02
Nov 13

A short break to Wales

After a super busy few weeks at work, Gina decided to take a week off and head over to Dublin for some relaxing times. We umm’ed and aah’ed about whether we should rent a car and travel around Ireland for a few days, or head over to Wales on the ferry to see my family and do some hiking. We decided it would be much more fun to do some hiking and seeing the sights in Wales, so we booked ourselves on a ferry over the Irish Sea. There was much speculation if the ferry was going, as the weather over in Wales was very stormy. Gina read that it was the worst storm in 10 years.
Our super fast ferry was cancelled, so we had to wait to catch the 9pm ferry over to Wales. It went super smoothly – with some of us sleeping the whole three hours. We were greeted in Holyhead by Dad, who took us back to my parents house – and to our super newly decorated bedroom, which was nice. CamperVan art and all! For Monday, the weather wasn’t in our favour to be heading up to the hills, so we decided to have a ‘tourist’ day around some of the places Gina hasn’t yet been to in Wales. After a quick stop at my favourite bakery in Llanrug to get a couple of nice pastries, we headed up the Llanberis Pass to see the mountains, and slowly make our way towards Betws y Coed where we decided to go for a spot of lunch.

Llanberis Pass

Llanberis Pass

Swallow falls

Swallow falls

Along the way, we stopped off at the lovely Swallow Falls – a multiple waterfall system that’s located on Afon Llugwy on the way to Betws y Coed. As it’s been raining hard all week, the falls were quite spectacular, the most fierce I’ve seen them.

Gina at Swallow Falls

Gina at Swallow Falls

Iestyn and the Falls

Iestyn and the Falls

'Afon ffyrnig'

‘Afon ffyrnig’

After a nice stroll around Betws y Coed, looking at the art galleries, we had ourselves a nice cuppa and scone from a local cafe, and decided it would be cool to head up through the Conwy valley and see the mighty Conwy Castle.

Rainbow at Conwy Castle

Rainbow at Conwy Castle

Incoming rain!

Incoming rain

The castle itself is a fantastic place, It’s stunningly located on the Conwy River and has fantastic views all over. We spent a couple of hours exploring every single rooms and hallways, even bumping into my old school teacher that I hadn’t seen for over 10 years.

Iestyn at the tower

Iestyn at the tower

Miniature Conwy

Miniature Conwy

Conwy Castle

Conwy Castle

We finished our touristy day with a quick trip to pizza hut, and then met up with a couple of my friends for a pint and a catch-up in Llanberis before heading home for the evening.

…and because Iestyn happily leaves posts unfinished like this, I will have to finish the job on this one.

After a touristy Conwy escapade, we decided the next day we should also do some nature fun, and selected Yr Aran for our little hike. We didn’t want to do anything too crazy as the weather was uncertain, but in the end it actually held quite nice with no rain, and it was just super cold and windy with some ominous blackness in the sky – just as we like it.
Not much to say about the walk otherwise, it was not extremely eventful. Iestyn took a nice panorama picture of the view but there was a rusty stick smack in the middle of it, so it kinda spoilt it. I took a great selfie up on the top.

Up Aran

Up Aran

Iest taking panos

Iest taking panos

Selfie!

Selfie!

View from Aran

View from Aran

On the way back to Dublin our (fast) ferry was cancelled again due to bad weather, and we had to take the big slow one. The storm was epic and the sea really rough this way round, so I got all sea sick for the first time in my life and was throwing up all over the place. I was not nearly the only one either, the whole thing was basically just a chain reaction started off by a little girl, who felt sick and did the only reasonable thing at such situation – ran to her dad and threw up all over him. Anyway, Iestyn was fine of course, but refused to go to the captain to tell him to use the stabilisers on the boat, which would have been appropriate I think.

IMG_3128

Anyway, I spent the rest of the week in Dublin, which was boring as per usual, but sunny and nice nevertheless. We went to the Dublin National Gallery and I liked one of the paintings too.


