Trundling across 2 countries in the United Kingdom

 From one country to the next

England and Wales are 2 of the 4 countries that comprise the UK

Our plan is to take the train from Paddington Station in London,England, to Pembroke Dock in Wales, eventually crossing the Irish Sea to Ireland. Tickets have to be bought in advance. You may buy tickets at the station but not for the train scheduled at that time. Also they are generally cheaper if bought ahead. We had standard class tickets for a high speed train with just a few stops along the 327 km route that would take 6 hours to traverse.

The sleek train is punctual. Paddington station is colourful and very busy.. The station personnel are cheerful. We easily find our coach and settle into the clean, cosy seats. The train leaves the station passing by the gloomy suburbs, leaving behind the red buses and the crowds.

Towns and hamlets: highly diverse

In cool comfort we are treated to the idyllic countryside. Once in a while a distant baronial castle tower or a church spire pokes up in the distance. Closer to the tracks are the row houses with their chimneys lined up in military precision.  A quaint village pops up now and then.

The stations

Gorgeous! Each rural railway station is unique and beautiful. As we slow down towards them we get a not so hazy view of the agricultural activities. The sheep, the cattle and the horses all contentedly grazing on the verdant leas and meadows  under a blue sky.

 

When did we cross the border?

How do we know we've crossed the border into Wales? 

No large noticeable board. Only that signs are in both English and Welsh. The largest railway station, a modern take, is the one at Cardiff. No surprise as it is the capital of Wales and the 7th largest city in the UK.

Waterways: no bores

We may have crossed various creeks but most interestingly, after Cardiff, we are chugging along a coast which seems to have shoals. We are going along  the estuary of the Severn River, Britain's longest river that eventually becomes the Bristol Channel. A couple is taking a walk with their child in a perambulator. A few are gathering cockles, I presume. I now know that we were then passing the Welsh Coastal Path.

Apparently the river mouth gives rise to tidal bores during high tide. This causes waves of different heights and force on different parts of the river depending on the width and curve. River surfing enthusiasts attempt to surf along on the wave

Pembroke Dock

We arrive at our destination in the evening and find our way to our B and B. It is a quiet part of the town. A quick walk around the town takes us to the main street which is also tranquil. A mediaeval tower seen on a hill had been the centre of a settlement,known as Paterchurch, on farmland. The tower served as a lookout over the centuries. 

Pembroke dock Heritage 

Our morning began with a typical Welsh heritage breakfast which included sausage and bacon. I was thankful for the cheerios and the coffee. A walk through the residential area takes us to a patch of blackberries. Needless to say we plucked a handful to savour their freshest  juice.The Heritage museum tells of the history of Pembroke Dock. 

We learn that during WW2, Pembroke Dock became the world’s largest flying boat station and home base to airmen from many countries 

Crossing the border again

That evening we board a bus that takes us into a ferry that will sail us across the Irish Sea, crossing the border into Ireland. While on the ferry we were free to sit in the lounges. When we reboard the bus just as we are to Dock in Rosslare, Ireland, an immigration officer boards the bus to check our passports. 

Take away:

Experienced a comfortable, admirably scenic journey in the oldest railway system in the world.

Recall:

I did have an issue with the London trains when my train from Gatwick to the city was delayed by 3 hours. All we knew was something went wrong with the electrical system. No one knew when , or if at all, services would resume. I was to go up to Kew Gardens. When the trains really did resume I made my way to the Kew station, but the sun was already setting and by the time  I reached the garden it would be dark. 

In World War II Pembroke Dock became the world’s largest flying boat station and home base to airmen from many countries