Chirk Castle, 2

Continuing our visit to Chirk Castle, in Wales...

May have been used as the model for Sauron; note pointy toes

1930s comfy room, where luminaries like Gershwin and Cole Porter were entertained

Genealogical scroll (facsimile)

Deeds, etc.

Down-cycling: top part of fireplace had been a head-board

Library

Courtyard

Not comfy chairs

In the original kitchen, now the site's tea room

In the less improved portion of the castle

Thus

In the servants' dining room; note the little beer barrel on wheels

House Rules

Chirk Castle, 1

We liked Chirk Castle. It was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer for Edward I, part of the chain of great castles stretching across northern Wales, to keep the Welsh in order. Chirk is not as large nor defensively complex as the others. But it is not merely a ruins as most of the others are. The Myddleton family bought the castle in 1593, and slowly converted it into a residence and then a great house and gardens. It came to the Trust only in 2004, so its rooms and decor are an excellent example of National Trustick...medieval here, Tudor there, Georgian or Victorian here, 1930s somewhere else. There's a rationale, and it works in these houses that have been lived in, often by the same families, for centuries. Chirk is a great example.

Original Myddleton owner

Beautiful long hall; a necessity in the times

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