When we decided to tour around Wales most people we spoke to said that it always rained in Wales . But as the whole of the Britain was having a bad summer it doesn't seem to matter where we went.
We started at the northern coastline and spent the next 2 weeks driving around the coast line with trips into the centre then back to the coast. There is a walking path around the entire coastline of Wales and roads or tracks leading to somewhere to park to look at the view or start a walk.
Yes it did rain. In fact on one day almost the entire North was flooded with highways closed, an outdoor weekend concert similar to Woodstock was abandoned with campers’ vehicles stuck in mud for days, children canoeing down streets and caravans stuck in camping grounds on grassy pitches.
On that day we abandoned the sightseeing when visibility got like this.
and headed for a pub and asked if we could stay in their car park. Harry is front wheel drive and we have found out on other occasions that moving around in steep hilly wet country is not to be advised. We spent the day tucked up on a nice flat space with wifi and a good 3 course meal for 10 pound each. Luxury!!
We feel a bit like imposters arriving at places just to look and not to walk, although we have been known to walk some of the places as they are just so beautiful. On our first night we stayed in the car park of the Blue Bell in the old mining town of Halkyn .
I got my first Welsh pub sign here.
The people here have a busy social life centred around activities at the Pub. The Welsh are very hardy and great walkers. Around 7pm they gathered in the car park to start their evening walk up the mountain and back. I wondered what they would see with their heads in the clouds.
We stayed out of sight until they left and went into the pub for a drink and chat. When we saw the social activities in the bar, they walk Wed, Thurs, Sat Sun and Mon.
I am glad we didn’t join them.
Almost everything in Wales is written in two languages. It takes a bit of getting used to as the Welsh is written first and as we tend to read from the top down we almost miss the message.
The slow sign is the exception.
I think Wales could challenge New Zealand for the amount of sheep in a small area. I am not sure if the jokes are the same.
It doesn’t matter where you look there are very, very white sheep just like Mary’s lambs enjoying the green, green grass.
Some areas seem to have sheep on grazing rights as we see them everywhere.
We found these two out for a stroll.
And here is Baa Baa Black sheep!!
These sheep were frolicking in the park when we stopped to look at these sculptures of miners having their lunch break. The sculptures were in wood with copper vests, rather nice compared to the usual stone or bronze sculptures. We really liked the one reading his newspaper and having his sarnie.
Our aim was to drive around the coastline as much as possible with forays into the middle.
On the way to Anglesey we passed through this town with a very long unpronounceable name.Llanfairpwllgwyngyll.
We loved Anglesea and Holeyhead it was very wild and natural. Holy head is known for its sunshine, or so the sign says.
We got used to being wrapped in cloud one minute and the next it was clear.
The predominant scenery is very hilly, bright green fields and very grey sombre buildings and Bridges. Stone is very plentiful here.
Occasionally a white cottage is added and splashes of colourful wildflowers.
Everywhere is hilly which adds to the wild beauty.
We drove down this very steep road to the beach for a swim only to find the tide out. The bathing huts were really cute and we could see by the steps into them that the water can get quite high.
Fishing villages figure prominently and splashes of colour are added by boats and buildings.
The beaches can be sandy or rocky or stony.
The seaside shops are forever hopeful that summer will come.
We had to be careful of moving off of the road as stone walls line the roads and are not very forgiving as we found out.
In the Uk you have to pay to park almost everywhere and we got used to seeing this sign.
The morning of the big rain we went to look at this Priory and to save driving in the rain. As we went to drive in to look at the ruins a parking man ran out into the rain to collect our parking money.
INTERESTING PLACES
STONES CROSSES AND BURIAL MOUNDS
Northern Wales has a lot of historical connections to Ireland especially Holyhead and Anglesey and we had an interesting time hunting out these spots.
The Achwyfan Wheeled Cross thought to have been erected around 1000AD. The carvings on the shaft are similar to both Celtic and Viking carving. We were amazed to find the cross in a field where the farmer sews his crops all around. There is no covering roof to protect it from the elements.
This is a photo of what the cross looked like in an 1886 so the elements are certainly damaging it.
Another time we went to see the Penrhos Feilw Standing Stones also in a farmer’s field.
BARCLODIAD PREHISTORIC MOUND. Here we tramped over grassy hills to see a Burial Mound. It had a central burial chamber with massive decorated stones reached by a stone lined passage, covered by a large mound of soil.
I thought our cave paintings in the Kimberley were more interesting.
MT SNOWDON
Hiking up Mt Snowdon.
The view from the top.
I can’t tell a fib I borrowed the walking poles, I deliberately left mine back in Harry. We took the cheats way up Mt Snowdon in a lovely train. Much more civilized.
We can't wait for Spring and Summer 2013 but right now we are really looking forward to going home to see our family.
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