Whizzing through Wales

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From the Cotswolds, we're heading back to Scotland, via Wales, luckily avoiding the possibly busy major roads and beetling along on more minor country roads. As we enter Wales the road signs change to long unpronounceable place names and we're into the hills, covered in huge piles of slate scree which seems to be the local building material of choice. There's more of a Highland look with heather and less trees and a sprinkling of small hamlets. We pass aquaducts, forts and abbeys and loads of interesting history that on this trip we won't have time to delve into. Have to come back.

We find a wee B & B in the beautiful estuarine town of Porthmadog, close to the open sea in North Wales. Our room looks out over the estuary with a steam railway station in the foreground. We've got enough daylight to do a bit of exploring so we stop at the marina and laugh with the kids having a crab catching competition while we eat our sandwiches from the back of the car. We drive around the coast to our first open beach in ages. Great to hear the gentle rush of waves on the gravel and dip our toes in the brine. There's a very dramatic castle on the headland, lit up in the darkness. Stunning.

Another full B & B breakfast, then we're off following the coastal road back to Scotland. The rain follows us all the way but only overtakes us a couple of times. The road takes us up through North Wales including Conwy and Carnarvon with their famous castles and lots of other coastal tourist towns. We pass through some really stunning landscapes, slate and heather covered rolling hills, windy open shingle beaches and calm bays. The place definately warrants a closer look. We see some major offshore windfarms and grand old coastal towns. Particularly interesting is Llandudno, with a long wide promenade, stately Victorian hotels in a line along the beach front and a jaded amusement park on a pier. We both like this old dinosaur town, and we were surprised by a taste of home in the cabbage trees, doing fine next to the promenade.

We zip through the dreaded M6 at Preston, slip into Scotland and make a beeline for Moffat, where Keith went to school. This is a nice little town with cute little houses, tight lanes and interesting shops and pubs. Unfortunately the curry joint is shut today, so its kebabs, here served with chips. Only in Britain do they serve chips with everything. What a country.

We get directions to the Keith's school, which is now a retirement home and are let in by a friendly groundsman to have a look at some historic photos. Its a walk down memory lane for Keith. Now we're heading to Edinburgh.

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Photos

Quiet marina
Porthmadog, Wales

A beautiful bay
Nefyn, Wales

A Victorian resort
Llandudno, Wales

Araf?
I get the best seat

History in the hills
Out of Moffat, Scotland