Catching Wanderlust in Northern Wales

In case you have yet to read my previous posts, let me preface with the following:

Northern Wales was the second leg of my boyfriend, Kent, and I's two-week UK vacation and was the a main purpose for this trip. Kent's last name, Conway, can be directly traced to Conwy, Wales and therefore we chose it as the main hub of our time in this charming, oceanside area. With so much anticipation for Wales, we were excited to leave busy London for the slow-paced Welsh life.

Day 1
The 3.5 hour train ride started off great, as we met a friendly local who shared different facts about Wales and her life. She helped us maneuver the train (since they do not always stop in Conwy) and even provided her business card in case we had other questions during our stay.

After stepping off the train with our bags in hand, we headed down the road five minutes to our bed and breakfast, The Old Corner House. That five minute walk perfectly foreshadowed how our three days in Wales would unwind. The quaint main street of Conwy welcomed us, full of people, restaurants and small art and ice cream shops. At the end of the street beyond the town walls, which begin and end at Conwy castle and encompass the small town, was the River Conwy.

Our walk from the train to our B&B

The Old Corner House - our B&B

After checking in to The Old Corner House, which is at the heart of town run by an endearing couple, we imparted on a short one-mile hike up Conwy Mountain and were rewarded with a view of Conwy and nearby Deganwy, with the Irish Sea in the distance. The hike was easy and is a must if visiting this area.

We then headed down the mountain to stop by the Conwy Borough Football Club, which we spotted from the mountain. Kent was hoping to purchase a scarf but walked away with a jersey. We were lucky that the clubhouse was even open. After the walk back to our B&B, we freshened up and headed towards the Conwy Golf Club for dinner, where we unfortunately found a closed clubhouse. Luckily, The Mulberry restaurant on the Quay Marina was closeby. We grabbed a seat outside and enjoyed some wine, a fish platter and a perfect sunset over the marina. We headed back to the town walls and enjoyed a few pints at The Albion Ale House, which is run by four local breweries whose goal is to preserves the spirit of a traditional English pub. We ended the night by walking on top of the walls that encompass the town, as they are always open and free to enter.

Conwy from Conwy Mountain
Our climb down the mountain where we had to dodge sheep among the bushes.
Our view at dinner
On top of the town walls

Day 2
After a great nights sleep and hearty English breakfast provided by our B&B, Kent and I boarded Bus 18 to Caernarfon. Our final destination for the day was Mount Snowdon, the second tallest mountain in the UK after Ben Nevis in Scotland. Snowdon is located in Snowdonia National Park, one of Wales' three national parks.

After maneuvering buses, we arrived to Llanberis, the launching point for the train that summits Mount Snowdon. Rather than the train, we opted for the Sherpa (shuttle) that took us on a 15 minute ride to the trailhead for the Pyg Track hike.


Hiking the Pyg Track

Since Kent and I thought we had to summit the mountain and return to make the shuttle in a matter of six hours, we set a quick pace up the mountain with our camera in hand and were immediately amazed by the all-encompassing views. The path was very well marked with stones and was all up-hill, with many steps the whole way. It was definitely a workout and strenuous, but it you take it slow, most people could complete it.

After two hours, numerous photos and many amazing moments, we reached the summit, where we were greeted with a 360 degree view of lakes, green mountains and the sea. We took in the scenery, grabbed some meat pies and pastries at the summit shop and found a lush spot of grass with a majestic landscape before us.

We made it!

Our picnic view


Rather than taking the Pyg Track back down the mountain, we followed the train track down to Llanberis. The walk was still long and rougher on the legs, as it was all downhill, but it was a great end to the day. And perfect timing as a storm rolled in over the summit during our descent.

After taking a snooze on the bus rides back to Conwy, we cleaned up and ended the night at the Albian Ale House for some pints and snacks (Peanuts, a Slim Jim-like sausage and a Scottish Egg).

Day 3
While the previous day was extremely idyllic, with great weather, scenery and doing what we love, hiking, we were looking forward to our final full day in Wales. On our agenda for the day was to explore Conwy Castle and the nearby city of Llandudno (Clandidno).

