Camping, Walking, Castles, Two thirds my perfect holiday

Well my last post was all about the walking holiday I have just been on and many of you may say that, that was no holiday. Where is the beach or the pool, the cocktail bar, the sun etc. Well I’m not into any of the usual holiday spots and I do quite like the idea of hiking and walking and looking at the wonderful country we live in soaking up our rich countryside and heritage.

Now on the holiday I took last week, it was one of my first proper camping experiences, and while I feel I will not go it alone just quite yet, I did rather enjoy it. Not as much as staying in a hotel, and having a wonderful cooked breakfast and being able to fall into the shower but none the less I did not grumble and if I am to carry out the next holiday plan in a cheap manner then camping is the only way.

That holiday is again walking, but with the added obsession of mine Castles. Wales is littered with them, and before 2012 I wish to have explored most of them. The northern shore has been done, and thanks to last week I have now completed one of the mid/south part of Wales. Therefore I am now planning a camping holiday that replaces walking with looking at castles, and trains, bridges, and canals just to make it ultra geeky.

The following posts will be filled with the castles I wish to visit, and the start of this grand plan. What is worrying is the amount of people who also wish to take part in this little adventure. Not that I am complaining, as I need the people with tents and sleeping bags but most important of all I need the good company of my friends.

So who knows within the next week or so, I may be setting up camp waiting to visit many a castle.

I’m now off to read all about the castles I may visit at some point in the future.

http://www.castlewales.com/

Under Cavas, 3 Peaks, Several Castles, Motorway through City and Still Snowdonia Rules

Well if you have managed to get to the end of that very long impressive title, then just put a thought into me, and how I feel after the past two weeks. Earlier in the year I came out and said I had not had a holiday in over ten years, and so in March I decided to switch the phone off and pack the car and drive to Snowdonia in Wales. Five months on, and 2011 seem to be my year for taking breaks, as I have now clocked up six get aways so far with the latest two supplying the backbone of this delightful blog.

Day One

Day one was to be fun. I thought it would just be a drive up to Fort William, a whole six hours but never the less it needed to be done, otherwise my mate would be sat outside his tent all sad and lonely and would have to climb Ben Nevis himself. He had decided to  set off at stupid O’clock to get up there, to miss the traffic, I decided to leave at 10 O’Clock to miss the traffic and so after filling the car boot with my other mates camping gear, off we set.

The drive was going well, and the weather for once was holding out for me, as you may remember in past posts, when ever I’ve travelled on the M61 and M6 the rain has decided to fall, but this time it remained dry. However my bladder had other ideas, and the a stop was called for in my usual service station on the M6 North.

As I pulled out from the station a little engine light appeared on my dash, and being the driver who can’t ignore a little rumble or tick I had to pull over to get it investigated. So an unscheduled 3 hour stop in Carlisle was on the cards. The nice people at VW run a shuttle bus into the city centre, so you can have a look at what turned out to be a very nice city.

Now my thoughts of Carlisle up to that day, had been pretty empty with images of a dirty town. How wrong I was. Its lovely and I’m sure when the sun shines it sparkles. Our first trip was to head to the castle, and how nice it is to. I played the amateur historian once again and reeled off several what would become incorrect facts to my friend. The castle was a lot older than I had thought and the town and the keep had an extremely long past.

After a quick look at the station to watch some trains come in, and take pictures for my train nut friend, it was time to leave. I was quite disappointed by this as at 15.15 a steam locomotive would be pulling in to this wonderful ornate station.

After a long drive and the most peculiar motorway in Britain, and I am off course referring to the M8 that seems to drive not around but through the historical city of Glasgow we were on our way, and at 7pm we had arrived at the campsite.

Day 2

The next day at stupid hour we forced ourselves up and began the walk. Now if I was by myself I would have just carried on walking up and down, but with company, I tried to slow my stride and start topics of conversation. Now Ben Nevis is a pointless mountain, if it wasn’t for the fact that it was the biggest in the UK then no one would give too hoots about it. The view was nice in places, the walk up was dull and long and was extremely man-made for tourists, and the cloud filled summit put pay to any kind of achievement. We made it back to the campsite within seven hours which the notice board had instructed was the average time.

With this we headed off into Fort William, where a quick fill up off petrol and some scram and we were on our way to the Lakes. Now I’m not a big fan of the lakes, but the next mountain would change that. The trouble was I had to get their without falling asleep. My mate kept on over taking and getting in front, but we had the last laugh as we turned off on to the M74 where he just carried on (the reasoning is still unknown why the his TOMTOM did this), so ended up some miles ahead of him. We only realised this when he had sent a message to us commenting on the monsoon just after Glasgow. We had already driven though that about 30 minutes before which was not fun, and it still amazes me on the amount of people in hazardous conditions like that who still refuse, to reduce there speed and increase the distance, and turn on their lights.

