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Holidays spent in Wales as a child.

G G Jean

Brummy Wench.
I am sure there are many on the forum who spent their faimly holidays somewhere in Wales. I always went to Talybont near Barmouth as a child and have many photo's of the good times we had there. Jean.
 
Talybont, Ffordd Glan-mor, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Gwyned and nearby Barmouth (Abermaw) & Fairborne holds many special memories for me with the yearly trek over Dinas Mawddwy in an overpacked and clapped out car. I will try & find some pictures, here is a few off the net
 
Thanks for the photo's Aiden. We always camped in a large field at Talybont on a farm and half of Holte road went in the back of a soft topped lorry. Fantastic times were had and I went back in September to try and find the spot but as time was short that day we did not succeed but will try again in the spring. In the first photo is uncle Harry, the secon Mr and Mrs Wilkins and Ivy Spencer our next door neighbour, the third Mrs Spencer, mom Mrs Wilkins my Mrs Blackwell and aunt Knell, the fourth myself in the wellies at the front and thje last dad and mom. On the third photo I am the little one at the back. We even took this dingy to the beach. Jean.
 
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Fairborne on a day trip every year.My mother used to go there for her annual holidays until she met my father.He however coming from Falmouth had different ideas on the annual pilgrimage.
 
Loved the photos Jean - especially the one with the floral pinnies! My sister is 'keeper of the family snaps' so I'll have to get some off her of our annual family pilgimage to Wales.
Us two kids, mum and dad, various aunts and uncles, grandmother plus various dogs (and cat one time!) in a convoy of old cars, one of which invariably broke down. We two were always travel sick too!
Happy days! That's how I ended up here. Mum and Dad came to the Llyn when they retired along with my younger sis, who married a local boy and settled here. I came up here 13 years ago.
 
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Thanks seabird and I guess I found my love of horses from that place. Wessex we went past Fairborne this year and will spend more time there in the spring. Jean.
 
When I was a kid it was always Caravans but I never remember it raining.

When I grew up (did I?) and went back to camp with my mates I certainly remember it raining almost every day!

I also attach a picture of Coes Faen Hall, an eclectic Victorian Gothic house built by the Lowe family, mill-owners; the main, central section dates from c1844, to which additions including a striking clock tower were added c1890-1900. I also looked out for it on the way into Barmouth and it would be interesting to know more about it.
 
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Great photos. I never went on holiday as a child (HAaaaaaaagh ) but went on various Cadet camps. Wales was often the destination and in the 1960s I tramped all over. Mountains climbed, long map reading marches while either burnt by the sun or soaked by the rain. Sometimes sharing a tent with a foul smelling sheep, mind you we must have ponged abit. Loved every minute. In more recent times it had to be hotels or a travelodge and travel by a modern car which insulates you from the countryside. Not much sense of adventure now.
 
Aiden you were poash only tents and a big army one where we all used to get together and the men even had to dig out holes for the toilets. They were surrounded by canvas though and us kids went to the farm to fill our pillowcases. I always remember it raining at night and getting rather sunburnt during the day Lovely times though I will take a look at your link after dinner. Richard I am sorry you didn't holiday as a child but ours was hard work for the moms and dads as there was no eating out in them days just food cooked on a camping stove but didn't it taste good?. Jean.
 
Aiden you were posh .... hard work for the moms and dads as there was no eating out in them days just food cooked on a camping stove but didn't it taste good?. Jean.

Perhaps I was Jean, though it didn't feel like that at the time! I feel spoilt now. The food certainly did taste good though.
 
Aberdovey:

- in 2008
- in 1930 or1931 (Family holiday, pre-me, my mother centre with dog and my brother and sister), and
- both, spanning nearly 80 years and the arrival of a car park.

Chris
 
We wuz poor but happy, in a poorish sort of way.
As cadets and on Outward Bound we often made our own meals out of dried compo meals. Looking at the amount of ex War Department kit in the photos it amazing you were not doing the same. I had a great time with lads of my own age. My family was so dysfunctional its difficult to imagine us having a holiday together. I would never have gone sailing, rock climbing, mountain walking, camping, absieling and even gliding were it not for the Air Cadets and later the Police Cadets. I was later able to take blind / nearsighted lads to Wales so they could experience the same.
 
