Saturday, 31 May 2025

1 June: Pembrokeshire Day

Today is Pembrokeshire Day. 10 facts about Pembrokeshire.

  1. Pembrokeshire is a county in south-west Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the north-east, and by the sea.

  2. Its coastline is spectacular and has been made into a national park, the only one in the UK primarily designated for its coastal landscape. Most of the park lies within 2 miles of the coast, and nowhere is more than 10 miles from it. There are more than 50 beaches and a coast path which is 190-miles/310 km long. The length of the coastline altogether is 420km and the are of the Park is around 615 sq. km.

  3. The largest town, and the county town, is Haverfordwest, which is an important road hub as it is situated at the tidal limit of the river Cleddau. The name of the town means "ford used by heifers (or Goats)”. "West" was added in the 15th century, to distinguish it from Hereford. Other towns in the county include Milford Haven, Pembroke, Fishguard and Tenby.

  4. There’s also a city, which is smaller than many of the towns. St David’s is the smallest city in the UK with a population of around 2,000 people (its cathedral is pictured above). City status was granted to St. Davids in 1994 on the anniversary of Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne. St. David’s cathedral and Christian heritage were the reason for making such a small place a city. St Davids has been a major site of pilgrimage since medieval times. Pope Calixtus II made a decree in the 12th century that “two pilgrimages to St Davids were equivalent to one to Rome”.

  5. Pembrokeshire is home to the biggest theme park in Wales, Oakwood Theme Park, which also boasts the highest sky swing in the UK.

  6. The county flower of Pembrokeshire is the thrift – clostog fair in Welsh. It means Mary’s pillow, and was given this name because its leaves look like a cushion. It has a pink flower and is found along the coast in cliffs or saltmarshes.

  7. There are also some ancient forests. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is restoring a lost temperate rainforest, also known as a Celtic forest, in Trellwyn Fach, near Fishguard. There’s also Tŷ Canol Wood, where you can see bio-fluorescence under ultraviolet light at night. It has been described as "one of the most magical and special woodlands in the UK."

  8. Milford Haven Waterway is the second largest natural harbour in the world after Port Philip in Australia.

  9. The highest point is Foel Cwmcerwyn at 1,759 feet (536 m), in the Preseli hills.

  10. Famous people from here include: Henry Tudor (later Henry VII), born in Pembroke Castle in 1457; Robert Recorde, the mathematician who gave us the = sign; the novelist Sarah Waters; and the actor Christian Bale, who was born in Haverfordwest.



Beta

(Combat Team Series #2)


Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?

Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.

Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream. 

Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.

Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.

Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.


Paperback

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