Tag: Places To Go

Places To Go, theatre, Things To Do

Shows in 2023

Vale of Glam Mam

This ended up as rather a long section in my Christmas Gift Guide so this is a little off shoot. I’ll keep adding highlights as and when I stumble across them. This is not designed as a full theatre listings page but things I’ve seen and thought “oo, that looks fun/cool/interesting”.

Tickets

The ultimate gift with no obligation on the receiver to find a space in their house for it, no adding to all the stuff. This can require a bit more research, but I love getting tickets that I can use for a show, concert or gig later in the year. It’s a Christmas treat that brings joy months after the baubles come down and the Quality Street tin’s emptied.

There are so many options, and it obviously depends on the tastes of the person you’re buying for but aside from the sold out tickets (sad face for missing out on PULP in Cardiff but happy face that I got my Self Esteem at the Tramsheds ticket in time), here are a few little ideas for you (in the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan area).

Musicals

A marmite of art forms, some love them, some hate them but for fans of them, there are plenty of musicals coming to our corner of the world such as:

Live Music

I thought I’d found the perfect gig tickets for my step daughter to see Loyle Carner but that one’s sold out. I’ve tried to only include ideas with tickets still available but don’t wait around too long just in case.

Comedy

You’ve missed out on Peter Kay tickets in Cardiff but there are plenty of other stand-up and other comedy shows coming up to give the gift of laughter:

Theatre

I know it’s not as razzle dazzle but tickets for a play are a dream for the drama lover in your life.

For the Kids

I’m not convinced that all children really get the whole waiting for an event thing, so I’ve not really used tickets as a prezzie for younger family members but it’s worth a look, especially at:

If you work for a production company, venue, or festival and you’d like me to review your show, slide into my DMs or email valeofglammam@gmail.com. I’ve not been paid to include any of these above, they’re just shows I’ve heard about or read about and wanted to spread the word.

Places To Go, Things To Do

Stuff to do in the Easter Hols 2022

Vale of Glam Mam

How is it the Easter holidays already?! Why didn’t I book more time off work?! I must make the most of my precious time off with some wholesome days out. If you suffer from FOMO and want to tear your offspring away from their gadgets, good luck and here are a few local, vaguely seasonal ideas in no particular order:

The Tiger Who Came to Tea at Dyffryn Gardens

12 March – 15 May 2022

This gorgeous little exhibition from Seven Stories invites your little ones to play with the tiger in an indoor tea party. There are plenty of fun tiger themed activities to keep your young ones busy and playing through the Arboretum, gardens and the Log Stack play area. There’s also a £3 Easter trail if you fancy it. The usual National Trust entry fees from £5.50 per kid and £11 per adult apply so take a picnic and make a day of it.

Tiger Who Came to Tea at Dyffryn Gardens | National Trust

The Golden Egg Treasure Hunt

10 – 24 April 2022

A treasure hunt competition to find the locations where Beach Academy Wales photographed a shiny replica of Harry Potter’s golden egg. They’ve included some stunning Vale locations, and there’s a cracking prize for a lucky family to win the golden egg used in the pics and a two-day trip London with a Family Studio Tour at Harry Potter World and hotel stay. Register and read the instructions on their website:

The Golden Egg | Beach Academy (beachacademywales.com)

Fonmon Castle Joust

16 – 18 April 2022

This Easter weekend get a taste of medieval times, brought to life with jousting, owl displays, archery, and more. You can also visit in the rest of the holidays for the usual family fun of dinosaurs, story trail and playground. Under 3s are free, adults £16.50, children & concessions £13.

https://fb.watch/ck0juMKOJU/

https://fonmoncastle.com/whats-on-at-fonmon-castle/

Salmon Leaps Walk

This three-hour (or three-mile, depending on whether your want to do the full figure-of-8 route or not) stroll through Dinas Powys woodland and fields is a dreamy and free way to while away a day with family and dogs. We loved tootling about, flinging ourselves about on the rope swing we found and having a good old chat as we ventured along the path. There’s a guide available with details of where to park if you’re not from Dinas Powys (or you could walk from the train station) and the route:

Vale Trail 6 | Walks in the Vale of Glamorgan (visitthevale.com)

Twitchy Curtains

Launched 9 April 2022

Use the QR stickers to experience this free audio trail of Barry’s Holton Road. Local characters will tell you tales from that spot in the past. Based on real stories, use your smart phone and stereo headphones to follow the gossip. For more information and a map of the story route in Barry town centre, head to this website:

Twitchy Curtains – Barry

Cinema, Wrestling and Pop Divas at Memo Arts Centre

The Bad Guys (U) 16 – 21 April 2022

Welsh Wrestling Live 14 April 2022

Pop Divas Live! 22 April 2022

This Easter holiday, the Memo are showing The Bad Guys on the Vale’s biggest cinema screen. If Ocean’s Eleven was a cartoon and all the characters were animals, that’s the vibe of this film. Popular family events Welsh Wrestling and Pop Divas Live return to Barry.

