NORTH WALES (round 2 – 91 nations and counting) – snapped this ‘cheeky’ shot in the snow in SNOWDONIA national park whilst hiking the beautiful mount Snowdon! Had an amazing 800km (500 mile), 10hr road trip this last week end with the brilliant Gemma Graves, caught up with my old friend, the awesome jet setter Jennifer Hughes for the third time around the world from Albania- Australia- Wales! Thanks for being a brilliant host Jen!
Began with an early start in Bristol (5am) Saturday morning and drove up through picturesque welsh villages, sheep filled pastures and some stunning lakes and rivers cutting through farmland in northern Wales stopping in Betws-y-coed for welsh cakes and bira Brath (traditional welsh baked goods) before heading up to Pen-y-pass and hiking in snowdonia national park blanketed in the snow! Snowdon is the highest peak in Wales and a stunning landscape to explore. A great 6 hour hike!
The following morning headed down through Llanberis and Gwastadnant past blue lakes and lovely welsh countryside to beautiful Canaerfon with its ancient streets, harbor and impressive castle!
Stopped off in the wonderfully named town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (lan-vire-pool-guin-gith-go-ger-u-queern-drob-ooth-clandus-ilio-gogo-goch) which is a Welsh word that translates roughly as “St Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave”.
This town holds the record for the longest name of any town in Europe and is up there in the world rankings for longest name worldwide. Unsurprisingly it also allegedly holds the record for the largest train ticket as they’ve got to fit the whole name on the ticket stub.
Crossed the bridge and drove to Angelsea island (Ynys Môn) in far northern Wales and headed straight for the little town of Holyhead then out to the famous South Stack lighthouse and the welsh coastline which is stunning! South stack has hand down the most beautiful coastline I’ve seen in the uk to date! Staring along huge cliffs coated in green moss out towards brown, yellow and multiple hues of green welsh countryside with snowdonia and the snow capped peaks of mount Snowdon looming in the background!
The south stack national park is home to puffins in the summer and a variety of wildlife, you can walk down the cliff face to the lighthouse and stare directly across the strait out to Ireland and sit watching the ferries make their way between Wales and Dublin!
Drove down the coastline past the town of Llandudno and along the coast via Conway castle then headed off back to Hereford (home of the Hereford cow) for some 21 day aged Hereford beef burgers!
All in all a massive week end exporting northern Wales – 800kms (505 miles) and 10 hours on the road!