Wales, UK

Wales

After the butterbeer in Stratford upon Avon we set off to Wales.  Where else in Wales would you start but “Welshpool – Where Wales Begins” as the website states. 

Elona typing

We actually stayed just outside of Welshpool at a nice guest house on a working farm. The first thing I noticed as we drove in was this brilliant statue of a beautiful great dane at the front door. This was a photo opportunity not to be missed so I bent myself down next to it and of course that was when the owner opened the door and there’s my arse saying hello – fabulous!!!!

We were ushered into a lovely front room with a huge stone fireplace and comfy couches surrounding the room – very homey. We were served tea and awaited the arrival of his wife Henia; who obviously is in charge of the whole guest house thing. Henia greeted us warmly and took us up three flights of stairs that showed us that she also had many rooms in her beautiful guest house, ours included which was a two bed attic room and was very roomy and nicely decorated. Henia gave us instructions on the two choices for dinner; Welshpool – an hour and a half walk in one direction or a local Inn - an hours walk in the other direction. We chose the Inn and once we figured out how to get off the property we were on our nature adventure walk of a lifetime: bunnies, squirrels, ducks, swans, spiders, birds, cows and of course sheep…there are loads and loads of sheep here in Wales J 


The walk was lovely and a number of photos taken but nothing beats that moment when you walk into a full bar and everyone stops and looks at you – our response “Ok what’s the best local cider or lager we should try?” Well that did the trick and the locals began to talk. It was a fun night but one we needed to cut short with the thought that the walk home would not be as pleasant in the dark. So after a lovely dinner and some fantastic Cider (no kidding!!) we headed back to the guest house for some much needed sleep. Breakfast was in a dining room that was straight out of a medieval novel with hunting paintings and a raging fire (because remember people it is summertime in Wales!!). Breakfast itself was shared with a lovely man who we found out was on the Dykes walk. Now the whole Dykes thing started to make sense; obviously not to you but let me explain. The owner asked if we were dykes the day before – well that’s what I heard with the accent, and I thought that was a little personal but hey ‘different strokes for different folks’ anyway they also asked us if were ‘on the dykes walk’ at the Inn and again we were thinking it was some athletic homosexual group but no, we finally learn that the Dykes Walk is part of a ten day trail that many people from all walks of life participate in. Talk about giving us a giggle – when we explained this to the man we shared breakfast with he also thought it extremely funny. After breakfast it was family Skype time and after speaking to Mandel we realised that a trip into Welshpool was needed as Mandel needed some signed paperwork from me. This was a little more difficult than it sounds but it was done and then we headed off to Llandudno (this is said Clandood… as in wood… no: Clandoodno).

On the way we decided to pop in and see a castle (as we do) this was Powis Castle just outside of Welshpool. Most of the great Welsh castles were allowed to decay when the medieval wars ended, but Powis survives as a captivating example of a military stronghold which was preserved and renewed by continual occupation. Its fabric contains architecture of many different periods, beginning with a medieval square keep and stone hall.  Powis' mellow red gritstone walls shows us that this stately country house is from a place rich in history. Was well worth the visit – check out the photos – the gardens here were just gorgeous.

After this visit we actually decided to join the National Trust which gives us free entry into many heritage sites and parking which can get very expensive especially when the both of us really enjoy the whole castle and ruins history thing!!


The drive from here to Llandudno is some of the scariest driving I have done to date and yes people this includes Lima and Cornwall's narrow roads. I hit snowdonia National Park where the roads were atrocious and not only did I have to concentrate on not hitting pot holes on the road but also to be at a slow enough speed that when I came around a blind corner and was faced with a flock of sheep I could stop in time. This happened more than three times!!! This put me on edge and then I started to climb and the blind corners became scarier as there was huge drop off the side if I had to avoid said sheep. Obviously some people had not avoided the sheep as on occasion I had to skirt around a dead sheep. I have to say apart fro the scare factor the scenery in this place was simply magnificent - the colours amazing; going from a brilliant green to a coppery brown and back again. The mountains were bare not lush - if you don't count sheep that is!!!!! This drive will always stay in my memories as it was such a weird combination of brilliance and fear - definitely an experience. 

