Home -> Europe -> Great Britain -> Travelogue 2005 -> Sunday 4 September

Beddgelert, mines and to Conwy

We didn't go to bed late, yesterday, but that doesn't prevent us to sleep late, today. When we get out of our tent the sun is shining brightly and it is nice and warm.

We drive first into the mountains, towards Beddgelert that turns out to be a very charming village. It is 28 degrees Celsius, and time for a cup of coffee in the shade! It is busy here, and we tell ourselves this must be really the very last day of the British holiday. And here again, tourists are being attracted by a legend that is attached to the name of the village (search on the interenet for legend of Beddgelert and you will find it eadily).

Just north of Beddgelert is the Sygun copperrmine which we visit, but we think the entrance fee of 8 pounds per person much too high for what is offered. But here groups of tourists follow after each other into the cave as if it is in the middle of the high tourist season.

There are a few tableaus in the cave and the guide tells stories about the terrible life people had who worked here, but the cave itself is quite uninteresting and we don't learn more about the mining itself. For this price we wouldn't recommend it.

Outside the mine is a waterfall, called the Secret Waterfall, since it has been hidden for more than a century under bushes and rhododendrons. Miners have constructed this canal to drain the heathland aboven to prevent the groundwater to enter the copper mine.

Narrow mountain roads lead us through a phantastic scenery and it is a pity that more and more clouds darken the sky. First we go a bit to the south and then north again via the A470. On the way we also pay a visit to the Llechwedd Slate Caverns, a slate mine with two possible tours. We choose the deep-mine-experience, in which a train takes us down on the steepest descent in England (more than 50%). After that we are being led through ten halls with tableaus with stories about the history of the mine and the miners. But again, we don't think the entrance fee is really worth a visit: we have to pay £ 8,75 (€ 13 per person). To be honest, we are a bit disappointed by the caves and mines we have seen in Britain until now: they have little beauty, are quite boring, the information given is very limited and the fees are enormous.

Then we continue our way through the mountains to the northern coast of Wales and at the end of the afternoon we arrive in Conwy. We have some rain on the way but it still feels comfortable outside. We park our car just outside the town wall which still surrounds the whole medieval town.

And off course there is a castle present, again build by Edward I of England who conquered Wales, and a lot of other medieval buildings. Just outside the city wall, beyond one of the old gates, is the harbour which is situated in a beautiful bay.

Conwy is quite a charming town and we walk around a bit before we search for a restaurant to have a meal. It seems to be less busy here than on other places we have been to, so we really hope the holiday is finally over and we have a quieter last two weeks.

Back at the campsite we have to hide for the rain which continues the whole evening and part of the night. Another prove that the British holiday must be over now, is the fact that the campsite is almost empty. This morning, when we left, it was still very crowded, so that is a good sign for us. We have still 2 weeks to go!

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