06
Apr 13

Wales Easter

After a long absence from this blog (note the gap on the right between April 12 and February 13 – loads of stuffs happened in that time btw; but if stuff happens and nobody blogs about it, has it really happened? I might still be able to reconstruct some of it and backdate it), I think it’s time to clean up the spiderwebs here and update the journals a bit.
Easter came late this year, and even then the winter was still having a tight grip all over Europe. Freiburg had been insanely grey, depressing, cold and gloomy for four months straight, and the sun hadn’t been showing any signs of reappearance. It was tiring and made me grumpy almost non-stop. I was looking forward to having a week off over the Easter of course, but wasn’t having high hopes for seeing the sun along that time, as the UK was reporting loads of late snow, killing the sheep in Wales and Scotland. And on top of that it turned out that I would have to fly to Helsinki for some work meetings straight from the vaycay. But anyway, vaycay is vaycay, I grabbed my new book, and packed a suitcase (which had to have work clothes in it, so was very jam packed, and was getting progressively heavier along the trip somehow – objectively verified by all the airport check-ins).

Wednesday 27th March
Train to Frankfurt, flight to Dublin, no special events. In Dublin Iestyn picked me up from the airport and the day got better. Amazingly, there was sun in Dublin! I don’t think I saw Dublin otherwise yet. (It was still very cold though.) At Iestyn’s place, there were loads of pressies waiting for Gina, just because she likes getting pressies – now that’s my kind of man! We went for a lovely dinner in this noodle/sushi place, can’t remember its name. (Yamamori Noodles). Real cheese cake served for dessert! (I have to say this, because here in Germany they have a “cheese cake” that’s not actually a cheesecake, more like quark cake. It’s not bad, especially now that I know what to expect and not get my hopes up, but I still wish they called it something else.)

Thursday 28th March
We got up early, caught a taxi down to the ferry docks, and yes, it was snowing. The sea was calm though and whilst on the way between Dublin and Holyhead we actually started seeing blue skies and sun from our premium window-based seats! Because the wifi was slow, I started playing with my new compact camera, which I brought for the trip, to get familiar with the settings and such. I also made a trip up on the boat deck, which was in the sun, but extremely windy, and there were no white recliners or parasols or anything like that you would expect. It was cold too.
In Holyhead we caught the train to Bangor, and in Bangor the bus to Caernarfon, and in Caernarfon the bus to Groeslon… it was all very very tiring. But at the end we made it and got a bit of rest. Iestyn decided though that he needs a new pair of shoes (he’s a little princess like that), so we headed to Betws-y-Cwwd (or whatevs) for him to get hiking boots in the outdoor store (as his heavy ones are still in the ‘burg, and he wanted a lighter pair anyway). He also got there a new hat, just like my riot red, except his is bittersweet brown. He flirted with the sales guy a little and got a 10% off the shoes – I could learn something here!
As it was Thursday, pub quiz was on, which I was looking forward to, although it was in a whole different place than usual (and by usual I mean when I was last in Wales a couple years back). Neil and Michaela and her friend joined us, and it was fun, except for the picture round which was crap and was not actually a picture round. Unfortunately, they took ages between the quiz and the results, so we gave up and left, and don’t know how we did.
We watched something from bed, I cannot recall exactly what it was, but I totes watched the whole thing until the end.

Caernarfon

Caernarfon

Pub Quiz at the 'Ship and Castle'

Pub Quiz at the ‘Ship and Castle’

Friday 29th March
I woke up, despite Iestyn sneakily having pulled down the blinds on the window the night before when I was not looking (I had just closed the curtains), so that no daylight would come in in the morning. It was SUNNY! And I mean proper sunny, with no cwmwl yn yr awyr, complete delight! I jumped up and down on the bed until Iestyn acknowledged the day started, and crawled out of bed to toast us bagels for breakfast. After a hearty breakfast we made tea into our respective thermoses, and set out on a nice hike.

