Betws-y-Coed and Northern Wales
After three days in Leeds in which Kelly had to work, our family was very excited to head to Wales and truly enjoy our vacation. The trip itself took us from Leeds to Manchester and then on into Wales. It is very easy to tell once you’ve crossed the Welsh border as immediately all the signs are in Welsh. This is a byproduct of the Welsh Nationalist movement. Although they were never militant in the way that the IRA has been in Northern Ireland, the Welsh are very proud of their heritage and native culture. This culture along with the language differentiates them from their English neighbors, and perhaps no region is more adamantly Welsh as those in the mountainous north.
In addition to their national pride, the Welsh are also known the world around for their hospitality. They are very welcoming people. They never fail to greet you, and once they find out that you are from somewhere other than the U.K., they are more than happy to start up a conversation, recommending everything from sites and museums, even which train will get you to your desired location the fastest. As a very good friend of mine told me when she found out we were going to Wales, “I hope you find the true Welsh experience you are looking for.” Little did she know that we wouldn’t even arrive in Betws-y-Coed, before we were introduced to Welsh hospitality.
After traveling along the northern coast and enjoying beautiful views of the Irish Sea, we boarded our third and final train of the day to head south into the mountains. Taking our seats, we noticed a kind looking older gentleman with his brolly (umbrella) and newspaper sitting just across from us in the back of the rail car. Within five minutes of the train leaving the station, he had introduced himself as Arthur. Over the next thirty minutes or so, Arthur gave us the history of every small town we passed, advice on sites to see, and his only copy of the train tables. It was then, before we even reached our destination, that we realized what a magical place this would be.
After a long day of travel (nearly four hours by train) we arrived at the small Victorian village of Betws-y-Coed. Betws-y-Coed lies in the Snowdonia region of Northern Wales, which is named for the U.K.’s highest peak, Mount Snowdon. The village itself became popular with tourists only after the rail line was finished in 1868. After that, Betws-y-Coed became a destination for Victorian tourists looking for an escape into the wild. Today, nearly 150 years later, not much has changed. The town is a great starting point for the numerous walks, hikes, and bike trails in the region. On one side of the town is the Gwydyr National Forest and a short bus ride away are some of the most spectacular mountains in the U.K.
The church Hill House B&B
Our accommodation in Betws-y-Coed was at a charming little bed and breakfast called the Church Hill House. Our room, which was classified as a family room, featured a double bed and bunk beds for the boys. Included in our room rate was a full Welsh breakfast every morning. For those of you unfamiliar, this means a fried egg, hash browns, a rasher of bacon, beans, a baked tomato, sautéed mushrooms, sausage and black pudding. Most days I complimented this feast with a small pot of tea. Needless to say, lunches were usually pretty light during our stay.
Although we enjoyed a number of activities and shopping during our time in Betws-y-Coed, several activities stand out above the others. These are the Snowdon Mountain Railway and Llanberis, my hike with Douglas to the mountain lake, and our dinner at a sixteenth century Welsh Inn.
The boys in front of our rail car.
Snowdon Mountain Railway Station
On our first full day in Wales, we set out for the Snowdon Mountain Railway. The railway has been in operation since 1896. It sets off from the town of Llanberis, traveling 4.7 miles to within sight of the summit of Mount Snowdon. That is, keeping in mind, that the weather in good enough to actually see at the summit. Unfortunately for our family, the weather that day was as typically Welsh as the hospitality. We are able to glimpse breathtaking views of the other mountains and the rich valleys for about 2/3 of our trip up the mountain. The remaining 1/3 of the trip was marked by a steady rain, mist, and thick clouds. In fact the weather was so poor that our time at the actual summit was less than five minutes. We climbed the final thirty yards or so, snapped a very misty picture and headed back to the safety of our train car. Even with the poor weather though, the experience was once in a lifetime.
View from the train about halfway up Mount Snowdon
At the summit of Mount Snowdon
Also while we were in Llanberis, we had a much more pleasant experience by simply enjoying the great outdoors. Prior to our trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, my wife spotted a sign pointing towards a waterfall. With time to kill, we hiked about a half an hour to reach it. Although the kids complained at the beginning, the charm of the Welsh countryside and its unpredictable weather brightened their moods. In only that small bit of time we experienced sun, clouds, and rain, twice. Our efforts though were rewarded with beautiful views of the town, the waterfall, and a picturesque stone fence bordered field complete with a horse and several sheep. Sheep in Wales are like mosquitoes in the Amazon. They are everywhere. It was great though to see Benjamin’s face as he came face to face with “Mr. Sheep”. So much so that we didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was actually “Mrs. Sheep”.
Benji and Mr Sheep.
On our second full day in Wales, we decided to stay in Betws-y-Coed, relax and do some shopping. After this was finished and we still had a couple of hours until dinner, Douglas and I decided to take one of the hikes that began around the corner from our B&B. The hike was difficult but the sign promised a mountain lake, which piqued our interest. After nearly 40 minutes of steep climbing, Douglas and I emerged at the top of the ridge with views of the mountains and a fairly large lake stretching out in front of us. We hiked the entire way around the lake, before heading back down to meet up with Kelly and Benjamin. I’ll always remember the look on Douglas’ face as we came back onto the road by the beginning of the hike. He was so proud of himself for completing a “difficult” hike. Moments like this remind me that it’s the little things in life that really count.
Douglas after finishing our hike.
After working up a big appetite with our hike, we all got ready and headed to the Ty Gwyn Hotel and Restaurant for dinner. The Ty Gwyn dates to 1636 and features beautiful low wood beamed ceilings throughout. For many years it operated as a coaching inn. For the past 28 years it has been operated by the same family with a patriarch also serving as the restaurant’s chef. They pride themselves on traditional Welsh cooking with a focus on local produce, meats, etc… Like most Welsh cooking, the Ty Gwyn relies heavily on lamb, potatoes, cheeses, and leeks. The meal I enjoyed that evening was something I’d never tried before, lamb Wellington. It featured lamb loin baked in light pastry dough. It was wonderful, especially when accompanied by a good pint of Welsh bitter.
The Ty Gywn
Lamb Wellington
Kelly and I during our hike to the waterfall.
No comments:
Post a Comment