Castles with a love story in Wales. Forgotten Reality
"WALES, WALES, WALES, WALES!!!"
chorus of the most popular song during the travel days, composed by my daughter
Instead of introducing
Five days in Wales - one and a half thousand kilometers, the Irish Sea, the straits of St. George and Bristol, 16 cities, 2 of them English, one capital, 7 castles, the cathedral of the patron saint of Wales and the hermit's well, two lighthouses and one pier, the smallest house in Britain, and the town with the longest name...
These are mountains and valleys, islands and coasts, rivers and streams, bridges and tunnels, piers, embankments and piers, yachts and boats...
And also various monuments and monuments, among them a sculpture of the White Rabbit...
And a few more pubs and lots and lots of beer, cider and ale, as well as 10 bells, 6 magnets, postcards where I came across, a handbag and a jacket as a gift...
And also memories, comparisons with what they once saw, wanderings and arguments about which road to choose, as well as long summer evenings, sea air, the cries of seagulls and fragmentary reports from Russia from the World Cup.
The names of the Welsh cities and towns that we visited or passed by were not pronounced right away, we got used to them for a long time, repeated them, made mistakes and laughed, savoring their melodiousness... Llandudno, Conwy, Llanwirepullguingillgogeryhuirndrobullllantysiliogogogoch, Beaumaris, Penmon, Bangor, Carnarvon, Harlech, Aberystwyth, Aberporth, St. David's, Pembroke, Swansea, Port Talbot, Margam, Cardiff, as well as English Chester, from where we entered Wales, and an hour in Bath, which ended everything.
Castles are the glory of Wales. They are quite impressive and several of them - Conwy, Beaumaris, Caernarvon and Harlech - are under the auspices of UNESCO. We really liked Conwy, perhaps it is the most romantic. After Windsor, Caernarvon is one of the largest castles in Britain. It is here that the ceremony of conferring the title (investiture) of the Prince of Wales takes place. We also visited Pembroke and Cardiff castles, and saw the ruins of castles in Aberystwyth and Swansea.
There are six stories about this journey. The first two are about all the places we visited. The four castles where we managed to purchase bells are a separate matter.
On the bell from Caernarvon Castle is a map of North Wales, where we were for the first two days.
Llandudno - Welsh Brighton and the City of the White Rabbit
During multi-day trips, it happens that interesting cities remain in the shadows. This happened with Llandudno, where we spent two nights and spent the days in other places. Only a few evening photographs remained as a souvenir.
Llandudno - called the “Welsh Brighton” or the “king of Welsh resorts”. Yes, this is a resort city. The holidaymakers here are mainly pensioners, who are brought on excursion buses to breathe the sea air from the English countryside. Our hotel accommodated a large group. When we returned late in the evening, tired after a busy day, music greeted us. Smartly dressed grandparents sipped wine and beer at the hotel bar and listened to the singer. It was clear that these were the songs of their youth - the people sang and danced along. I imagined how I would listen to Eduard Khil, Vadim Mulerman, Valery Obodzinsky, Oleg Anufriev or Maya Kristalinskaya now.
In the evening, in the rays of the setting sun, Llandudno looks elegant. Hotels stretched along the embankment, the walls of which are painted in soft pastel colors, turrets and spiers, flags, flower beds... And wave after wave rushing onto the shore.
Llandudno grew up on the site of a fishing village and copper mining town. In the second half of the 19th century, through the efforts of entrepreneur Owen Williams, it acquired a clear layout, wide green streets and pretty Victorian mansions. A luxurious promenade was laid along the sea and a pier was built. As we learned, this is the longest pier in Britain - it extends 700 meters into the sea.
During the day it’s fun here - all kinds of attractions and game rooms.
We walked along the embankment for two evenings. Contrasts - some in jackets, and some in T-shirts and shorts.
We admired the city panorama from the pier. The color of the sea was either silver-gray or dark blue.
The seagulls became quiet, had worked hard during the day and lay down in the warm pebbles. And only the noise of the waves, rolling in one after another, disturbed the peace and quiet.
Early on the morning of the third day we left Llandudno. We took a last look at the local Ayu-Dags, which we never climbed on the jolly tram, and promised ourselves to return.
And I couldn’t leave Llandudno without saying goodbye to the White Rabbit. Remember his first appearance in the book “Alice in Wonderland”: “Oh, my God, my God! How late I am! (eng. “Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!”)
The Carroll family's summer home once stood on the embankment, and the nearby hotel belonged to the Liddell family. It was Alice Liddell who became the prototype of the fairy-tale Alice.
Goodbye Llandudno!
I really want to come back here. Into peace and quiet. But advertising brochures entice with a three-day Victorian carnival in May, when all the townspeople are in historical costumes, and main street Vintage cars move proudly in a solemn march.
Conwy Castle, the smallest British house and a monument to the Great Prince Llewelyn...
http://newshow/zamki/?st=konuiAnd now, about where we were for two days when we left Llandudno.
