Wales 2009: A more leisurely all-Wales trip, visiting northwest Wales, mid-Wales, and the Dee and Ceiriog Valleys. We took our time, didn't visit as many sites, and took lots of good photographs with my new camera. We had a rocky start to the trip, but everything turned out fine.
Places Visited:
Part I: North Wales → Portmeirion → Dolbenmaen Motte → Penarth Fawr Medieval Hall-House → Beddgerert → Dolbadarn Castle
Beaumaris Castle → Criccieth Castle → Aberdaron → Saint Hywyn's Church → Harlech Castle → Part II: Mid-Wales → Llangoed Hall → Brynmawr
Skenfrith Castle → Llanthony Priory → Croft Castle → Ludlow & Ludlow Castle → Stokesay Castle → Powis Castle → Chirk Castle
Part III: North Central Wales → Llanarmon → Llangollen → Castell Dinas Bran → Valle Crucis Abbey → Erddig Hall → Tomen y Rhodwydd
Conwy Castle
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I was really looking forward to our 2009 trip to Wales. It's always great to return to the land of my fathers, but this year I was looking forward to our trip because I had purchased a new digital camera, a Canon EOS Rebel DSLR. No point-and-shoot here. This is a semi-professional camera that I had to learn how to use. It took me about a month of study and practice but I finally gained an understanding of the different settings and how they are used. The result was a set of photos noticeably better than what I had taken in the past, many of which I currently use for Castles of Wales website.
On the downside, this was the trip that we almost didn't make. On the day of our flight I came down with food poisoning, which basically wrecked me for about two days. With all the symptoms that go along with this I had to drive an hour and a half to the airport, endure a 6 hour coach flight to London, and, worst of all, somehow drive 5-plus hours from London to Portmeirion. What to do? Cancel and slink back home, or suck it up and go? I choose the latter. We made it to the airport and I curled up into a ball on the plane. We arrived in London, picked up our car rental and headed to Wales. I didn't feel any better and we had to make lots of stops along the way, but by some miracle we finally limped into Portmeirion about 6 hours later. Maybe our earlier pilgrimage to St Davids, or our visits to different holy wells in Wales helped. I spent the rest of the afternoon and all night in bed. It's the only time we've been in Britain that I've failed to have at least one pint of ale on our arrival day. Streak broken.
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Part I: Portmeirion & North Wales
The Village of Portmeirion is something of an Italianate fantasy village created by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis on land he purchased in here 1925. He erected a collection of fanciful and sometimes bizarre buildings including several cottages. Portmeirion was famously used for the 1960s British spy drama, "The Prisoner," a series I vaguely remembered from my childhood. The village includes the Hotel Portmeirion, today a 4-Star hotel. This was our second stay in here and we had a booked one of the large village suites. During our stay we enjoyed dinner at the hotel, exploring the village, the formal and wild gardens, and the colorful buildings; some real, some just facades. We also took a long hike along a woodland trail located on the grounds. The going was steep in a couple of places, but our reward was hiking through a beautiful forest with trees and a variety of plants and wildlife. I bet that most people who come here don't know about or don't bother exploring this part of the village, and that's a shame. I think it's one of the best activities Portmeirion has to offer. The hotel is also a great location for exploring the beautiful Llyn Peninsula and north Wales, and that's exactly why we were there.
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Portmeirion
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We woke up the following morning and my stomach cramps had subsided somewhat but I was still a bit nauseated and exhausted. But this was Wales for goodness sake and I was determined not to waste another day. We wisely decided to stay close to the hotel and not do much driving. By the time of our 2009 trip we had already visited many of what are considered the major Welsh castle, and since 2002 we had started visiting what I like to call the "lesser-known" castles of Wales. These castles often have lesser or no remains, and/or are difficult to locate. Some have little or no known histories, while other were witness to the turbulent events as the Normans sought to conquer Wales. So our first stop of the day was the lesser-known Dolbenmaen Motte, about five miles northwest of Porthmadog, and less than ten miles from our hotel. The mound is on private land, and access to the motte is prohibited. According to Frances Lynch (1995):
| "The site is worth visiting because the grouping of church, castle and manor house is both attractive and unusual for Wales, where such nucleated villages are rare. The history of the motte, built at a fordable crossing of the river Dwyfor, is not well documented. It could be a Norman base or the product of the revival of Welsh power in the early 12th century. It later formed the administrative center maerdref of the commote of Eifionydd and a royal seat until about 1230, when Llywelyn the Great moved the court to Criccieth. A village of bondmen would have been attached to the court to work the lord's fields, hence the tight cluster of houses around it to this day." |
We visited the motte where I took several photos of site. The motte remains large and is covered with trees. I could find no compelling evidence of a bailey, but it may have been obliterated by the farm, fields, and stone fences next to the castle. We visited the church but it wasn't open, so we were content with photographing just the building and surrounding cemetery. Another lesser-known castle, visited, photographed, and ticked off the list. It was a good start to the day.
