My Travels in Wales
The flight from Houston to London/Gatwick was full. We left Houston at 4 p.m. and arrived in London at 7 a.m. the next morning, cleared customs, then flew on to Manchester arriving about 10:15 a.m. We were to pick up our travel documents and car at the Alamo desk upon arrival. However, nobody mentioned there were two Alamo Offices at the Manchester Airport and of course we were at one and our papers were at the other causing some confusion. To make good, Alamo upgraded our car.
There was plenty of construction redoing several airport hotel parking lots and the access to them. So my first experience driving in England was navigating around this confused spaghetti bowl of detours trying to find the proper Alamo desk. After making a few circles and backing up into traffic, I parked illegally and left Dick in the car while I went off to collect our travel documents. There was a long line of German tourists at this Alamo desk. Assuming they would respect my efficiency, I held up my passport and Alamo papers and yelled, "Anne confirmed that my Welsh Rarebits documents are in your safe. Where is Anne?" She appeared immediately, papers in hand. I made my way to the front of the line, found my papers in order, thanked her and left. I couldn't understand why the German's did not applaud. Anyway, I found my way out of the topsy-turvy airport grounds and headed toward Wales. Sitting on the right side of the car with all the controls on the left was strange but not unsettling. I left Dick to fiddle with the radio and airflow controls. No air-conditioning was discombobulating to say the least, but this is England, not Houston. I learned to regulate the flow of outside air to keep a satisfactory though noisy comfort level inside.
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hereThe car was a big Vauxhall something or other which I drove to Glan Conwy, North Wales an hour away. My main concern was that I would not be rested enough to safely drive on the left with a steering wheel on the right, but traffic was light and "roundabouts" ensured that I always ended up on the proper side of the highway. I was very impressed by the courtesy of the drivers. They actually follow the safety rules! Although the speed limit is 70mph and most people drive 80 to 90mph, they all stay left except to pass. They move over one lane to allow slower traffic to enter freeways but the fast lane is always free of big trucks, buses and dawdlers so there is no reckless weaving from lane to lane. I did not notice just how big the car was until we got off the freeways and hit the little country roads. The only things on the road bigger than this Vauxhall were the buses! It seemed like there were only inches for clearance and our not to scale map did not prepare us adequately for turns. Miraculously, we found The Old Rectory straight away where I found messages from Len Jones, Joan & Dewi Rees and Annie Mary's son, Tom. I phoned each and arranged meetings with the Rees's and Len. Tom's mother was in the hospital, so we left that up in the air.
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hereIt was about 1:30 p.m. so we headed for Conwy where we spent the afternoon touring the castle and exploring the walled city. When being up for about 30 hours began to take its toll, we headed back to the Old Rectory where Dick promptly went to sleep and I soaked in a hot tub. Refreshed, we joined the other guests for cocktails in the library at 7:15 p.m. Because our hosts, the Vaughn's, closed the Rectory to celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary the day before, they booked only two other couples this night to ease back into their routine. We, therefore, got very extra special attention.
I must mention at this point that Dick was having stomach problems prior to this trip and we have all heard the stories that they BOIL EVERYTHING in the UK. With that in mind I specifically chose lodgings based on their kitchen ratings. This was a very good criteria indeed. Wendy Vaughn is a master chef. She began, what turned out to be a most surprising and wonderful week of culinary delights. Her menu, from hors d'oeuvres through four sumptuous courses and dessert featured everything Welsh. Her monkfish prepared with tarragon and mustard was exquisite but my particular favorite was the Welsh Mountain Lamb in a rosemary and red wine sauce. Two hours later we took coffee in the library totally sated and relaxed. When we got back to the room, Elwyn and Doreen phoned. We made plans to visit them when we reached Cardiff later in the week.
Day two was a bit drizzly, just the sort of gentle rain one expects in Britain. We stopped at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch and James Pringle Weaver's Dept. Store before driving down to Talysarn for lunch with Joan and Dewi.
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hereIt was a Bank Holiday weekend and the coast road was bumper to bumper with cars heading north to catch the ferry to Ireland. Fortunately, we were heading south. The road was extremely narrow, but I figured if the car ahead of me could squeeze through, so could I - and that is just what I did. Dewi's directions led us right to their home with no problems. We even saw the teeny weeny little sign in Penygroes that points to Talysarn in time to turn. The weather was clearing and we got there earlier than expected so we detoured to Carmel passing an old Cemetery on the way to the top of the hill. I suspected this might be where my great grand parents are buried. Carmel was still in the clouds and sheep were running all over the road so I found a driveway in the fog and turned back to Talysarn.
