After about a week of holidays I was ready for a break. I had gone on family outings, visited the inlaws, taken the kids out but still something was lacking. The wargamer of course has to feed his addiction or else end up like Gene Hackmann going cold turkey in French Connection Two. I do sometimes show an interest in more politically correct topics but these are rare and usually end in “awkward” scenes. We visited the majestic Llantony Abbey in the Black Mountains. Here, the soul searcher can seek solace amongst the most picturesque ruins…..

The boys and I sought out the Stone of Vengeance on the trail to Tretower. Hidden amongst the bracken our Welsh compatriots ambushed a Norman Lord who had upset the locals. My youngest reenacted the deadly bow fire by throwing sheep dropping at a passing Duke of Edingburgh Award Scheme group. This will one day be an interesting  scenario for SAGA perhaps, the Welsh Dark Age ambush rather than the irate teenagers evading the cascade of pellets.

On returning to the campsite, I thought I might teach them more of Dad’s bushcraft but all they learnt was a few more swear words. Has anyone ever started a fire with a twirling stick? I used a box of firelighters and two flares to get the furnace going. Our sightseeing also included Hereford and its gem of a museum that I had not visited for nearly forty years, and it hasn’t changed much.

I did try and show an interest in smocks and milk pails but there was ‘proper stuff’ to look at. Roman and Saxon finds are well represented, with a range of interesting artefacts. There are Saxon spearheads, the seal of Owen Glyndwr and weaponry from the Civil War.

It was a gem of a place to visit. They had moved with the times, there were child- friendly exhibits but that did not detract from the experience of simply being in a place where you could simply stand in wonder. My favourite was the Marden Bell, forever linked to King Ethelbert, murdered by Offa ( who was after his wife) and held, if the legends are to be believed, by a pond dwelling mermaid! Now try and find those stories on your Twitterfeed!

Of course, after I gave my two boys a synopsis of Dark Age Mercia, son number one hit son number two with a milking stool and I thought it time to leave the treasure trove. The longer the holiday lasted, the more I realised that boredom is indeed boring and travel really does broaden the mind. Nowhere is this more evident than in our annual place of pilgrimage, Portsmouth.

I love this city. Southsea beach has everything for me. As the family longingly gaze at the hovercraft and fair, I can be found alongside the memorials and museums with eyes glistening. Son number two was again to be found re-enacting the Relief of Dehli by the time I had finished my patriotic ramblings- again with stones but this time against visitors who may well have been relatives of the Mutineers at a guess.

It must be because boredom is so unbearable that the mind compensates. After hours in amongst the arcade games I was ready for tales of Nelson and daring do on the high seas. The Naval dockyards are fantastic and also are home to an amazing militaria dealership. The curators are so knowledgeable and approachable. As a family we were entertained by the stories of the ship’s surgeon and the armourer. Done well, living history can bring so much to an understanding of in this case H.M.S. warrior. Obviously I was in tears by the time I reached the place of Nelson’s demise. By then however, son number two was eyeing up the cannonballs and I thought it best to beat a retreat.

The holidays are now over of course. We did have one final visit to Ogmore Castle but by now the whole family was getting restless even before I claimed that we were related to the twelve Norman knights who conquered Glamorganshire. I have also claimed previously that we are related to the Count of Flanders, the Norman Duke of Boulogne and of course the leper King of Jerusalem. I think I’d better moderate my claims for our surname before they start doubting?

So, there you are, I admit it. Modern people may not survive life without their internet connections. I can’t stand to be amongst the mundane and those places without a history, and usually a violent , exciting history at that. I do think that a few hours spent completely away from the world of work can have a most positive effect and let’s be not too ashamed if our interest is in the great tales from a rich history. Who cares if my holiday pictures from Mallorca are somewhat….erm…specialised!