Things To Do In North Wales

[nopseud]

There is an awful lot to do and see in North Wales. Pen and I have made a list of some of the things we thought people might want to do, and I thought I'd put it up so people can take a look beforehand and see which they might be interested in. I'm pretty sure we won't be able to do everything! But if everyone likes the house, maybe we'll come back next year for the rest.

Because a lot of these are weather-dependent, and the weather in the UK at the moment can be politely described as 'unsettled', we don't want to make any concrete plans in advance. We'll have sign-up sheets for people to decide what they want to do, and try to do things on days when the weather looks like it will co-operate.


LLANDUDNO
This is a seaside resort town just along the coast, with a promenade and a pier, some nice shopping, and a cable car up to the headland. Most importantly, it has a lot of tea shops! We're planning a trip out there for an afternoon tea one day during the week.

CONWY
A medieval town, just up the coast from us (in fact, for the adventurous, there's a bus service from right outside the house).
- Extensive surviving town walls.
- Conwy Castle, which is one of the three Edward I era castles near us.
- Plas Mawr, an Elizabethan town house.

ANGLESEY
Large island just to the north-west of Wales, famous for being the last druid hold-out against the Roman invasion.
- Beaumaris, the next Edwardian castle.
- Plas Newydd Country House and Gardens.
- Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens.

BLAENAU FFESTINIOG
A former mining town further inland.
- Llechwedd Slate Caverns.
- Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, a heritage railway running between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Porthmadog. You can also go on from Porthmadog to Caernarfon.

PORTMEIRION
Italianate village designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, probably best known for being the filming location for the 1960s BBC series 'The Prisoner'. This is in the same direction as Blaenau Ffestiniog, so if some people want to do one and some the other, they could probably be combined. (15% discount for tickets bought online in advance.)

LLANBERIS
There's a few things to do here:
- Small-gauge railway along the lakes.
- Snowdon Mountain Railway, a rack-and-pinion railway to the visitor center at the summit of Snowdon.
- Dinorwig Power Station tour (massive underground hydro power station).
- National Slate Museum.

CAERNARFON CASTLE
The final of the three Edwardian castles near us, and probably the most impressive.

BODNANT GARDENS
Very nice gardens, greatly recommended by my mother!

PENRHYN CASTLE
19thC Norman-style castle + grounds.

Comments

[turlough]

I want to do and see everything! :-D I would definitely want to visit Bodnant Gardens and Portmeirion* but both of those kind of demands nice weather. And so does Anglesey. Caernarfon Castle and Conwy are probably nice places to visit even if the weather isn't perfect. And I was in Blaenau Ffestiniog in June 1984 so I should probably visit that too just because of the anniversary :-)

* Not because of The Prisoner, but because the Fourth Doctor adventure The Masque of Mandragora was set there :-)

[chalcopyrite.livejournal.com]

::waves hands:: OMG everything!


... this will clearly require more thought. ♥ awesome researchers of things!