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Dolbenmaen Motte
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Our next stop was was Criccieth Castle, also located on the Llyn Peninsula. We had visited the castle and town twice before, in 1992 and 1995 so this was familiar territory. The castle sits high on a cliff overlooking the Tremadog Bay in the seaside town of the same name. Although the ruins here are not as complete or as impressive as Harlech, the castle's dramatic defensive positioning is. Criccieth was originally (likely) built by the Welsh prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (The Great) and added to by his grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (The Last). The castle's most dominating feature is its large twin tower gatehouse. Most feel that the gatehouse was built by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in around 1230, while others claim it was constructed by the English King Edward I. We do know that as the tide of Anglo-Welsh relations swung back and forth, the castle changed hands several times ,and the castle's final building period was completed by the English following the second Welsh War of 1282-83.
As was the case at several other castles we had visited, both the Welsh flag and the Cadw flag were flying over each of the gatehouse towers. We found parking in the town not too far from the castle, paid our admission and started up the steep hill towards the gatehouse. On our left we passed the ruins of the North Tower, now reduced to four walls of low rubble directly in front of the gatehouse. n the 13th century historians believe that the tower had a catapult, or trebuchet mounted on the tower of the roof. There is an interesting set of stone stairs the once led to the tower but now only provide a picturesque view of the shore and town below. The gatehouse is connected to the inner curtain wall that encircles the inner ward and still stands to its original height for most of the way. Entering the castle we found ourselves in the compact inner ward. We turned around to view the rear of the gatehouse which was also impressive. Eventually we exited to the Outer Ward and then walked along the cliff overlooking Tremadog Bay. Along with the impressive Gatehouse, it's the outstanding views from here that draw many people to Criccieth. I have to admit that I took a lot of photos myself, almost ignoring the castle as I admired the surrounding beauty. The coast and bay were in front of me, and the town with its houses and cottages up in the hills behind me. We skipped visiting Cadwalader's Ice Cream Shop near the castle this time because I was not yet prepared to try anything quite so rich. (Or maybe it would have helped?)
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Criccieth Castle, Llyn Peninsula
| Staying with our "better stay close to the hotel" strategy, our next visit was to the Penarth Fawr Medieval Hall-House, about 3 miles east of Pwllheli and only 20 miles from Criccieth. This was a fascinating location currently under the care of Cadw. Penarth Fawr is a fine example of a Welsh upper class, gentry dwelling, and was occupied from the 14th century to the middle of the 16th century. The house is divided into three parts consisting of a central hall, open to the roof, with separate suites of rooms at either end. At one end of the hall was the cross passage doors at either end; at the other was the raised dais upon which the high table stood. Penarth Fawr was probably built around the middle of the 15th century by Madog ap Hywel ap Madog, a descendant of Einion ap Gruffudd. The house is made of local stone and is surrounded by a stone fence. Inside we found some interesting furniture, and some very odd looking chairs that we assume were period. Although the house seems simple by today's standards, when considering Penarth Fawr in the context of the times, it was, and is an impressive residence. I'm glad we took the time to visit. |
Penarth Fawr Medieval Hall-House
| By now it was time for lunch so we drove to the Y Bryncynan pub in Pwllheli. Y Bryncynan is a dog-friendly pub with indoor and outdoor seating, the tables outside offering excellent views of the surrounding countryside. I felt good enough to try a light lunch, Robinsons beer battered fish and chips, although I skipped the mushy peas. I even had a half pint (how embarrassing) of Robinson's ale. It wasn't my normal pint but having successfully consumed my first British ale since arriving, the world now seemed right. There was also a friendly Welsh Border Collie in the pub, and if that isn't enough to put a smile on your face and make you feel better, then I don't know what will! |
Y Bryncynan pub, Pwllheli