The North Wales map bell highlights the wonderful places we've visited! And how many places have you not been to? Snowdonia and its highest peak is Mount Snowdon. Alas! Next time.
The main purpose of our trip was castles. The Welsh land is a land of castles. There are several thousand of them here. Large and small, well preserved and ruins. It’s simply impossible to see everything. We only visited four in North Wales! But what! Most famous!
Our first destination was Conwy Castle. There will be a separate story about this castle, since, to my delight, I managed to find a bell with its image.
It turned out that in the very pretty town of Conwy, there was another striking attraction - the smallest house in all of Britain (Smallest House in Great Britain), aka Quay House.
Early in the morning, when there were almost no tourists, we captured this “little miracle” without any problems. It was not possible to look inside - there is now a museum there, which opened later. We didn’t dare return here, we hurried on. The dimensions of the residential building are only 3.05 by 1.8 meters. It is curious that the first owner of the house was fisherman Robert Jones with very impressive dimensions. His height was more than 2 meters!
On the Internet I saw a bell with a picture of this house. Alas, having combed everything souvenir shops, I didn’t find one. If anyone sends a photo for illustration, we will be glad. Or maybe I’ll be lucky and someday I’ll find him.
The town of Conwy preserves the memory of the brave Welsh prince Llewelyn, who during the 40 years of his reign gained the gratitude of the people and was honored to go down in history with the name GREAT.
The life of this brave man ended very sadly. His severed head “decorated” London for several months. Here's how Henry Wollam Morton, a famous British journalist and writer, the founder of the travel genre, writes about it:
“Llewellyn traveled south to negotiate with supporters. He entered the woods near Built, and his guard of eighteen men, all from Caernarvonshire, kept watch at the bridge. An English knight named Adam de Frankton, who happened to meet Llewelyn and realized that he was a Welshman, pierced him with a spear and rode on. The prince fell to the ground. He only had enough strength to call the priest. The white monk performed the last ritual.
Later that day, Frankton returned to the forest to undress the man he had killed. Llewelyn was still breathing. Frankton learned that he had struck the Prince of Wales himself, and was very happy about it. He waited for the hero's last breath and, drawing his sword, cut off Llewelyn's head.
Edward received the head of his enemy while he was either in Conwy or in Rhudlan. He lined up the army and ordered the head mounted on a pike to be carried past all the warriors. And then someone remembered Merlin’s old prophecy: when English coins become round, the Prince of Wales will wear a crown in London. English coins of 1278 were round. A few days later, the Prince of Wales was crowned in London: Llewelyn's head, mounted on a stake and decorated with ivy, was carried through London by a horseman. Loud trumpets greeted him and saw him off. Then a stake with the head of the Prince of Wales - the prince of the oldest ruling European house - was installed on the very high tower London. It rotted in the wind and rain for many days.”
Isle of Anglesey - Beaumaris Castle and Llanwyre-Pullgwyngill
From Conwy the route went to the island of Anglesey. Prince William and his young wife Kate lived on this island for several years while serving in the Navy. Residents of the island were glad that, thanks to the residence of the royal couple, there were many more tourists. At the same time, local residents wished well to the newlyweds: “The fact that the prince moved to our island was a gift for us, and we want to repay him in kind, respecting him personal life" “I know where he lives, but I won’t tell you,” one local resident told the press.
Our plans were to visit 2 places here - Beaumaris Castle and the town with the longest name, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
It so happened that the “navigator” first took us to this town. I perked up when I saw a house with a sign that I had seen on the Internet.
So this is Llan... Having already uttered the first syllable, I faltered. Although at home I was able to pronounce this 58 letter name.
First of all, we ran to the railway station. Here the name of the town is written in two languages. By the way, in Welsh it was divided into syllables. And, really, it’s more convenient to “sing” this way. Because this is the name and you can only sing it!
Give it a try. It will work out.
Llanwyrepuylgwingyllgorehvirnodrobwyllandisiliogoh!
This name is translated from Welsh as: “The Church of St. Mary in the hollow of the white hazel near the stormy whirlpool and the Church of St. Tisilio near the red cave.” Such a long name was invented, of course, specifically, in the 60s of the 19th century, to attract tourists. Since then, the Church of St. Mary seems to have stood, but they cannot find the whirlpool or the red cave. And the hazel tree was probably cut down.
Unfortunately, in large mall, where discount labels literally “shout”: “Buy me!” - there was everything, including a variety of souvenirs. But, alas, I couldn’t find the bell. It's a pity. This would be my favorite, well almost the most... In short, I would be happy! But the husband came out with a new thing - with a beautiful jacket that he liked.
Finally, the town of Beaumaris. And the castle. Unfortunately, there was no bell here either!
The castle is located on the coast of the island of Anglesey and seals the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait. The fortress moat around the castle, previously connected to the sea, allowed large ships to approach almost closely and unload at the castle gates.
The name of the castle is somewhat unusual for the English language, it comes from the French “le beau marais” and translated means “beautiful swamp”.