Might Cnicht

Mighty Cnicht

Retro Iestyn

Retro Iestyn

Gina heading up Cnicht

Gina heading up Cnicht

We selected Cnicht, even though it’s a bit overdone (I mean we had been up there several times, we even camped up on the top one New Years a couple years back), but we decided to take the long way down, going up Moelwyn Mawr on the other side of the valley as well, making it a nice full-day walk. About last third up the way on Cnicht we hit the snow, but there was not much wind and the sun kept blasting, so it was a nice stroll. Once we were up on the ridge, the wind actually picked up, and it became unmistakably colder. There was plenty of snow up there, and it had a solid crust of ice over the surface, so once we begun climbing Moelwyn Mawr on the other side, crampons might not have been completely out of place. We didn’t have them, so we just sucked it up, and Iest did the work of blasting trough the ice with every step, so it was quite easy for me to just follow in his path. Eventually we made it on top of Moelwyn Mawr, where the wind was especially strong, freezing and biting mightily, so we didn’t linger for long, and started descending on the other side.

Iestyn ontop of Cnicht

Iestyn ontop of Cnicht

Gina looking over towards Moelwyn Mawr

Gina looking over towards Moelwyn Mawr

Moelwyn Mawr

Moelwyn Mawr

Coming down Cnicht toward Llyn yr Adar

Coming down Cnicht toward Llyn yr Adar

Gina, Llyn yr Adar and Snowdon

Gina, Llyn yr Adar and Snowdon

Gina Moelwyn Mawr summit

Gina Moelwyn Mawr summit

The whole loop back to the car took us about six hours (no rush) but towards the end I was already quite tired, my feet were wet and I was starvatious. It was a good opportunity to go worship Pete in Llanberis, provided he’d be open for business, which we weren’t sure until we got there, but open he was! So we made it two huge hot chocolates with whipped cream for starters and two veggie grills as per usual (not able to finish). At that point I was ready to just take a shower and drop dead in bed, but I mightily managed to watch whatever movie it was that we watched in bed, and didn’t fall asleep prematurely. Uncle buckle (utterly abysmal)!

Saturday 30th March
Sunny again! Could not believe it. Iest was still a bit overwhelmed by the walk of yesterday, so we decided to go to the beach. I wanted to go surfing, so we looked up the webcam surf, which Iest thought was not good enough. I think he would not know a good surf if it bit him in the tushy (mmm, tushy). Anyhoo, we went to Anglesey, because I like Anglesey a lot, it has first class beaches and epic view of the snowy hills.

Crepe times!

Crepe times!

First we hit Rhosneigr, a nice (if a bit run-down) little surfing town, where we had coffee and crepes (Iest has the “Clown” variety with M&Ms and ice-cream, sometimes I really wonder…), I bought the Guardian, which of course I began reading in the car and got carsick, always happens. But we arrived in Llanddwyn, my fave beach of them all, even if there were quite a few people due to the beautiful weather. It was so epic, we walked around to the lighthouse, around the dunes and the horses, in the sun sun sun… One distressing event cast shadow over the day though, which was the painful discovery that there was no film in my lomokino!

Minature Sea Shell!

Minature Sea Shell!

Yes, it happens even to the best of us… Iestyn of course took the opportunity to rub it in my face for the rest of the day (and week), just to make me feel bad and have some laughs at my expense. Not cwl! I miniaturised him in return. But even so, the day at the beach was lovely and fun.
Lovely Indian for dinner.

Miniaturized Iestyn at Llanddwyn

Miniaturized Iestyn at Llanddwyn

Sunday 31st March
Sunny again, unbelievable! Decided for Mr. Ellis loop, as we had to be back at some reasonable time for Easter lunch/dinner. The sun in the snow truly was blinding, and given the fact that it was a Sunday, Mr. Ellis was a bit of a tourist highway. But never mind  lovely little walk anyway. The stone hideout on the top had a beautiful thick layer of ice on it, and it was cold and windy up there. Beautiful views towards the Snowdon ridge and all around. Went the second valley down from there, and finally saw a cute little oen bach close up enough, all fluffy and confused.

