Tuesday 24 July 2012

Myth Busting Heaven

It was a glorious day in the valley, so glorious that even the view from the supermarket car park was perfect.
Myth buster: it doesn't always rain in Wales.


As we travelled, we didn't find just what the myths told us to expect,



we found unexpected things too.



But however strange these were, they didn't beat the most unexpected thing that happened: we found ourselves abandoning the van and being taken on a tour of the ranch by a Texan complete with cigar.


Well, he obviously wasn't really a Texan, he was John, a former Ebbw Vale steel-worker who said, "It used to be a pleasure to go to work." And it wasn't really a ranch, but the pride and verve with which he drove us up and up over bumpy grassland and dirt tracks belonged up right up there with the Americans. 

He had a real treasure to show us; he was taking us to a record-breaking spot, the highest tee at the highest golf club in Great Britain, the 14th tee at West Monmouthshire Golf Club.


Myth buster: golf is not just for Scotland and men in pin-striped suits 

Oh yes, and would you believe it? This Valleys Welsh golf course has to have irrigation to prevent it drying out. And this is Wales. 

Thrilled with the day's Myth Busting, we arranged to meet Derek the sheep. On the way over, we met the confectionery crunching kids of Cwm Celyn:



And when we arrived at Derek's, the mythic welsh babbling brook, sunlit hills, still lakes, barking dogs and hearty hand-shakes were all present.



Derek regaled us with a full half-hour of tremendous tales before we steered the van back down the valley past the sheep grazing between the coca cola bottles, along the main road to the depot.



Another day of Myth Busting over.


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