Aust

Travelling north from Somerset to Wales on the M48, one crosses the first suspension bridge crossing, opened by Elixabeth II in 1966 with the aid of her consort. As you cross to the far bank of the Severn, there is a sign: "Croeso i Gymru". If you go south, as you cross the other bank there is a sign "Welcome to England". There is much psychogeographical literature on the topic of liminal spaces - what could be more liminal than a long bridge in no country? Mike Parker discusses its symbolic importance, noting that after opening it HMQ was ferried to the north side to open that part of it too. Not, presumably, in Welsh.

Severn Bridge / Opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II / accompanied by / His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh / on 8th September 1966

The bridge is a thing of beauty - the south bank affords super views. It is also an odd thing, being superseded by the long, bigger and similarly beautiful M4 bridge downstream, which made it largely redundant.

There is a strict weight limit and speed limit on the bridge, suggesting it is not in the best of health. Several lanes are coned off, making the whole thing look rather pretty. One can see a future in which the Highways Authority see a quick way of saving some money ...

At the southern end is the Aust Service Station (now renamed "Severn View") which is open, but also carries a redundant feel. It regularly comes bottom of the list of all UK service stations for customer satisfaction (this alone makes it worth a visit). The whole area is strewn with bits and pieces suggesting it has just been forgotten:

Useful snow and ice warning (picture taken August 23rd)

It is possible to climb over this gate

Take your pick

We never got to the bottom of the unattended car park holding large numbers of brand new vehicles:

But it's not all 20th century ephemera: there is some super geology:

Further geological details can be read And the blackberry forage was to die for. Just not many people around to pick 'em, maybe.

The nearby village of Aust long predates the bridge, and may well long postdate it. It has an agreeable pub.

Old Books

I am asked - never mind why - "What is the oldest book you own?". It's an imprecise question.

I'm tempted to say "The Hobbit" is the first book I bought still on my shelves, but I also see a copy of Wurzel Gummidge. Hmmm.

But "the oldest book" on my shelf? A prime candidate must be my great-grandmother's Geography school exercise book.

Maria Davey was 15 years old when she started this lovely thing: hard bound blank pages, on each of which she has drawn a map. It seems likely that these were copied from some printed source (otherwise it's just stunning) but the ink drawings and annotations are very good. On some pages the teacher "EB" has inscribed a comment ... "Fair", "Good", "Excellent" and so on.

Just about every map is of a piece of the then Empire. The map of Africa I especially like, as the interior was (to Maria) essentially unknown.

           
Malta (L) and Africa (R). Click to enlarge.

Maria was the daughter of Captain Charles Davey, who circumnavigated under sail. She married Sam Blackmore (surely Devon's most common surname) in 1883 and died sadly young on Christmas Day 1913. She's buried with Sam and my grandparents in Littleham churchyard. She had two sons, the second of which (Reg) married Flo Hayne, who produced my mother in 1924. She produced me.

Terminalia 2026 in Aberystwyth

"a market toun ons waullid" (Leland, 1540)

Terminalia was celebrated in Aberystwyth by a record attendance. Often interrupted in earlier years by weather or "other commitments", the local organ encouraged more than 15 people to tread the town walls anti-clockwise, just beating yet another deluge. With some effort, it was just possible to put yourself in the shoes of Edward I surveying a desolate marshy spot near the sea, and thinking "good place for a new town".

Having been defined in the 1270's, it is no surprise that there was little new to learn about the quondam walls, but many walkers were learning for the first time about some of the nooks and crannies that the town furnishes. The Cambrian Street kink is always popular:

And here preparing to walk down the significantly named "Dan Dre", Melin Y Santes Fair (Our Lady's Mill) which powered its wheel from a leat that cannibalised the wall ditch.

Mysteriously, the Hangman's Steps had been swept clean for the first time in living memory. Perhaps they will be used for their eponymous purpose when Mr Farage takes control.

A well equipped walker Strava'd our route, which pleasingly shows as best as possible the line of the Aberystwyth Walls, laid out by Edward I's engineers before the town even had a name or inhabitants.

The Cambrian Street kink is evident, where the party inspected putative evidence of the defensive ditch.

FFI: Aberystwyth Town Walls

[Thanks to Anita for the pictures]