Marloes | Wales

This worn postcard shows Marloes Sands,  an approx. 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) long remote sandy beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, near the village of Marloes. The name Marloes appears to derive from Old Welsh mail "bare" and ros "moor" or "promontory", identical to Melrose in Scotland. It is locally pronounced "Marlows". A part of Little England beyond Wales, it has been essentially English-speaking for 900 years. It's broadly curved and surrounded by cliffs. Walking on the beach gives great views of Skokholm Island and Gateholm Island.

The beach is located SW from the Marloes village and there is a National Trust car-park nearby (charge per day or free for National Trust members). There is a track that leads from the main road to the beach. There is a disused World War II Royal Air Force airfield RAF Dale, above the south east cliffs of the beach. There are approximately three accesses to the beach which become very useful if you get caught by the tide coming in. Besides the main access from Runwayskiln there is also an access to the north, near Gateholm Island, that requires some scrambling over the rocks and another access to the south that has steps leading to the midsection of the beach.

Mouth of the River Daron | Wales

This postcard show picturesque Aberdaron, a community and former fishing village at the western tip of the Llŷn Peninsula (Welsh: Penrhyn Llŷn) in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. It lies 14.8 miles (23.8 km) west of Pwllheli and 33.5 miles (53.9 km) south west of Caernarfon, and has a population of 965. It is sometimes referred to as the "Land's End of Wales", or in Welsh Pendraw'r Byd (roughly "far end of the world"). The community includes Bardsey Island (Welsh: Ynys Enlli), the coastal area around Porthor, and the villages of Anelog, Llanfaelrhys, Penycaerau, Rhoshirwaun, Rhydlios, Uwchmynydd and Y Rhiw.

Y Rhiw and Llanfaelrhys have long been linked by sharing rectors and by their close proximity, but were originally ecclesiastical parishes in themselves. The parish of Bodferin/Bodverin was assimilated in the 19th century. The village was the last rest stop for pilgrims heading to Bardsey Island (Ynys Enlli), the legendary "island of 20,000 saints". In the 18th and 19th centuries it developed as a shipbuilding centre and port. The mining and quarrying industries became major employers, and limestone, lead, jasper and manganese ("Mango") were exported. There are the ruins of an old pier running out to sea at Porth Simdde, which is the local name for the west end of Aberdaron Beach. After the Second World War the mining industry collapsed, and Aberdaron gradually developed into a holiday resort.

Wales Millennium Centre | Wales

A couple of weeks ago, I visited the beautiful city of Cardiff and also went to Cardiff Bay. There I was really impressed by the Wales Millenium Centre (which you can see pictured on the above postcard).

Wales Millennium Centre (Welsh: Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru) is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay. The site covers a total area of 4.7 acres (1.9 ha). Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of the 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert. The centre has hosted performances of Opera, ballet, Dance, Theater, comedy and Musicals.

The Centre comprises one large theatre and two smaller halls with shops, bars and restaurants. It houses the national orchestra and opera, dance, theatre and literature companies, a total of eight arts organisations in residence. It is also home to the Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre. The main theatre, the Donald Gordon Theatre, has 1,897 seats, the BBC Hoddinott Hall 350 and the Weston Studio Theatre 250. In 2001 Lord Rowe-Beddoe was appointed chairman of Wales Millennium Centre, a company limited by guarantee. Board members include Sir Michael Checkland. [wikipedia]

Swansea | Wales

This multi view postcard was send to my father by a friend of his on 26 September 1975. You can see on the card the Clinic Centre, Victoria Park, Castle Gardens and Town Centre.

Swansea (Welsh: Abertawe, "mouth of the Tawe") is a coastal city and county in Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands. Swansea is the second most populous city in Wales after Cardiff and the third most populous county in Wales after Cardiff and Rhondda Cynon Taf. During its 19th century industrial heyday, Swansea was one of the key centres of the world copper industry, earning the nickname 'Copperopolis'. To the East of St. Helen's is Victoria Park, containing bowling greens and tennis courts. For younger children, there are swings to play on. Victoria Park contains the Patti Pavilion, which serves as a village hall, and is a venue for village fêtes, pantomime, and other theatrical entertainment, as well as music gigs. [wikipedia]