The Egypt Centre, Swansea

My column for the February 2014 issue of Swansea Life magazine.
   

    
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Richard Thomas visits The Egypt Centre at Swansea University

The Egypt Centre opened in 1998 and holds a major selection of Egyptian antiquities largely formed by the 19th century pharmacist and archaeologist Sir Henry Wellcome, who collected them from excavations. There are two galleries and a shop sales area to visit, and the centre welcomes around 15,000 visitors each year.

On location: Located within the Taliesin building at Swansea University, the Egypt Centre is the only museum of Egyptian antiquities in Wales. The funerary items on display in The House of Death downstairs include: amulets, shrouds, statues, coffins and fragments of coffins, and even canopic jars, which were used by the Ancient Egyptians to store and preserve the internal organs of the deceased for their journey through the afterlife. Upstairs is the House of Life, where visitors can handle actual Ancient Egyptian artefacts under the supervision of one of the museum's excellent volunteers.

Backstory: There are over 5000 items in the collection. Most of them were collected by the pharmacist Sir Henry Wellcome, who collected artefacts from excavations all over Egypt, including Armant, Amarna, Deir el-Medina, Esna, Mostagedda and Qau. Other items came to the centre from other museums, including the British Museum.

Where: For sat-nav users the address and postcode is: Egypt Centre, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP.

Opening hours: The Egypt Centre is open Tuesday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm. An hour is plenty of time to see all of the wonderful exhibits, but visitors are free to spend as much time as they like until closing.

Parking: There are some car parks close to Swansea University where the Egypt Centre is located. The Foreshore car park opposite St Helens Rugby ground and the Recreation Ground Car Park on Mumbles Road are good places to park, and only about a ten minuet walk to the university campus.

Crowd scene: The Egypt Centre is open to the public but also welcomes school visits from early years, primary and secondary school, right up to university level. Special needs groups are also welcome. To book a school or group visit phone: 01792 295960.

Noteworthy: There are over five thousand artefacts in the collection. These include several offerings from the British Museum. One of the most interesting artefacts on display is a statue of the historical Imhotep, the Ancient Egyptian who designed the first pyramid and who was made immortal in the Mummy movies.  

Show business: In the House of Life upstairs as well as handling actual Ancient Egyptian artefacts, including a flint knife and jewellery, you can also learn to play Senet, a popular board game played by the Ancient Egyptians. On display is a replica of the golden Senet board found in Tutankhamun’s tomb when it was opened in 1922 by Howard Carter. Downstairs in the House of Death you can watch a mock mummification, where pretend human organs are removed from a mummy dummy before it is wrapped in bandages. You will also learn about the trials the Ancient Egyptians believed they would face on their journey to the afterlife, including the weighing of the heart which is also demonstrated.

What about the kids:  Children will want to pick up some keepsakes in the Egypt Centre gift shop located on the ground floor foyer of the museum. As well as pens, pencils and key-rings, they can also bring home a Senet board to play the Egyptian board game at home after practicing in the House of Life with the volunteers.

What about the adults: Also on sale in the shop are a wide range of statues, recycled glass, papyrus from Egypt, and exclusive hand-made jewellery.

Prices: Admission to the centre’s two fantastic galleries is free!

Food and drink: The Taliesin cafébar just next door offers a full menu, including a selection of tapas and snacks for all different appetites.

Events: Once a month the Friends of the Egypt Centre society organises lectures in Fulton House, Room 2 at 7pm unless otherwise stated. On February 12, Felicitas Weber will give a lecture entitled “Learning is Not Just For Life, But For Death”. Tickets cost £3 at the door, or you can opt to buy a year membership for £16.50.

Staff: The knowledge of gallery assistants about the different museum displays is encyclopaedic, and they are easy to approach and friendly to talk to.

Top tip: Unfortunately due to limitations of space some of 5000 plus artefacts in the Egypt Centre’s collection are not on display. You can still see these ancient treasures, however, on the Egypt Centre website. Egypt Centre staff have created over a hundred pages of online content to browse through. Visit: www.swan.ac.uk/egypt.

Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves in Abercrave, Swansea

My column for the August 2013 issue of Swansea Life magazine.

  

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Big Day Out!

With Richard Thomas

Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves in Abercrave, Swansea

ON LOCATION: You don’t need Doctor Who's TARDIS to take a trip back in history. At Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves you can visit an Iron Age farm or have a talk with famed cave explorer Tommy Morgan in his Victorian kitchen. Be warned, though, you might come face to face with tyrannosaurus rex or pterodactyl along the way! Located halfway between Brecon and Swansea inside the Brecon Beacons National Park, Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves is one of the most breathtaking show cave complexes in northern Europe. There are three separate caves to explore: Dan-yr-Ogof cave, Cathedral Cave and the Bone Cave, where the remains of 42 human skeletons have been found. There is also an Iron Age village, museum and farm to visit, as well as an adventure playground for 6-10 year olds to play in. Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves is approximately 25 minuets from the M4, taking junction 45 and following the brown tourist signs north on the A4067 (Pontardawe). For sat-nav users the postcode is SA9 1GJ. 

OPENING HOURS: Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves will be open seven days a week now until Sunday 3 November 2013. The caves open at 10am, with tickets available throughout the day at the entrance until 3pm. 

CROWD SCENE: All ages are welcome inside Brecon Beacons National Park. Kids will enjoy will enjouy exploring the Dinosaur Park, one of the largest parks of its type in the world, with nearly 200 life-sized replicas of T. rexes, pterodactyls, brontosaurus and other prehistoric beasts that ruled the Earth 65 million years before mankind!

BACKSTORY: Early settlers farmed the land that the Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves complex now occupies at the end of the Bronze Age, then approximately 3,000 years later, in 1912, local brothers Jeff and Tommy Morgan squeezed though a small gap in the hillside and discovered the spectacular Dan-yr-Ogof cave. Forty-one years later cavers made another discovery, Cathedral Cave, named after the awe-inspiring Dome of St Paul’s Cathedral. 

NOTEWORTHY: In a 2005 poll Dan-yr-Ogof Showcaves were voted the “finest natural wonder” in Britain by Radio Times readers.

WHAT TO TAKE: Bring a camera with you to take some dinosaur photos. 

TICKET PRICES: Tickets cost £13.75 for adults and £8 for children 16 and younger. Children under three years old go free. 

WHAT TO WEAR: All the dinosaur models are outdoors, so don’t forget to bring a raincoat or umbrella with you, and wear suitable footwear for exploring the caves.

FOOD AND DRINK: The coffee shop has a range of food and drinks, hot or cold, where you can relax and have a coffee while looking out on the breathtaking view of the Brecon Beacons. 

TOP TIP: Group discounts are available when there are 20 or more people visiting together. 

WHAT ELSE: There are a wide range of keepsakes available to buy in Rock & Dinosaur Shop. For more information about ticket prices phone 01639730 284 or go to www.showcaves.co.uk.

Richard Thomas is the author of Para-News and Sci-Fi Worlds from Bretwalda Books. Visit www.richardthomas.com.

Oakwood Theme Park

My column for the July 2013 issue of Swansea Life magazine.

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Big Day Out!

With Richard Thomas

 

Oakwood Theme Park

 

ON LOCATION: Located off the A40 motorway at Canaston Bridge, 8 miles east of the town of Haverfordwest, Oakwood park provides fun for all the family, from white knuckle rides to dazzling firework displays and other special events Oakwood has it all. Also other family attractions including Fully Farm and Scolton Museum can be found near Oakwood Theme Park, just six miles away. With over 30 rides and attractions including three roller coasters and four water rides, Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire attracts 400,000 visitors each year, making it one of the UK's top ten theme parks.

 

OPENING HOURS: Oakwood is open 10am to 5pm, but isn‘t open everyday. To find out what days the park is open go to www.oakwoodthepark.co.uk.