As we drove through the lakes being stuck behind slow-moving cars, trying to overtake, or driving on single track roads, with horses and sheep in the way, my eyes were beginning to fall. We made it to the campsite, with a toilet about a mile aways from the tents, and no showers, but we had drink and a BBQ and that was all that was needed.

Day 3

I awoke to bright sunshine and a clear blue sky. It was 5am. I hurried off to the WC, and climbed back into my sleeping bag not in the WC I had off course walked back to the tent before I carried out this action. I had a feeling that this day was going to be a good one. When I woke again at 7.30 the sky had decided to darken, and the sun was replaced with heavy rain. the day could not get any worse. That was until my friend locked my keys into the car. Luckily my break down cover had just become active and after a 100 mile round trip the nice mechanic got in and unlocked my car. I was now determined to climb the pike no matter what, and so in the afternoon, we set off and clambered our way up the to the top.

Rather than boring you into the climb itself, I will post links to my friends site who details the walk. All I will say is that I kept on stopping as my legs were not in the mood for another climb and my other friend shared the same feelings. He even commented the next day that the best bit about the walk was the conversation about tax. Our other friend went striding ahead, while I took it slow and stopped to examine the rocks and the formation of the hill-side, after about half the route, we were getting into a rhythm even thou that meant, walking for a minute, stopping for 2, we were still making progress.

By the time we got down, food was in order and we decided another night would be spent at this campsite rather than the original plan to drive to Snowdon, as it was now late, and the thought of pitching a tent at 11pm was not an encouraging one.

Day 4

Off we set to Wales with a little detour to Barrow for a cooked breaky. We only did this, because I saw a sign that said Lancaster 40 miles, Barrow 9, and I was hungry and knew they had a means of cooking food. So I tried to get my mates attention in the car in front to tell him the new plan.

Now Wales is mine and my car and tent buddy favourite of all places. We joked it was like we were returning home. We talked about which path to take up Snowdon as there are several, and this was decided when we all arrived into Wales. We drove to the start of Pyg and Miners and then scooted down towards Watkins to examine the path there. Now I had done all but the Watkins route and this was the course we decided to climb weather permitted. All which was needed now was a Campsite. There are loads of these littering the landscape, and both me and my mate knew which one we wanted to stay in, but we still suggested other areas, before setting up camp underneath Tryfan.

The soil smelt like raw sewage, but luckily there was a strong wind to blow it away, unfortunately this was bad news for our other traveling companions and their giant tent which almost blew away. After a fifteen minute slog of all hands on the deck we had secured there home for the night in the strong wind.

Day 5

This would be the longest I had ever taken climbing this mountain, and it was mainly because I had company. After a quick indication into the car park, only to see that it was full, I quickly re-directed my route to the Park and Ride further down the pass. We spent about five hours walking the route and stopping to look at the views. my friend and I concluded that Snowdon rules out of all three, my other companion preferred the Pike I think, but he also prefers the Lakes in general as well. There is something about this mountain that I adore, and love, it has a strong hold on me, and a power which causes me to return. After talking with my friend, we both agreed, that the lure that draws me back could be down to the fact it is my first mountain I can remember climbing and ever since I got the train when I was a kid, I had wanted to climb her.

After lots of stopping and taking millions of photos of the train, we were back on level ground, and it was off to Harlech to see one of my favorite castles, and walk along a very nice beech. With this it was time to say goodbye, and the drive back to Manchester, but with a quick pause to do a focus session and a meeting in Manchester I would be getting back in the car to drive to the Brecon Beacons.

Day 6

This is really Day 6 of a holiday, but it just makes the whole boring blog flow better, rather than putting Day 9, and having all you 3 readers go ‘what! Where did day 6,7,8 go?’

I picked my camping buddy up again, who had decided to forgo the train and hitch a lift with me, and so off we went at a steady pace of 60 mph which was making excellent results for my MPG, as by 200 miles I was had still not used half a tank. The MPG would go out of the window come the drive home, as the entire M6 was at a standstill, and the nice 2 hours from Birmingham turned into about four.

As we got into Wales, he decided on pointing out all the castles, and at one point I told him to keep an eye on the road as I turned my head to look at the castles myself. If there are three objects that would cause me to have an accident, they would be Castles, Bridges and dogs. In fact the week before, I told my friend, that every time I shouted dog (which would happen on more than one occasion and would often follow with me looking at the cute cuddly creature, then my passenger would shout ‘Road!’ this worked quite well, as he didn’t have much of an interest in mans best friend, but he seems to like a castle as much as the next man, and when I’m the next man, that is quite a lot. On this particular occasion, when I shouted out, keep and eye on the road, he was still busy trying to spot the old brick fortress as well, so for a while my little polo was flying solo.

We made it to the campsite and had burgers and cider to celebrate. The pitch was some way from the showers and the loo’s, so you had to time when you needed to go accurately, and incorporate the time it took to walk into your decision to go to the loo.

