Tale guide

Wales and the borderland

Wales - May 2021

We arrived in mid winter and almost immediately were introduced to the snow and ice.

We were pretty much locked down from our arrival until July but the relaxation of pandemic restrictions and the arrival of the sun has allowed us to start exploring these ancient parts.

Returning to the old country has been quite an experience and one interspersed with many eye openers that markedly illustrated that whatever my imagination and perceptions may have been, there was/is much to learn.

Even the simple belief that at least everyone here spoke English was not entirely accurate, as we quickly discovered that dialects and accents, not to mention the occasional discourse in Welsh, were going to demand a little more concentration than expected.

The overriding impression of our new world is the inert friendliness and warmth of the people. Not that people where we came from weren’t friendly, because they very much were, but there is undoubtedly a deeper, more grounded sense of law abiding, good will, courtesy and respect that permeates the ebb and flow of daily life.

It is most evident in the way people drive, make way and share the road as well as the unreserved, easy and sincere interaction between the people one passes in the streets that captures the imagination.

I think the apparent absence of crime and the subconscious tensions that it creates within a society is an important contributory factor. Honesty and integrity are tangibly demonstrated by the way people leave valuable goods on doorsteps and the way collections for the less fortunate are left unattended on the steps of churches, are amongst the many small but perceptible indicators of a peace-loving people.

Coupled to this is the professionalism, kindness, speed and efficiency that one encounters across almost every aspect of service in this first world country.

On the surface nobody seems perturbed about the rain and cold but once you engage anyone in casual conversation the topic comes up with regular monotony.

Whether engaging with government services like vehicle registration and licensing, COVID testing and vaccination, the National Health, all the way to garbage collection or simply buying bread and milk at the corner shop, one attracts a high level of respect and friendliness that simply begets one to return the courtesy.

History plays an immense part of life in the British Isles, so it seems to me that community life in all its forms, at least outside of the cities, has been honed from hundreds of years of its past. This over and above the continuous rain that swirls in off the Atlantic in a seemingly never ending queue of storms. 

North Wales is spectacularly beautiful and steeped in history, castles and folklore.

From Chester in the north to Newport in the south, the region is often referred to as the Borderland.

The region lies between the mountains of Wales and the river valleys of England and is home to over 230 rainfed rivers alive with wild trout and grayling.

Hiking and cycling in and around the villages, across the farmlands as well as up and over the hills and mountains are hugely popular amongst locals and visitors alike.

Did I mention the weather? The barber told me this morning that Summer this year will be on Wednesday coming!

The pictures tell the tale

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All the best