North Wales - places to visit
There were different reasons for us to visit North Wales. One of us, who likes Scotland and the Lake District, was keen to see Snowdonia National Park and take a look at where his maternal grandparents lived. First of all, we drove to Anglesey and stayed near Beaumaris.
Beaumaris is a lovely coastal town which offers everything for a quiet few days. Go over the old Menai bridge, turn right and, as the sat-nav says 'follow the A five four five for five miles' (ish). The town has an interesting Georgian hotel, The Bulkeley Hotel, built in 1832 to accommodate Princess Victoria and her mother on a Royal visit to the island. No more than 50 metres beyond this, is one of Edward I's castles. Beaumaris Castle was never completed but it's lovely to explore; entry is less than £10 per person.
Another stunning site to visit for half a day, is the Parys Mountain Coppermine, near Amlwch at the north-east of the island. When the sun shines to highlight the colours, it's stunning! Appropriate shoes and clothing are recommended, plus a rehydrating drink. There is no entry fee and car parking is free.
You can see Puffin Island from Anglesey and excursions are bookable but we didn't do this.
If you are a National Trust member, include a visit to Plas Newydd House and Gardens. Close to the newer bridge (on the North Wales Expressway) is the village famous for its long (unpronounceable) name, of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, from where you can travel by train to Crewe and its many rail connections.
Across the Menai Strait to the North Wales mainland are more castles, such as Caernafon and Conwy. Places we did not have time for on this visit were many of the castles, beaches and the quirky village of Portmeirion. Our plans to visit The Great Orme and Snowdon were thwarted by unusually strong winds.
Driving south along the A5 through the scenery of Snowdonia, we passed 'The Swallow Falls Inn' (a name that conjures up an image that makes me laugh) on the way to Betws y Coed, a pleasant town with plenty of gentle riverside walks. It has a railway station, a railway museum, a golf course, shops, tea-rooms, nice places to stay and a caravan park all within walking distance of the centre... not bad for a village with a population of under 500 people.
Our next destination was Llangollen. A lively place with so much to see and do within walking distance.
The River Dee runs straight through the middle of the town. There are gentle, shallow parts where supervised children can paddle, and (sometimes rapid) flowing water for kayaking. The railway station is next to the bridge in the centre of the town, with round trips along the Dee Valley (you need to check on which days the steam trains run). Across the road from here is the canal and marina - day trips can be booked, including horse-drawn boats - or you can hire narrowboats for a few days.
Back to Llangollen, there are many eateries and shops. Dominating the town is Castell Dinas Brân, which is walkable via a steep footpath, so take sustenance. Dinas Bran is roughly as high as the Chirk tunnel is long - just over 1,000 ft.
To reach Plas Newydd, an interesting 18th century house, cross the A5 from Church Street and walk up Butlers Hill. There is a tea room at the entrance and large grounds to relax in - a front lawn, a formal garden immediately infront of the house, and Grade II listed wooded gardens that encompass a babbling brook. To visit the house itself costs less than £10 per person which includes a device that provides an audio of the history, room by room. The most significant element of the house is the spectacular carvings that adorn the whole house.
The 'two ladies of Llangollen', who lived together at Plas Newydd for half a century, were buried with their loyal maid, in the churchyard by the River Dee.
Photographs of the house and garden are included at the foot of this post.
Finally, within a short drive of the town, other places to visit include Horseshoe Falls and Horseshoe Pass and we enjoyed the drive over Minera Mountain and through World's End.
I've tried to keep it brief but please add to the comments if you'd like to know more.
Plas Newydd
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