This camping trip was different from the week’s before, it was more laid back and casual, there was no rush to complete anything or to be anywhere, if we had woken up at 12, we would have done a shorter walk, where the week before we were aiming to be up and down mountains and at the next campsite, as we only had a limited amount of days to compete it all in. Therefore the drunken mess that occurred on the evening of Day 6 would have been very out-of-place on the previous days.

Day 7

We awoke, and started walking, and because we didn’t need to be anywhere the 16 miles walk lasted for a good eight hours, plus there were parts which were an absolute bitch, and made the mountains last week look speed bumps. I spent a large majority of the walk, with my heart pumping, as I have a phobia of sheep, and at one point as we entered a field filled with the woollen things, they all started to move, making that horrific noise, I was quite motionless. To picture the scene, imagine Jurassic Park, or a stampede of Wildebeest then multiply it by 1000.

We returned and had a good old pint in a pub then went back to the campsite to shower, being lazy according my friend I decided to drive to the shower block my friend decided to hitch a lift even after he had made the ‘Lazy’ comment. We returned to pub and had more pints followed by food and even more pints, followed by a good game of cheat, that still amazes me the amount of people who don’t fully understand the rules or the aim of the game. To put it simply it is to cheat, get rid off all your cards, by cheating, if you can’t go, because you have no fives put a seven down and say its a five. Easy! No?

Day 9

Was home time, and like with the lakes, we diverted our path and went in search of a Morrisons Breakfast, before heading off home. Myself and my companion, made another detour to a castle and we both wished we had more time to explore it, as it was an extremely interesting place.

To conclude, some of you may remember I posted a blog several weeks ago about the 3 peaks, and saying it would be a first real camping trip and I was unsure about the whole experience. Well in all honestly I did enjoy it, the people, the walks, the drives. I am now about to plan another camping trip where we do a spot of castle hunting and try to do all the castle I possible can. It was never the sleeping in tents that I had issues with, when it came to camping, more the fact of not having a telly in the room, or a hot shower a stones throw away. I don’t ever think I could do it by myself, not yet any way, so when my friends are all busy, it will still be hotels for me, but when there free, I can see me setting off and pitching in some field some where. The sweep stake is on, on how long it will be before I buy me own tent.

Links

Ben Nevis

Scarfell Pike

Snowdon

Weekend on the A46

Well this weekend was spent drinking and driving. Not together I would like to point out. I don’t even have a shandy or lemonade top when I drive, even when I have several hours between each activity. However with that aside, I carried this two past times of mine out on separate occasions. I was of visiting a very good friend down in Warwickshire.

Now before we go on, I should say that my knowledge of this area, is very limited. the Midlands seems to be a big place, with lots of towns that you’ve heard off, but would never have associated them as being placed in the middle of the country. With all that being said this area of the country seems to lack history. The inventory of the weekend was pretty empty, my hosts struggled to find activities to please my narrow mind, however we soon did find areas of interest, but due to cost I vetoed them.

This blog is all about my weekend, and what I learnt, and what my eyes saw.

The Weekend began picking up my friend who had been up visiting her Mother, and she would play the part of the sat nav. As you may know from other adventures in my car I am not the biggest fan of the M6, north and south bound, however travelling at a nice 60, to increase my MPG, keeping the rev’s under 3000 I enjoyed the drive. The M6 seemed to have disallowed any lorries or idiots on the road, and after two hours we arrived in the village where my friends had relocated to. The First night was spent drinking a box of cider followed by several cans, while watching my favourite of all past times, the wonderful act of comedy. The players were part of the Channel Four Gala, and to be fair, a lot of my comedians failed to feed my appetite for this enjoyable pastime.

With the morning I was treated to a cooked breakfast, and then it was on to decide what the day would bring. Now a lot of people would guess we would head to Warwick Castle, and we would have if it was not for the entry fee, of £36.00. We did find a castle only pass for £16.00 but even for me this was slightly too much to hand over, but we headed to Warwick anyway to have a look around the town. Now the town is very nice and there’s a rather nice church, I was trying to work out how old the church had stood for by looking at the gravestones, but all were dated after the 1800’s. There was however an interesting history with the Church, as it seemed that it use to have windows at ground level, that have now since been bricked up. This brick, looked new, but also looked worn which could suggest the windows being bricked up due the window tax which could date the church back to the 1700’s if not before.

From here, we looked at a possible wedding venue,(my friends are getting wed) which is connected to a later building I saw on my visit, but use to be an old hospital. With the castle being rejected by myself and I can understand some of the shock in reading that. Me rejecting seeing a castle, but even a lover of these buildings, the thought of entering a commercial castle, built for fun and attraction did not appeal, plus I’m a cheap skate. We did however move on to a toy shop, that had model trains at the back of the shop, and lots of discounted engines and carriages. How I wish I had room for my own train layout.

