Above is a picture of a welsh hill. This was pretty much the view from the back door of where we were staying. I post this not to expose the poor quality of my digital photographic skills or my inferior photographic equipment.
I post it to show you a blighted landscape.
I speak not of disused coal mines and the overgrown slag heaps that are visible throughout this part of the world, nor of communities devasted by the shutdown of the coal industry. After all the slag heaps are blending into the landscape and everywhere i went I could see the signs of economuic re-generation. I mean there are building sites everywhere!
If you look halfway up the photograph and a little to the right you can see a crucifix.
A humoungous, mahoosive bastard great cross.
It must have taken a lot of effort to make that. A LOT of effort.
I am told the church had a lot of power in this part of the world. But, thankfully I could see a lot of 'chapels' derelict or up for sale. Hopefully, soon, some one with more stamina than me will get up that hill and restore the landscape.