Wednesday 31 August 2016

Abergavenny Castle - A Toddler Explores

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We love Abergavenny, a small market town nestling in the Eastern edge of the Brecon Beacons. We like to visit on a Wednesday when they have their Flea Market. It's a great place to rummage. We thought we would visit and include a visit to the castle.
Abergavenny is inviting to visitors with the car park and bus station just at the edge of town and only a few minutes walk to the market, shops and castle. It only costs a few pounds too. We decided to go to the market and have a look around the shops first as we knew that the castle is mainly ruins and wouldn't take long to see it all. So first to the market.

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Cross Street, Abergavenny. The road to the castle is on the left and the market has the clock tower with the green copper roof

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Inside Abergavenny Market

We had to cut this short as Bear was being very difficult. He's always such a good boy that we were surprised. We headed for a cafe to buy some food incase he was hungry but he made a bit of  scene in there. We guessed it was his teeth so gave him some Nurofen and soon he was back to his happy self. Teething is a complete pain! He had wanted to do "drawing" but I didn't have anything with me so we popped into Wilko and bought some bits and a big bag of stickers. He carried the stickers around the rest of the day.

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High Street, Abergavenny. 


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Bear found a little friend

Then we headed to the castle. The signs said to go up a narrow road off Cross Street but it didn't have wide pavements and we had a buggy so we decided to go another way. Across from the car park is Mill Street and you can glimpse the castle ruins through the trees. We headed this way. We came across lots of steps so carried the buggy up. The pavementless road was now looking the best option.

Soon we were at the top of the steps and in front of us was a huge castle wall. We followed it around a corner and followed it along an embankment and followed it up a road until we came to the entrance. Exactly, back where we had started, just off the little road with the narrow pavement. We had walked all the way around the castle. It was a good walk though and Bear liked it.

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The castle just visible through the trees from Mill Street


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Bear leading the way around the castle following the walls clutching his bag of stickers

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and on he goes, never faltering.

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Then on to a lane leading to Castle Street. I can just see the market clock tower ahead

We eventually found the castle entrance and there was a very small car park and a tree wrapped in knitted squares. The castle is free to visit.

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Here it is!

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A tree wrapped in a blanket amused Bear. Some squares had labels on with names and dates. I found an article in the South Wales Argus explaining it's presence

The castle is mostly ruins with just a few walls left. The castle was destroyed on the orders of Charles I and many stones were taken to for other buildings. The hunting lodge, now the museum was built in 1819.

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The small museum is up some steps on top of the motte but it was just shutting for lunch when we arrived so we didn't get a chance to explore. The views from the top are wonderful and down below were picnic tables and benches.
We left the castle and walked down the little road, Lower Castle Street, I think the clue is in it's name. The buggy didn't fit onto the pavement but it is only a short stretch and avoids the steps.

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The Blorenge a great walk that can be done from Abergavenny

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Just visible at the top of the steps is Sugar Loaf, another great walk.

It's a very short video only 11 secs. Bear loved the slopes!






We love Abergavenny. It is not worth travelling far to visit the castle but it is definitely worth doing with a visit to the town and a picnic. 

If you are very lucky you could book into the Angel Hotel for afternoon tea, I haven't been but I have heard it is very, very good.




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1 comment

  1. What a lovely post! Abergavenny really does have a lot going for it. I'd be delighted if you wanted to join in with my #CulturedKids linky - this post would be perfect. The linky's live now on my blog the Pigeon Pair and Me, and is open until the beginning of December. Hope to see you there!

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