I as like most of you I suppose use work travelling to enable me to explore places where I am staying while away.
This is not an urbex explore but somewhere I have always wanted to visit since I first heard of what happened when I was 8 years old in 1966. Though it is not an explore, I hope it can stay long enough for people to read it and remember the tragedy.
21st October 1966 will be remembered by everyone who was around at that time, even though I was 8 I remember the impact it had on me. On that day in Aberfan after a week of constant rain there a coal waste heap slid down the mountain side buerying several houses and the local school killing 116 Children and 28 adults.
I am working near by this week and today visited the graveyard and memorial garden, I am glad I did.
This is the stone at the memorial Garden.
I then went to the Cemetery and the first thing that strikes you as you walk up is the lines of all the children’s graves, taking up a large portion of the cemetery and standing out so prominently. That is the first shock, that so many children died in a single blow.
The next shock is when you look at there ages 8, 9, and 10, I was 8 at the time and saw so many graves of the same age, I will never say how hard life is for me again, or if I do I will remember today and pull myself up.
There were a few visitors, a few who seemed locals, the atmosphere was… strange but friendly.
Coming down from the cemetery you can see where the school site is and all seems so idyllic now in the valley.
It was a strange feeling, sad at what had happened here but happy that I had came after all this time and glad to see others doing the same.
I hope people will pause for thought while reading this and think how lucky we are…. It is well worth visiting if you are passing.
Maurice
This is not an urbex explore but somewhere I have always wanted to visit since I first heard of what happened when I was 8 years old in 1966. Though it is not an explore, I hope it can stay long enough for people to read it and remember the tragedy.
21st October 1966 will be remembered by everyone who was around at that time, even though I was 8 I remember the impact it had on me. On that day in Aberfan after a week of constant rain there a coal waste heap slid down the mountain side buerying several houses and the local school killing 116 Children and 28 adults.
I am working near by this week and today visited the graveyard and memorial garden, I am glad I did.
This is the stone at the memorial Garden.
I then went to the Cemetery and the first thing that strikes you as you walk up is the lines of all the children’s graves, taking up a large portion of the cemetery and standing out so prominently. That is the first shock, that so many children died in a single blow.
The next shock is when you look at there ages 8, 9, and 10, I was 8 at the time and saw so many graves of the same age, I will never say how hard life is for me again, or if I do I will remember today and pull myself up.
There were a few visitors, a few who seemed locals, the atmosphere was… strange but friendly.
Coming down from the cemetery you can see where the school site is and all seems so idyllic now in the valley.
It was a strange feeling, sad at what had happened here but happy that I had came after all this time and glad to see others doing the same.
I hope people will pause for thought while reading this and think how lucky we are…. It is well worth visiting if you are passing.
Maurice
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