Long before the conquest of these lands by the British, a Viking settlement known as “Porth y Wygyr” (“Viking Port”) stood on the site of the city. As a result of the Welsh wars at the end of the 13th century, the lands of Wales became part of England and to strengthen his influence in these possessions, Edward I decided to build a number of castles there, the so-called “iron ring”, one of which was Beaumaris.
The second ring of walls and towers, higher and more powerful, provided good protection for this fortress.
Construction began in 1295 and lasted 35 years, but was never completed due to the military campaign in Scotland, which greatly depleted the king's finances. The work was supervised by Jacques de Saint-Georges from Savoy. It is very remarkable that the castle not only remembers the name of the builder, but years later they erected a monument to him!
Beaumaris Castle was built taking into account the maximum defense capability for that time: a 5-meter moat, fortified gates of the outer wall, powerful doors, numerous deadly devices, crenellated towers, rifle loopholes, trap bars and “killer gaps”. It is believed that the castle had the most complex and insurmountable defense of any 13th-century British fortress, although construction of the castle was never completed.
Along the outer fortress wall, 16 small towers were placed, and on the thicker inner wall, 6 more powerful towers were placed, in addition to the towers guarding the entrances. Each of them could serve as a separate center of defense during an assault. The buildings located in the courtyard may have included the Great Hall, with living rooms, kitchens, stables, warehouses and servants' quarters. A small chapel with a vaulted ceiling was installed in the Chapel Tower, as was done in many of the castles of Edward I.
In one of the towers we watched a film about the history of this castle. We didn’t regret it, and our legs were rested. What else should I add? We looked into all the places open to visitors, walked along the fortress wall, went up and down narrow spiral staircases. I love castles. After visiting them, no diet is needed.
The saint's well, an old lighthouse overlooking the bird island and something else...
On the pier we saw a map of the island of Anglesey. It turned out that you need to go to Puffin Island (or Puffin Island, puffins are seabirds) from the Beaumaris pier. We were only ten minutes late for the last boat! We dreamed of seeing puffins back in Canada, traveling through Nova Scotia and Quebec. Then it failed.
It also became clear that you need to come to the island of Anglesey on purpose. This region is wonderful. There is a place for both relaxation and history.
While we were sitting by the shore, admiring the panorama of the Snowdonia mountains, a boat with tourists returned. We decided to go to Puffin Island anyway, to see it at least from afar. It wasn't far to go. We had no idea that on the way we would meet a simply amazing place.
This was Penmon - a place well known to believers who go to worship at the well of St. Seiriol. Reverend Seiriol of Wales (lived in the 6th century, feast day on February 1) is a great saint, whose name is given to the island of Inis Seiriol, or Paffin, to which we were heading.
Saint Seiriol was born here and was a hermit for a long time. Perhaps the saint was a friend of another famous ascetic, Saint Kibi. They both loved to walk around the island in constant prayer. The saint's disciples built a monastery and made him the first abbot, but at the end of his life Saint Seiriol retired to the even more secluded island of Paffin, on which now only birds live.
Church of Saint Seiriol in Penmon and what remains of the monastery.
Caerphilly of the 13th century still makes an indelible impression today with its scale and power. It is superbly preserved and embodies an entire era. Over the course of a long history, the castle was attacked, rebuilt, and restored. Today it is one of the most visited attractions in Wales.
Where is
Caerphilly Castle is located in the county town of the same name in south Wales. The city is located on the border between the counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire. Belongs to the administrative unit - the district of Glamorgan, county of Wales. The town of Caerphilly has county status and is one of the most visited tourist sites. The region is located in a mountainous area, and the fortress was built on top of a hill, it towers menacingly above the city below, surrounded on all sides by artificial lakes and ditches. This location of the fortress was strategically advantageous and made it the target of many attacks.
History of construction
In the second half of the 13th century in Wales, the famous aristocrat Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, began to build a fortress to protect disputed territories. At this time, the rise of the Welsh Principality took place under the control of the independent ruler of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. As a result of military operations, he was able to conclude an agreement with Henry III and establish the independence of Wales from the English crown. Caerphilly Castle (Wales) was the city-forming site for the settlement of the same name in the 13th century. In 1282, Gilbert de Clare made a new attempt to reconquer Wales, which was successful, and the region finally became part of England. To strengthen the defense capability of his territories, Gilbert ordered the construction of fortresses in all the cities of his possessions. Construction began in 1268 and continued intermittently until 1290. Despite the long, protracted struggle for territory, Gilbert managed to build a huge castle, which allowed him not only to defend himself, but also to live comfortably. After the conclusion of the Treaty of Montgomery, the defensive function of the fortress ceased to be relevant for de Clare, and he began to develop the castle as a residential residence. In 1295, Gilbert died, but by this time Caerphilly Castle was almost completely rebuilt and ready for a busy life.