Heading up Moel Eilio

Heading up Moel Eilio

Ice on Moel Eilio

Ice on Moel Eilio

Snowdon from Moel Eilio

Snowdon from Moel Eilio

Oen Bach

Oen Bach

Easter lunch/dinner was yum, and included mushy peas (I took Iestyn’s too), and once again on this vaycay, we overate and topped it up with ice cream.

Monday 1st April
Cloudy but still sunny patches. We decided to go to Chester, which btw is already in England (didn’t know this!). Chester was nice, even if a bit crowded, as it was a holiday and everyone went shopping. I bought a nice top myself and also a couple of dvds (turns out that hmv didn’t actually close all its stores!). Also, I bought Bon Jon Jovi’s greatest hits for the car! Ahh, memories.

Tuesday 2nd April
Already time to go. We found a schedule on the internet of bus and train to get us to the ferry on time, but then we were done packing an hour before time and just went to the bus stop blindly, to see if we can catch an earlier one. Amazingly, one was going in about three minutes to take us to Bangor. In Bangor, the train to Holyhead arrived about five minutes after we bought the tickets, again totally unplanned. With all this, we ended up in Holyhead a long time before our ferry was supposed to leave. It turned out that we could just about catch the earlier one! We just had to pay a bit extra, and run a bit to actually catch it. Given that it was the faster boat (our original tickets were for the slower kind), we were in Dublin hours before originally planned. We spent the rest of the day leisurely in Dublin. Also, I brought awful cough from Wales, which was then haunting me in Helsinki and for more than a week still in Freiburg.

This is the final video from our Easter trip, including sea, mountains and the ferry:

Wednesday 3rd April
Sad, sad day of Gina leaving. Helsinki was pretty as ever (sunny until Saturday when I left!) but I was coughing and lonely.

Helsinki

Helsinki


22
Jan 12

Beaumaris

Beaumaris Castle

“The town is the capital of Anglesey. It has a promenade Pier (admission 2d.) and provides facilities for bathing, boating, bowls and golf. Near the Castle are the Corporation Baths. Mixed bathing is allowed.

The chief object of interest is Beaumaris Castle (admission 2d.), which no visitor should miss seeing. It covers a large extent, but is not of great height. It is now under the care of H.M. Office Works. There is an outer wall with ten low towers, and an advanced work called the Gunners’ Walk. On the outside of it’s walls are rings for mooring the vessels that came up to it by a marine canal. The main structure is nearly quadrangular in form, with a large round tower at each angle. The banqueting hall, the state rooms, the domestic apartments, and a small chapel reached by a wooden ladder near the site of the old racquet court, may all be distinctly traced.

The castle was built by Edward I, who then changed the name of the place from Bonover to Beaumaris, a French word descriptive of it’s pleasant situation on low ground. The only event of importance in the history of the Castle was it’s surrender to the Parliament in 1646.

The grounds are tastefully laid out and contain tennis courts.

The Church (Sunday services 8, 11, and 6:30; daily service, 10) was erected in the latter part of the thirteenth century, but the chancel dates only from the sixteenth century. It contains some ancient stalls, which finely carved misericords, monuments to members of the Bulkeley family (the best is in the vestry), a stone, on the south side of the communion table, in memory of the father of Sir Philip Sydney (d. 1563), and a tablet in memory of David Hughes, a native of the island, through whose beneficence the town possesses a Grammar School, erected in 1603, and Almshouses. The north door is secured by a stout wooden bar drawn from a cavity in the wall. (One of the two gates of the churchyard is kept unlocked for the admission of visitors.)

A curious custom, the origin of which in unknown, annually in November marks the close of the Anglesey Hunt. A quantiy of hot pennies is shoveled from the balcony of the Bulkeley Arms Hotel into the waiting crowd below, and they scramble for the coins to the accompaniment of music played by a local band.”

