South of North Wales
Here we are, the first of my posts about Wales. Hopefully I didn't leave it too long this time!
Part 1: South and North
We started our North Wales trip in South Wales. As you do. This was entirely because I wanted to go to the Royal Mint in Llantrisant and we figured that while we were there we should spend a bit of time in the nearby area too.
First up, one of Wales's many castles, Caerphilly:
Home of fancy geese:
A proper water-filled moat:
And some dragons. It is Wales, after all!
Also, it apparently has a really famous leaning tower, which I didn't know existed until I went there but is definitely leaning...
Good thing that guy's there to hold it up.
I just like this picture.
Nice and sunny in South Wales! And Welsh flags, just in case you thought I was lying about where I was.
We left Caerphilly and headed to Llanerch Vineyard Hotel where we were spending the night. It was a very pretty place.
Not a bad view from our hotel room!
The Vineyard also had a little wooded area with a walking path, so we explored that for a bit,
And were judged by some curious sheep in the next field:
Of course we couldn't come to a Vineyard and not do a tour and tasting...
Vines!
Wine!
The next day we went to The Royal Mint, where they make coins for the UK and a lot of other countries...
Hello, Paddington!
Photography wasn't allowed in the Royal Mint Experience so I don't have any pictures of the money-making machines, but I do have photographic evidence of me picking up a solid gold bar worth £400,000.
It was exceedingly heavy!
We then headed upwards via Pontypridd, which wasn't particularly pretty but did have a nice park.
As you can see, the weather was not as nice as the day before!
Flower close-up cos I like taking close-ups of flowers!
We drove up through the Brecon Beacons, which were pretty but misty.
Sheep bums!
The weather did improve somewhat and the scenery was very picturesque, although it did get worse again as the drive went on.
After a less than pleasant drive through the rain, we made it to Porthmadog.
It has a pretty harbour
And this pub...
The Australia! Home of Purple Moose Brewery beer, which I was a big fan of. If we'd been there longer I'm sure we'd have drunk in that pub many nights! =D
~*~
That's it for South Wales and the journey up. Next up we're properly in the North and it's time to take some trains!
Part 1: South and North
We started our North Wales trip in South Wales. As you do. This was entirely because I wanted to go to the Royal Mint in Llantrisant and we figured that while we were there we should spend a bit of time in the nearby area too.
First up, one of Wales's many castles, Caerphilly:
Home of fancy geese:
A proper water-filled moat:
And some dragons. It is Wales, after all!
Also, it apparently has a really famous leaning tower, which I didn't know existed until I went there but is definitely leaning...
Good thing that guy's there to hold it up.
I just like this picture.
Nice and sunny in South Wales! And Welsh flags, just in case you thought I was lying about where I was.
We left Caerphilly and headed to Llanerch Vineyard Hotel where we were spending the night. It was a very pretty place.
Not a bad view from our hotel room!
The Vineyard also had a little wooded area with a walking path, so we explored that for a bit,
And were judged by some curious sheep in the next field:
Of course we couldn't come to a Vineyard and not do a tour and tasting...
Vines!
Wine!
The next day we went to The Royal Mint, where they make coins for the UK and a lot of other countries...
Hello, Paddington!
Photography wasn't allowed in the Royal Mint Experience so I don't have any pictures of the money-making machines, but I do have photographic evidence of me picking up a solid gold bar worth £400,000.
It was exceedingly heavy!
We then headed upwards via Pontypridd, which wasn't particularly pretty but did have a nice park.
As you can see, the weather was not as nice as the day before!
Flower close-up cos I like taking close-ups of flowers!
We drove up through the Brecon Beacons, which were pretty but misty.
Sheep bums!
The weather did improve somewhat and the scenery was very picturesque, although it did get worse again as the drive went on.
After a less than pleasant drive through the rain, we made it to Porthmadog.
It has a pretty harbour
And this pub...
The Australia! Home of Purple Moose Brewery beer, which I was a big fan of. If we'd been there longer I'm sure we'd have drunk in that pub many nights! =D
~*~
That's it for South Wales and the journey up. Next up we're properly in the North and it's time to take some trains!