We quickly got back in the car, after I had almost orgasismed  at the train sets and off we set to Coventry. Now my friends did not want to return to this concrete town, as they found it boring with nothing there. I however wanted to experience the cathedral, and boy what a sight. The old bombed ruin stands in equal stance to the 1950’s concrete and coloured glass marvel. The rest of Coventry was nice, I think I have a thing for 50’s and 60’s architecture, especially when it is mixed in with that of Tudors or other classic designs.

Now we had already been to Coventry once today, as the first visit on the list of my friend’s place of work to see his theatre. I did joke that there really most be nothing to do, if we are sight-seeing a university, that is called Warwick, but is actually in Coventry. Luckily I don’t think they do a degree in geography.

Now while in Coventry I did spot a castle, an old style Motte and Bailey, I have included a picture of the evidence so you can all see the proof, and wonder why I got so excited by a patch of grass with nothing on it.

We then headed to the transport museum, which is really a car museum, or history of the motoring vehicle as opposed to a transport museum which I told them so on the feed back form. “Where were the trains, and canal boats” I wrote. However apart from seeing the land speed record-breaking car, and the Chopper, my first bike that I learnt to ride on… actually thinking about it I could have learnt on the Chipper??!!??, anyway apart from that there were two interesting pieces. The old style cars from the early 1900’s were good, but what was better was the old buses, and the double-decker bus test. I did not know this, but every bus is tilt tested to 28 degrees, to make sure it doesn’t fall. It’s little things like this, and my love of concrete modern towns and Castles that will help me remain single.

From Coventry we retired back to my friend’s home, and had Chinese, which took an age to get. Other people were coming into the shop, and getting their food orders quicker than us.

The next day we went to Stratford, to see a mutual good friend and their new addition to the family. There eldest had a Brio Train Set, which kept me entertained, along with the giant pop up book and touch and feel books.

We moved on to a castle, a castle that we walked around, but weren’t allowed in, even tho my friend had a sticker from when he last visited, he refused to hand it over for me to sneak in. Next time I’m going in as reading about Kenilworth its full of history, from Normans, to Tudors, through to the Civil war, and the reigns of the Georges, including the Lord who built the hospital in Warwick. It also looked immense, and extremely impressive.

After that there was just the very nice Sunday Lunch, with home-made gravy, and plenty of Coach Trip and Made in Chelsea which I feel my friend may now be hooked to as well.

The drive home was just as pleasant, a little bit rainy, but again, I did 60 m.p.h and got home in good time. In reflection it seems that Warwickshire is home to history, and a lot of Tudor houses for some reason and plenty of driving on the A46. But I didn’t go down to sight see. Well I did want some castles, canals, and trains, but I achieved the main purpose of the trip, and that was to spend time, and catch up with one of my best mates.

The Holiday I Didn’t Want to End!

Right Stand by people here comes a big post. I will also make it a page, so it doesn’t get lost in all the other rubbish that I let rip on here. As you may be aware I have been on holiday. Yes that’s right. A holiday after eleven years of working I decided enough was enough and that a holiday was needed. Some where I could get away and not have contact with the outside world and I certainly chose the right location, although my facebook was on.

Snowdonia National Park was where I was going to base myself for the next five days in a lovely hotel called the Grapes. I had no network on my phone while in the hotel, or if truth be told when I was out and about. Apart from, the top of Snowdon did give a very good 3G reception 1000m above sea level.

So I set off at about 10.00 after my morning run, and plugged my Brothers TOMTOM in, to see which direction it would guide me. The IQ route said Wrexham and then the A498 and after two hours, where most of it was winding country roads I had arrived my hotel before check in. So time for the first activity of the holiday. Thats right, one my favorite past times… Castle spotting.

Harlech

Off I drove past my hotel and onward to a small village which I have fallen in love with. If and when I retire I am going to live in this sleepy suburb. On the way to my destination I suddenly discovered what people meant about the roads in Wales and I might as well say my piece about it here. I love them. 60 m.p.h along rolling bendy narrow roads I spent a lot of my time getting lost on purpose, just so I could ride the rollercoaster that was the A Roads of this peaceful pleasant area. They were also smooth, not pot hole or rough, they were a real joy to navigate and lets face it, navigation is easy in Wales. You only have two roads to choose from, the one towards Porthmadog and the other to Ffestiniog.

Anyway I was speeding toward Harlech for one reason and one reason only and that was the Castle. And it did not disappoint. It appeared as I came round the bend, looking down, like it was surveying the village. It was wonderful and is now one of my top five. The History is simple. Edward the I built it, then lost it four years later which even he has to admit it was a little bit careless. “Edward, you are a fool, how can you lose a big castle. You better not misplace Carnofen especially now I have the Kitchen the way I like it” Just like women not to understand Edward thought. In fact he had not lost it, more had it taken away from him by the Welsh uprising. The day was cold and dark, and one of his generals came rushing in “Sire the peasants are revolting” The general said. “I know I can smell them from here” Edward said sniggering. Before he knew it the Castle that had taken 7 years and had cost £8,000 (£3,000,000 in today’s money) had been snatched by the Welsh just after 4 years of completion. “Well you don’t have to worry about the leaky roof now Sire” his servant uttered as they packed up.