 

CROWD SCENE: All age groups are welcome inside the park.

 

BACKSTORY: Oakwood Theme Park first opened in 1987 as Oakwood Leisure Park, a very small family park with BMXs, a wooden fort, a 3D-style cinema experience show, go-karts and a water chute ride. In 1996 Oakwood’s status as a small-scale regional attraction was completely transformed when the park opened Megafobia to the public. At that time Europe's largest wooden roller coaster ride. Since then the park has acquired a worldwide reputation for innovation and has since incorporated four more large thrill rides: Vertigo, Bounce, Hydro and the park’s newest roller coaster Speed opened in 2006.

 

NOTEWORTHY: Oakwood has a good variety of rides to suit all people and ages. Megafobia and Speed are the park's two most exciting roller coasters. In the Detailed Wood Roller Coaster Poll 2010 the 85-foot-tall Megafobia ranked number 30 in the world. Speed is an exhilarating ride, twisting and turning at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Bounce is a vertical ride, shooting you up into the air at more than 40mph. Together with the Hydro water ride, these four attractions form Oakwood’s “Big Four”, the ultimate adrenaline rush for thrill seekers! For the more wary and younger children there are also more family orientated rides, including The Pirate Ship and Snake River Falls.

 

WHAT TO TAKE? Food and drink are available in the park’s restaurants, the Southern-fried chicken at Dixie's Chicken Diner is good. There are also gift shops with t-shirts, mugs and other Oakwood Theme Park merchandise available to buy. You can also purchase photos of yourself on Megafobia and the other rides, but don’t forget to bring a camera with you to take your own snaps.

 

WHAT TO WEAR:  The park is set in 80 acres of Pembrokeshire open countryside, so wear flat footwear and all-weather gear. On some rides you can get wet or muddy, so bring a change of clothing with you. 

 

PARENTIAL GUIDELINES: There are height restrictions on some of the rides. For young families the park have bottle warming facilities at The Restaurant. There are also baby changing facilities in the toilets behind the Waterfall ride and the toilets in New Orleans next to the Brer Rabbit ride. The map you will be given at the entrance tills has these facilities clearly marked.

 

TOP TIP: Standard tickets for visitors over 13 years old cost £21, while junior tickets for children 3-12 years old cost £15 each. Children two years old and younger visit the park for free and by booking on the website you can save £2 per person on these prices.

 

MORE INFORMATION: There is a separate change of £36 for three people for Vertigo, the skydiver-designed ride which mimics flight. It is advisable to book Vertigo in advance on busy days as the park can only fly a certain number of people each day. Phone 01834 815170 between 10am and 5pm.

 

Visit www.richardthomas.com.

Tenpin Swansea

My column for the May 2013 issue of Swansea Life magazine. 

   

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Big Day Out!

With Richard Thomas

Tenpin Swansea

ON LOCATION: Tenpin Swansea, formerly Megabowl, is the only ten pin bowling alley in Swansea, located in the Parc Tawe shopping and leisure complex near the city centre. Tenpin Swansea offers a host of family friendly activities for people of all abilities, from first time players right up to veteran bowlers. The alley boasts 26 bowling lanes, three American pool tables, an amusements arcade and cosmic bowling nights.

For sat nav users the address and postcode is Parc Tawe, The Strand, Swansea, SA1 2AX. Phone 0871 873 3150.

OPENING HOURS: The bowling alley is open 11am to 12am on weekdays and 10am to 12am on weekends. During the school holidays they are open 10am to 12am seven days a week. The bar closes at 11.30pm.

CROWD SCENE: All ages are welcome at the bowling alley.

BACKSTORY: Bowling is one of the oldest sports still played today. The earliest forms of bowling can be traced back to Ancient Egypt. In 1930 when the Egyptologist Sir Flinders Petrie excavated the grave of an Egyptian boy dating to 3200 BC he found artefacts resembling the pins used in tenpin bowling today.

