Another trip on the bikes. This time we head in the other direction, toward Cwmaman.

I'm more interested in panoramics on this trip.

Two cars to Aberdare Park. Nanna and Grandad join us, and bring some bread for the fishes. Or is that ducks? Or is that pigeons?

The park used to be the pride of the valley, though it's still nice, it's fallen into disrepair. The band of seats that used to follow near the whole outline of the pond have gone, the water is now churned up and muddy looking. Once it used to be crystal clear, so you could see the golden carp deep in the waters. The fountain, while it never worked even when I was small, is rusting and in need of repair before it's too late.

From the archive: a wet park with pigeons in December 2002 and after our holidays, when the Aberdare Carnival was on September 2003.

So we feed the fish...

Round and round he went again and again, "WHAAA!"

His hands are doing the monster, "WHHHAAAA!"

Brave little boy? Or just little boy?

Some of the larger kids come on and are told off by Bradley as their weight makes the whole apparatus wobble while he climbs.

Of course, Esme gets to the top, but not all the way to the top.

This thing whizzes around reeaallly fast

After a bubble gum flavoured lollipop.

The biggest, widest tree trunk ever!

Just an hour over the Hayfield. I used to play for hours over here when I was a kid myself. Then it was split into two. The top half an abandoned allotment with apple trees, gooseberry bushes, rhubarb plants gone mad... A whole wonder for us. But it was uprooted, and turned into a plain old field like the rest of the Hayfield. Esme took her bike, and Bradley took Dad's shoulders.

They played Good Guys and Bad Guys on the helicopter, climbing around like monkeys.

Brad scratched his elbow, and it's giving him some grief, but being a brave lad...

Later, we put a plaster on it. That makes it better, instantly.

My weekend was spent in Aberdare. Godreaman to be precise. On Saturday we went on a bike ride up The Line. An old railway line connecting up many of the pits on my (West) side of the valley. It goes all the way from Glynhafod to Cwmdare. About 5 miles.
We headed towards Cwmdare. I expected we'd go as far as the Tanyard, about a mile and ½. As it was we went all the way to the Country Park in Cwmdare, where the stables are and a little cafe where I could get a cup of tea and the kids pop crisps. Maybe 3 miles there and 3 miles back.

We had numerous debates whether we should continue. And several rests. Bradley gave up peddling about half way there, so I had to push his bike, which was hard work for me to bend down and try and get him to walk faster to catch up with the riders.
Eventually, I pulled him with a jumper around the handle bars, and he just sat admiring the view.
They were to sleep well that night, a six mile ride surely wore them out. From the archive: the last time we went to the Cwmdare Country Park in June 2003.

Bradley shot off several times peddling like a mad man.