Castle in the 14th-17th centuries
From 1313 Caerphilly Castle was once again at the center of territorial strife. Llywelyn Bren and the royal forces continued to fight for control of the region. In the battle of 1316, the town of Caerphilly was almost completely destroyed, but the fortress survived. In 1317, Hugh le Despenser the Younger moved into the castle, having married Gilbert de Clare's sister Elinor. Caerphilly Fortress became her dowry. Hugh was on good terms with Edward the First and was quite wealthy. He decided to expand the castle by making a large reception hall. He invited William Hart and Thomas de la Bataille to carry out the work. They created beautiful chambers, richly decorated with carvings. When the coup took place and King Edward was overthrown, Hugh and his wife took refuge in the castle from possible reprisals. Isabella's troops were brought to the fortress. The castle did not last long. Hugh surrendered and the lands were given to Isabelle de Despenser, who, along with her second husband, invested heavily in repairing and rebuilding the castle. In 1486, the fortress passed into the hands of the Earl of Pembroke, but he did not want to live here. And the castle is gradually falling into disrepair. The water gates around the castle fall into disrepair, and the territory of the fortress is flooded several times. Prisoners are kept in the castle for some time. In 1583 it was leased by Thomas Lewis. He is dismantling part of the stone walls to build living and service areas. Military actions during the Civil War of the late 17th century hardly affected the castle, but led to damage to the south-eastern tower, which became known as the Leaning Tower. In 1648, Cromwell orders the castle to be blown up to leave the territory without reliable defense. But the sappers of that time were unable to do this; only part of the walls and a few towers succumbed to the explosives.
Life of the castle in the 18th-20th centuries
In 1776, Caerphilly Castle, whose history was only getting sadder, found a new owner. Tom Stewart is attempting to restore and preserve the castle for the first time. In 1860, his great-grandson carried out a complete audit of the condition of the fortress and began to vacate the premises from tenants who did not care about the maintenance of the castle. The 4th Marquess John Crichton-Stuart was a fan of restoration and building. He invested a lot of money in expanding his estates and renovating the fortress buildings. Until 1950, he was engaged in the restoration and reconstruction of buildings, restoring the historical appearance. He put the dams in order and again filled the ditches and lakes adjacent to the castle with water. By the middle of the 20th century, he brought the estate into decent shape, which recreated the appearance of the 15-16th centuries. In 1950, the Marquis handed over the castle and all surrounding areas to the state.
Castle today
In the 21st century, Caerphilly Castle is managed by Cadw, a company dedicated to the conservation and maintenance of historic sites. Today the fortress is the most visited attraction in Wales; more than 100 thousand people come here every year. Excursions, holidays and festivals are organized for tourists. A visit to Caerphilly Castle turns into an interesting adventure with a journey into the past due to the fact that the life of the Middle Ages is recreated here.
Architecture
Caerphilly Castle, a description of which can be found in all encyclopedias on medieval architecture, is an excellent example of fortification architecture. Brutality and reliability are the two main epithets that come to mind when seeing this powerful structure. The architecture of the castle is laconic and convincing, there is nothing superfluous here, everything is subordinated to one goal - to defend against enemies. The fortress, square in plan, is surrounded on all sides by a powerful stone wall made of sandstone, with four watchtowers and narrow loopholes. The fortress has two defensive perimeters. The first ring is the stone walls, the second is the fortifications themselves. In front of the main entrance to the fortress there is another high defensive wall. Inside the fortress there are living quarters: a beautiful Great Hall for receptions, striking with exquisite decoration, rather modest sleeping and private quarters.
What to see
Caerphilly Castle, photos of which look spectacular at any time of the year, today is a real museum. The territory of 120 hectares allows you to take long walks and hold public events here. What should you not miss when visiting the castle? It is worth walking around the perimeter of the fortress to see all its entrances and the impressive moats and lakes. You can take a walk along the partially restored parapet of the fortress wall and climb the tower to look at the city lying at the foot. In the museum exhibition of the fortress you can see the uniform and weapons of a medieval warrior. Siege weapons are installed in the center of the fortress. You should definitely check out the drawbridges and walk along the islands on artificial lakes. In one of the towers you can watch a film about the history of the castle. You should plan at least half a day, or preferably a full day, to visit Caerphilly Castle to fully experience its features. The castle is very photogenic, and tourists photograph it from all four sides, getting the most beautiful shots.
How to get there
Have you decided to see Caerphilly Castle? How to get there interesting place? From Cardiff railway station you can take the train to the castle. Caerphilly town center is 1.5 km from the castle and can be easily covered on foot.
The modern capital of Wales, we went to the side Carnarvon, the main city of Wales in the Middle Ages.
The distance between Cardiff and Carnarvon is 340 km. We crossed the whole of Wales from end to end in 5 hours.
Our path ran through two national parks: Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia.
Brecon Beacons is located in South Wales. It is a mountainous area with waterfalls, caves and grassy swamps in the valleys.
Snowdonia located in the north. This is also a mountainous region. There is highest point Wales - mountain Snowdon. Its height is small, only 1085 m, but the top is sometimes covered with snow.
