure. But it was great. I had my comedy moment when he pretended to electrocute me – I made a comedy howl, and my wife got it, but it would appear I was too good an actor and the rest of the team thought I was a gaylord.
Once out of the pit we continued over the hills and down into Abergavenny. We had a look around and some nosh in the Hen and Chickens again (Taverners Chicken this time) and bumped into Paul who was down for a Christmas sleep over. Back to the car then headed home.
Really good day, a couple of fabulous things to see, and all for no money – now that’s incredible.