Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:

Q1. Maesteg

Q2. A Run For Your Money

The initial clues appear to place us in the town of Maesteg, in Wales. The Welsh national anthem 'Land of my Fathers', was according to some of the references I checked, written c 1856 by Evan James, with its first public airing being performed by Elizabeth John, in Capel Tabor, Maesteg, the same year. A poet called Vernon Phillips Watkins was, according to some of his biographies, born at Lloyds Bank House, Talbot Street, Maesteg c 27 June 1906. One of his poems was titled 'North Sea'.

Maesteg has a railway which terminates in the settlement, the viaduct referred to in the clues is possibly the Cymmer viaduct but it seems to be the Cymmer tunnel that is one thousand five hundred and ninety five yards in length.

Travelling south east, then east from Maesteg would bring us to the village of Llangeinor and it was here in an area called Tynton, that some of his bios claim the radical free thinker 'Richard Price' was born c 1723. He moved to London and does appear to have hung out with/influenced people like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

After leaving Llangeinor and turning left, the puzzle author is probably driving north on the A4064, which terminates about a mile south west of a five hundred and sixty eight meter/one thousand eight hundred and sixty four foot high plateau, called 'Werfa' (aka 'Mynydd Llangeinwyr'). Returning to the village and then motoring east round a hairpin bend would place the puzzle writer on the A4061, which would bring him eventually to the village of Nant-y-moel. It was here, according to some sources I checked,  that scenes from the 1949 film 'A Run For Your Money', were shot. The movie is about two Welsh miners who win a cash prize and a trip to London. Starred Donald Houston, Meredith Edwards and Alec Guiness. I did find a reference which claims that the last passenger train service, left Nant-y-Moel station, on the third of May, 1958.

N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but if you have a non abusive comment or quip, related to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.

Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:

Q1. Tenterden

Q2. Dungeness National Nature Reserve

The initial clues seem to place us at Tenterden, in the county of Kent. Tenterden appears to be the Northern terminus of the Kent and East Sussex Heritage Railway. The other terminus of the K&ES railway is at Bodiam and from the pictures I saw of it, the castle there is particularly beautiful. The original line closed c 1961 but used to go further north, to Headcorn.

Driving south from Tenterden, on the B2082, would take us through Smallhythe and it was here, according to some of her biographies, that an actress called Ellen Terry (born c 1847), had a house 'Smallhythe Place' . Ellen Terry made her acting debut playing the part of a boy 'Mamillius', in Charles Kean's production of 'The Winters Tale', c 1856.

Continuing South down the B2082, would eventually bring us to Rye, which some sources claim had a steam tramway, called the Rye & Camber Tramway (opened c 1895), that was built to carry passengers to and from Rye Golf Club (opened c 1894). The tramway was around three miles long. Rye golf course, according to their web site, hosts a tournament called 'The Bernard Darwin Salver', which is a good fit for the 'Australian sounding' clue. The engineer who built the tramway was probably Holman Fred Stephens (born c 1868). Some of his biographies claim that he also worked on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

The hints about shingle, nuclear power stations and chip shops are to the Eastender at least, a huge giveaway, as these words bring to mind the movie director Derek Jarman, who had a beach hut and garden on the shingle next to Dungeness nuclear power station and claimed that the nearby Pilot Inn, provides "simply the finest fish and chips in all England" . The spit of land does seem to have a branch line on it also and travelling East from Rye would bring us into the vicinity of Dungeness.

N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the Eastender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured if you have a non abusive comment or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.

Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Near as I can figure it, through the possibly flawed perceptual filters of my own reality tunnel, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:

Q1. Innerpeffray

Q2. Drummond Castle

The initial clues appear to place us in the hamlet of Innerpeffray, which lies around three miles 南東of Crieff, in Scotland. Innerpeffray sits on the 北 bank of the thirty two mile long 'River Earn' and is the site of one of Scotland's oldest free lending libraries, which according to some of the sources I checked, seems to have been founded c 1680, by David Drummond, third Lord Madertie. Drummond was the brother in law of David Graham, first Marquis of Montrose. Innerpeffray castle is thought to be of 15th century origin and from the photographs I looked at, the stonework still seems to be in good condition.

Four miles  西 of Innerpeffray, lies Drummond Castle and the fortress and its gardens, were used in the nineteen ninty five film 'Rob Roy', as the location for the home of the Marquis of Montrose (played by a great British actor, called John Hurt).

The Gask ridge lies  東 of Innerpeffray and some sources claim that a line of Roman signal towers stretched along it, from the fort of Strageath to the fort at Bertha, near Perth. Some OS maps show a line of signal stations, starting at Innerpeffray and following the route of the Roman road to the  東.

The 東ender, surmises that manning the signal stations, may not have been the most popular duty for the fort's personnel, as they would likely be standing in a wooden tower for hours on end, in the howling wind and very vulnerable to attack by disgruntled locals, direwolves, kelpies, barrow wights, Lannisters, etc

N.B. Due to the number of people who normally write poison pen letters in green ink posting on his page, the  東 ender has moved to moderated comments but rest assured, if you have a non abusive post or quip relating to the puzzle and its solution, he will endeavour to publish it.