Betsy Coed

For the record, the name of the town is Betws-y-Coed, but we are not the only people who say "Betsy Coed." Some Brits coming down off Snowdon pronounced it that way too. Whatever. We were ready for a rest and so drove to Betsy Coed for an afternoon of strolling and shopping. It's a major tour bus stop and portal for walking in Snowdonia. There are half a dozen outdoor/hiking/climbing stores, all with sales on.

The previous night we parked in the same lay-by as in 2009

Driving in Snowdonia

Betsy Coed, main drag

Fun for Penelope!

A river runs through it

Right in town

Not all Welsh is incomprehensible

One thing you can count on in Snowdonia is rainbows

Hiking Snowdon

After a second night on Bangor harbor, we drove to Llanberis to do some hiking on Snowdon. I'd climbed Snowdon in 2009 (http://roadeveron.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/snowdon-walk-in-clouds.html), and we both were keen on doing some uphill hiking. The trail from Llandberis is quite uphill: I tired quickly, especially after the light rain came, but Vicki went on to the mid-point and took most of the pix.

Fixer-upper

A mountain of slate, reduced

Clouds and rain move in

The Victorian train to the top still running

Vicki, from where I peeled off

It's a popular hike

Penrhyn Castle

I did not like this place. It is a 19th century phony castle--bricks with limestone facade--lavishly furnished but without much of historic interest--built upon a fortune derived from Caribbean plantations, the slave trade, and the slate trade in Wales. It's a Trust property, costing millions to maintain, but well done for what it is.

Vicki did the roof tour

Nice views

Brick construction throughout

Mining slate in Wales

Oversized...easy access to slate

One of the family plantations in Jamaica

Kitchen

Phony folly too

In the garden...not phony

White fuschias

Pedal-powered rail carriage the workers used to get up to the
slate mines