North Wales

North Wales is a beautiful place with mountains, the Irish Sea, and fields in every shade of green that are full of wandering sheep. We stayed in the village of Llandudno which is on the coast and has mountains on both ends. After we arrived on Friday afternoon we rode a tram to the top of the Great Orm, the larger of the two mountains. It must be one of the windiest spots on earth - certainly the windiest place I have ever been. It felt like we had to hold on to keep from being blown right off the mountain and into the sea. Our coats and pant legs flapped and we had to yell to talk to one another. We walked down the mountain and when we were about 50 feet off the peak we were left with just a strong breeze. And a lot of sheep dung to step around. The sheep wander freely in the hills of this area.

Saturday we were back on the bus and visited three sites: a castle in Caernarfon, a village and a slate mine. The castle was very interesting and the most worthwhile part of the day. It was a massive structure but different from others we've seen because it was never finished. It saw battles and was used defensively, but never turned into the grand palace it was intended to be. It is more like a shell of a castle with many tall, empty towers, windows for shooting arrows, death holes for throwing rocks onto enemies: all the things that really impress the boys and left us thinking more about the battles fought at a castle than the life of the nobility who lived in them. The low stone wall on the right side of the photo shows where the Great Hall was started but never finished.

The slate mine tour could have been interesting but was poorly done and there was no guide to answer my many questions. We were on our own, 300 yards under ground, with recordings at each of 10 stops along the walk. Slate from the mines in North Wales provided shingles for the houses and buildings of all Europe and they continue to mine slate today (I read that in my guide book - didn't hear it on the tour.) It reminded me of visiting the coal mine in Ashland, Pennsylvania, near my dad's house. Outside the mine were huge piles of slate, the stuff not good enough to use, just like the slag piles of coal around that part of PA.
Sunday morning was surprisingly warm. The boys and I got up just after sunrise and walked on the beach. I had brought swimming suits along for them, certain they would end up swimming even if it started with a promise of just getting their feet wet. But the Irish Sea was too chilly for them. We walked along looking for shells; lots of empty clam shells covered the sand and rocks but just a few small pretty shells. I found a fossil (a trilobite) and they were fascinated with that. Just before the bus left we heard word of a giant jelly fish on the beach and we had to check that out. It was a huge glob of squishiness - disgusting yet fascinating.
Then another 5 hours on the bus, crossing Wales and most of England before we were back at Harlaxton Manor. The bus ride both ways was a miserable time. On Monday morning I still felt awful enough that I wasn't bothered by the fact that the cafeteria's fabulous coffee machine, which dispenses freshly made cappuccinos, espressos and lattes, was on the blink. My stomach couldn't handle the thought of coffee and that proves how very miserable the bus ride was!