I never went on holiday as a kid but a lot of my schoolmates went to wales every year to a place called "Barry Island" I never really knew where this was or still don't??
paul
 
Cheeky monkey Pete. Aiden I was extremely spoilt by my aunts and uncles who were all childless so wasn't I the lucky one. Thanks for your photo's Chris they are lovely. We are lucky to have these to look back upon. I will go sort some more out in a mo. Richard I did rock climbing in my teens too and loved it. Jean.
 
These are a few more that were in my folder. My brother is in the first at the front uncle Harry again Myself, mom and myself dig those sun glasses and last but not least myself with a hand knitted dress on that mom always made for me. Jean.,
 
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I never went on holiday as a kid but a lot of my schoolmates went to wales every year to a place called "Barry Island" I never really knew where this was or still don't??
paul

https://www.barrywales.co.uk/theisland.htm

I visited that part of South Wales about 2 years ago. The Butlins Camp has long gone replaced with modern housing. The Fun Fair hangs on staggering from crisis to crisis. Not one of my favourite places but like you Paul I had heard of the place in my childhood days and it was a case of see Barry Island before you snuff it.
Unless you are in the area I do not recommend a special trip. Petrol can be better used going elsewhere. Sorry Barry.
 
Thanks Arkrite, very amusing, funny thing though about us Brummies at that time nearly everyone I knew who went on holiday went to Wales,?? I think the next most heard about place other than Barry was Rhyle,
paul
 
Thanks Arkrite, very amusing, funny thing though about us Brummies at that time nearly everyone I knew who went on holiday went to Wales,?? I think the next most heard about place other than Barry was Rhyle,
paul

Most of my mates went to "Weston" which was my version of the Barry mystery. Weston sounded like western. Could it be in America I wondered ?

I was 45 before I visited Weston -super-Mare and the penny finally dropped. I know I can be slow at times but 35 years is pushing it a bit.
 
Paid a brief visit to Wales last week,photo.1.is taken from the England side of the river Wye.
Photo.2.is taken from the Wales side...with the union flag painted on the rock...reminding everyone that we are all British.
Photo.3.I am standing on the very spot, outside, what was Woolworths in Chepstow,where I sat on my bicycle and sent my mom a postcard,from my first holiday "abroad",when aged 15.
 
Great photos and happy memories.

We used to go to Haverford West, St Davids. Barmouth where the Healey broke down and had to be towed back also the Gower coast.
 
Love the photos Jean, we have similar ones in our family collection, except they were at Sandy Bay , Exmouth, Devon which was our mecca in the summer with most of moms family going down to the then tiny caravan site. We used to go on the train and I can still recall racing across Exeter to get the local train to Exmouth . There is a great pic of me aged 1 in a paddling pool on the beach as I didn't like the sand!!
We went to Wales later when nan didn't like the distance to Devon but nowhere in particular.
Hubby always went to Maccynlleth(not sure spelling is right on that) as a gesture to their Welsh heritage and we have stayed in Borth and Pretatyn the last few years.
 
My Mom went on holiday with her friends to Barry Island in the late 1920's. I have photos which I will post when my new computer is up and running. In their party on one photo all the men are dressed in women's clothes! Funny...well yes. Mom always hated the song " Donkey's Seranade" since they played it over and over at the fair back then. Must have had some bad memories about the song. We had a family holiday in the mid 1950's at the Mumbles in a guest house. My brother Bill and I toured Wales in the Spring of 2004 and stayed in a cottage with a Castle practically in the backyard in Kidwelly. Visted the Mumbles again as well. We did over 1,000 miles in a week and watched the Spring come in several times in different valleys. Lots of people in Brum said "Don't go to Wales now it will rain everyday. Well, we had a great week and it rained all week in Brum. It was just amazing. A friend also drove me around a few Castles and on to the Isle of Anglesey for a day trip three years ago. I really like Wales.
 
Heather I remember when our lorry broke down and we were hanging over the side of a steep mountain road and we all had to clamber up to the front for balance. That was scary Sue put them on as I am sure folk would love to see them. Jennyann look forward to your photo's too. Jennyann my friend from Button Oak goes to Anglesey twice a year for her holidays and it is on our list too. I love Wales but most of the business folk are English. Jean.
 
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