I Likes Barry Island - You Gorru Cos It's Tidy

Only a little before my time...

Ah memories! Watching Derek Brockway's Weatherman Walking on BBC1 tonight was full of memories as he made his way from Barry to Rhoose.

From Bank Holiday Mondays on Barry Island, to going to the fun fair as a teenager (where my friend Stephen Coles was sick after going on the waltzers, on my fifteenth birthday if I remember right).

I found out something new too, that Barry (like so much else in Wales) is named after a local Saint, the hermit St Barruc where his shrine was located and where there used to be a Holy well, before the water was diverted (boo).

There was Barry Docks and I can remember going there with my brother-in-law as he worked on the tugs. The pool at Cold Knap, where you had to have nerves of steel to jump in it (even in mid Summer). I think a wet suit would have been in order!

Then onto Porthkerry Park where we used to go in the Summer Holidays back in the 80s, all the Hurley family and some friends, to play football or cricket (there's a photo somewhere of a young Gareth Hurley with a big tear in the backside of his trousers as we played some game or other) and stay for the whole day eating and playing on the grass, at the beach and in the forest.

The caravan park at Porthkerry... more holiday memories, then there's Rhoose airport, the site of many holiday departures over the years.

A fantastic episode of Weatherman Walking. Fab'lus!

St Barruc:
History Site
Wikipedia