When I made plans for the weekend I kept Saturday and Sunday free. Corrie texted me early Saturday morning wanting to find something to do for the day – We eventually settled on Tintern Abbey and set off for the Welsh border. It was actually quite a nice drive; We went cross-country – getting on the motorway only to use the M48 Severn Bridge crossing.
Being a warm and Sunny Bank Holiday weekend Saturday, Tintern Abbey was busy but we found enough space to park on the road outside (not having to pay for the car park!), and paid our entry fee. As an English Heritage member, when in Wales I get half price entry on Cadw properties.
Tintern Abbey is another Cistercian monastery – add in our visit to Hailes Abbey on Friday and there’s a theme here!
As it was the Easter weekend they also had a special event on – Falconry – with a Birds of Prey show. The tent was up with various birds of all different shapes and sizes on display and available to have your photo taken with.
Corrie had her photo taken with Bella, an Eagle Owl – and I had my photo taken with Sapphire, a buzzard. Holding the buzzard was actually a lot of fun. Seeing her up close, as she just sat there quite happily on my arm, and then opened out her wings when I tipped my hand forward a bit in order to get an “action shot”. Perhaps I should take up Falconry!
On the way back we stopped in the Forest of Dean, near Beechenhurst Lodge where we followed part of the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail, before driving back home to Cirencester.
FH.
