Northern Wales: Part Two
Here’s part two of our trip to Conwy in the picturesque region of Northern Wales. Day two begins with us attempting to find breakfast in the local town at 7:30 on a Sunday morning. Considering that I grew up in a small country town, I probably should have remembered that nothing is actually open at this time on a Sunday.
Therefore when we stumbled upon the sign leading to breakfast at Conwy Royal British Legion Club at Poppy’s, we were particularly grateful! As you can see on the sign below, what you read is what you get – all for £5! The staff are lovely and will go out of their way to chat with you, so if you’re ever in Conwy go for a visit one morning during the weekend.
The reason for our early start was because we had decided to venture over to Caernarfon to go horse riding. As we’re on a budget we have to make use of whatever public transport is available during our travels, so taking a bus to the town was our only means of access. We were pretty excited for the day and it was wonderful to sit and take in the landscape during the trip over. We arrived mid morning at Snowdonia Riding Stables, who immediately made us feel comfortable and matched each of us with a suitable horse. Both of us have been horse riding before, albeit not for a long time, so the experience was definitely a challenge for us both. In saying this the challenge was all apart of the experience, after all you are working with animals.
We were taken on a half day ride with our brilliant guide Tash, to say he knows how to work with horses is an understatement. He taught us not only the basics of riding, but of the importance of developing a working relationship with the animal. If was very cold on the day we went, but incredibly worth it. I would highly recommend the experience if you’re looking for a way to explore the Welsh countryside that isn’t by foot. We had so much fun and I’ll remember it as being one of favourite things I’ve ever done! You can read more about Tash’s story and his work here.
After our horse riding adventure, we stayed in the town of Caernarfon and had lunch at the Black Boy Inn, by recommendation from Tash. It’s been operating since the 15th Century and they sure know how to make a brilliant pie! It was also really interesting to hear the staff conversing in the Welsh language, as I’ve never heard it spoken in person before. Until that point I hadn’t heard much of the dialect in Wales and I did wonder how extensively it was still spoken, so it was great to hear people of all ages still using it. After lunch we wandered around the town for a while, but were fairly exhausted so we found the bus stop and headed back over to Conwy.
Once we were back in Conwy we accidentally missed the stop we should’ve gotten off at, so we hopped off on the other side of the bridge closer to Llandudno junction. I’ll admit I was mildly annoyed about this, given how exhausted I was feeling but was excited once I saw the stunning sunset we were able to enjoy for much longer. Walking back across the bay we watched the grey, blue and purple hues blanket the whole town and castle. As tired as we were, it was a beautiful way to end the weekend and I try to never miss out on a brilliant sunset, given it’s one of the things I miss most about home!
We had so much fun during out weekend getaway to North Wales and I would highly recommend others check it out if they ever have the chance. Although Wales is geographically attached to England, it’s quite a different country and the locals are very friendly. I can’t wait to return one day – hopefully during the summer to see a different side of the area. Look out for my next post from my trip to the magical country that is Iceland!
Kathleen Freeman is a graphic designer and freelance writer; she is currently undertaking a Media and Communications degree. In her spare time she continues the search to find the book/coffee shop combination store throughout the globe.
All images, unless otherwise stated, are copyright of Kathleen Freeman, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of the author.