NOTEWORTHY: As well as normal ten pin bowling on some nights you can play cosmic bowling, a hybrid of glow-in-the-dark ten pin bowling with dance club music and lights. Up to date information about cosmic bowling times can be found at www.tenpin.co.uk/swansea.

WHAT TO TAKE?  One game costs £6.99 per adult and £5.49 each for juniors. You can also play two games for £12.25 (adults) and £9.75 (juniors), and three games for £13.75 (adults) and £11.25 (juniors). There’s also special family deals available. A family of four people can play a game for £21.99 or two games for £38.99.  Add £3 per person for a burger meal in the Beach Road Cafe Bar inspired by the sun bleached, chilled-out beach vibe of Bondi.

WHAT TO WEAR: Bowling shoes are provided.

TOP TIP: There is an Odeon cinema just next door. So you can check out a film after your game.

WHAT ELSE: At Tenpin Swansea there’s also an amusements arcade where you can try to win a prise on the claw machines, or, if you like, you can just chill out watching Sky Sports in the fully licensed bar or playing pool on the three American pool tables.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Thomas is the author of Para-News and Sci-Fi Worlds. To buy signed copies of his books visit www.richardthomas.com.

Tomos Watkin Brewery

My column for the February 2013 issue of Swansea Life magazine.

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Big Day Out!

Tomos Watkin Brewery

ON LOCATION: At Tomos Watkin’s brewery in Llansamlet, Swansea Enterprise Park, groups can take a tour of the famous Welsh brewery and sample their award wining beers and ciders. For sat-nav users the address and postcode is: Unit 3, Century Park, Swansea Enterprise Park, Swansea, SA6 8RP.

CROWD SCENE: All age groups over 18 are welcome. Students and under 30s usually choose to go on the weekends before a night out. 

HISTORY: The present incarnation of Tomos Watkin was started in 1995 by Simon Buckley and first operated from a small brewery in Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire before moving to their current premises in Swansea Enterprise Park in 1999. The Hurns Brewing Company acquired the Swansea brewer in 2002 and today Tomas Watkin exports their beers and other beverages to countries around the world, including the United Arab Emirates, China, Singapore, France, and the United States. 

TOURS: The tour consists of a three hour visit and starts with drinks and a warm welcome on arrival from one of the brewers who will give you a 20 minuet talk about the history of the Hurns Brewing Company and Tomos Watkin. This is followed by a tour around the brewery which lasts around half an hour where visitors are shown the full brewing process from raw material to packaging the product.

LOOK OUT FOR: During the tour visitors get a chance to look into the vats where 16,000 pints worth of beer ferments every day for export across Wales and around the world. 

FOOD AND DRINKS: After the tour visitors relocate back to the brewery tap for more sampling of the finished products and there is also a cold buffet including sausage roles, crisps, chicken legs, cocktail sausages and other snacks available.

TOUR TIMES AND PRICES: The tours cost £22.50 per person Monday to Thursday from 6pm to 9pm, there are also Friday tours available at £25 per person from 6pm to 9pm. For the same price as Friday tours, visitors can book a tour any time between 12pm and 8pm on Saturdays.

PARENTAL GUIDELINES: You must be over 18 to visit the brewery at the above times, but there are special school tours available at other times.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Cameras are allowed on the tour and visitors are encouraged to take as many photos as they want of the brewery, or even make a video of their tour.

STAFF: All the staff are dedicated and happy to answer any questions about the process. At the start of the tour chief brewer and tour guide Alex Cunningham hands out samples of the different varieties of malt the brewery uses to make their world famous beer. There is even a chocolate flavour to try.

PROS: After paying for the tour the buffet lunch and drinks are free, and there is no limit on how much you can eat and drink. 

CONS: There is a minimum of 12 people and a maximum of 25 people allowed per tour. 

TOP TIP: Remember to drink responsibly, or, bring a designated driver with you. You can buy some bottles of the brewery’s beers and ciders to take home with you to enjoy later. 