The Castle was only in the Welsh hands for a number years, but it was where Owain Glyndŵr held court decided to move in. The English soon regained control. The rest of the Castles troubled history saw it involved in the War of the Roses and as a hide out for Charles I during the Civil war.

The rest of this peaceful village was a joy to walk around, and is well worth a look. If you are going to relax, then you could do no better than walk down to the stunning beach, which is masked by impressive sand dunes where you navigate through the golf course to land on the golden sands and tranquil sounds of the Irish Sea.

The day was completed by me settling in to my hotel, which as I have said above was great. Wonderful pub food, and friendly staff. A real warm welcome, where the  manager would ask you about your day. I got into a little routine, of returning back to my room and feasting on the complimentary biscuits and drinking the tea that never quite taste like it should. Then I would slowly make my way down to select my tea from the vast menu, and retire to the privacy of my room. I would then take a bath to soak my legs and find myself falling asleep at 9pm, ready for the next day.

Snowdon

Oh boy, and what a day. The weather was sunny, the sky was clear. The BBC had informed me that it would remain like that, as did the Snowdon weather site. So of I set towards Snowdon. This is a great drive, for two reason. The scenery and the roads. I drove through Betwsy Coed, which I would later return to have a look, and unless you are starting a walk there, then I really would not bother. On my way to Snowdon, I had to stop off and start taking pictures of lakes and mountains being reflected in the water, and as I approached the start of my walk I had to make a quick decision to do Miners or Pyg track. I chose Pyg.

I thought overall without sounding boastful that the walk/climb was mild. I had been told it was challenging, and I was expecting to be pushed to my limited walking experience. But I wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong my heart was pumping and my legs had more of a workout than they do when I go running, but overall I found it to be a nice climb. I’m not for minute suggesting it was a stroll in the park but it’s not worth a 5 on the difficulty rating where 1 is easy and 5 is hard.

The way up and way down was glorious, and as with all summit climbs, the Mountain plays tricks on you. Just when you think you can see the path ahead, or the summit, the trail twist and snakes in a different direction. But with Snowdon, you could always see her icy snow-covered top. You would say hello to your fellow walkers, ask them if they had done it before, and if like me, would great them again on the way down. The sign in the car park suggested 6 hours, I did it up and down minus the sit down on the summit in about three and half.

I’m very glad I did it and enjoyed the walk and climb. Also liked seeing people running up it, and walking there dogs. The school Children who were climbing in font of me didn’t all make it. The teacher claimed that they went back to the bus. I don’t want to point fingers, but it was a long way down.

After Snowdon, I drove and went down towards the Keep I saw on my way to Snowdon. This was the 2nd castle I had on my list. Dolwyddelan Castle is just a dwarf compared to the others, but plays a large significance on Welsh history. I parked my car and walked up to the start of the path and saw a sign “Please pay at Farm House” I walked toward the house and saw nobody about, then from inside a stout woman pointed towards a door around the side of the house. Within a few minutes she unbolted several locks (Not that there was any one around) and instructed me that the castle was up that path and pointed to a field. ‘What about the pay’ I enquired. ‘No pay today, as it’s St Davids Day’ I rushed up the slope to the castle to be thankful that David had planted all those Leeks and Daffodils and got made into a Saint as even for a Castle lover like me, £3.80 is a bit much for a stone tower.

I drove onwards to Ffestiniog power station, which is part of the first hydro-electric stations. Here I walked for a bit and stood to look at the Narrow gage tracks, and decided that at 6pm I was a little tired and food and sleep was in order.

Portmerrion

This was a busy day. My plan was to drive far and work my way back towards the hotel. Instead I got so excited by seeing the Ffestiniog railway, with the train being stoked up I had to get out and watch it set on its way. By which point I thought the sun won’t be out for ever let’s go to the film set. So off I set from Porthmadog to Portmerrion. Now for those not in the know, I only know of this place, not because of the crazy man Ellis who designed and built it in the 1920’s and led the project till it had finished in the 1950’s or for its super importance as a site that no one can touch or do anything to without permission from the UK government, that includes Ellis himself.

The whole village was built to prove that towns could be built to look beautiful and to function, but the reason why I know it, is due to a big white balloon that prevented Number 2 from escaping. I am referring to the hit 60’s show ‘The Prisoner” Now as I walked around this populated village which Ellis describes as miniature… Everything is scaled down I found it rather creepy. Not sure if that was because of the ‘Prisoner’ of if the village gave of that vibe and that is why the producers picked it.