Banks.-Lloyds, National Provincial, Midland.
Concerts and entertainments in the Pier Pavilion.
Early Closing Day – Wednesday
Ferry.-The Bangor Corporation steamer plies houerly between Bangor pier and Beaumaris pier, Fare, 8d.; 1s Return (children, 4d and 6d. Weekly, 4s. (children 2s.).
Golf.-A capital nine-hole course about a mile and a half fom the town. Fees, 2/- day 10/- week.
Lawn Tennis, Bowls etc in the Castle Pleasure Grounds
Motor-buses run from Bangor Station several times daily all the year round via Garth Ferry and Menai Bridge. The buses also run between Beaumaris and Llangoed.
There is a steam ferry between Beaumaris and Garth Point, Bangor, in the summer months.
The Liverpool and North Wales Steamers call daily during the season.
Population.- 1.839

Beaumaris is still a lovely wee town, with a very beautiful promenade and an epic vista of the Snowdonia mountains over the Menai Straits. The castle has always fascinated me, as it’s moat still pretty much surrounds the castle today, which gives it a lovely feel. I do love the old retro photograph of the castle with all the Ivy on it.


19
Nov 11

Llyn y Dywarchen

Llyn y Dywarchen

Llyn Y Dywarchen; ‘The lake of the Turf Island, is a lake steeped in myth and legends. It’s a small lake, located above the village of Drws y Coed, in Dyffryn Nantlle, which sits between Y Garn and Mynydd Mawr which rises sharply at either end of the shores.

As mentioned in the ‘Llyn Bwlch y Moch‘ post, in the 19th century the lake was extended by building a wall on the South side of the lake, and also, the direction of the river flowing out of the lake has been changed, from flowing down the River Llyfni into Dyffryn Nantlle, to now, flowing into the Afon Gwyrfai, and into Llyn y Gadair – just behind Rhyd Ddu.

It’s the lake that Gerallt Gymro (Geraldus Cambrensis – an early historian) described when he wrote about a floating island on a lake, as he and his party passed the lake on the way to Caernarfon, while they were enlisting men for Third Crusade in 1188AD. The floating island was either made of turf, or a slab of peat that broke away from the mainland, or detached itself from the bottom of the lake and floated to the surface, and was being kept afloat by the gasses, such as methane  that came out of the marshlands. He noted that farm animals would often be seen marooned on the island, as they would walk on the island while it was resting on the shore, and it would suddenly drift off.  The scientist Edmond Halley (of the comet fame) confirmed that the island was indeed floating, as surrounded by on-lookers, he swam out to the lake, and started rowing – to which the lake floated along! But, unfortunately, the Island we see in the lake today, isn’t the famous floating Island.

There are many legends surrounding the shores of Llyn y Dywarchen. This is the land of the ‘Tylwyth Teg or the little people. As the Legend goes, a young man was returning home to Drws y Coed from Beddgelert, on a bright moonlit night, and came across a number of ladies known as the Tylwyth Teg, who were going about their nightly tradition of dancing and frolicking. Charmed by the beauty of the Ladies, he fell in love with one, and leaped out into their circle, and stole one of the Tylwyth Teg and wanted her to be his wife. She refused, but became his maid instead, but if he found out her name, she would marry him. He heard the other ‘fairies’ talking about her one evening using her name, so she married her with a warning not to touch her with iron. Unfortunately, while attending to his horse one day, an Iron buckle from the saddle touched the Tylwyth Teg, which in a blink of an eye, caused his beloved to disappear for ever.

Another short legend from the lake, is about another man who spotted the Tylwyth Teg one evening, going about their nightly frolics, and invited the man to join them. They danced away, resulting in the man being transported away to a beautiful country, from which it took 7 years to return.

I don’t know much about the old building which once stood where the car park to the lake is now, as I can’t seem to find any information about it online.


11
Jun 11

Llanberis

The Upper Lake

Llyn Peris

With the aid of the beautiful road linking Pen-Y-Gwryd and Beddgelert, the two highways running south-eastward from Caernarfon encircle the mountain mass collectively know as Snowdon. The more easterly road from Caernarfon is accompanied by the railway as far as Llanberis.

