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| Machynlleth Townclock, 1873 |
From Aberystwyth we took the A487 to Machynlleth in rain and fog about thirty minutes north, stopping there to pick up a few extra warm clothes before continuing on to Snowdonia National Park. The scenery as we climbed was absolutely breathtaking and it was almost impossible to concentrate on driving and take in the stark beauty of the Park at the same time. The narrow road clung to steep and bleak cliffs of rock, stunted trees and gushing streams, then sudden open areas of brown grass where sheep and cattle were seen in the drizzle and occasional gusts of hail. Oncoming traffic either gave way or let me pass with inches to spare, my hands gripping the wheel like grim death the whole way. It was altogether an extraordinary sight and not what we had pictured Wales to look like. The Park, like our Mt. Megantic Park at home in Quebec, was designated an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2015. We were disappointed the rail car to the top of Mt Snowden was not running (due to circumstances beyond their control - which I assumed meant the high winds. The Severn Bridge we had just crossed yesterday was closed today as well). We walked along Llanberis Lake to the Blade of the Giants, a 20 foot steel sword sculpture placed in a huge rock to raise awareness of the history of the Princes of Gwynedd and their contribution to the area's Welsh heritage.
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Blade of Giants, Llanberis, Wales
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Leaving Snowdonia we continued on to the coast, crossing onto the island of Anglesey over the Britannia Bridge. We stopped for fuel in the town with the longest name in Wales, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogochto, just to say we had been there, and crossed back over the Menai Bridge to the mainland. The name by the way means 'The Church of St Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the rapid whirlpool and the Church of St Tysilio near a red cave.' Our step stop was Conwy Castle 10 miles up the coast, It is a huge medieval fortress that has towered over the town Of Conwy for 700 years, built by King Edward I in just four years between 1283 and 1287, containing the most intact set of medieval royal apartments in Wales. He only stayed there once, trapped by a Welsh rebellion in 1294 and was said to have spent a miserable Christmas with just one barrel of wine in the castle cellar for comfort. If it was anything like the bitter wind howling around the towers and stone walls when we were there I can feel for him. I don't think I had felt so cold the whole trip. Our next stopover for the next two nights was the resort town of Llandudno, on the Creuddyn peninsula, just over an hour drive east of Liverpool. We were certainly looking forward to relaxing for a few days and enjoying Llandudno's beautiful stone beach here on the Irish Sea, walking along the 19th century pier, weather permitting, and seeing if it lives up to it's renown as Queen of the Welsh Watering Places.
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| Snowdonia National Park, Wales |
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| Conwy Castle, Wales, by W. Turner! |
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| AirBnB, Vaughn Street, Llandudno, Wales |
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| Llududno, Wales |
The Gods were smiling when we awoke the next day to brilliant blue skies and a gentle wind, so after wishing our wonderful and delightful host Maria a good day, we decided to stroll along the promenade to the pier, then walk up the road to the limestone headland known as the Great Orme. Orme (named by the Vikings and meaning serpent) became the common name for this headland during Llandudno's burgeoning tourist trade in the 1800s, the majority of visitors arriving by sea and the headland the first sight in their three hour journey from Liverpool by paddle steamer. Tomorrow we will due it by car in one. It was yet one more magnificent piece of scenery to greet our eyes since we arrived in Wales. We were also delighted to see, directly below us on a large sand and gravel patch among the rocky shore, close to a hundred grey seals lying just out of the water. A definite highlight of our trip so far. Then, after another half hour, we clambered up off the road onto a barely visible trail that ascended to the very top. Here in the short grass we encountered a few grazing sheep who ignored us and even more spectacular views. From there it was a slow walk down the other side into Happy Valley Gardens, the town's public park and back onto the promenade to rest our legs. As I mentioned tomorrow we are off to see John, Paul, George, and Ringo and cross over on the city's lifeblood, the River Mersey. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah I cannot wait! GWS
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| view of Llandudno's pier from the Great Orme |
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| wanderings on the Great Orme |