TELL ME MORE: More information is available at www.tomoswatkin.com, or, you can phone 01792 797280. To book a tour send an email to shop@tomoswatkin.com. 

Richard Thomas is the author of Sci-Fi Worlds and Para-News, both available from www.amazon.co.uk. Visit Richard Thomas's website at www.richardthomas.eu.

Skidz Karting in Swansea

My column for the April 2013 issue of Swansea Life magazine.

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Big Day Out!

With Richard Thomas

Skidz Karting in Swansea

ON LOCATION: Skidz Karting is Swansea’s only indoor go karting track. With karts and tracks suitable for all ages and abilities, drivers young and old will have a great time trying to beat each others best lap time on the tracks. Measuring 330 meters in length and consisting of an exciting mix of tight bends, sweeping curves and great long straights, the 6 meter wide main track allows for plenty of overtaking opportunities and provides plenty of challenges for even the most experienced go karter. For sat-nav users the address and postcode is: Unit 1, Rear of Queensway, Swansea West Business Park, Fforest-Fach, Swansea, SA5 4DJ.

OPENING HOURS: During the school term the go karting tracks are open daily between 12pm and 8pm, except Mondays when the tracks are closed. During school holidays Skids Karting is open seven days a week from 10am to 12pm. 

CROWD SCENE: Mixed, there are karts to suit most age groups: the electric Kidz Kartz that travel up to 6 miles per hour for three to eight year olds, Sodi Fun Kid petrol karts for eight to twelve year olds, and the worlds most popular kart the Sodi GT4 for adults.

BACKSTORY: Skidz Karting opened in 2011. Although a popular sport in Europe today, go karting first began on the other side of the Atlantic. Art Ingels is thought to have built the world's first go kart in 1956 in California. Go karting quickly caught on with tracks built in many towns and cities across the United States.

NOTEWORTHY: Along with two great tracks there is also a games room with driving simulators where you can get some practice before you go on the track, a pool table, air hockey table, and a cafe serving light refreshments to check out. 

WHAT TO TAKE? Drivers will have to make a one time purchase of a balaclava for hygiene reasons, but these only cost £1.50 each and are yours to keep and bring back next time. All the other kit, including a helmet, overalls, gloves and a detailed safety briefing are provided for.

PARENTIAL GUIDELINES: There is a great track for younger drivers, providing plenty of fun but still nice and safe with a secure pit lane area for safe pit stops. Children as young as three can take part. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. There is also an arcade near the track. 

TEAM EVENTS: Groups can take part in special events at the track. For groups of ten or more (12 on weekends) there is the Grand Prix. This involves practice laps, heats, semi finals and the final for the fastest eight drivers. Another option for groups of 20 or more (24 on weekends) is the Team Endurance, which includes five minute qualifying then two hours of non stop driving. Trophies are given to the top three teams. There is a maximum of six drivers per team. For children between eight and 13 there are Junior Parties available. Each child will receive either 20 minuets track time or 30 minuets track time depending on the time chosen. There is a minimum of six children on these. 

TOP TIP: If you're looking for a birthday or special gift idea, then why not buy a Skidz Karting gift voucher. They'll make a great gift and can be used as part or full payment for any type of session they offer.

TELL ME MORE: For more information about the events and prices visit www.skidzkarting.co.uk or phone 01792 580927. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Thomas is the author of Para-News, Sci-Fi Worlds and the UFO Files range of ebooks published by Bretwalda Books. For more information visit www.richardthomas.com.

Go Ape! at Margam County Park

My column for the March 2013 issue of Swansea Life magazine.