There's a third one in Wales national park — Pembrokeshire Coast, it stretches along the coast, which is replete with picturesque rocky coves, but our path lay away from it.
Perhaps we were not driving the most picturesque road, and the scenery outside the window was not very impressive. This is not Norway or Italy, traveling through which you experience great aesthetic pleasure, admiring the natural landscapes.
Wales has low green hills, with mountain streams, small villages and neat lawns. Here and there there were purple patches of heather, but much less frequently than later in Ireland and Scotland.
On the Internet I once came across a photograph taken in Wales: in the rays of sunset there is a castle, and behind it rises a purple mountain, completely covered with heather. Very beautiful! But, alas, we did not get such beauties.
We had landscapes like these, approximately the same throughout the entire journey.
As we moved north, the landscape became slightly harsher and there was less vegetation.
Notice how many people are walking along the trail
How Wales joined England. Castles of Wales
The mountains here, although low, still served as a barrier to conquerors from the east. When the Romans left here in the 4th century, for some time no one particularly encroached on this wild region inhabited by the Celts.
Wales was divided into separate principalities, and there were literally only a few times when all these principalities were united into a single country under the leadership of one ruler.
Local rulers were called not kings, but princes - according to the Roman tradition, where the word “princeps” meant “chief”.
However, over time, pressure from England became stronger and stronger. At the end of the 13th century, the English king Edward I Longshanks conquered Wales. In strategically important places, the king ordered the construction of castle fortresses and the creation of cities inhabited by the British.
The most significant castle was Caernarfon, built on the site of a wooden Norman castle at the confluence of the River Sient and the Menai Strait. A city arose near the castle, which was also surrounded by a wall. In fact, Caernarvon became the capital of Wales.
Model of Caernarfon Castle
King Edward often visited Carnarvon during the “Welsh campaign,” occupying the largest tower of the castle with his family and associates.
During negotiations with the Welsh princes on the topic of who would become the prince of a united Wales, the Welsh demanded that the prince be a native of these places and speak neither English nor French (in Britain in the Middle Ages, for some time the main language was French ).
Edward agreed. And soon he presented them with his newborn son, who fully met the conditions put forward and became, by agreement, the Prince of Wales, the main ruler of Wales.
Two centuries later, the Tudors, who had Welsh ancestors, ascended the English throne, and relations between England and Wales warmed.
Over time, the castle lost its military significance and fell into disrepair. The Welsh still perceived Edward's cities and castles as something alien, brought in by the enemy who had captured their homeland.
But at the end of the 19th century, an understanding of the great historical significance of these castles came. They tried to save them from destruction and put in order what remained.
In 1986, four Edwardian castles in Wales (Caernarfon, Beaumaris, Conwy and Harlech) were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Walk through Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon Castle has two gates: the King's and the Queen's. Visitors enter through the King's Gate.
The castle has an elongated shape. Only the walls and towers have survived. The interior space is now completely empty.
As soon as we entered the castle grounds, it began to rain heavily. Luckily, there are places to hide from the rain in Carnarvon, such as in the towers or inside the walls.
Eagle Tower
The largest and most voluminous tower, the Eagle Tower, is divided into three levels. It was here that the chambers of King Edward and his entourage were located. Here Edward I and Eleanor of Castile had a son, who became both the King of England and the Prince of Wales.
You have to climb steps to get to the windows. Pay attention to the thickness of the walls
The first owner of the castle was King Edward
Investiture, or where they become Princes of Wales
You can feel the breath of history in the castle. Compared to Karvarvon, it looks like a toy.
In the center of the castle lies a flat black circle.
This circle is where the investiture takes place, the ceremony during which the first son of the reigning monarch receives the title Prince of Wales. By no means a daughter! You can become the Princess of Wales only by marrying the Prince of Wales.
In 1969, Prince Charles stood on this circle. Here he became Prince of Wales, Supreme Ruler of Wales.
Along the castle walls
It is very interesting to walk along the castle walls. You can go on top, or in the middle of the wall along the corridor, or from below. Along the way there will be ascents and descents, entries into towers, transitions to different levels and an examination of the city from the heights of the fortress walls.
I went up near the Queen's Gate and walked to the Eagle Tower
Left - Black Tower, right - Chamberlain Tower
Behind me is the Northeast Tower
City view
The city fortress wall is visible
View of the Menai Strait, beyond which lies the Isle of Anglesey
You have to go down to the King's Gate
Fireplace inside the tower
I walk along the wall above the King's Gate
You can also go through the middle level, inside the towers
On the left is the Queen's Tower, on the right is the Eagle Tower
Three small towers rise above the Eagle Tower. Below you can see the mouth of the Sient River.
Inside the Bell Tower
Bottom view
Inside the section of wall between the Chamberlain's and Queen's towers is Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum, where clothing, weapons, awards, and images of warriors are presented.
City under lock and key
After the castle, I walked around the city a little more in the rain.
