The Square

Spent the morning on my little project for the week following the site visit yesterday. More complicated than originally envisaged and it's taking longer than first thought. Just time consuming doing all of the necessary checks so just keep plugging away.

Afternoon visit planned to the hospital to take Dad in to visit. He's in good spirits and it goes well. Bright and sunny day so after dropping Dad off back home I take a short detour to Blaen Bran for a quick stroll in search of a photo for the day.

Surprisingly "busy" when I arrive, several cars in the car park and people out on the hillside walking their dogs. Must be the warm sunshine, although there is a bit of a chill in the shadow. No sooner do I set out on my short stroll than I'm accosted by two dark, silky haired females - lurcher/border collie crosses I'm told. One of them takes an instant liking to me and stays by my side as I stroll, chatting to her owner. He's originally from Tredegar so plenty to talk about as I was at Cefn Golau cemetery last week after my visit to cousin C. He tells me about the feeder pond near the Cholera cemetery up on the rather bleak and windswept top above the Rhymney/Tredegar mountain road. We talk about the industrial history that's all around us - the old mine, he's from a mining background and "corrects" me, calling it a level. He's right of course. There's an old limestone quarry behind these cottages , which I pass on the way down to the car park. I'm reminded of the expression "walking in the steps of our ancestors" as I pass the signpost indicating a Pilgrims Route. P tells me it goes from Llantarnam Abbey all the way to St Davids in Pembrokeshire, up across the hilltops in the days before a coastal road existed.