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Joan and Dewi saw us pull up and came out to greet us. Joan prepared a lunch of chicken in mushroom sauce, boiled potatoes and mixed vegetables. They were very gracious. It rained off and on while we visited. Dewi is a computer buff and showed me some of the greeting cards he creates. We talked computers and he gave me some magazines to read on the plane home. Joan filled me in on the family history and later we took a driving tour of Talysarn as she pointed out the places of significant interest to me. |  |
It was a quick tour followed by afternoon tea. But as you can see, the entire town fits in the frame of a panoramic camera from just across the way. Just outside the frame on the right is where the slate mines that sustained the town for many years is located. My forefathers (and foremothers) must have been watching over me because as we were about to leave, the skies cleared up, the sun peaked through and we were able to take a different scenic route back to Conwy via Betws y Coed enjoying incredibly beautiful mountain views all the way.
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We stayed in a country house B&B that night about three miles above Conwy but found a wonderful Italian restaurant, Alfredo's, within the Walled City and finished the day with another grand feast. Morning brought a full Welsh breakfast we could not finish. The sun was shining brightly today and we headed to Bethesda where we met Len Jones.
Len suggested we drop our car at a parking lot and join him for a tour of Anglesey where we visited Beaumaris Castle and a Celtic Festival in Cemaes. Len had never been through the castle, so this was a treat for him as well.
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hereWe stopped for a pint in town at The Old Bull's Head Inn, a favorite of Charles Dickens, around noontime then drove to a country pub for fish and chips. I was surprised that American Country & Western music was playing in the pub and even more surprised to find that Len is a C&W fan who knew all the words to the songs! We stopped at "Llanfairpwll" again for a few more souvenirs and to get our Official Passport Stamp there. Later we picked up our car and followed Len to Caernarfon. Caernarfon Castle, completed in the early 14th century is where Prince Charles was Invested as the Prince of Wales.
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hereLen has gout and his leg was bothering him by this time, so we said good-bye to him there then toured the castle before heading to our next lodging, Maes y Nuedd, near Portmerion.
I had arranged a short break at Maes-y-Neuadd, which means a minimum of two days and dinner is included. We had time after checking in to stroll around the grounds before cocktail hour and hors d'oeuvres. It was a Bank Holiday and the place was packed. We had a choice of appetizers and main courses on the five-course meal. Plus, if choosing from the four desserts proved too difficult, one could order "The Grand Finale" which was all four desserts. We each ordered the Grand Finale. The little hot fried apple pies and the sticky toffee pudding were most decadent. I needed the almond mousse and ice cream to cut the richness of it all. This leisurely dinner lasted 2 1/2 hours. With each course, the setting sun turned the sky a different hue; from pale yellow and orange to pink then crimson, purple and finally black. By now my pants were getting a bit snug and I vowed not to have any more lunches since all future breakfasts and dinners were included.
The morning brought a dismal forecast, but the weather coming across the Irish Sea looked beautiful! Olive, one of our hosts, suggested we trust our eyes and head for Snowdon post haste. We left for Wales highest point immediately after breakfast and with minimal stops at the many photo op points arrived at the train station at 10:30a.m. The parking lot was just beginning to fill and we got tickets for the noon train to the top. We walked up to a waterfall along the tracks and managed to photograph one of the trains crossing a bridge. Llanberis Pass is a very picturesque spot and before we knew it was time to board our train. The views are quite spectacular and the trails were filled with hikers enjoying their Bank Holiday. The hour's journey to the summit passed quickly and we were at Britain's highest point enjoying views that rival any I have seen on my travels.
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Like colorful condors, paragliders were sailing about in circles on the updrafts around the summit of the mountain adding an incredulous element to Snowdon's grandeur. Clouds were hovering just above the peak, so we could not see Ireland, but the vistas were inspiring nonetheless. I climbed to the highest point and surveyed the marvelous beauty that lay at my feet. The feeling I felt is beyond words. As I climbed down from my perch, a cloud enshrouded the top of Snowdon in its mists. The vistas disappeared and I wondered if the paragliders would find their way to the valley below.
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I struck up a conversation with one of the train's conductors and arranged to ride down with him in his little compartment at the front of the train. The mists added an eerie touch to the mountain proving why legend says Merlin came to Wales to study magic so many many years ago. The train slowly backed out of the clouds and descended to the sunny valley below. We zigzagged our way back to Maes y Nuedd enjoying the views from every twist and turn of the mountain roads and ended the day with yet another decadent dinner and dazzling sunset.
Brilliant sunshine marked the next morning. Today would be a travelling day. It was hard to believe that the time had come to leave northern Wales and head south but not without visiting that most unusual place, Portmeirion.
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hereWe were the first visitors to the little Italianate Village that morning and somehow even got down to the beach normally forbidden to all but registered guests. We mused through this surreal setting that quickly filled with guests exploring its secret places then headed to Harlech Castle situated on a point high above the sea.
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hereFrom there we meandered along the coast to Aberstwyth before taking a more direct route for Cardiff. The twisting winding roads made the trip to Cardiff longer than the map would indicate, but the visual beauty of sparkling seascapes, tiny immaculate villages, rolling mountains and green valleys all along the route ensured that it was time very well spent.