River Cient
Fragment of city walls with gates
The streets are empty
St. George looking at the castle from the roof ridge
Caernarvon's central square - Castle Square
From Wales to Ireland
After leaving Carnarvon, we crossed the bridge to the island of Anglesey.
Once upon a time, even before the Romans, this island was considered the holy island of the Druids. The Romans, having captured Anglesey, cut down the sacred groves.
In the west of Anglesey there is a very small island (6 by 13 km) - Holy Island ("Sacred") with the port city of Holyhead ("Holy Head").
Ferries depart from Holyhead to Ireland (Stena Line ferry company). Travel time is about two and a half hours.
Our bus pulled into the ferry. We got off the bus and went up to the passenger deck.
There is an inexpensive cafe on the ferry where you can have lunch.
Time flew by while eating and talking.
10 minutes before arrival, we went down to our bus (it is important to remember which deck the transport remains on and which stairs you need to go down to it. The stairs differ in color. For example, our bus was on deck 5, near the red stairs).
From the port we quickly arrived at our hotel in Dublin. It was late, around midnight, so we went straight to bed.
Wales remained behind. And the next morning we got to know a new country.
Cherehapa and
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Today we are moving to the southern state of England - Wales . Maureen hasn't been seen since morning. We have breakfast with toast and tea with Robert. The weather is warm in the morning. After breakfast, Robert and I went to the fields and oak groves. We took our dog Fern for a walk. In the clearing we see strong and majestic oak trees. Along the way we noticed squirrels jumping on the ground. A combine harvester was working in the field nearby, mowing the grass.
After the walk, we returned home, packed our things and drove with Robert in his Volkswagen car to the southern state of England - Wales. Maureen still stayed and picked us up later in her yellow Renault car. We'll stop by on the way to the castle. Our path is longer. We left around 10 am. We stopped by the town Monmouth have lunch at the pub. A lot of older people dine here. There are 3 old ladies sitting on the left and 4 on the right. We ordered lunch. Igor didn’t finish his lunch and went to the toilet; meanwhile, I sat in his place and decided to finish his salad. The old women noticed this, and as soon as Igor returned, they immediately reported to him. We all laughed heartily. The morals here are different. True, Igor said that this is not accepted here.
After lunch we walk along the street of the town by the river Monnow, across which there is an ancient bridge built in the 13th century. This is the only structure of its kind in Great Britain that has been preserved in its original form. Bridge Monnow - a pedestrian bridge in the middle of which stands a tower with an ancient arched gate.
A little further away we noticed a funny group of young children dressed in identical clothes in bright green and pink. Even the teachers are also dressed in the same colors. After the walk we head further south. We arrived at an ancient castle Raglan Castle .
The central part of the castle is the Great Tower or Yellow Tower Gwenta. It is surrounded by a moat with a bridge across it. The tower is also surrounded by an additional wall with six turrets, rising directly above the water level. Now the tower has three floors. Originally there was another floor on top with a crenellated parapet, which was later destroyed.
Construction of Raglan Castle began from 1430 to 1525. The castle belonged to Sir William Thomas, Knight of Gwent, and his son. In 1646 the castle was destroyed. After the Second World War, the castle was partially reconstructed.
We walked along corridors and labyrinths. We went down to the basements and climbed to the very top of the towers. The walls are up to 2 m thick and are made of stone. Only on the outside the stones are more polished. The castle had a medieval toilet - a small niche with an opening downwards, on which lies a grate. There is an ancient water well in the courtyard. There is a large moat around the castle.
And in the courtyard around the castle there is a pond with lilies and goldfish. You can feel the ancient energy of the place. There is even a clearing for knightly tournaments. Once Igor made fun of Robert and me when we were looking at one of the basements. Igor quietly turned on weak music on his phone, and we, hearing this music, wondered if we were imagining this. Then, when he was exposed, everyone laughed together. We walked around and climbed everything we could. We walked for more than an hour or 1.5. After the tour we went to the store and bought souvenirs.
We drive on for another 3 hours. Mountains 2-3 km high are already stretching past us on the left side. By evening we arrived in the city Swansea , which is located on the ocean coast, we drove through the streets and finally saw the sea, or rather the Atlantic Ocean. Swansea is the second largest city in Wales after Cardiffa. The southern state of England - Wales has its own mountains and valleys, like ours in the Caucasus. They also speak their own Welsh language, which is different from English. We will live separately from our owners in bungalows (separate houses by the sea). And Robert and Maureen will live from us a few kilometers outside the city in a caravanserai. These are 12x14x4m trailers on wheels.