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| We began the next day by visiting the lovely village of Beddgelert. The village sits at the confluence of the River Glaslyn and the Afon Colwyn, and is a popular center for people hiking in Snowdonia. The folk tale of the faithful hound "Gelert" is what brings some tourists here. The folk tale is actually an 18th century invention designed to bring tourists here. It worked. There is a raised mound found along a path next to the river and not far from the village leading to "Gelert's Grave". The Church of St. Mary stands at the end of Stryd yr Eglwys. St Mary's was originally part of an Augustinian Monastery, but the chapel is all that remains. The rest of the monastery was destroyed during Edward I's war of conquest. Faithful Gelert, aside, this is one of Snowdonia's true beauty spots. We found parking near the double-arched stone bridge spanning the river and started exploring the town. The bridge is quite handsome, as are the shops that line the streets. We walked down the path along the river out into the open countryside where we were reminded of the stunning beauty of Snowdonia. The path leads past St Mary's Church and eventually to Gelert's Grave where we paid our respects to the noble beast, and the marketing savvy that makes Gelert one of Wales' better-known heroes. We had spent time in Snowdonia on previous trips, and here was yet again another place we found difficult to leave. We delayed leaving by having coffee and biscuits at a local cafe. |
Beddgerert
| We left Beddgelert and headed towards the Llanberis Pass. We stopped briefly at the Pen-Y-Pass Hostel, the beginning point for the Miner's and Pyg Track hikes up Mt Snowden. I had hiked both tracks in 1995 and the hostel was my starting point. We took a few photos and then decided it was time for lunch. My research had shown that there was a good pub nearby serving real ale; the Y Glyntwrog Inn near the village of Llanrug, along the A4086, a road that was very familiar to us. The Glyntwrog is a friendly local village pub offering a great selection of real ales and good food. There's a beer garden outside the pub. We enjoyed a couple of pints and Fish and Chips inside the pub, a good (and delicious) way to fortify ourselves before to continuing. |
Below Top Row: Snowdonia near the Pen-Y-Pass YHA. Bottom Row: Y Glyntwrog Inn, Llanrug
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Our next stop was Dolbadarn Castle located just outside the town of Llanberis in the heart of Snowdonia. I think it was our third time here, but then again, this is Snowdonia! In 1996 we stayed at the Royal Victoria Hotel, close to Dolbadarn, that offers easy access to the castle via a trail through the woods that begins at the back of the hotel. The castle at Llanberis dates to the 13th century, but remains in solid condition. Some visitors are awed by its simplicity and its endurance, and consider Dolbadarn one of the finest of Wales' native-built castles. Built by the mighty Llywelyn ap Iorwerth sometime before 1230, the castle not only predates the English fortresses of the Edwardian conquest, it also provides solid documentation of the extent of Llywelyn's influence and ingenuity.
We again approached the castle down a short path leading from the small car park next to the road. Llyn Padarn and the mountains of Snowdonia form the backdrop of the castle, and it's no wonder that artists like J.M.W. Turner painted here. Although you can call Dolbadarn's remains "slight" there was nothing slight about Dolbadarn's round keep. There are a set of stone stairs winding around the base of the keep providing access to the interior. (The stairs were a later addition and were not contemporary with the castle.) In the foreground we saw low stone footings and piles of rubble, remnants of the castle's former halls, towers, and curtain wall. We climbed the stairs of the Great Keep that led to a platform inside where you can view some of the castle's interior structures, including windows, doors, fireplaces and latrine chutes. The stairs continue up to the top of the keep. At this height we were able to better appreciate the plan of the castle laid out below us. Back outside we walked around the perimeter of the castle. Dolbadarn was built using purple and green slate stone, and was mainly constructed in a dry stone fashion without mortar, except the keep. Walls without mortar can be difficult to distinguish from random piles of stone, but I tried to make sense of what was there. We didn't spend a lot of time here because we had spent several hours exploring the castle on our previous trip. Still, it's always great to see Dolbadarn Castle, and imagine the important history the castle witnessed.