Home-New – Memo Arts Centre, Barry

Amelia Trust Farm: The Big Easter Event

11 – 14 April 2022

All the fun of the farm with extra Easter treats. Included in the cost of entry there’ll be face painting, lawn games and tractor rides. If you complete the Easter trail, there are chocolate prices. Costs £7.50 per child and from £4.50 per adult.

The Big Easter Event at Amelia Trust Farm – Amelia Trust Farm

Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival 2022

17 & 18 April 2022

Head to the Old Hall Gardens and AJ car park for stalls of delicious grub and drinks. Pick up an edible treat or two and have a wander around the pretty town centre. Closes at 5pm both days. Expect plenty of the best foodie businesses in the Vale to exhibit their wares, and demos of their culinary skills.

Home

St Fagans National Museum of History

Open all fortnight, including bank holidays

A classic Easter hols trip. It’s the perfect time of year to mooch around the site. We like to take our dogs so they get a day out too. Doggos must be on a short lead and can’t go in the buildings. There’s a £3.50 Easter trail or you can take yoursleves on a time travelling adventure exploring the cottages, chapel, shops, school, farmhouse etc. Free entry, you just pay £6 for parking. There are a few busses that go to St Fagans, route details on their website.

The Big Museum Easter Trail   | National Museum Wales

A Dog’s Trail

How many Snoopy sculptures will you find? Dog’s Trust is celebrating their new rehoming centre with a free public art trail, a Wild in Art Event. There’s a map of all the decorated Snoopys, designed by local and national artists, school children and community groups, dotted around Cardiff, the Bay, Caerphilly and Porthcawl. And it’s free.

Art Trail – A Dog’s Trail : A Dog’s Trail (adogstrail.org.uk)

Mountain View Ranch: Ranch Easter Trail

On top of all of the usual fun, hunt for the Golden Eggs. We’re big fans of the Fairy Forest, the Jumping Pillow, the Adventure Playground, the Tree Houses, the Vomit Comet, Roly Poly Hill, and of course, the only licensed Gruffalo Trail in Wales. Take a picnic or treat yourselves to one of their amazing stonebaked pizzas. Dogs allowed on a short lead. Under 2s free, children and adults £8. Book online.

Mountain View Ranch

This isn’t a list of everything, it’s just a few ideas if you’re struggling. The photos of my own visits used in this post are all paid for by me. If anywhere wants to invite me along to review or promote, that’s grand, pop me a message. I’ll always let you know if that’s the case.

Each year I feel less motivated to share a “things to do in the Vale and nearby in the school hols” type of post. Last summer I prepped and research a load of things with photos, links, dates, prices etc but then photos of handwritten pages in a notebook of all the parks, beaches etc got shared all over the place by loads of people and I just felt sort of pointless and stupid for wasting my time. So, if you do end up going along to any of this stuff, I’d blooming love it if you could let me know.

A photo taken from above of a table with a big rug on. A pile of three books sit in the lower left of the image with the words The Elephant and the Buns on the front and an illustration of a very long elephant trunk reaching for a plate of big round iced buns with cherries on top. To the right is a large iced bun with a cherry on top, nestled in a brown takeaway box and in the top of the image is another bun in tongs on a square white plate.
books, Reviews, Things To Do

The Elephant and the Buns Book Launch

Vale of Glam Mam

We popped to the book launch of The Elephant and the Buns at Elephant & Bun Deli in Cowbridge on Sunday and met the lovely author Megan Mattravers. We were lucky enough to be one of the early birds to get a free sticky bun with our book purchase and my youngest was delighted to get his books signed by Megan.

A photo taken from above of a table with a big rug on. A pile of three books sit in the lower left of the image with the words The Elephant and the Buns on the front and an illustration of a very long elephant trunk reaching for a plate of big round iced buns with cherries on top. To the right is a large iced bun with a cherry on top, nestled in a brown takeaway box and in the top of the image is another bun in tongs on a square white plate.

