Wales

 Northwestern Wales was so much more wild then I imagined it could be. It felt like wilderness in certain parts - high mountain passes in driving rain, forests of huge ancient hardwoods. It really was all I hoped it would be. Driving was an adventure.  Jason did his best driving a manual transmission with the wrong hand on the wrong side of the road through tiny, NARROW village lanes. We only had one little run in with a curb. I said lots of prayers and Jason tried really hard to only swear in his head. Driving got a bit easier as the days went by but I'm glad Jason was driving. I really don't think I would have been able to. Our funnest adventure was trying to find out hotel the first afternoon. We ended up an hour and half north of where we needed to be up in a sheep field! Our rental had Apple maps which was useless in rural Wales, but we didn't know that at the time! Our hotel was an old manor house.



My favorite tree on the grounds of our hotel. It is a copper birch - the underside of the leaves are green, top is red! This old tree was amazing!

Dolwyddelan Castle

The first Welsh castle we visited was pretty much in ruins. Dolwyddelan was built by Llywelyn the Great in the early 13th century.  I have read so much about Llywelyn and his castles, it was soooo fun to go here. Plus it is a self tour, kind of just out in a sheep field. You can wander and explore and climb. It was amazing!

Criccieth Castle was our next stop. It was much more intact and we wandered for a long time. It was amazing.  The drive there was crazy.

 This was the Great Room. It looks out over the ocean. So fun to climb up to the battlements - I have always wanted to!

 

 We were in Snowdonia National Park most of the time in Wales. On this hike we saw 1 other person. It was amazing! It was fun to see wild foxglove everywhere.

 

 Caernarfon castle

Huge, well maintained, some parts restored. Medieval wall and village still surround the castle which was really cool.