Wales- Conwy, Caernarfon, Snowdonia, and Llandudno

Weekend in Wales

Conwy

Conwy is an walled market town in north Wales.  Conwy Castle and the town walls were built by Edward I of England, between 1283 and 1289, as part of his conquest of Wales.  It's only ~ 2.5 hour car ride from Derby which made

 it a nice weekend visit. 

I don't think they were planning far enough toward the future.... barely room for a car, much less a horse and wagon.

October and the winter clothes are back out... 

nice hilly countryside and ocean inlet

All the signs are in Welsh and English.  We learned you can't fake Welsh.. 

Nice interior shot of the castle 

Beautiful weather all weekend, highs in the 50's and no rain.  

A little blustery on Friday

Another interior shot of the castle with the Welsh flag flying proud 

 A nice replica of the town back in the hey-day

This is classic England.. A castle, a red telephone both, and a fish and chips shop.  (required Cathedral slightly out of picture)

England's smallest house, originated as a fisherman's house, occupied until 1900.  

We got a deal to also visit Plas Mawr, an Elizabethan townhouse in Conwy, The house was built in 1585 for a merchant named Robert Wynne

This is the family crest of Robert Wynn - not sure what was going on here..  

Food a plenty back then 

Day to Snowdonia.  Driving early in the morning.   A slate mine in the background. 

In town at the train station of the only rack and pinion train in the UK.  

A tight fit all the way to the top.  

A nice view (almost) all the way to the top.

The rack and pinion.. 

We entered the clouds about 300 ft from the top... I bet the view looked great .. 

Ahhhh, what could have been.... 

Just like Mt. Everest in the summer... it crowded at the top (only ~ 3000 ft elevation).

The trains are either coal with boiler (it has to stop half way up to take on more water to refill the coal bin), or diesel.. We got the diesel..

Lots of walkers and mountain bikers along the way...

Caernarfon Castle

Caernarfon Castle was about 30 minutes south of Conwy.  It was another castle built by Edward I to defend the newly conquered Wales.

 Llandudno

Llandudno is a nice coastal city just a few miles from Conwy.  It was a nice Sunday morning visit.  

Heading up to the Great Orme summit on a cable car

Jay, your sheep are still safe