The day started bright, dry and for the time of year not a bad temperature. Three carloads of Wanderer’s left Wick Village Hall enroute for Wenvoe. My car being second in line was happily travelling along until we got to the Llantwit/Llanmaes cross roads when a police motorcyclist stopped me, followed by arrival of several other police . “We have an abnormal load coming so all traffic must stop, as it may need to sweep around on the wrong side of the road.” So, it arrived, and just sat there, as did we with our own personal policeman next to the car window. I asked couldn’t we travel on as no one was moving. No. Then cars including our third car started to take matters in their own hands and turned off to Llanmaes. Can I do that I asked? No. So we still sat there, no one moving. Eventually the policeman said “actually go where you want”. Think he was as fed up and confused by the stalemate as we were. So finally, I drove through the lights past the load and carried on to Wenvoe.
Would it be a Monday walk without incident?
Finally, we all set off for our circular walk through the village, pausing first at St Mary’s church dating back to 13th Century. Three generations of rectors were from The Jenner family of Wenvoe Castle. The last inhabitant Laura Jenner is commemorated on the churchyard gateway. Next stop was The Wenvoe War memorial, made of local carboniferous limestone quarried from The Alps. It’s unusual as it names all from the village who fought in the 1st WW, not just those who didn’t return. Designed by William Clarke from the village, and parts sculpted in the quarry before being moved to the village. Our walk continued through Wenvoe, and after crossing the main Port Rd., progressed around narrow country lanes passing the afore mentioned Alps Quarry which had also provided stone to build Barry Docks.
We returned to Wenvoe along Station Road, spotting a house which looked as if it had a history connected to the railway closed in 1962. The line was abandoned 6 months later, it had carried coal to Barry Docks. A mile away it would have passed through Wenvoe tunnel, which is disused and under Culverhouse Cross, its ventilation shaft enclosed in a building in the retail centre’s car park.
Back in Wenvoe refreshment was eagerly sort in Pugh’s Garden Centre Coffee Shop. But first the group posed by a display/photo point saying, “Making Magical Memories”, and a kind gentleman on the reception desk took our photo.
The majority of us enjoyed a hot drink, festive mince pie or gingerbread man. No one wanted to visit Santa’s grotto, but Marie had a wish granted to visit her favourite reindeer, Dasher and Dancer.
Thanks all for joining me, and making those magical memories!!!!
Special mention must be made of all the wooden garden reindeer which we spotted everywhere. They are made in aid of charity by a gentleman in Wenvoe, this year raising over £1000 for the Wenvoe Wildlife Group.
Wick Wanderers 