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Published: July 31st 2015
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Rhyl
Tide out, beach ready for bathers, about to rain. Friday 24 July 2015
Waking to grey skies in Wales seems to be a common occurrence this summer. We feel sorry for those holidaymakers who have been looking forward to a week at the beach to spend it in a little caravan or hotel room. The news this morning is full of items about today being the busiest day of the year for travel. More flights, more cars on the road, more rain.
We packed up, farewelled our host and hit the road for Gloucester. Polly was set for a day at the beach so we took a self-guided drive along the Welsh coast. We stopped several times to check out the beaches and facilities. There was no one around, which was a surprise as there was no rain and no sun. The beaches appear to be in two levels. The dry sandy area beside the concrete promenade, and then a sharp 5-10 metre drop to the wet sandy area. There are big signs warning bathers to leave the lower area immediately the tide starts to rise. Childhood memories are recalled of beach days at Paraparaumu, north of Wellington. One of the safest beaches in NZ. We are fascinated
Rhyl
Mobile homes waiting for holiday makers. by the thousands of mobile beach homes lined up on acre upon acre of land ready to be filled with happy holidaymakers.
As we approach Chester the predicted rain falls. We find a large carpark building in the centre of the city and emerge into a new shopping complex. From the street frontage the shopping complex has retained all the original facades. Dressed in all the appropriate wet weather gear we explore this historic city. The half timbered buildings have been well looked after and are a feature of the city. The Cathedral is having a family fun day so it is a lively place on this very wet day. We feel this city is worth a return visit on a bright sunny day some time in the future. But today we need to keep moving.
Polly has given up any idea of a beach day and decided to help plot a course for Gloucester. We have three choices: quickest, shortest, time and distance. We don't want to go via Birmingham and we want to stay off motorways for as long as possible so we choose shortest. We travel led quiet country roads that by-passed the towns of
Rhyl
If only the wind didn't blow so hard. Shrewsbury and Telford but not Worcester. It was in Worcester that we joined the Friday rush hour traffic. Everyone was wanting to get home on this miserable Friday evening. On the radio we heard terrible tales of people caught in long traffic jams on the M5. One woman, who was interviewed, had been stranded for about five hours on her way from Devon to Cardiff. We weren't going to Cardiff so had fingers crossed we wouldn't be affected. As we left Worcester we joined the M5. Amidst rain and spray off the road visibility was very difficult. It wasn't the time for heroics or meeting the GPS time frame. Steady as she goes and prepare for unexpected queues.
Fortunately most of the traffic jam was occurring south west of Bristol and where the M5 meets the M4. Everyone from London, Devon and Cornwall was going for a holiday in Wales on this day. We reached our destination without too much trouble. It has been a wet day and we feel thankful we have a warm dry hotel room for the next two nights. Our thoughts go out to those who have planned their wonderful summer holiday many months ago
Chester
Typical half - timbered houses in the shopping precinct. only to have it spoilt by unseasonal weather. Perhaps next year will be better.
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