We had a solid night sleep in a very comfortable mansion beside the walls of the town of Conwy. The Bryn Guesthouse is wonderful, we had a “full Welsh” breakfast before heading off to the Castle Conwy – a short walk along the walls from the guesthouse.
We walked along the crenellations, climbed the towers, delved into store rooms, dungeons and privveys
A moated seaward section was the royal apartments and it was interesting to see how the other half lived. We explored for ages, enjoyed it all, even the tight spiral staircase climbs up to the tops of the turrets.
After exploring the castle, we headed in to the walled township for a wander, explore and to do a little shopping. We had a look in the smallest house in the Uk – a ridiculous closet- sized niche with two levels that once housed a couple – that couple must have really got on because there was barely enough room to stand, let alone anything else.
We also visited two ancient houses, one that was the oldest house in Conwy that had gone though being an inn, guest house, temperance hall and much more, still in astonishing condition – oak frame, wattle and daub walls seem to last forever
You got a real sense of how they lived in those hard times. The walls were thick and the houses cosy even though they lacked things we take for granted, like basic sanitation and running water inside.
We then headed to an Elizabethan house that had been restored for display to see how the other half lived
this highly decorated and extensive house was amazing, ornate plaster ceilings, decorated fireplaces, creaky oak floors and even an observatory am the house very grand, even by today’s standards
All very interesting indeed. We had lunch at an upstairs cafe called Amilies, both had pâté – Jo had chicken liver, I had salmon, delicious. We then shopped, browsed, wall walked and generally used the afternoon, then returned for a siesta, fully tuckered out.
In the evening, we drove over to Llandudno, a seaside town, for fish and chips from a much awarded Fish Tram Chips shop. We walked our catch down to he seaside and ate it in the twilight, surrounded by seagulls. Returning to home base, we ad tea, some of the cake we purchased earlier and then packed in readiness for a day of driving towards Yorkshire tomorrow.