Like Megan’s previous children’s book Vintage Owl, The Elephant and the Buns is based on a true story and set in beautiful Cowbridge with some familiar shops and characters in the gorgeous illustrations from Owain Lewis (who also created the fabulous window display at the deli).

Megan, a dark haired lady in a camel coat, stands in front of a deli's shop window with four floating balloons next to her. An elephant is drawn on the window and a box in the foreground has an elephant picture on it too. In the clear reflection of the window and people buying books and the reflected high street shops.
Book launch day at Elephant & Bun Deli in Cowbridge

The book is perfect for older primary school readers who might be overwhelmed by a thick novel without pictures, for confident readers aged 6-9 who are on the journey from picture books to longer stories, or simply for you to share with your younger children when you read to and with them.

The deli was an absolute trove of edible delights. I heartily recommend the sausage rolls. The spherical iced buns were the cherry on the top.

Megan is at the Goodsheds in Barry on Saturday 23rd October for a book reading and book signing event 10am-11am. Tickets are available here:

Book Reading & Signing at Goodsheds

You can buy the book from Megan’s Etsy shop here:

Buy The Elephant and the Buns

It’s a brilliant chance to support a local author and to kick the October half term off with something a bit special.

Megan, a smiling woman with short dark hair in a cosy light pink roll neck jumper, stands with her hands in her camel coat pockets behind a table on which her books are displayed. In the foreground, also on the table, are shiny round iced buns with big glossy cherries on top. The deli window behind her has a white, hand illustrated elephant trunk and the words the ELEPHANT and the BUNS.
Local author Megan Mattravers at the book launch of her newest children’s book The Elephant and the Buns
Places To Go, Things To Do

All Treats, No Tricks

Vale of Glam Mam

Off with your kids over half term? Me neither. I’ll try squeezing in some mini jaunts to quell the FOMO beast but here are some of my top spots for this incredibly Halloween saturated week ahead.

Memo Arts Centre, Barry

Abominable Friday 25 October – Saturday 2 November (various times) from £3.50 in advance

Animation from the makers of How to Train Your Dragon about Yi meeting a Yeti and going on a quest to Everest.

There are loads of showings which include an Autism Friendly Screening on Tuesday 29 October at 11am for a more relaxed environment with the lights kept on low, the sound not quite so loud and a breakout quiet space.

Little Shop of Horrors Wednesday 30 October (4pm) £3.50 in advance

An amazing cast including Steve Martin and John Candy star in this 80s comedy musical about a plant with a taste for human flesh. Before the film they’ve got Halloween crafts in the café from 3.15pm.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Thursday 31 October (3pm) £3.50 in advance

Dress up in your Halloween gear for this Tim Burton animation about Jack Skellington. Before the film they’ve got Halloween crafts in the café from 2.15pm.

Oskar’s Amazing Adventure Friday 1 November (2pm) £7

I saw this lovely play in Edinburgh a few years ago and I’m so glad it’s coming to Barry. It’s about a puppy and uses songs and puppets. At the end the children can meet the performer and get to play with the puppets.

National Museum, Cardiff

Dippy on Tour Saturday 19 October – Sunday 26 January (10am – 5pm) FREE

It’s only bloody Dippy the Diplodocus from the National History Museum. He’s in Cardiff for a few months but this half term is the first chance to catch him here. There are some cracking Dippy themed events coming up like a Museum Sleepover on 16 November and a family friendly HUSH Silent Disco on 30 November.

Cosmeston Medieval Village, Penarth

Medieval Hallowe’en Event Thursday 31 October (10am – 3pm) £5 per child

Discover where the Monsters of Mayhem are hiding. For ages 5-12, accompanying adults are free.

St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff

Halloween Nights Tuesday 29 – Thursday 31 October (6-9pm) £13 adults, £10 children

We went to this last year and had I loved that the event tapped into the opposite of the overly Americanised plastic crap Halloween filling up supermarket aisles nowadays. There were traditional ghost stories steeped in Welsh history, folk traditions and ghostly guests. Suitable for ages 4-12 and their grown ups.

Pumpkin Picking Patch, St Nicholas

Pumpkin Picking Friday 18 – Thursday 31 October (9.30am – 4pm) parking and entry FREE, Crafts from £4.50, pay for your pumpkins

I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that this will be incredibly busy with instagrammers, I fear that the best pumpkins have already gone and there’s potential for a mini squash flavoured Fyre Festival but PYO veg has that irresistible wholesomeness about it. I’ve not been but with the closure of Hendrewennol, there’s an appeal to a local pumpkin picking patch. Let me know what you think.