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Dolbadarn Castle
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The following day we began with a site that has it all; history (both Welsh and Norman), a nearly complete medieval castle surrounded by beautiful countryside, and a lively, but not too big town with lots to do and see. Of course I'm taking about Beaumaris. Yes, this was our fifth time visiting here (1994, 95, 96, 2006), but who cares? We love this corner of Wales. In 1996 we had spent a three days on Anglesey, exploring many of the sites found on the island that are equally as interesting, enjoying accommodations at the Ye Olde Bull's Head Hotel & Pub close to the castle. We parked in the usual large public lot across the street from the castle and entered the wooden bridge and a substantial gatehouse complete with murder holes. The castles exterior towers are quite large but Beaumaris' six inner ward towers are even larger. Once inside the gatehouse the dimensions of these towers become apparent, if not a bit confusing. Confusing, because the concentric design of the castle means that one set of walls and towers looks exactly like the others as you make your way around the ward. After exploring the large inner ward we entered one of the towers and began exploring the castle's fascinating interior passageways running inside the walls of the castle. The passageways were intended to allow members of the castle to move between the towers, accessing the guardrooms, sleeping chambers and the castle latrines. We worked our way along the passageway which eventually brightened and led to the Chapel Tower, one of two of the inner ward's large D-towers. We continued our exploration of the castle's passageways including the latrine chutes stationed along the way that emptied into the moat. In 2006 we were able to explore the newly-opened castle wall-walks at Beaumaris, and we did so again on this visit. The views from here are marvelous, and the interesting structures found along the wall-walk still seemed new to me. Then it was back outside to explore the Outer Ward, including the large towers and battlemented curtain wall. From this vantage point the Chapel and Middle towers are even more impressive, tall, stout structures that dominate the outer ward. This area of the castle also leads to the Llanfaes Gate, the dock that was used to resupply the castle from the water. Although Beaumaris lacks the spectacular siting of some of Edward's other north Wales castles, the beauty of the castle and surrounding countryside is undeniable. Beaumaris has been designated a "World Heritage Site" because it represents a significant accomplishment in the art of medieval castle-building.
After visiting the castle we enjoyed lunch at our go-to pub in Beaumaris; the Ye Olde Bull's Head Inn close to the castle, where we had spent two nights during our 1996 exploration of Anglesey. It's always nice to come back here and enjoy a pint (or two) in a historic half-timber pub.
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Beaumaris Castle
Below: the Ye Olde Bull's Head Inn, Beaumaris, and the car we rented for our holiday.
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| We arrived back at Portmeirion mid-afternoon; plenty of time to do something new. We went back to our room, put a light snack and a half-bottle of wine in our backpack and headed to one of several beautiful walking trails on the grounds. There are 70 acres of woodlands here with 19 miles of pathways cutting through forests, secret spaces and coastal coves. There are specific coastal walks and woodland walks. We decided to do a combination of both, first hiking along the coast past the hotel, and eventually ascending to the Woodland Walk. The path was a beautiful meander through a variety of interesting trees, shrubs and wildflowers in full bloom, and lots of birds. At one point we broke out of the woods and onto a cliff with nice views of the coast. We took our time and spent almost two hours on the trail. There are lots of fun things to see and do at Portmeirion, but the trail walking is now our favorite activity. |
Below: Portmeirion Woodland Walk
| The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and walked around Portmeirion village before heading out for the day. Our first stop was Criccieth, not to see the castle, but to walk around the town and shops and later enjoy a pub lunch. Even if you're not into castles (what?!) Criccieth is a really nice town with lots to see and do. We stopped first at a popular public beach with plenty of parking just on the outskirts of town with excellent views of the bay and castle. We parked and got out to take in the views and the festive atmosphere. There were lots of families with children, some on the beach, some on the walkway above the beach, and other enjoying a sunny day on benches. Behind it all was a handsome collection of Criccieth's Victorian houses, some of which, no doubt, serve as hotels or B&Bs. We lingered here for a while then found parking in the town center and starting exploring some of the many shops. Later we enjoyed lunch at what has become (for no particular reason) our go-to pub in Criccieth; the Prince of Wales. We found a table and were immediately faced with a difficult decision. On the hand pump that day were Wells Bombardier, Wychwood Hobgoblin, and Black Sheep Best Bitter. What to do? We ordered Hobgoblin and Black Sheep so we could try both! Following lunch we continued down the Llyn Peninsula on our way to explore something new. |
Criccieth: beach near the castle and Prince of Wales pub on a lovely day!