The woodlands that surround and mask the village are spectacular, quiet and peaceful they carry the same erriness as the fabrication they circle. Within the woods is a ghost garden that if excuse the English was hunting, and as the path down was more or less a tunnel that had been carved through the trees and hedges, to an overgrown area. Along the wood was also a sheltered space called ‘Dog cemetery’ where graves stones stood proud above the graves of loved dogs. This did nothing to calm the nerves but instead heightened the strangeness and peculiarity that this small area of Wales held.

I really do recommend anyone going to see this village. The whole thing is locked away and for those who live her, security gates are the norm, luckily they are not subjected to the £8.00 entry fee, but I feel it was worth it as I was absorbed into the surroundings and strange tranquility of the place.

Next on the list was another castle, and again luckily the cost did not burden my pockets, as the ticket booth was not open, but the gates to the castle were. This was still a nice castle to look at, but after the English invasion was over the castle was left to fall apart. The idyllic setting was yet agin on a mound over looking the sea at the edge of the town. The Town is called Criccieth, and there is not much else to do apart the castle, so I hastily drove to the final stop, a copper mine.

This was a self guided tour, and you would not believe how creeped out I was as I walked the steps of history. The plastic moulding of men in  fixed positions did not help, nor did the voices from hidden speakers and lets not get started when all the lights went out to show you how dark it would have been. But the sites of the underground lakes and caverns were spectacular, and the mountain walk afterwards was a good strong climb to amazing views. This got me energised and I wandered off to walk up Snowdon again. This time I only made it half way due to fading light and I’m no fool when it comes to climbing mountains in the dark. The path I chose was the Watkins path which Lloyd George opened on a rock in front of 2000 people.

After this I decided enough was enough and it was back to the hotel for me.

Cader Idris and Barmouth

Now without upsetting people, which I know will happen, but this mountain which is said to be the 2nd most visited, is truly amazing. I loved it. The climb up was not harder or easier than Snowdon, but seemed to use more energy. The end result was also more rewarding. The height of Cader Idris stands at just under 900 meters so is in no means a dwarf, but Snowdon some what has the lime light for one reason and that is its height. You get to the top of Snowdon and you have wonderful views of the other mountain ranges. You get to the top of Cader Idris and you see hills, valleys, Barmouth  and its bridge. Plus the last half a mile to the summit is so rewarding it’s untrue. I wanted to shout while I was at the top, but there was an older gentleman eating his lunch.

This summit also played on the mind, as you could never fully see your goal till the last moment, so just when youthought you were about to reach the top of the summit you had your eye on disappeared to reveal another mound.

Anyway who ever likes walking should do this, it is a mix of flat hill, steep crumbling rock climbing, large stone step walking and strong hiking.

This rather took the breath from me, both in the climb and the views the walk down was just as strenuous and if anything was slightly harder. It was broken up by chatting to a nice couple of Warkshire who were up for two days, and I had met in the car park where they had guided me through the walk step by step. Now we spoke about views and other walks, but I was to tired for any more walking today, so it was off to look at a train museum that ended up being a shed and was in fact closed. This was where I had to push my little car to the full, as the red petrol light illuminated telling me Marko was thirsty. This was the only time I got my brothers TOMTOM out, to direct me to the nearest station. 15 miles later Marko was watered so to speak and he had done over 400 miles on a tank. The best MPG yet.

With this I headed toward Barmouth to enjoy more sandy beaches but really to take a peak at the wonderful bridge that crosses the mouth. With that I retired to my hotel room to bath and change before my last evening in Wales.

The Last Day

This was a sad day. I didn’t want it to happen, but knew I had to leave if only because Simon had hired my room out to some one else for their holiday, and there was a small fact I could not afford it.

I knew I did not want to go back to Manchester til night fall, so what was there to do. I thought I could drive the coast road back on the A55 and take it in all my castles on the way back, but I certainly was not going to pay to go in side each one. My legs were tired from all the walking I had done and while not all of it is documented here I covered a fair few miles I can tell you. The only town I had not yet been to was that of Llanberis where the Snowdon railway starts for those lazy people who can’t be bothered to walk up, but it is also the home of Electric Mountain, the Hydro Electric power station buried deep into the hill-side. There were no tours this day, but there was a slate museum, which I took great interest in, and delight and looking at the largest UK mainland water wheel.

From here I decided to take a walk through the national park and the quarry. This was where I got lost. Walking my new hobby mixed with a quarry and Victorian engineering I was in some kind of fantasy or on a Dr Who planet. It was a deathly quiet place. The odd the bird of prey circled overhead as you paced through history that was left to decay. Old miners houses built into the hillside, the old workshops where they spilt the slate before loading into the wagon that were trucked down the incline on huge steel wires. All the buildings and inclines built from the raw material they had blasted from the hillside. In this desolate rubble, Snowdon towered above, keeping a watchful eye. For some one who was tired off walking, I managed another day of trotting around for several hours, in the quarry and the woods, trying to catch snaps of the Kingfisher but in the end finding myself taking pictures of a different bird entirely as well as Kid (goat)

The day was complete by paying a visit to another Keep, this was Dolbadarn Castle, a small but yet impressive feature on the landscape. I don’t know much of this history, but the English did not build this masterpiece.

