Thursday 11 December 2014

The many delights of Llandrindrod Wells.

I've just spent a great couple of days in Powys with  a friend, courtesy of a Travelzoo deal at The Hotel Metropole in Llandrindod Wells.
The hotel was first class - big beautiful room with supersized bed, en suite with bath and shower, lovely swimming pool and gym, big airy lounge and bright dining room with good acoustics and couples away from Xmas parties.
We had an excellent 6 course taster meal which included a fillet steak, local produce, including some grown in the grounds, and a glass of bubbly.
Breakfast was equally good and the staff were really good.

We stopped in Leominster on the way down and pottered around the antique shops before coffee and cake, then on to LW and a swim before dinner.
Yesterday we had an early morning swim before breakfast, then pottered around the town, visited Holy Trinity church - the largest church in Wales, warm and fascinating before going on to Builth Wells for coffee, then on to Ludlow for afternoon tea before driving home.
One highlight on Wed was finding the place where we used to holiday when we were teenagers and older - Llanavon Fawr, near Newbridge.
The last time we were there, B was a baby, aj and family visited in Dad's motorhome - hot weather and we picnicked by a nearby stream with the children - aj expecting T?
The little cottage has been replaced by a modern house, the road has been straightened and widened, but the old farm remains at the top of thee hill
In the evening it would open the front room as the local pub - The Red Lion - we would sit on the wall and drink cider or play darts inside.
Now it is a proper, full time pub - "The oldest in Powys"
We would have loved to have dinner - Wed is steak night - but decided that the drive home would be too arduous after dinner.

I wrapped the first Xmas presents before I left - parcel dispatched to Denmark on time.

I'm listening to Woman's Hour - a Danish Xmas - amazement that Danes sing carols around the Xmas tree on Xmas Eve - all recipes on the WH website. 

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