On the 27th we headed further inland to our final stop on our circular toue of Wales – Welshpool and a 2 night stay at the excellent Severn Lodge CL.

One more castle to fit in and this is perhaps the best – Powis Castle. Built in the 13th century as a medieval fortress, the castle and garden reflects the changing ambitions and visions of the Herbert family, who occupied the castle from the 1570s. The building is furnished with decorative fabrics, world-class paintings, furniture and tapestries and is often described as a treasure house. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed indoors. The gardens are spectacular and include a range of formal gardens, huge lawns and several 17th century Italianate terraces. We also found a peacock with some peahens and chicks wandering about outside the cafe!

On the 29th we finally headed home after a excellent holiday with good weather(!), amazing coastlines, mountains, castles and steam trains. We couldn’t have asked for more. One last added touch on the last morning was the complimentary bacon rolls supplied by the CL owners – very tasty!

Many years ago we had arrived in Llangollen on a canalboat. This time as we walked along the canal towpath into town we passed the Basin where we had tied up the barge overnight. The town is on the River Dee and from the bridge you can watch the popular whitewater rafts coming though the rapids at the end of their trip down the river.

It’s a popular tourist town with visitors coming for the music, the scenery, the canal or even the heritage railway. No steam trains running today but we took the scenic trip to Corwen and back on diesel railcars built in the 1950s

After the train ride we walked back up to Llangollen Wharf on the canal and tried what must have been the most relaxing journey of the whole holiday – a horse drawn boat trip (even though the rudder snapped!).

On the 25th we regretfully headed away from the spectacular welsh coastline and drove inland towards Llangollen. The route took us along the A542, over the Horseshoe Pass. the pass peaks at 416 metres with some wonderful views of the countryside. The route is very popular with motorcyclists, most of whom seem to take a break at the Ponderosa Cafe near the peak.

Our campsite in Llangollen, Penddol Farm Caravan Park, is a small site accessed via tiny humpback bridge over the canal. It is situated next to the huge Llangollen Pavilion where preparations were being made for the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod which was starting a week after our stay.

On our second day at the CL (24th) we took a bus in the opposite direction, into Llandudno. The town is a very popular seaside resort with a pier and big beach.

A major attraction just to the north of the town is the huge limestone headland known as the Great Orme. it has two novel ways of reaching the peak: a cable car and The Great Orme Tramway, Britain’s only funicular, or cable-hauled, tramway that travels on public roads. built in 1902. We took the latter to the top, enjoying impressive views over to Anglesey and across the Irish Sea.

Our CL was very well positioned with bus stops at the entrance. On our first day (23rd) we took the short bus trip into Conwy The town sits near the mouth of the River Conwy and is dominated by yet another of Edward I’s impressive castles. The town has plenty of character and an excellent riverside promenade. Tucked away, next to the castle, is a suspension bridge designed by Thomas Telford.

The following morning (22nd) we drove around the entire island on the coastal road. It was very pleasant but I think we had been spoilt by the impressive sights on the Welsh coast we had already passed through.

We ended at Penrhyn Castle in the south of the island, a location very unlike the previous castles we had visited. Built in the 19th century with the external appearance of a Norman castle. this huge stately home was created by the extremely wealthy Pennant family. The family’s money came mainly from a dubious source – they owned four plantations in Jamaica, profited from the slave trade and then invested much of that money to create, in Penrhyn, what became the largest slate quarry in the world. As the quarry required a significant train network to move the slate around, the National Trust are developing an industrial museam in the stable block to display some of that heritage.

That evening we drove off the island and headed east to Llandudno Caravan Park CL, halfway between Llandudno and Conwy.

On Friday (21st) we squeezed over the Menei Bridge onto the island of Anglesey. First stop, lunch with a view at Dylans.

We then drove a short distance east to Beaumaris Castle, frequently described as ‘the greatest castle never built’. It was the last of the Welsh castles built by Edward I and was said to be the most perfectly designed after the experience gained building Conwy, Caernarfon and Harlech castles. Unfortunately, the money ran out in the 1320s, mainly because of the King’s new struggles against Scotland. Budget overspend is definitely not a new phenomena

After the visit we headed up the east coast of Anglesey to our stop for the evening: Rhosboeth CL, just outside Benllech.

On Thursday (20th) we took the bus from outside the campsite to Llanberis with tickets booked for the Snowden Mountain Railway. We arrived early and noticed plenty of activity in a nearby field. It turned out they were filming an episode of Sky Arts’ Landscape Artist of the Year. Lots of talented people painting mountain views – we even spotted the programme host Stephen Mangan.

The mountain railway consisted of a single carriage pushed up the track by a diesel locomotive. The track uses cogs to prevent slippage. Vintage steams locos also make the ascent but unfortunately not at the time we visited. The trip takes an hour each way with a 30 minute stop at the summit. We were blessed with good weather and excellent visibility. The actual peak (1085 metres) was marked with a stone cairn topped with a bronze trig marker.

On Tuesday (18th) we drove east away from the Llyn Penisular, following the coast along some slightly challenging B roads to the Riverside Campsite, just outside Caernarfon. This is a very attractive campsite with full facilities set on a bend of the river Seiont. The town of Caernarfon is built around one of the most impressive castles in the country. Built 700 years ago by Edward I it was primarily to help keep control over the Welsh people.

The town is also home to one end of the Welsh Highland Railway, the longest narrow gauge railway in the country. It stretches 25 miles around the south of Snowden to Porthmadog where it joins up with the older Ffestiniog Railway which runs a further 13.5 miles inland to Blaenau Ffestiniog. I took a return trip to the halfway point at the delightful village of Beddgelert.

Beddgelert is set on a river has some excellent views of the surrounding mountains. There are plenty of scenic walks from the village including one past the grave of Gelert, the beloved dog of the 13th century Prince Llywelyn who mistakenly killed his pet – the dog’s memory lives on in the name of the village.