We finally arrived in Llandudno at our guest house called The Carmen. Now in this place we were greeted by the loveliest man, who was very much like John Cleese in Faulty Towers. He sat us down in the drawing room and gave us tea and proceeded to sit on the floor with a bunch of pamphlets and gave us a whole heap of information about Llandudno and the surrounding areas. He is not a local but he and his wife retired and opened the guest house here and he just loves the place. He was very helpful and suggested a wonderful place for dinner and many interesting places to visit over the next few days. We visited places such as Conwy Castle; Conwy itself is a beautiful little port town that we enjoyed some wonderful olives, would you believe, as there was a fabulous Italian stall on the pier and finally we got to eat Scampi which we found out is monkfish (please see photos and check the link - you will be surprised if not a little disgusted - we were!!). Not bad but not a favourite – it was lovely to enjoy it at the waters edge on a lovely sunny day J

We also visited Penrhyn Castle which was originally a medieval fortified manor house, founded by Ednyfed Fychan (God I love these Welsh names!!). The owner decided to build this castle after making his first fortune in Sugar Plantations in The West Indies and then continuing his fortune in slate that he quarried and exported from Penrhyn. Can I just put in an aside here that Megs and I had one of those weird and wonderful conversations of how do you know you've reached your second fortune?? and then is it because the fortunes were made in two different areas?? Again these are the conversations that keep us amused. Ok back to it: Penrhyn Castle is one of the most admired of the numerous 'mock' castles built in the United Kingdom in the 19th century and even had Queen Victoria visit – how’s that to make yourself popular! Having said that, the man was made of money – it has been estimated that it cost the Pennant Family about £ 150,000 to build the castle. This is the approximate equivalent to £49,500,000!!! And that really didn’t skim the surface of his fortune at the time because when the queen did visit he had to make all sorts of changes to her guest room that cost a small fortune in itself.

The many conversations that ensued after this visit about whether we would be uppity enough to build a whole new castle or whether we’d go the ‘I have loads of money but respect history and heritage’ way and buy a castle and do it up – was just hilarious!!

We both absolutely loved Wales and it was really good to see the north this time for me as I had only been to the south previously but now it was time to head to Scotland.

Elona's puppy

Just after this photo was taken the owner opened the door to be greeted with Elona's bottom.

Nature walk along side the canal in search for the local pub for dinner.

The area is just magnificent 

With the sun just starting to set.

The shadows added to the atmosphere...

of nature's balance.  Swan families swimming the canal, many squirrels and rabbits darting out of way, made the walk very comical. 

The outside steps leading to Powis Castle.  The castle was originally designed as a medieval fortress around 1200.  The Herbert Family did remodelling over 400 years including extensions and refurbishing that created this wonderful castle and gardens which is now overseen by The National Trust.

We quickly learned that it is important to read the opening times on the tourist information.  We were very lucky this day as we showed up at 11.30, a whole hour and a half before the castle opened to the public.  Lucky you say, absolutely; for two reasons, the coffee shop was open and we were able to join a tour to the non-public areas of the castle......very cool and extremely interesting.

Dragon door knocker (how ostentatious!!), he gets a little friendly if you turn your back.

It was worth a try....

I am not sure what this tree is called maybe Lon will be able to give you more information???

Ok this is called the Giant Yew Topiary and is groomed for over 300 years to get to this

magnificence.

And the gardens still look very similar to what they were in 1916.

Where the Castle ends and the Gardens begin.

Massive estate

Sleeping puppies - actually a lot of the garden statues depict nursery rhymes 

there is a whole line of these looking sown at the garden

Tunnels through trees give you that whole 'Secret Garden' atmosphere

Wonder what is at the end of of the path

Admiring Nature at the end of that path would you believe?

Dragon Heart???

View of the castle from the Gardens - it is truly magnificent even if it really

isn't an 'old' castle in the standards of history

Megs admiring the baby grapes on the vines

Elona on a mission...  Park and Pay normally you get an option fairly close to where you park the car.  Not in this car park, it was quite a walk.  Doesn't the blue and pink Oxford pullover Elona bought for Mandel look great??? )It was bloody cold!!!! I had nothing else to wear!!!)

Scampi or otherwise known as Monkfish tail.  Not too bad but having seen a photo of a monkfish, I for one have decided that it now goes to the bottom of the list of possible seafood meals. 

(The link is worth it!!!!!!)

Elona and all her mussels. This is a huge draw card to this place;

Conwy Mussels are quite famous here in Scotland

Conwy castle is a gritty, dark stoned fortress which has the rare ability to evoke an authentic medieval atmosphere. The first time that visitors catch sight of the castle, with the dramatic Snowdonia skyline behind it, they know they are in the presence of a historic site which still casts a powerful spell. Including the fright you will get from one of the unseen birds as you walk past their nest. This was hysterical I'm telling you - I did try and capture the look on Megs face but missed it!!

Conwy, constructed by the English monarch Edward I between 1283 and 1289 as one of the key fortresses in his 'iron ring' of castles to contain the Welsh.

St George and the Dragon legend is very big here in Conwy

The breakfast room at The Carmen in Llandudno always greeted

us in the morning with lovely music playing softly in the background

The sitting room

Dave and Gwen fabulous Carmen hosts.