With that, the time was getting close to six, and I was gearing up for bed. It was to the car, and the coast road for a lasting sight of the Castles of North Wales and a glimpse of my favourite bridge.

By the time I got home, I was ready for bed, I did almost drift off a few times and was glad to be home and secure. But am not happy about leaving the place I called home for a week. But some important decisions were thought about, and time will see if having a holiday is what people really need, or to be more precise what I needed.

Wales and Snowdonia Rule.

Postcard from Wales #1

To Whom is reading this, the following posts this week, will be written in the style of good old postcard style, unless I get really carried away and start to waffle like I normally do.

So today the first Postcard picture is this beauty.

Hello,

Arrived in Wales, with a nice drive through the National Park of Snowdonia. I arrived at my Hotel before check in so carried on driving through to Harlech, where I stumbled across a castle. I say stumbled I almost crashed my car has it appeared round the bend. I knew it was there, it was on  my list to do, but I never expected it to look like it did. It was wonderful. (Pictures on my Flicker Site) As I walked round this town, which is now on my list of retirement towns when I reach that grand old age, I stumbled across this shop (See front of Postcard) I have no idea what marketing person they hired as I looked high and low and could not find any more Ice Cream makers. So by simple deduction even if they were the worst they should also be the best. Anyway running out of room on this fictitious card. If the weather does the same tomorrow as it did today then Snowdon will be getting me trampling all over it. If not then it’s to the television set of the Prisoner at Portmeirion.

See you when I get back.

 

11 years a Long time to wait!!!

Well while some moan they haven’t been able to get away to the slopes for six months, or that there last holiday was last only last year or they really need a weekend away then I think I can shit on the lot of them as mine was back in the year 2000, to Kos of all places. Never been on one since. All the holidays I’ve taken from work have been to do other projects, and it’s true that while I have been unemployed or in those eleven years I have had time off and have not been working 24/7 then I have not actually gone away anywhere to get away from it. That is until now. Or the end of the month to be more precise.

I feel I need to unwind, and think about stuff. Turn my brain off. Forget about the tax I owe, forget about the prospect of no work in the pipeline, hide away from my online presence and become a hermit within myself if that makes grammatical sense which it properly doesn’t, but for those who are regular admires of this rather good example of how the English language should not be used will know I don’t follow the rules of grammar.

I am about to go on my first holiday and will take you happy bunch of good-looking people with me. ‘How you going to do that I hear you cry’ Well through the power of the blog of course. I have still yet to plan which days will be allocated to which activity but below are some details of the amazing sights that I will eventually write about, either at the end when I’m back or maybe in the hotel room when I’m by my self with sweet FA to do. So for those who are coming I am only allowing a ten minute toilet stop and an allocation of five minute to browse the gift shop. Lunch will for 30 mins from 1.30pm, I would like you to keep together at all times and if you stray from the group then look for the my Black and White umbrella. We have a lot to do and cram in over the four days so any stragglers will be left behind and hopefully be picked up by a more forgiving tour group.

I am still undecided as to see if I want it to be an isolation holiday, i.e to turn my emails off, and log off from twitter and Facebook for a week, I think I will as I do just want to get away from it all and contrary to the above I want to relax and spend my time getting to know the area once again. But there is so much to do, and I can feel that I may be returning in April to finish the job.

So what are we going to see. Well first on the list are castles, and on the journey down, I can see Conwy and Caernarfon, but when I’m in Snowdonia I will also see, Dolbadarn Castle, Harlech Castle and Criccieth Castle. I will of course tell you more about these when I see them as they are new to me so I am a little over excited about the prospect of discovering these treasure troves.

I will also be going to see some heritage train places like Ffestiniog railway. But of course the highlight will be the walking and the climb if weather allows to the top of Snowdon, and down on the narrow gauge railway. I will off course pay visit to the television set of “The Prisoner” and to Porthmadog as well as some slate mines, for a nice underground boat trip.

All in all I’m looking forward to my get away, and feel that I may have to stay longer than I thought. If that is the case then so what… I spend slightly more money than expected. I just need to make a list and draw up maps of where I’m going and remember to pack my camera and Welsh Phrase book and then I am all set for  what I hope will be one of the best holidays I have had.  I know it will be, as my best holidays have always been in the UK, to be fair I have only been abroad a number of times on holiday, but the ones I hold closet to my heart are the ones spent in Wales and Scotland.

I’ll remember to send a postcard back to let you all know how it goes. Roll on two weeks when I will hit the A55 to the land of dragons.

A Castle fit for a King…. Well at Least a Prince!