By Llanberis is meant the modern village of that name. It contains the railway station and is a good two miles from the old village. It is a common centre of the motor routes from the Betws y Coed, Bangor, Caernarfon and Beddgelert, and the quarter chosen by the great majority of tourists who make the ascent of Snowdon, the Glyders, the Elidyrs, and Moel Eilio. The village is situated on the western side of Llyn Padarn, a lake two miles in length. The lake is connected with Llyn Peris by the river Seiont. Boating can be enjoyed on both lakes, and the lakes and rivers alike afford sport for the angler. At the northen end of Llyn padarn is a picturesque stone bridge leading to a Roman camp at Dinas Dinorwic, about a mile off.

A feature of Llanberis often overlooked is the Ceunant Mawr (the ‘big ravine’) with its waterfall, well worth a visit after heavy rain, though less effective in the dry weather. The fall is about 5 minutes’ walk south of the village, up the lane on the right just after crossing the stream as one walks from the station.

At Llanberis begins the ascent of the magnificent Pass of Llanberis.

Llanberis nowadays doesn’t have a train station, but it does indeed have the World best cafe – Pete’s Eat, and by itself is worth a visit! I love how we managed to pin point exactly the first shot here, it was an epic journey, with beautiful views, sunshine, and sunglasses.


20
Feb 11

Nefyn & Morfa Nefyn

Nefyn and the Rivals

Porth Dinllaen

Nevin is a remarkably clean and healthy fishing town on the Southern shore of Caernarvon Bay. The beach, one of the finest in Wales, is composed of firm, clean sand, and affords safe and plesant bathing at all states of the tide. Visitors may also enjoy safe boating in the little bay fronting the town. The climate is mild, but bracing. There is unlimited supply of pure water from the springs on the side of the mountain above the town. The scenery is magnificent. In the immediate neighbourhood there are pleasant cliff walks, 130 feet above sea-level, and the surrounding district affords interesting excursions.

Nevis is historically interesting as the spot where, in 1284, Edward I held a grand triumphal festival, at which tournaments were the principal amusement. The site of the lists can still be traced. The Church (St. Mart’s) has a singularly narrow tower, surmounted by a disproportionate ship, which does duty for the weathercock.

Continue reading →


10
Feb 11

Betws Y Coed

Pont-Y_Piar, Bettws y Coed

Charmingly situated among tree-clad hills at the point where the Llugwy valley meets the wider, valley of the Conway, Bettws-y-Coed claims with some justification to be “the Beauty-spot of Wales”. During the season it is besieged by visitors, for although the village consists almost entirely of hotels and apartment houses “Bettws-y-Coed” to the world at large includes also the far-famed Swallow Falls and the romantic glen of the Conway.

The name means “the Chapel (or the Sanctuary) in the Wood,”and woods and water are its characteristics, despite the heavy toll of War-time foresters on the neighbouring hill-sides. To some extent Bettws suffers from its reputation as a “show place”, for it deserves far longer than the few hours usually devoted to it. As a center for walks or motoring it is splendid ; there is first-class fishing and accommodation to suit all tasters and purses. The resident population is only about a thousand.

Continue reading →


22
Jan 11

Dinas Dinlle

Dinas Dinlle from Dinas Hill

Dinas Hill in the Background

Lovers of the open sea should walk out to Dinas Dinlle, on the Caernarvon Bay shore. Take the Pwllheli main road as far as the fifth milestone, and shortly after that the road bearing to the right. By taking train to Llanwnda the walking distance may be reduced to 2 1/2 miles, or the bus to Llandwrog reduces it to little ore than a mile. The sands are of the best, and the views of Snowdonia superb.

The antiquarian interest too, is considerable. Here Watling Street ended. It’s modern representative is the stony track to the immediate right of the building that was the Caernravon Bay Hotel. Dinas Hill is an old roman encampment.

Well! This little wee book brings out every kind of knowledge. My parents live really close to Dinas Dinlle, so I know the place very well – spending most of my summers here, swimming in the sea with my friends, I love the place. I have a massive attachment to it, as nowadays, I come down pretty much everyday (when I’m at my parents house) to go for a run, or take some photographs.

