Backpackering 5 - Day 2

After a rather posh brekkie at the Castle, 

a bus to Builth Wells

to the Groe riverside walk

before a nostalgia visit to the Drovers Courtyard Cafe.

What remains of the towns castle, 

with the wall art still there.

Then joining the queue for the bus to Llandrindod Wells,

for lunch at the Hotel Metropolitan where we met up with the Morganeers eight years ago.

Backpackering 5 - Day 1

Brecon, after a bus-train-bus journey up the Taff's valley and across the Beacons National  Park.

Its  Castle and 

the Castle Hotel, the oldest in Wales, our

bed for the night with period furniture to match. Cosy it was.

Backpackering 4 - Day 9

 

Taking the T1A bus, only half awake, heading for Lampeter 

to visit Calico Kate

to pick up a panel fabric for Gek to work.

Then on to Carmarthen 

for the last night

at a posh hotel. Nice.

Backpackering 3 - Rye

 

The Town's Gate, the only one of four to survive.  

A 1742 painting when the sea was much, much closer. At that time, there could have been 200+ ships queuing to unload at the port. 

Norman Castle built 1249.

Reminded me of the dollhouse dinner table,

in The Lamb House. A very interesting history, go Google it.

Backpackering 2 - Powis Castle

 

On the walk to the castle after another bus ride to Welshpool.

The court yard cafe for lunch,

before a stroll around to take in the beauty of it all.

He seemed fascinated by this figure, standing there for ages,  perfectly still, looking up at the face.

Backpackering 2 - Chirk Castle

 

The 300 year old ornate gate is about 1-1/2  mile from the castle. 

Building first began in the 13th century and remained pretty much intact until the Civil War in the 17th.

First a look around the beautiful gardens.

As they looked in the 1920s.

Beautiful. 

Gek asked me to pose like Sir Stamford.

Backpackering 1 - Dinas Bran Castle

At the start of the climb.

And what a climb it was, 1,000 feet above the valley floor reached on a 1 mile walk.

Good excuse to take a breather on the way, to take in the beautiful scenery.

Nearly there!

 Taking a rest,

before doing the rounds.

The Pontcysyllte aqueduct,

And Llangollen, from where we started the climb.

On the way down, a sculptor with a natural sculpture.

Backpackering 1 - Walking the Wall.

The Bonewaldersthorn's Tower.

Starting by climbing the wall at the North Gate and proceeding anti clockwise this is the first significant ruin you meet.

Race Course 

Then comes the horse track. 

Approaching the River Dee.

Just around the corner is a short section where the wall is missing, the only bit on the whole 2 mile treck.

The River Dee Weir.

A real surprise was the next day, when water was coming over the weir in the opposite direction. Our vist coincidenced with the spring high tide, the Dee normally flowing into the Irish sea 18 miles down stream. 

Roman Gardens

Home to fragments of Roman forts, and a good place to learn a bit of history.

Prepare for the arrows!

New Gate

Built over the city's ring road.

Roman Amphitheater 

East Gate 

Chester's iconic 1897 clock.

East Gate Street.

Chester  Cathedral 

A little further on, back to North Gate where we started.