One of the places I used to play was here, called the Wilderness.
It wasn't as lovely looking years ago. Its value is now appreciated and is kept in a better condition by a volunteer group called 'Friends of the Wilderness.' When I was young it was a smaller rough scrubby area with a muddy stream, which had a rope swing over it. I fell off it loads of times into the muddy stream, but then I played there until my dress dried out and I could brush off the mud. If I had gone home in a state, I would have been sent straight to bed. The wilderness was strictly off limits as a play area for me, but it was one of the many areas I went without my grandmother's knowledge.
There is a sizable lake there now and the swans there breed every year. This is the hen, named Angel, she has a broken wing, so is not able to fly..
It seems so strange to me that the wilderness is such a beautiful place today and much bigger, more or less right in the centre of Porthcawl. It is along side the duel carriage way, the road built where the railway used to be.
I never gave it a second thought when I was young, just some where to play. It is so different today.
Did you play in 'forbidden places?'
Chrisxx
4 comments:
Through the middle of West Hartlepool is a lovely green corridor called "Burn Valley Gardens" My best friend lived the other side of it. I walked through it to get to her house to play and vice versa - but often we played together in the BVG. The gates were shut at dusk. More than once we were late and had to climb over the fence. I was 9. I'm not sure mums let 9 years old play alone in such places now!
I didn't play in forbidden places but I was a solitary child and wandered far and wide on my own. It was a safer world in many ways.
We lived in a village. Me and my brother used to roam about. We played in derelict houses which were earmarked for demolition. When mum found out she gave us a good telling off and sent us to bed. We didn't understand the dangers of playing in buildings which might fall down around our ears.
My grandmother didn’t want me swimming in the ocean but I did. Loved it too!
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