Everything for life is concentrated in them. There is a living room with a fireplace, where there is a sofa with genuine leather armchairs and a TV. There is a miniature corner cupboard in the corner. In the middle part there is a small kitchen made of white MDF. The kitchen has an electric stove, washing machine, microwave oven and wall refrigerator. Next there is a corridor, on the right there is a toilet and a mini bath. On the left is an additional guest room. At the end of the corridor there is a bedroom with a double bed. To the left and right are cabinets. There is another toilet in the same room. Such a caravanserai costs about 40,000 pounds. We were surprised by the simple compactness of placing everything we needed. Moreover, everything is done beautifully, from furniture to toilets. Our owners are wealthy people. Maureen arrived before us in her yellow car with her beloved dog Fern. Maureen has no children of her own. We had dinner with the owners in their trailer.
Then we were taken to our place of residence on the outskirts of the town Swansea. Here on the Gower Peninsula we see a series of narrow streets consisting of summer houses and bungalows. One of them is ours. We don’t see people, it’s probably not the season yet. Our bungalow has 3 rooms: two bedrooms, a living room with sofas, a kitchen, a toilet and a bathroom. There is also a small patio with a plastic table and chairs. There is floor covering everywhere in the rooms. I immediately didn’t like our hotel room, maybe because of the tasteless colors of the sofas and curtains.
There was also a strong smell of musty or stagnant air. After the cozy house in Aldbourne, it seemed to me like a barn with a set of furniture, although there were all the amenities down to the smallest detail, and you could live here all summer long. But no, something repels me, but what?
After inspecting our home, we go for a walk to the sea, which is a 10-minute walk away. There is no beach here, only stones and huge rocks and cliffs. Jumping from stone to stone we wandered by the sea. Igor tried to get closer to the water. I can’t jump on huge boulders in sandals, so I went back. Then we go to the shore and look at the sea from the height of the steep cliffs, then we returned back to our hotel. I felt tired from the day and wanted to sleep. The room was cool. To heat the rooms, you need to turn on the mini batteries. To do this, you need to pay money and throw it into the machine on the wall panel. We were unable to turn on the heat, so we went to bed, each to his own room. It was cold to sleep, although the blanket was thick, I slept in my clothes. Cell phone reception is lost here. I fell asleep quickly, but I slept poorly and lightly. I kept imagining the smell of mold and mustiness. It began to seem to me that the blanket itself smelled, since it was sewn on top not with ordinary fabric, but with a white lining. Probably so as not to wash the blanket. This blanket absorbs excess moisture from the marine climate and does not dry out well. I was spinning, freezing and having nightmares. Then, after 4 hours of torment, I went into the living room to sleep on a small sofa, bending my legs and covering myself with another woolen blanket. The smell stopped haunting me, but my heart began to hurt, although I don’t feel it at home. Around 5 am I fell into a heavy sleep. I was no longer happy; I wanted to go home, anywhere, just from this house. Maybe he has bad energy? In the morning Igor woke me up. I got up at 8 am, all sleepy and exhausted. Later I learned that in the city of Swansea in 1906 there was a strong earthquake that destroyed all the tall buildings, and during the World War the city and the coast were completely destroyed by German bombing. That's why, in my opinion, our bungalow has bad energy.
In ancient times, the lands of Wales, washed by the sea waves, were inhabited by proud and warlike Celts. For many centuries this people fought for their independence. Therefore, among the beautiful mountain landscapes on the shores of the noisy sea coast and fabulous lakes, numerous defensive structures were erected. Later, the conquerors built majestic castles in their place. We offer the top 10 most famous.
10. Raglan Castle
Rising above the countryside, which is almost never crowded, Raglan Castle can be seen from miles away.
The central part of the castle is the Great Tower, or the Yellow Tower of Gwent. It is surrounded by a moat with a bridge across it. The tower is also surrounded by an additional wall with six turrets, rising directly above the water. Now the tower has three floors. Originally there was another floor on top with a crenellated parapet, but it gradually collapsed.
Raglan is one of the last castles built in Wales during the Middle Ages. Construction of the fortress began in 1430 under the leadership of Sir William Thomas, Knight of Gwent, and continued until 1525. William was a Welsh knight who fought in the ranks of King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. It was under the leadership of William that the Great Tower of Raglan was erected, also called the Yellow Tower of Gwent.
9. Caernarfon Castle
Caernarvon Castle is one of the most impressive castles of King Edward I and one of the greatest fortresses in Europe. Situated on a peninsula surrounded by the waters of the Menai Strait, which separates the island of Anglesey from North Wales, the castle is an enduring symbol of Welsh resistance against English rule. Its history began even before the arrival of the Romans in the Welsh lands.
By the way, it was within the walls of Carnarvon that the title “Prince of Wales” was born, which is now traditionally passed on to the heirs of the British throne along with the royal crown. And the son of Edward I became the first Prince of Wales in 1301.
The outside is huge medieval castle It seems completely undamaged, but inside there are ruins. If you approach it from the sea and stand under the mighty walls, it looks exactly as the medieval Welsh saw it.
8. Harlech Castle
Harlech Castle is located in north-west Wales, in the county of Gwynedd, in the town of Harlch. Construction of the castle began in 1283 by order of King Edward I of England immediately after the successful completion of the second Welsh campaign in North Wales, undertaken by the monarch to suppress the Welsh uprising. Harlech Castle became part of the so-called iron ring, which consisted of the castles of Caernarfon, Conwy, Beaumaris and other fortresses built to strengthen English influence in Wales.
