The Elan Valley, Wales...probably as close to perfection as it gets

Reservoir....doesn't sound very appealing does it?  Well...The Elan Valley Reservoirs couldn't be further from the expanse of water surrounded by a concrete wall that resided a short distance from my home as a child. They are beautiful in every sense of the word...more like a series of  lakes all intermingled together...stunning.

My life is quite hectic, I have 3 school age children...the youngest being almost 3 so peace & quiet doesn't come along much nowadays & when it does I treasure it.  This week I left Hubby at home to spend a few days in Wales with the children & my Mum, who if I'm totally honest is the reason I get any quiet moments at all!

So last night whilst Mum was feeding & generally looking after all 3 of my children...I escaped!  I drove the 30 minute drive to the Elan Valley...all alone with no bickering in the back of the car, no-one needing the toilet...that in itself is a luxury!

It was almost getting dark when I arrived & the purpose of my visit was to hopefully get some beautiful images of the Welsh sun setting.  Well the Welsh sun didn't want to play ball  last night but it didn't matter.  I parked up & walked down a little secluded path that I had missed on the other occasions I have visited & found the most stunning place to view this mass of water.

I sat, just at the water's edge..& sat...& sat...in total silence.  I ignored the fact it was getting dark, that I was in the middle of nowhere on my own without a phone signal and that if my other half knew what I was doing he would nag at me about the dangers of being alone somewhere so isolated.

I really didn't care because for the first time in a really long time I knew what it meant when people say you can hear yourself think!

And without any more words I leave you this........


"No sound is here save the stream that shrills and now, and then a cry of faint wailing when the Kite comes sailing o'er the crags" William Lisle Bowles 'Coombe-Ellen' 1798