Wales has always been a favourite place of mine to visit and this latest trip was to a little place called Whitton in Powys. Why there I hear you ask? Our weekend break this time was centered on an available cottage at short notice and at a good price. We found the most quirkiest little cottage we’ve stayed in yet. Once booked, we sought out what was of interest near by to visit. Scroll to the end of the post to read my thoughts about Riverbank Cottage and the bats.
St Mary’s Church in Pilleth is approximately a 10 minute drive from Riverbank Cottage. I’ve read here that it dates from the 14th century and lies close to the Battle of Pilleth. It’s a beautiful medieval church that sits on the hillside overlooking the fields below and when me and Mark visited, Housemartins were nesting above the windows. Inside St Mary’s Church, the bell tower was my favourite place and when I saw Mark’s reflection appear in the framed picture on the wall, I couldn’t resist taking the image below. If you like visiting medieval churches, St Mary’s Church has to be on your list.
St Andrews Church in Norton, Powys
Although not medieval, St Andrews Church in Norton, Powys has been rebuilt in the Victorian Gothic style and I adore Gothic architecture. I always find the pointy spires look great against the sky and St Andrews Church on the day of our visit, didn’t let me down.
We met a lovely gentleman inside who told us about the work required to fix the plaster and how they are bringing the community into the church by opening the doors so that the church can be used like a village hall. The graveyard was beautiful with wildflowers gently swaying between the headstones and the sky was spectacular. The clock tower was calling me.
St Michaels Church in Cascob
St Michael’s Church in Cascob is well worth seeking out for it’s simple charm and beauty. To reach St Michael’s Church, which is approximately 5 miles to the south-west of Knighton, you have to travel down a long quiet road that has the odd farm that can be spotted from the car. Once there, you will see the most amazing Yew Tree that is reportedly 2000 years old, but it’s the beauty of this place and the solitude that I really noticed. When leaving and travelling back down the isolated road, I thought about who would have used the church centuries ago. Obviously it would have been farmers, but how many miles would they have traveled for and how?
Riverbank Cottage, Whitton
If you would like to follow in mine and Mark’s footsteps and see these beautiful churches, I can recommend Riverbank Cottage to stay in due to it’s quirkiness, which dates back to approximately 1850. The cottage has everything you need, but absolutely no mobile phone signal, which can be a blessing if you want a complete break from it all. The other great feature of this cottage was the proximity to Radnor Forest, right on the outskirt and the little balcony area overlooking the River Lugg. We took my Bat o Meter to listen to the local bats and we detected possibly three different species. It was great with them flying above our heads and we sat there for hours in the dead of night as there’s no street lighting either. I might have to return for Halloween!
