May 20, Country Cottage Betws-y-Coed, Wales

Wednesday, May 20, Day 106 - Country Cottage Betws-y-Coed, Wales

Carolyn had threatened bodily harm on Jack and Dick if anyone wake, wakes her up so we are all quiet as church mice but she is still up by 9AM and seems cheerful enough for a cautious "Good Morning." It is damp and cool but the sun is shining and our host is out working on the new extension to his magnificent rock work and a new section of the garden. After breakfast, we decide that a trip to a grocery store is the first order of business.

Using directions provided by our host and the GPS we manage to find a fairly large Co-Operative in Llanrwst where we buy food for the next few days. After Friday, we are through with having cooking facilities and will have only breakfast provided. While in the village we also fill the car’s tank and hope we only have to do that one more time when we turn it in but it will probably take two fills.

We return to the cottage and unload the food and visit with our host and get some ideas as to where to go. We are soon off to find Conwyn Waterfall and Swalltail Falls. Conwyn proves to be down in a steep defile and much more walking and climbing than we want to do what with our knees feeling better and on the mend.

Before trying for Swallowtail, we drive out to find Dolwyddelan Castle, a Welch Castle that predates 1283AD when Edward I took it from the local Welch noble. We find it sitting high on its crag and looking quite impressive but, again, much more climbing than we feel we want to attempt at this time. Should have done this 20 years ago! Instead we have our eat in car-picnic lunch in the parking lot for the castle trail and enjoy watching the sunlight move on and off it as the clouds come and go.

We then drive out through the Snowdonia National Park. It is looks like a hikers dream with many trail head parking lots full of cars.

Before leaving the area, we are only some 12 miles from our cottage, we stop to take photos of an old, long ornate stone railway trestle. The stone work bridges for both the cars and the trains from a long gone era are works of art and we find it amazing that they are still in use! are in use especially since the roads bridges are one lane.

The next stop is at the WWI Centopath in the village of Dolwyddelan. We are always amazed at the cost of WWI to England. This little one block long village lost 13 men in WWI and another six in WWII. Across the street from the monument is a white, stone church St Catherine and its old grave yard. It was built in 1545 and the door is open. Carolyn walks in to find an elderly lady changing out the flowers and is welcomed warmly and given a private tour. The building is under repair, the original barrel ceiling has woodworm damage and, like all small churches, this repair is causing money problems and they are doing various fundraisers. We leave £8 toward project and in thanks for the tour.

Now for a try at Swallowtail Falls which lie, supposedly, inside the village of Betws-y-Coed which is a really cute little village and worth a shopping stop while we are here. We drive through the village very slowly but see no sign or indication of the falls location and a return run produces the same result. We leave and turn on a back road that takes us back to Llanrwst (road work is everywhere) and then onto the main road back to our cottage. We are home a little after 4PM after a pleasant outing.

Dick catches up on Quicken and email and Carolyn visits with the owner and his friend, John, both elderly men, and takes pictures of the flowers and gardens in general. A little later we sit in the sun with a drink and eat some cheese and peanuts before the sun goes behind the trees and the evening cool and damp begins to creep up on us. Carolyn puts together a simple but good meal of chicken kiev, duchess potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. That done, Dick cleans up the kitchen and the rest of the evening is spent catching up on the blog and photos.