UK Trip: Llanberis, Snowdon, and Caernarfon, Wales (July 17, 2015)

We were up very early this morning because we had booked the 9:30 train to the top of Snowdon.  When we got over to the Snowdon Mountain Railway in Llanberis, we found that, due to the wind, they would not be taking people to the top.  They would take us a little more than 1/2 way and they would refund us some of the full purchase price.  The weather was questionable for some of the other activities I would have liked to have done - I had picked out a hike that looked interesting - so we decided to go on the train.  Beautiful, moody, views.  Lots of sheep.  And it was windy!

On the train to Snowdon.

Beautiful valley.

The stopping place.

Waiting for another train.  Llyn Padarn (Lake)

Llyn Peris.  Dinorwig Power Station under old quarry workings on left.

Following our train ride, we walked along the road that separates Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris over to the National Slate Museum at the old Dinorwic Slate Quarry.  The museum is located where the workshops for the mine were located.  Here, patterns for cogs and other pieces were cut and molded for machinery.  We walked around looking at the exhibits and climbed up to view the 50 foot diameter metal water wheel. I believe all of the energy for the workshop came from water.  There would be plenty coming down the mountains surrounding the site.

We watched a short video about the history of the mine and the men who worked there.  We then watched a demonstration on how to split and cut slate.  It was interesting to learn that the instruments used to split the slate were actually dull, not sharp.

Inside National Slate Museum with the workings behind.

On our walk back to the car, we took a detour to a ruined castle that sits perched over Llyn Peris.  Castell Dolbadarn was built by Llewelyn ab Iorwerth ('the Great') in the early 13th century.  Only the stone keep survives.  The remainder of the castle was plundered for its stones and wooden beams.

Castell Dolbadarn.

We drove back to Caernarfon for lunch.  I had wanted to try a real fish and chip shop and I had read that Ainsworth's was the place to try.  We got two boxes to share (we should have ordered one per person - it was delicious) and ate it on the bench outside.  Then we went to Palas Caffi for ice cream.  We all tried different flavors, lemon meringue, toffee, Mounds (coconut), Nutella.

We were again staying at Tal Menai Guest House and we had been told there was a foot path that led from town back.  Our oldest wanted a little break from us, so he headed back to the B&B along the path while the rest of us crossed the bridge by the castle and took a walk along the shore on the other side.  It was very windy and the scenery was not that spectacular, so we headed back.  When we got to the bridge, a boat was coming through and we got to see the bridge swing back into place.

Caernarfon Castle.

Tal Menai Guest House.

We took a little break back at Tal Menai and headed into town for dinner.  It was a Friday night and there appeared to be a lot of people out for happy hour.  The place I had in mind looked packed, so we ended up at a restaurant we had seen earlier in the day.  We got inside and got a table, but it was pretty noisy and the kids were the youngest ones in there.  The meal was nothing special and we were happy to finish up and leave.  We went back to the guest house to relax and get packed.  On Saturday we were headed east back to the Manchester area and then York.

Sunset over Menai Strait with the sheep in the field across the road.

Looking back on the Wales portion of the trip, there are things I would have done differently.  I would have skipped Llandudno altogether.  Too busy for me.  The Great Orme was nice, but I think I would have preferred spending more time in Snowdonia, perhaps doing a hike.  I think staying all three nights in one location would have been better, too.  Next time!  Wales was beautiful and we saw too little of it.