Our Magical History Tour 2014: Into Snowdonia National Park on Bank Holiday Monday 26th May

Bank Holiday Monday 26^th May and into some of the most beautiful country that we have seen. Some parts of Northern Wales remind me of the top of Scotland around Loch Ness. Old brick arched bridges, soaring trees, all different shades of green, stone fences for paddocks, stone houses, with sheep dotted around the paddocks.

Added to that and we spent time on the famous canals built by Thomas Telford, a civil engineer who constructed the most amazing structures in Shropshire, and the Northern Wales areas. We have already been on some of his bridges and works.

Firstly we saw an old bridge then found our way around to take some photos, didn't know what it was until I asked a lady out walking her dog. It was the Chirk Aqueduct and Thomas Teldord built it as well.

Just another ordinary bridge

A bit more spectacular

He built the canals in 1805, and was extremely proud of his works. In 2009 this was made a World Heritage Site – along with the 11 miles on canals including Chirk Aqueduct and the Horseshoe Falls near Llangolllen. It is now one of the greatest heritage sites in the world along with Pyramids, Taj Mahal and the Acropolis. Not too bad a tag to have in the North of Wales.

200 years later, to travel in the canal at Pontcysyllte was an amazing adventure. Not to good when you have vertigo, but there are 18 columns and the bridge is 102 feet above the floor of the valley. The water then travels along the canal. It was the tallest boat crossing in the world.

Driving into the town very narrow streets

Water flowed in from different outlets this one is now not working

Full house on the canal basin

We went on this one

Look out for the people on the tow path, horse once pulled the canals along these paths

Just to prove we were on the canal

The turn around point. Lots of people had hired the boats for the day or for a holiday. There are over 4000 miles of canals in UK so it is a choice that many people make for holiday season.

The canal traffic is one way, we had to wait for some boats to back up and then we went through. Not sure about the next lot we saw, two canoes and a canal boat either end, not sure who ended up winning that little battle.

The very small house at the top was Telford's home while the works were being done, he could see what was happening from the rooms!

We must be missing our family, this is a beautiful 9 month old Guide dog in training, but while he looks like Matilda, he is white! Cross between a retriever and a labrador.

After the canals, we aimed for Llangollen. Well that plan came unstuck when we tried to get into town. There were cars and people everywhere, in fact the people were lined up on the street to get into the bakery and the fish and chip shop.

Around the town the parks and holiday places were jam packed. The sun was out so it made the day rather nice.

We knew of the steam train, and a little way down the road, there it came. We ended up with fantastic photo opportunities of the houses, steam trains and the Horseshoe Falls, another of Telford’s creations.

Again to prove we were here at Horseshoe Falls

Lunch stop was in Cowdren. Home of the longest name I think we will see, before tomorrow!

Can you read it, It says cafeatcandlesandcraftatalmshouseincowdren. See now you can read Welsh!

Into Betys-Coed.... and another huge crowd, here there had been an antiques fair. We were lost, no internet, no phone reception, and I was confused.

When I booked our accommodation here, I sent an email to Snowdonia....... and I booked with Lesley, after looking at her property on the internet. Except that Rani replied, so I presumed she worked for Lesley. Then I paid the deposit, and some months later, Lesley asks me if we are staying there. Yes I said I have paid you the deposit. She couldn’t find it, then I did explain that I had been confused with the website of Snowdonia... as when I typed it in I couldn’t find her house! So she told me I had booked into a different one. Oh well, it was confusing I told her.

So we get here, and I have not put the correct phone number into my contacts, and a lady in the village then rang and we got Lesley. Up we went, and she remembered and helped me again. Turns out the B&B we were booked into was up the road in the Snowdonia National Park.

We arrive, and weren’t going to say anything, but Lesley had called them to let them know we were on our way. I told Gareth of the confusion, and would you believe, his B&B has a webite called..Snowdonia...

How could two places both have Snowdonia... in their website and email name but both have different property names and they don’t use the property name in their contacts? Added to that the same architect built the two properties of the same style with the same stone, in 1850, and they both look the same, except one had a different entry.

So after much confusion, if you wish to book into this part of the world, good luck, and remember my dilemma, and I thought the Irish were confusing!

But our meal tonight in the local pub, built in 1639 as a coaching house, was another simply fantastic meal, considering it is a pub. We spoilt ourselves with entree, and then I had lobster. In fact it was much nicer than all the lobster we had on our Holland America cruise, in the Le Circ restaurant!