North Wales; a great day out!

Up early and we are on the way to Bangor, we are heading to Penrhyn Castle - we follow the GPS instructions down narrow one way lanes, across a ford and through fields to emerge right on target. National Trust tickets get us in for nothing and we approach the castle through the spectacular gardens. This castle is a folly built by a wealthy Englishman who made his money in slavery and sugar in Jamaica in the 1800's. He took years to build it and it had all the mod cons of the time. The staircase alone took 10 years for the stone carvers to build and the Great Hall is a masterpiece.

We wandered in as we tend to do and became transfixed by the entry where a guy sat at a grand piano playing beautifully in fantastic acoustics. Funnily we ran into a National Trust guide who took a liking to the Antipodeans as he called us and we chatted to him - fascinating. Ross in his usual manner asked impertinent questions without insult and the guy became a fountain of information - he was at Charles, Prince of Wales inauguration and told us of the bombs set of by the Welsh independence group and about his time in Nairobi, Zimbabwe, Oman, Dubai, Mexico (where he met lots of Australians) and Venezuela. He popped up in various rooms and I think he was stalking us just to chat. We also ran into a tiny little man with a very croaky voice who apologised to Ross that the Renoir was not there above the fireplace as it was on loan to some museum. Ross and he had a great discussion on the chances of it being stolen from the castle. Nil he assures us. Sometimes it's all about the people you meet.

Great castle, well kept and beautifully furnished, mountains to the back with snow still on the peaks, rolling hills to the sea in front with lambs once again and beautiful gardens.

We stopped at Conwy for lunch and again had a toastie which was accompanied by corn chips - must be a Welsh thing. Ross spotted some great OHS incidents just waiting to happen - two guys up scaffolding tilted to the building with no support and on a pavement a metre wide and with traffic and pedestrians right next to them, phew!

On to Llandudno - touristy, old English style piers just like the BBC movies and upmarket accommodation along the waterfront. Beamers and Jaguars and BMWs everywhere. We left the tourists behind and headed to Colwyn Bay for the evening which has the largest wind farm in the world, all anchored of the coast - impressive.The Brits (and Welsh) seem to have a wide variety of power production going.

Up early and homeward bound through the mountains again. Lots of villages with hiking, trekking, camping and biking going on - people here seem either very active or very inactive - an interesting mix. Wales is definitely an outdoorsy type of place even when its cold and windy. We finally arrive at Bodnant Gardens - beautiful - to help with upkeep, the gardens are open to the public, but the original family still live in the Manor House. Waterfalls, streams, sculptures and flowers everywhere.

Toni under the flowering cherry

 

Ross having a snooze in the sunshine

 

Further on to Llangollen home to the canals and the canal boats as well as the Aqueduct and the end
of the canal system. Stop for lunch and a quick walk across the river.

Bought some Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith (spicy fruit bread) for afternoon tea when we get home to Coventry. Yum!