  
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Go Ape! at Margam County Park

On location: At Go Ape thrill seekers can enjoy up to three hours in the tree tops tackling zip wires, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and hire-wire crossings, but you don't have to be adrenalin addict to have fun in Margam Park. Steeped in history, wildlife and natural beauty, there’s something for everyone inside the park. Located in Port Talbot, along the eastern rim of Swansea Bay, the 850 acre estate boasts a magnificent 18th century orangery, an impressive and picturesque Tudor-Gothic style Victorian mansion house, a 12th century chapter house, ornamental gardens and one of the best deer herds in Wales. Children will enjoy the narrow gauge railway, adventure playground, farm trail and Fairytale Land. For sat-nav users the full address and postcode is: Margam Country Park, Margam, Port Talbot, SA13 2TJ. More information about all of the activities at Margam Park can be found at www.margamcountrypark.co.uk, or you can phone 01639 881635.

Opening hours: Margam Park is open daily between 10am and 4.30pm. Go Ape! is closed Tuesday and Thursday, the rest of the week the Tree Top Adventure is available for bookings at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm. To make a booking go to www.goape.co.uk/days-out/margam.

Crowd scene: Mostly teens and 20- and 30-somethings, many of them students. But there are also some dad's and mum's with their children tackleling the the Go Ape course. There's plenty to keep the rest of the family busy at Margam, if they don't want to swing from the tree tops. 

Back story: The history of Margam can be traced back to the Bronze and Iron Age, and it is even believed that the park’s deer herd was first introduced by the Romans some time after the Roman conquest of Britain in the 1st century CE. Adjacent to the Go Ape Tree Tops Adventure site is Margam Abbey built in 1147 and the magnificent Margam Castle, a Gothic-Tudor mansion house commissioned by Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot in 1830. 

Noteworthy: Borrow an mp3 player free of charge from the kiosk and you'll be able to eavesdrop on voices from the past when you visit eight different spots inside the park. Written by David Hughes and recorded by local actors, these echoes from the past offer a fascinating insight into the lives of people who have worked, visited or lived on the estate over the centuries.

Show business: Today Margam Castle has become a popular filming location for TV shows. Last July the production team for the new drama series the Da Vinci's Demons written by David S. Goyer, who also penned the scripts for Batman Begins and Blade, were busy setting up camp at the castle.

Minimum requirements: At Go Ape as long as you can climb a rope ladder you will be fine. But there are some restrictions. Participants must be at least 10  years old and 1.4 metres tall and no more than 20.5 stone.

Parental guidance: Under 18s who want to Go Ape must be supervised by a participating adult. An adult can supervise either two children, where one or both of them are under 16, or up to five 16 to 17 year olds.

Tickets: Entry to Margam Park is free but there is a parking charge of £3.90. The Go Ape! Tree Top Adventure trail costs £20 for 10-17 year olds and £30 for the over 18s. 

Food and drink: Margam Park's Discovery Centre Cafe serve a range of hot drinks and cakes, but a lot of visitors opt to bring picnic lunches to Margam when the weather is good.

Photography: Cameras are welcome, and the tree tops at Go Ape offer fantastic views of Margam Park and Swansea Bay to photograph.

Disabled access: Disabled parking is available within both the Orangery and castle car parking areas and wheelchair access to the facilities is possible from these areas. Margam also have wheelchairs and an electric tramper buggy available for those with disability problems.

Events: Throughout the year, Margam Park hosts various events from Living History Weekends to Clown Festivals and Charity Walks.

Facilities: In the Visitor Centre in the Castle Courtyard there is a gift shop, park office, toilets and baby changing facilities.

Staff: The staff at Go Ape are friendly and happy to give you all the encouragemnt and help you'll need to stay safe on the course.

Pros: After completing the Go Ape course, you are awarded a certificate to show you are now part of the tribe.

Cons: Swinging from the tree tops is fun, but landings can be a bit muddy if you haven't had much practice on the zip wire swings.

Top tip: Wear suitable footwear with good grip and something you don't mind getting a bit grubby in. Also the rope ladders can be a bit hard on the hands, so bring gloves if you have them. 

Richard Thomas is the author of Sci-Fi Worlds - Doctor Who, Doomwatch, Battlestar Galactica And Other Cult TV Shows available from Amazon and all good book retailers. Visit www.richardthomas.eu.