North Wales: Caernarfon 2006

These photos are from our trip to North Wales, August 2006. We stayed in Hafoty Farm Cottages, some converted farm buildings in Rhostryfan, a few miles outside Caernarfon.

Accommodation

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A view from the back of the cottages, and then entrance to the site. Rhostryfan is pretty much in the middle of nowhere as can be seen from the first photo. You can just make out Caernarfon Castle.

The first evening we walked to what was supposed to be the nearest pub, it must have been 2 miles and took us over an hour as most of the footpaths on the map didn't appear to exist.

Sunday: Caernarfon

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Reading the paper on a walkway spanning one of the tours and a view of the main tower.

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A view of the castle interior and a party on the guided tour. Apparantly the rough areas on the walls are not where something has fallen down, but preparation for additional walls that were never built.

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This guy is acting the part of the castle architect.

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We set off looking for the Golf Course, but only got as far as this park, where it started raining; but there were still some people playing cricket. This wagon sold a nice cup of tea in real mugs. The park looks like it once had a pitch and put, but no more.

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Waiting, and a view back to the castle and the town wall.

Monday: Snowdon

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We decided to climb MountSnowdon, the Highest mountain in England and Wales, 1085 meters (or thereabouts). We took one of the easier (and Quieter Routes). When you get to the top it is packed as there is a train up the other side. There is also a cafe so we stopped for a snack.

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The path gets quite close to a scarey edge.

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The cafe. The top is behind it, there are actually steps up to it and it's difficult to get close because of the crowds, most of whom have come up on the train. Also, looking down on Crib Goch, not the way we came.

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Going back down, and finally a view from the bottom. You can just make out the mountain top cafe.

Tuesday: Llandudno and the Great Orme

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Llandudno Station and the promenade.

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Climbing the Great Orme, and at tht top.

Wednesday: Golf

nwales0043.JPG nwales0044.JPG This is Tyddyn Mawr golf course near Llanrug. Described as a no frills pay as you play course for young people. You can see from the first photo it lives up to its no frills claim.
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Thursday: Tryfan and the Slate Museum

We did though get over this pile of rocks.
nwales0047.JPG nwales0048.JPG Tryfan isn't as high as Snowdon, but the walks are more difficult.
nwales0049.JPG nwales0050.JPG We didn't make it to the top, the weather wasn't great and we weren't really equiped to climb slippy rock.
nwales0051.JPG   The Water wheel at the National Slate Museum, Llanberis. This place had the advantage of simultaneously free and quite interesting, if you like slate.

Friday: Beddgelert

nwales0056.JPG nwales0058.JPG Beddgelert was a busy little town which has a famous ice cream shop. This is supposedly where prince Llewelyn Buried his dog, which explains the town's name. We came here for the start of a gentle walk over a couple of hills to a lake.
nwales0059.JPG nwales0060.JPG At the top of the hill working out where to go next.
nwales0061.JPG nwales0062.JPG The Copper Mine and Llyn Dinas. The Copper mine was at the end of the walk so we stopped for tea and cakes. The mine itself was quite expensive so we gave it a miss. The Lake is along a walk from the mine, about half a mile.