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff

The Mystery of the Raddlesham Mumps Thursday 31 October (7pm) £8

A dark and witty mix of storytelling and poetry from the BBC 6 Music Poet in Residence, Murray Lachlan. Bizarre and hilarious death stories told by a butler to a boy. Halloween outfits encouraged. From 6pm there’s a unique Virtual Reality prequel to the show. For ages 7+.

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

I Wish I Was a Mountain Tuesday 29 October – Friday 1 November (11am all days and 7pm on Tuesday) £7

Written and performed by former Glastonbury Poetry Slam Champion, Toby Thompson. Based on a fairy tale of a man who wishes to be turned into a mountain. Creatively translated into BSL by deaf poet Donna Williams at 7pm on 29 and 11am on 30 October. For ages 6+.

Central Park, Barry

Pumpkins in the Park Saturday 26 October (12 – 5pm) £2 for pumpkin carving

Online bookings have sold out but limited slots available on the day. Expect pumpkin carking, bouncy castle, fun fair, crafts and even a dog fancy dress show.

Scream Your Heart Out Saturday 26 October (7pm) £5

For adults only, this screening of the classic horror film Scream for over 18s is in the park, in the dark. Not a family friendly event, obviously.

Amelia Trust Farm, Barry

Pumpkin Patch Trail Saturday 26 October – Sunday 3 November (10am – 4pm) £2.50 plus entrance fee

Buy your trail leaflet from the café, solve the clues to find the pumpkin faces .

Creepy Crawly Shows Monday 28 – Tuesday 29 October (2pm) £3.50 plus entrance fee

Brave enough to meet rats, snails and snakes? Meet the creatures in these ticketed shows. For ages 1+.

These aren’t the only events and shows on this half term but it’s a starter. We can’t do everything and it can all get a tad overwhelming at times. This list is for when you’re looking for a treat.

Places To Go, Things To Do

The Big Pit

Vale of Glam Mam

Boom! It’s National Museum Week 2019 so I’ve been thinking about the last museum I went to, Big Pit National Coal Museum, Y Pwll Mawr. I bloody loves museums I does. The best of them stir a little something in your soul, leave some new knowledge nestled in your brain and get my kids buzzing with the experience. The Big Pit delivers on all three.

The first time I visited, I was excited to get free entry with my Blue Peter badge (which I’ve sadly lost, do they do replacements?) in about 1990. Another time, aged about 18 with my 9 year old brother the day after watching How Green Was My Valley, he produced a white cotton handkerchief to mop his brow because that’s what they’d done in the film. A few weeks ago we took our own similarly aged children and it’s still a thrill to travel in that dark lift 300 feet underground, to stoop through the tunnels, to momentarily stand in darkness, feel the terror and thankfulness that life has changed.

One of the themes of Museum Week 2019 is #WomenInCulture and the vital role of women in the mining industry and mining communities is explored in the Pithead Baths exhibition. Women were only banned from working underground because the inspector was shocked at their state of undress. The work they did was so physically demanding that they were replaced with ponies. Ponies.

As a museum, the displays and experiences above ground have had a hell of a lot of work since becoming part of National Museums Wales, which gives so much more to explore than the 50 minutes down the pit, the shower block was especially effective with interactive bits. Plus, it’s been free to visit since 2001. FREE. (Think it’s £3 for parking though). It’s set in a unique industrial landscape, designated a World Heritage Site.The guys, real life miners, who lead the tours of the mine are essential, their wit, knowledge and warmth give visitors a flavour of the camaraderie and banter of the place.

That said, I’m not writing this wearing rose tinted glasses about the job of mining. My grandad, great grandad, great uncle, my dad’s cousins all worked in the mines of the South Wales valleys. My grandad hated it. “No son of mine is ever going to work down a mine.” The day he started working at the pits as a teenager, a body was brought up from underground (the deceased man is mentioned in part of the museum), so I can’t say I blame him and he worked his arse off to have a career in another sector.

I am, however, writing this sat in the second largest town in Wales that only sprung into existence on this scale because of the coal industry but I’m also writing this in a time when we’re looking for cleaner energy sources than fossil fuels. Museums are powerful when you can make those connections.

The Big Pit

For more info, opening hours, directions and all that, head here: museum.wales/bigpit/