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At the western tip of the Llyn Peninsula is the charming seaside town of Aberdaron. Aberdaron is a former fishing village that was also the last stop for pilgrims on the way to Ynys Enlli, the ‘Isle of 20,000 Saints’ otherwise known as Bardsey Island. The island is now a National Nature Reserve renowned internationally for its birdlife. The church at Aberdaron (St Hywyn ) had the ancient privilege of sanctuary. In 1094 Gruffudd ap Cynan, the exiled King of Gwynedd, sought refuge in the church while attempting to recapture his throne. The Church of St Hywyn dates from the 12th century. Its origins are earlier, as a clas church from the 5th to the 7th centuries. Its importance was as an embarkation point for the abbey on Bardsey Island which became a significant site of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. Two carved boulders within the church, The Anelog Stones, commemorate a pair of 5th or 6th century priests, Veracius and Senacus. When translated they say 'Veracius the priest lies here' and 'Senacus the priest lies here with the multitude of brethren priests'.
I had wanted to visit the end the end Llyn Peninsula for some time, and now we were here. Although the weather was chilly there were still a fair number of people visiting the village, picnicking and enjoying the mile long sandy beach with stunning views across Cardigan Bay, and to Bardsey Island. We walked out onto the beach and found yet another one of Wales' beauty spots, the wide beach framed by gentle green hills and the bay. Bardsey Island seemed a long way off (bottom row, left) but thanks to my new camera, I could zoom in and actually see some of the birds that inhabit the island (bottom row, right). Next we visited St Hywyn's. The church is interesting because it has two naves of equal length. The Northern Nave is largely 12th century while the Southern dates from the 14th century. The internal arcade is of the 15th century, and I thought this was the church's most handsome feature. We found the Anelog Stones tucked in a corner to the left of the alter. It's a nice display with the upright stones resting on a thick piece of polished wood supported by a low stone riser. The inscriptions of both stones could be easily read, and I found myself marveling again at seeing another example of rare Romano-British history. I felt that St Hywyn's retains much it's 5th-6th century atmosphere, which was similar to what we found and felt when we visited some of the sites around St David's. This still feels like a place of pilgrimage. We spent a bit more time exploring the church before going back outside for another stroll on the beach. It was still chilly and windy so we decided to enjoy a hot cup of tea at the local cafe before departing. I wonder if people who visit the upper Llyn Peninsula ever think about taking a trip to Aberdaron. If not, they're missing one of the peninsula's most historic and beautiful places.
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Aberdaron, Saint Hywyn's Church, the Anelog Stones, and Bardsey Island
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We returned to Portmeirion to relax for the rest of the afternoon. We had booked dinner reservations at the hotel for our final night there, which also happened to be our anniversary. We enjoyed a very nice dinner and a good bottle of wine. Afterwards we went to the bar for an after dinner drink; a glass of vintage Port.
The first part of our trip was over but there was a lot more to come. I had survived my initial troubles, and Portmeirion had proved to be a great base for our limited exploration of north Wales. Favorites? I think more pleasant surprises rather than favorites. Beddgerert certainly stands out. I had been reading about this village for years but doing so still didn't prepare me for the stunning beauty we found there. Our woodland walk around Portmeirion was definitely a high-point, as was our trip to Aberdaron. We also really enjoyed our non-castle visit to Criccieth. We left early the next morning and headed to mid-Wales, and an accommodation that would be an elegant trip back in time to a previous century.
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Part I: North Wales
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