Harlech is a good example of a concentric type castle. Its location was chosen in such a way that only on the eastern side the castle does not have a natural barrier in the form of rocky cliffs. The main entrance to the castle was guarded by twin D-shaped towers. In addition to the towers, the entrance doorway was equipped with three lowering grates and killer openings.
7. Conwy Castle
One of the most impregnable medieval castles in North Wales is undoubtedly medieval Conwy. Its powerful walls were erected during the era of the British conqueror King Edward I. During the same period, from approximately 1238 to 1289, the construction of fortifications, as well as houses, public buildings, streets and the central market of the city of Conwy, was carried out.
Today, the magnificent citadel rises above the adjacent buildings, which combine the spirit of the Middle Ages and modern trends. The fortified defenses of Conwy encircle the entire city area. The walls are almost a mile long. They are decorated with 21 towers located at regular intervals.
The castle is one of the few medieval fortresses, which have survived to this day in good condition.
6. Caerphilly Castle (Caerphilly Castle
Caerphilly is one of the largest fortresses of the classical Middle Ages in Great Britain, located in Wales. But this is far from the most famous British castle, largely because it stood abandoned for a long time. At the same time, Caerphilly is very well preserved, and its size is truly surprising. But it is also interesting that the real history of the castle was very short. Literally as soon as it was built, it was no longer needed.
The castle has unusual architecture and is believed to have greatly influenced the subsequent development of fortification in Great Britain. The fortress is located on artificial island, which was previously the river bank. It is relatively compact, has a concentric layout, innovative for that time, with a huge eastern guardhouse gate.
5. Penrhyn Castle
Penrhyn Castle as it is known today dates back to the first half of the 19th century in Gwynedd, but the history of the manor house at Llandegay dates back to the High Middle Ages. On the site of the modern castle, a fortified estate was built at the beginning of the 13th century, which belonged to the famous Welsh warrior Ednyfed Faychain. After the conquest of Wales by King Edward I, the Penrhyn estate changed hands through several owners, including representatives of an ancient family of Welsh rulers, descendants of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. In the 40s of the 17th century, a stone castle first appeared on the estate.
The austere gray walls of Penryn Castle, an example of the neo-Norman style, hide the extraordinary luxury and comfort of the interior. The castle is one of those historical buildings that you can walk around for hours and look into every corner.
4. Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle's history dates back over 2,000 years and is reminiscent of the Roman footprint in Welsh history. Having conquered the local tribes, the Roman legions that arrived here in the 1st century occupied the territories of South Wales and built the first fortification on the shores of Bristol Bay. And in the middle of the 3rd century, a new fortress with thick stone walls was erected on this site, which for two centuries, until the Romans left this area in the 5th century, was of great strategic importance, protecting the borders of the empire from barbarian raids from the sea.
For many centuries, Cardiff Castle, like the city itself, passed from hand to hand, having been in the possession of many titled persons. One of these was Richard Beauchamp, who is called the jailer of the Maid of Orleans. Joan of Arc was imprisoned for some time before her execution in the castle of Bouvreuil, whose captain was Richard Beauchamp. He was also among those who tried the famous Frenchwoman in Rouen.
3. Pembroke Castle
Pembroke Castle is located in the town of the same name in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The future Henry VII, the founder of the English royal Tudor dynasty, was born at Pembroke Castle. In 1138 the castle became the property of the Gilbert de Clare family and to this day is the largest private castle in Wales.
Only part of the elements of the castle complex have survived to this day, which give an idea of the power and grandeur of the once formidable citadel.
2. Bodelwyddan Castle
Bodelwydan Castle was built in 1460, but was rebuilt in 1820, giving the appearance of a real Norman castle. Currently there is an art gallery here.
Whispering ghosts, shadowy figures and the ghosts of soldiers are enough to place Bodelvidan Castle at the top of the list of the most terrible castles in the world, given the fact that according to legend its walls were built on human bones.
Over the years, the 15th-century estate served as a personal residence, a hospital during the First World War, a private girls' school, and even a museum.
1. Castle Koch, or Kastel Koch(Castell Coch)
Castel Coch means "Red Castle" in Welsh. This wonderful, romantic Victorian creation was designed by the architect William Burgess, for the 3rd Marquess of Bute. However, the castle is not a pure figment of the imagination of a famous architect; it was rebuilt from the ruins of a medieval castle, being practically a copy of its predecessor - at least externally. Very little is known about the history of the first medieval castle.
Koch, built by architect William Burges, looks typical medieval castle, as we imagine it - with powerful walls, round towers, a lowering grate and a drawbridge. They managed to give the castle an authentic medieval appearance, but its richly decorated interiors are purely Victorian in style.
Top 10 Castles in Wales updated: May 11, 2019 by: Ekaterina Kadurina