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Help me find this historic property I once visited in Wales (I think)
Some years ago we went on a little tour and touched on the Brecon Beacons.
This particular day we were driving around what I recall were mountainous regions along a sort of ridge with a slope on one side of us and a higher section of ground on the other.
Further along we came to a way to drive up the mountain, it wasnt a road but appeared to lead up to some sort of quarry or slated area, the track that led to the top had a few cottages on the side. It was really high up and very gravelly.
After looking at the view we went back down to the main road and carried on a bit and then I saw a sign for some sort of historical property and so we drove off the road to investigate.
The house was surrounded by overgrown gardens, not formal as I recall. It was quite derelict and was in the form of a tudor or medieval house (all timbered and whatnot) but I think it might have been later. Instead of glass for windows it had lattice shutters. It was in the middle of nowhere. There may have been lots of fruit trees around, there was loads of birds and dragon flys. There were a few ponds.
It was a little tatty and the inside was not open as I recall.
After we went in there, we went further down this main road and I think there was some sort of garden/outdoors store/centre on the road.
I think the trip overall took us around Monmouth down and back up to Leamington Spa. The name the black mountains seems to ring a bell too, I dont know if this is a different place or not.
I know its all very vague but any ideas?
This particular day we were driving around what I recall were mountainous regions along a sort of ridge with a slope on one side of us and a higher section of ground on the other.
Further along we came to a way to drive up the mountain, it wasnt a road but appeared to lead up to some sort of quarry or slated area, the track that led to the top had a few cottages on the side. It was really high up and very gravelly.
After looking at the view we went back down to the main road and carried on a bit and then I saw a sign for some sort of historical property and so we drove off the road to investigate.
The house was surrounded by overgrown gardens, not formal as I recall. It was quite derelict and was in the form of a tudor or medieval house (all timbered and whatnot) but I think it might have been later. Instead of glass for windows it had lattice shutters. It was in the middle of nowhere. There may have been lots of fruit trees around, there was loads of birds and dragon flys. There were a few ponds.
It was a little tatty and the inside was not open as I recall.
After we went in there, we went further down this main road and I think there was some sort of garden/outdoors store/centre on the road.
I think the trip overall took us around Monmouth down and back up to Leamington Spa. The name the black mountains seems to ring a bell too, I dont know if this is a different place or not.
I know its all very vague but any ideas?
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But that doesn't really narrow it as there's plenty of historic houses in the borders.:(
http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/?lang=en
I just looked it up, it wasnt that. This place where we drove up the gravelly track was in the middle of no where, no local town or anything.
Ive been perusing google maps but just cant make out where we would have been. There were no foresty bits or groups of trees, it was very heathland, short grass sort of thing. Sheep etc.
We're always forgetting where we've been.
I know, I know, if you had some you'd have thought of uploading them - I did say it was a silly question. :D
ie, were you at home and took a car ride that took 2 hours - if so look on a map and work it out that way - it will give you a rough idea of the area.
Surely you cant remember all that detail of your destination but not where you departed from?
I thought we had taken pictures of the place, OH is always taking rubbish pictures with his phone but he has had several different phones since then and god knows where the pictures are.
We were on one of our high end luxury travelodge tours. So I had booked several over 7 days, Monmouth was one, Leamington Spa was another, we might have done Bath as well on that trip, not sure, I remember visiting Hay on Wye and having a picnic on the banks of the river Wye during the week, but I cant remember where we had headed from that day unfortunately. We may have gone to Tewkesbury during that week as we were quite underwhelmed with it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folly_Tower,_Pontypool
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elan_Valley_Reservoirs
Blaenavon Mountains? Sorry the description is very vague could be anywhere in south wales.
First night - Amesbury Stonehenge
Second - Chippenham Leigh
Third - Hartlebury
Fourth - Ludlow
Fifth - Monmouth
Sixth - Leamington Spa
I have a feeling it was around the Ludlow or Monmouth days when we went driving around the mountains.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malvern_Hills
You also say you think it was in Wales.
It's pretty vague so far.
Photos, brochures, souvenirs?
On line banking can go back nine years (in my case) - did you stay/eat/pay admission anywhere?
Are you just reminiscing or do you have a reason to identify the area?
Cloudsailor, it definitely can't be the Élan Valley, that's just too far North of what's being described.
Edit:
Bugger - all that whilst I was typing!
Last year we had a short break in Rhayadr and discovered it.
What a jewel!
In my case a hidden jewel.
Well we went through on the way to Aberystwyth last year so on the way back we visited Elan and parked in the village because they charge in the car park, went for a walk around the valley, then we discovered the elan valley tea shop and it's so cute and has animals there. lovely scenery. it is beautiful.
Quite how we got the Brecon Beacons I'm not sure now
Now, we did go to Malvern and had a walk about, I dont know if it was the same day. Im pretty sure the bit Im thinking of was in Wales. We definitely wanted to go through the Brecon Beacons so Im sure it was there but really cant remember.
We also went to Cheltenham but I dont know if it was this trip or not. Im not sure if we went to Gloucester.
We have also been to the forest of dean and Im not sure if we did that on that trip or not.
In those days we didnt eat out in the day, we used to take a sort of packed lunch comprising of food from the supermarket nearby to wherever we were staying.
We asked one of the Rangers in the centre to recommend a circular walk that was manageable.
We got back a few hours later and it had been bluddy strenuous uphill walking - we had to take many "breathers" - but the views were spectacular.
I collared the Ranger and said "That was manageable?"
He said "Well if I'd said it was difficult you wouldn't have seen those magnificent views would you?" and smiled.
I thought it could have been Stokesay Castle, but it's not derelict enough and more brick than you described, but here are pictures of it from different positions.
http://www.castlewales.com/stokesay.html
Should you be driving with Alzheimer's?
I took a video when I was on Hay Bluff the other day but I don't know how to show it to you. Perhaps if you google it you may recognise the area.
Then again you could be going over the road f
Tomorrow I'll see if I can find the hill we travelled up.
Its not vital I know or anything, I just wanted to know where I'd been!
Thanks everyone!
He could have said "Well, you did manage it, didn't you?"
Not seen Stoksey before, and I've been to Craven Arms/Church Stretton a few times. Its very unusual though, doubt you could mistake it for anywhere else. Theres some very percipitous drops around The Long Mynd -especially as you come into Church Stretton - not the sort of terrain you expect in England.