Caitlin Mae's mother, Helen, invited me to her daughter's 21st birthday party on July 15th 2023. I managed to sort out accommodation in Caerphilly for that Saturday night.
Caitlin and her family have been living in the Welsh town for several years. Caitlin was now a successful and popular pop-country singer, songwriter and guitarist. I discovered Caitlin's music during the lockdown of 2020, and I have seen Caitlin perform in person at the Ilfracombe festival, in September 2021, and the Country on the coast festival, in April 2023.
I travelled to Caerphilly from my home, by bus, train and a rail replacement bus. I caught the 10.43 Great Western Railway service from Reading to Cardiff Central. The train was not too full and I was able to have a cup of tea and biscuits while listening to CDs on a portable CD player. Due to planned engineering work, the train passed through Barton on Avon and Bath Spa on route to Bristol Parkway. The train travelled the normal route in to Wales and stopped in Newport. The train arrived in Cardiff just before 1pm.
There was more engineering work on the Rhymney valley line from Cardiff to Caerphilly and beyond. Instead of a train there was a rail replacement bus which took me to Caerphilly. I arrived about 2pm.
My check in time for the Ty Castell guest house was 4pm, so I had a couple of hours to explore. However, not long after I had arrived in Caerphilly there was a heavy rain shower and I had to find shelter in a doorway.
Caerphilly is a small town of around 41,000 and is situated at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley. Caerphilly or Caerffili in Welsh, has a large castle, a shopping centre, several pubs and coffee shops. The name "Caer" means fortress in Welsh. There are many other Welsh cities, which use "caer" in their name, like Caernafon and even Cardiff's Welsh name is "Caerdydd".
I chose, an independent coffee shop opposite the castle and I had a caffe latte and a piece of cake. I also walked around the castle's peremeter and explored Morgan Jones Park, which is dedicated to the town's former MP.
I checked into the Ty Castell Guest House along St. Martin's Road, and only a short walk from the railway station. I received a warm welcome from the owner, Stephen, and I had a ground floor en-suite bedroom. I had a cup of tea and scone, and I got ready to go out.
The party was at the village community centre in the small village of Maesycwymmer. The nearest railway station is Hengoed, on the same line from Cardiff and Caerphilly. However, Hengoed is further "up the valley". I travelled to Hengoed station by railway replacememt bus and then I walked to the community centre. The footpath was along a former railway line, and part of the route was across a viaduct. The views of the valleys from the viaduct were stunning.
I met Caitlin, and her parents as well as several friends of the family and other people involved in the UK country music scene including musicians like Stuart and muso manager, Rachel Sellick.
During the evening Caitlin and her band played live music on stage, and they included some of Caitlin's original songs as well as a few covers. Someone had made a lovely cake. There was a buffet of snack food and a mobile bar, serving alcoholic and soft drinks.
When the party was over and the hall cleared, I had a lift back to Ty Castell from Caitlin's father.
Jonathan Barker
August 2023
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