Mountains, Moats and Mint Cake

Day Eighteen – Nantmor Wales

Today was a great day, one of the best yet. Conwy Castle, The Great Orme and much more. Not only did we see and do a LOT, but the weather was also suprisingly kind to us for once. We slept in a little, Jenni and I having been up quite late and the weather forecast being typically grim.

Tomorrow we're going up Snowdon on the rack and pinion railway. Thus far we've had zero luck with the "automated phone booking system" referred to in every pamphlet about the place. In order to make sure we got on the early train (and paid the *discount* rate of 60 quid!) we decided to divert slightly fronm a direct route to Conwy and drive up the Llanberis Pass. This not only got us an amazing drive NOT to be missed, it also allowed us to go right by the bottom station and make a booking in person.

The drive up through Beddgelert and then through the Llanberis Pass is stunning. Even in the intermittent rain and low cloud it is breathtaking. Everywhere you look there are massive towers of rock, incredibly steep hillsides and cascades of water. At least we had the rain to thank for some great waterfalls. This is the Wales I remember best from my childhood and Jenni is rapidly coming to understand just why I so wanted to come back.

Once we had booked the Snowdon trip for tomorrow we continued on down to the coast North of Caernarfon and then up and around to Conwy. At last we got some decent motorway driving and made some good time, arriving about 11:30am. The inevitable pay-and-display machine was out of order (mechanically, not "ethically") so we got another freebie. Having already driven round and through about three quarters of the town walls to get to the carpark we walked straight up and into the castle.

Conwy is in some ways a lot like Caernarfon – massive, Edwardian, palatial (literally) and coastal. In other ways it is quite different. The stonework is much more random and the constructions materials generally smaller piece by piece. This is not to say the workmanship is not impressive. In fact, you have to give them credit for creating something like this with this sort of stone. Much of the walls and towers are also more broken and in disrepair by comparison, although in still very good condition for a structure of this age.

We spent about an hour climbing up and down, through, round and about. It was pretty damn breezy up top and quite cold but at least the sun wasshowing itself on occasions. The view from the top was great and we took a lot of pictures both of the castle itself and also the town, town walls and quayside. I snapped a couple of lovely pics of a lovely timber two-masted sailing ship for Dad.

In town we wandered down Castle Street until we found a great little cake shop. Lunch was accordingly some tasty sausage rolls and a brilliant vegie soup by the quayside. Jenni and the kids went into The Smallest House in Great Britain while I wandered about the quayside.

On the way back to the car we stopped in a proper sweet shop and I at last got my hands on something I would likely sacrifice a limb for – Romney's Kendal Mint Cake. For a mint addict like me this stuff is ambrosia. I've already eaten a third of a quite large bar and had to make Jenni hide it so it doesn't all disappear tonight. ;-)

The weather being so generous we took a drive after lunch, across the bridge at the foot of the castle and down to Llandudno. A quick jaunt through the town and we were driving up the Great Orme. You can get a tram up which is pretty cool (I did that was a kid) but it was pretty blowy and given time was getting on we settled for driving up. The drive right to the top is great fun, the gradient being 20% and full of sharp turns and wonderful views. You cross the tram lines a couple of times before you reach the summit.

At the top we parked the car and went for a wander. I took some photos of trams and the view while Jenni and the kids burnt off afternoon tea in the playground. Jenni had bought the largest custard slice known to man to share with Anna, but ended up eating the majority of it herself as Anna was unimpressed. On the way back down Jenni took some surprisingly good pics of Llandudno given being in the car.

We drove back through the Vale of Conwy and then through Betws-y-coed. We stopped on the way to take some pics of the Afon (River) Glaslyn, down through the Pass of Aberglaslyn as it flows between Beddgelert and Nantmor. The rain was back in fits and spurts but we didn't care much, we'd had a great day in the sun for once.

PS. The Reds have just finished my day off nicely, winning 4-1 in Europe. Bring on the Scum on Saturday... ;-)

Cheers,

Millsy