The rugged crags and steep mountains dotted with grazing sheep of North Wales are tamed into rounded mountains and wide valleys in the south of Wales. Gone also are the stone fences that line narrow roadways and cut the landscape into a crazy quilt pattern. It is beautiful nonetheless. Finally we came to the industrialized part of Wales. Its two largest cities, Cardiff and Swansea, are connected by the M4, a six lane divided highway bustling with commerce that also connects sea ports and the Wales International Airport with England.
Very near the Cardiff Airport, on a narrow sloping valley that leads to the sea, we found the Egerton Grey Country House Hotel. Its pastoral setting is a distinct contrast from the hustle and bustle a few miles down the road. We settled into the four poster bedroom with a view of the sea beyond a high stone railroad bridge traversing the valley; its arches reminiscent of an ancient Roman aqueduct.
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hereTwice a day a little train shuttled its two dozen cars across that bridge. The Egerton was the largest place we stayed and had the most extensive menu of all offering several choices on each of its four courses. Each night dinner was a culinary delight featuring fresh local meat, fish and vegetables. Needless to say we ate a lot of fresh salmon and tender Welsh spring lamb.
On our first full day in the south, we called on Doreen and Elwyn in Williamstown. We arrived about 10:30 in the morning and like Joan and Dewi, and Len, they saw us pull up and came out onto the porch to greet us. They are absolutely delightful! I could not believe how excited they were about our visit (especially Doreen) as they shared stories and photos of the American side of the family as well as their own. Their daughter, Ceri, might come to the States for a visit. We told them she would be welcome to stay with us in Houston any time. Doreen had been feeling poorly, but said our visit was just the medicine she needed to perk up. Meals on Wheels delivered their lunch just before noon and we bid our farewells. I was totally charmed by them. |  |
That afternoon we drove through the Rhondda valley and explored the Gower Peninsula right to the sea enjoying the scenery of South Wales. We also headed back through the Brecon Beacons National Park and visited Carphilly Castle and Castle Coch before returning to The Egerton Grey for the evening. Although Carphilly is in the middle of town, its moat and surrounding park allow enough distance from the castle for people to fully appreciate an unobstructed view of it. One of th castle's most distinctive features is a tower that pulled loose from the rest of the structure and now leans at an angle sharper than the famed leaning tower of Pisa. It has held that angle for last three hundred years.
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At Caerphilly, medieval weaponry such as catapults used in assaults against castles are recreated and tested. Several catapults and the boulders they hurl are exhibited on the castle grounds. A video demonstrating their mechanics and incredible power was playing in one of the castle's rooms. The reenactment of an assault on a castle using these weapons demonstrates that this sort of siege was a formidable combination of cunning and brute strength indeed.
Castle Coch, on the other hand, is a tiny intimate castle nestled on the side of a wooded hill. It appears more like a fairy tail castle built to hold Rapunzel rather than serve as a fortress. Its rooms are restored, decorated and furnished as it was in the late thirteenth century giving a feel for how people lived. It is not the gloomy interior we imagine.
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Our eighth day found us again heading toward Brecon Beacons and the Wye Valley. This time we stopped at Raglan Castle, Tintern Abbey, Chepstow Castle and the Roman Baths and Museum at Caerleon.
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hereOur usual luck prevailed. Clouds began to build up while we explored Tintern Abbey and light showers began just as we got back into the car. Tintern Abbey was already in ruins when Wordsworth wrote about this area.
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poemHis words resound with truth. In fact all of Wales made me want to run and explore every inch with youthful exuberance, yet I also wanted to stay still and linger in a spot letting the ancient mountains feed my soul.
It was overcast at Chepstow but the rains did not start again until we were leaving the Roman Baths and Museum. The rains were quite heavy in spots on the drive back to Egerton that afternoon. While inching down the freeway, we encountered one stretch where we thought we were driving under Niagara! All visibility totally disappeared. Fortunately, it only lasted for a gasp. As we reached the hotel, the rains subsided and we were greeted with a rainbow outside our window.
Our final day in Wales began with more drizzling rain. We left the Egerton Grey about 10 a.m. via the main highways through England back to Manchester. It took only 3 1/2 hours to reach Manchester where the sun was shining brightly. Neither of us wanted to spend such a beautiful afternoon at the airport so we took the advice of friends, detoured to Chester and spent the afternoon roaming that Walled Tudor City. It was the most crowded place we visited on our whole adventure. Most of the streets in the center of the oldest part of town are closed to all but foot traffic so we found a parking place and joined the throngs walking the Town Wall and exploring the quaint streets. It was an unexpected surprise and the perfect ending for our little journey. I am reserving photos of Chester for an English page to be published at a later date.
The flight back to the States was not full. Practically, the whole back section of the 747 was empty. We could have tried to claim an entire middle row of seats to stretch out, but that last section is noisy so we opted for seats upstairs in what was once-upon-a-time a lounge. I had never sat up there before and discovered that because of the curvature of the roof, there is no overhead baggage compartment but there is a foot wide shelf at seat level that runs along the windows. No one sat in front of me, so I was able to recline my seat and stretch my legs out on this shelf. It was great! Maybe that was the perfect ending to the adventure.
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