(For some reason the video above doesn't seem to show up on Ipad's so if you cannot see it try this link)
We spent a week up in North Wales for summer vacation this year. We rented a cottage on the Lleyn peninsula near the village of Cricceith (pronounced Crick-eth) in the Snowdonia Region that we used as our home base. While the distance from our house to the vacation spot was only about 165 miles, it was about a 4.5 hour trip as there is no real direct high speed road to get to this area.
North Wales is a beautiful region of the UK. It suprises us how few people from South Wales have ever been up there considering how close it is. We had a great week visiting villages, beaches, mountains and castles. Some highlights that you will see in the video.
- We travelled 4 miles by steam engine on the only rack and pinion railway in Britian, to the top of the highest peak in Wales - Mt Snowdon at 1085M (3560ft). The train must use rack and pinion due to the steepness of the tracks!
- We visted the village and castle of Beaumaris on the Island of Anglesey. (We also got drenched here in a sudden downpour that caught us off guard:)
- We visited the village and castle of Caernarfon. One of Edward I mightiest castles. This is also where the original 'Prince of Wales' was born hence the start of a standing tradition where the eldest son of the king/queen is given this title (currently held by Prince Charles).
- We visited the north coast resort village of Llandudno with its victorian inspired downtown, spectacular waterfront, and the Great Orme Peninsula - a massive headland that overlooks the village and gives great views of the snowdonia mountains.
- We visited the walled village and castle of Conwy - another great castle built by Edward I to keep wales under control.
- While most days were not perfect beach weather we were able to spend some time at the beach in Llandudno as well as the beach below our cottage at Black Rock Sands, which is one of the few places that allow you to drive your car right onto the beach!
Since Noah's birthday was officially on a monday/school day, we decided to do the main part of the celebration this past weekend on Saturday. Our luck with the weather was good and it stayed dry for our day trip up to The National Showcaves Center for Wales about an hours drive from our house. Noah brough along his friend Emrys as well. We spent the day here - exploring the tourist caves and the large dinasour park. After we got home we opened presents and had cake!
Today on his actual birthday, the weather cleared up after lunch so after the kids got off school, Kelly took them down to Southerndown beach for an hour or so to play before we had a birthday dinner of pancakes - Noah's favorite food!
Wednesday was my birthday and also my dads last day in before heading back to Canada, so I took the day off. We had a birthday lunch with the kids.
For dinner we got a babysitter for the kids and Kelly, Dad and I went out and tried another new pub for us. The Pelican in her Piety near Ogmore by the Sea. A little more expensive than the average pub but the food was excellent, well presented with a nice pub atmosphere.
Over the Jubilee holiday, there were lots of events going on at the local historic sites and one of them was a re-enactment of a castle siege at Caerphilly castle just north of Cardiff in the Village of Caerphilly. Caerphilly is a massive castle (biggest in Wales and second biggest in Britian next to Windsor castle) complete with round towers and a moat! A great example of military architecture of the times. Also, unlike many of the other large castles in Wales this one was not built by the English to repress those pesky welsh from uprising. It was built by a weathly Norman to defend his lands.
There was also some interesting demonstrations of the larger siege engines and some of the smaller weapons. These demonstrations were on because of the holiday and not normally there. The cross bow is the new favorite weapon for the boys.
They also learned how money was made back in the day - each coin hammered out by hand.
Jubilee celebrations are everywhere for the next 4 days. In the village of Wick where the kids go to school they had an event on the village green. One of the booths had animals to hold. The boys of course both went for the snakes.