So the grand castle I went to, and the one that is still in my top castles is based in the Royal Town of Caernarfon, on the West Coast of Wales above Snowdonia and below the Island of Anglesey. An excellent location with two very good holiday destinations on your doorstep. Edward I did not need to be told anymore, he grabbed at the opportunity to buy this once in a life time investment. His wife being the typical wife was a little concerned about the money, and whether they needed yet another home. “I thought we were going to get that Chateau this year”    “Don’t worry we’ll make it back in entrance fee’s” that was Ed’s answer to convincing her to buy Conwy and Beaumaris. “What about all the locals?” “Oh those we will destroy the town and build a complete new English settlement” And that is what he did. Fact, he had the settlement of Caernarfon destroyed and rebuilt the town and to add insult to injury to the natives he renamed it Caernarvon ‘Swopping the ‘F’ for a ‘V’ should trick those locals’

The title of my blog comes from the fact that it is used, and was used recently… Well within the last 30 years to crown the Prince of Wales, or as we call him down the ‘Old Nags Head’ Charlie. I can tell you that we don’t let old Charlie forget that day. The stuff he had to wear and the people who came out to see him, there were cousins he didn’t even know he had. It was quite annoying really as I wanted to go to the butchers but the town was packed. Anyway, Caernarfon Castle was a castle that was built not to be attacked ‘I’ve just painted and worked on the Rockery so I want you to play nice with Owen, none of this war business’… or any road at least built not to be penetrated.

You can't see the Stone Circle, but this is where Prince Charlie was Crowned

 

It wasn’t built like Edwards other castles down the road, oh no Caernarfon was built to be a seat of power over the Welsh and if today was anything to go by I really wouldn’t have bothered. There was nothing there, nothing open, apart from the KFC and Subway… like come on Ed if you were going to build a big house to control the people then you could of picked a town with people in it. Instead what you had was a giant Town Square that seemed to be a road, and race track. Now maybe in it’s day it was a town that was asking to be ruled but the sleepy town looked like it couldn’t give two shits now. ‘We have a castle so sod you world’

Anyway Ed decided that this was to be the place he wanted a new house and with walls 15 Meters thick he was certainly thinking of low electricity bills, Mrs Ed was a little concerned that with walls that thick Edward wouldn’t hear when he was being called for tea and all that effort sweating over a pig for it to go cold because the King wanted to keep the cold out was not a good enough reason. Of Course by the time the kids had become teenagers Mrs Ed was glad of the walls, there was nothing worst than having the latest Mistral song thump thumping through the walls.

In fact Eddies new home was one of  the last of the Norman Castles in Wales and was designed not so much as a fortress but as a home it takes it’s design from a lot of the French and European Castle designs of the day. When Edward saw the plans he was delighted. ‘Lets see the Jones’s try to keep up with this’ he thought. The truth of it was the Jones’s were quite happy with their two up two down cottage and were getting quite annoyed that these planning permissions were getting through even with there objection of ‘It will block all out light’  ‘I know his the King, but who does he think he is?’

In 1284 Edward gave birth to the Prince of Wales. Well Eddies wife did. As the boy was born, his father King Edward went off to consider a name for the young chap and after a long and hard council he fell upon the name of Edward. ‘It’s a good name’ he said to his wife, ‘plus when he comes to being King there won’t be much paper work… they could keep most of it and just add another I after my title’.

Edward has been the only ever ‘Prince of Wales’ to be born in the country of Wales and soon this caught on as his Nickname, as the people of the court needed a name to tell the two Edwards apart but it seems to of stuck to this very day. Edward never like the nickname and as soon as he was old enough changed it to Edward II however the telling them apart was no longer an issue as Edward I (previously just know as King Edward until his son took the name King Edward) had died, and Eddie baby never returned to the Castle walls in adult life.

“Have you heard that Edward I has died?”

“Who?”

“Edward the First?”

“Who’s he?”

” Not sure but his dead… Well he must be as now we have a 2nd Edward on the Throne”

Seen from the Film 'Monty Python and The Holy Grail'

Me and Me Mate recreating the Iconic scene. Hard to tell them apart isn't it?

This is one of my best castles, and once again, I left my friends to go running round the fort and finally got to shout from one of the torrents‘You mother is a Hamster and your father smells of Elderberries’ Running round these castle walls I often think about what it would be like to live in this time and it is the one section of History I want to re-train in, not that I have trained in history, but I have my Cord Jacket with elbow patches sat in the wrings. What I mean is if I ever give up Theatre and I think all who knows me, know that it won’t happen then I would gladly train in being a medieval historian, looking at the Normans in close detail.

I should point out at this point, that while this blog is based on the truth, some of it has been fictionalised for the enjoyment of the reader which I hope you have.  I think the next road trip I will do, is yet another Castle in Wales, and i might venture into the wonderful park of Snowdonia to see Electric Mountain.

Being that this is a New Year and Christmas is now over… well will be once the stupid 12 days has finished I will be going back and hitting the track to train hard. With a little short break in a couple of weeks for a friends wedding I am now off the booze. I will be mixing my weekends with training and road trips like these, so stand by for plenty more History Lessons along this line.

See you around