I never knew that Watling Street ended here, an ancient trackway in Wales & England. Dinas Hill has always fascinated me. It’s being eroded away now, very quickly (as the photos above also shows) – the sea bashes it every year, and you can literally see chunks sliding down. It gives really nice views of Snowdonia, especially the Nantlle Ridge, and Snowdon itself. Tiss a nice wee place.

Picture wise, there’s two main differences, more people now come to Dinas Dinlle – in terms of living there, and holidays, as we can see more houses and a huge caravan park on the first picture. The main thing on the ‘now’ picture of ‘Dinas Dinlle from Dinas Hill’ is the addition of the wave breaker. I remember as a kid going down to the beach, and the person in charge of doing these wave breakers was no other than my granddad. He’s a Welsh farmer, but did some jobs for the Local Council back in the day – and he was the one with his digger, moving and shaping the whole breaker. Good man. He was also in charge of doing the walkway that can be seen on the second image. So it’s nice to know that Taid did some major work here, as it has helped to get some super nice sand to play in on the beach.


27
Aug 10

Caernarfon

Caernarfon castle through ages

or Carnarvon, as per our awesome guide, had to be the first stop in our retro-project.

Caer-ar-fon “the fortress opposite Anglesey” stands just within the western entrance to the Menai Strait, at the mouth of the river Seiont. It is the ancient “metropolis of the hills” – the chief town in that mountainous stronghold known as Eryri, and the best view of the town (that from the path leading to the Baths) still shows the stout little fortress backed by the wild and rugged giants of Snowdonia. Carnarvon is the best modern representative of the British fortress Caer Seiont, and of the Roman military station, Segontium, and in position, beauty and historic associations there are few towns, if any, in Wales to compare with it.

Yes, yes, that’s quite right. In fact, there are few towns altogether, not only in Wales, that can compare to Caernarfon. Also, the seagulls. The guide doesn’t mention them, but we love them, and love to be woken up by their cries early in the morning. (Yes, we.) So what does the guide have to say about the castle?

Admission – sixpence; children 3d.; parties over 20, 3d each.
Open daily 10-8 or dusk, Sundays from 12 noon to 6 or dusk if earlier.
Entrance by King’s Gate, on north side.

With the exception of that in Alnwick, in Northumberland, Carnarvon Castle is “the finest in Great Britain”. Dr. Johnson, who visited in 1774, observed in his diary: “The Castle is an edifice of stupendous magnitude and strength. To survey this place would take much time – I did not think there had been such buildings; it surpassed my ideas.”

Seriously, a sixpence? The prices have gone horribly up, haven’t they? They made me pay like a fiver. Worth it though. Specially up the towers – everybody should do that. And who ever heard of Alnwick?


18
Nov 09

Snowdonia – Coniston Waters – Edinburgh

Once in a little while, something happens in your life, that makes you realise how awesome life can be. I’ve just experienced this, on a 10 day road/walking trip in the beautiful, beautiful country that is Scotland.

I started my journey on the 17th of November, by heading up North to Coniston Waters, Lake District. Tiss a lovely wee place. My plan was to camp there over night, but I arrived on one of the worst days – weather wise to hit the UK in a long time, so pretty much everywhere was waterlogged. Not happy. I checked myself into a glorious wee pub, and slept in a peachy pink room, where I felt manly. I spent the night in the pub, drinking some really nice local beer, and chit chatting to the locals.

18.11.09 – I woke up, had a bath and managed to scorch my foot. (This became a nuisance later or for me, really uncomfortable pain (but fear not jolly readers! I pushed on!)

My destination on this glorious fine day was Edinburgh. Edinburgh Airport for 13:15 to be exact. Off I drove, cruising up the motorways, without a minute to loose, as landing at the sky port was a beautiful wee girl – who was gonna join me on this lovely adventure. Regina landed safely. I was greeted by her warm, beautiful smile, and a mammoth bag pack.

We found ourselves a lovely little Hostel, and hit the town, went for some food, catching up, and drinking.