We awoke to another hearty breakfast provided by our gracious hosts and then arrived to Conwy Castle right as it opened, at 9:30am. After purchasing our 6.75£  ticket, we explored the old castle, which is in great condition considering it was built by Edward I during his Welsh conquest between 1277 and 1307. Some say Conwy is one of the greatest fortifications in Wales and even Britain. According to UNESCO, Conwy castle is, one of the "finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe." The castle provided different informative pieces along that helped us imagine what Edward I's living quarters were like.


Conwy Castle


After take some selfies (see above) on top of the castle, we took Bus 18 over to the seaside resort town of Llandudno. Only a 10 minute bus ride from Conwy, Llandudno has a completely different feel. It is upscale, much larger and has more restaurants and shops to visit. The architecture in Llandudno is also very distinct, with Victorian-style buildings outlining the promenade on the Irish Sea. A pier, built in the 1870s, is located at the end of the promenade, full of local food and game vendors.

We strolled the promenade and wandered the pier before heading onto Llandudno's main street to purchase some fixings for a picnic. With food in hand, we headed up a small hill behind the pier and found a perfect picnic spot with an amazing view of Llandudno and the Welsh coast. We were able to see water along the promenade and then behind the city since Llandudno is on a peninsula. We enjoyed our typical salami sandwiches, strawberries, Welsh cheese and pastries from a local bakery. This picnic was probably one of my favorites because the scenery was breathtaking and we were able to sit down on some grass and really take in all of the beauty.

The pier

A Punch and Judy show

Our picnic view

With full stomachs, we headed up the steep hill to the Great Orme, a two-mile long nature reserve aside Llandudno. Kent had researched this area and was interested in checking it out, so we made our way to the reserve by following the trolly line. There were numerous trails and pathways cut out in the grass once we entered the reserve, so we just chose a path and wandered around. With the ocean  and beautiful foliage surrounding us, we didn't mind walking aimlessly. We ended up at St. Tudno's church and cemetery, which Kent was also interested in finding since it dates back to the 12th century.

We then enjoyed a nice walk back along the coast where we ended our day with a perfect view overlooking Llandudno and the ocean. Llandudno is a beautiful town and would be a great jumping off point while visiting other places in Northern Wales.

St. Tudno's cemetery
Llandudno is behind us
After getting some amazing ice cream at the Alice in Wonderland-inspired ice cream parlor, The Looking Glass, we headed back for one last evening in Conwy. Kent wanted to try out some local beers, so we purchased some brews from a liquor store on the main road and headed to the harbor, where we drank, watched the locals and listened to the seagulls. (Seagulls were with us the entire trip since each city we visited was on some body of water). We then ate dinner at The Castle Hotel, enjoying a sampler platter of traditional Welsh cuisine.

Day 4
Our train did not depart until later afternoon, so we had the whole morning to explore and visit one last place on Kent's Wales Bucket List - Bodnant Gardens. We took the bus, which took longer than we expected, leaving us only two hours to explore the gardens and have our picnic. We quickly paid the 10.5£ entrance fee (a little hefty if you ask me) and headed into the grounds to explore.
The 80 acres of gardens include lakes, streams, a Spanish-style reflection pond and many other water features. After walking through the lush and well-kept gardens we ate our picnic under a nice shade tree and then ventured to the gift shop area to enjoy some cream tea. Once we finished our tea, we took the bus back into town so we could catch our train.

Bodnant Estate is on the right.



Other photos:


The top of Mount Snowdon

The selfie stick was great.


The River Conwy
Conwy is behind us.
Llandudno.

Tips:
1. Northern Wales was Kent and I's favorite part of our 16-day trip. I definitely recommend visiting Conwy, Llandudno and taking the time to enjoy some other nearby towns.
2. The Old Corner House was one of the reasons we enjoyed Wales so much. The owners are lovely people who make you truly feel welcome and will assist your any way they can.
3. Get to know the bus system. You can get a lot of places in this area with them.
4. Do not be afraid to ask questions. We heard a rumor that Welsh people were rather unfriendly, however we learned to ask questions when we were lost and they helped us (usually).


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