Glasbury

IT WAS CLOSED! One big thing on the list was to cross the river on the transporter bridge, then climb to the top and walk back. It’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. So disappointing. All is not lost yet, there are 2 potential visits, one in Middlesbrough, United Kingdom and one in Rochefort-Martrou, France. Don’t know exactly where yet or whether the travel plans allow, but we’ll see.

We went on to Abergavenny, found a parking place easily and walked up and down the main street. There was a market, so we bought some strawberries to eat while we have a pre dinner drink.

Next stop was Hereford. Again we were lucky to find a car park quickly and spent the hour looking in and around the cathedral built in the mid1200s . Very impressive building. Hereford Cathedral is home to the Hereford Mappa Mundi, one of the world’s unique medieval treasures. Measuring 1.59 x 1.34 metres (5’2” by 4’4”), the map is constructed on a single sheet of vellum (calf skin). Scholars believe it was made around the year 1300 and shows the history, geography and destiny of humanity as it was understood in Christian Europe in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The cathedral also houses The Hereford Magna Carta, the finest surviving 1217 charter, representing the most significant revision of the original 1215 document issued by King John’s son, Henry III.

We then drove to Hay-on-Wye, a small town with heaps of book shops and spent a while looking at books and walking around the town. There was a beautiful Austin A90 Atlantic Convertible parked there.

We are now in a very attractive B&B, overlooking the River Wye. This is a view from our window.