Exploring Wales: Snowdonia and Conwy

What an adventurous trip! My husband was getting a little over the sight-seeing aspect of cities and wanted to do something active in a new country. So I looked up a few things to do outdoors, and Wales is the place I decided on. There is SO much to do there, from the beaches to the mountains to everything in between. If you are like my husband and want to go somewhere other than a touristy city, Wales is the place to go! We were spontaneous and just went the next weekend. We spent a Saturday in Snowdonia and then drove to Conwy on Sunday before heading home that night. Snowdonia is a region in northwest Wales concentrated around the mountains and glaciers of Snowdonia National Park. The park's historic Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs to the summit of Wales's highest mountain, Mount Snowdon, offering views across the sea to Ireland. The park is also home to an extensive network of trails, over 100 lakes, and mountain peaks.

Accommodation:  The Dragon B&B and Restaurant
We stayed in Betws-y-Coed, which is a village located in the Conwy valley. I thought it was a terrific location! The room was a good size. However, the room smelled a little bit. The complementary breakfast was a traditional welsh breakfast. If you are like me, and don't want beans and vegetables for breakfast, they also offered cereal, fruit, yogurt and bread.

On Saturday morning, we headed to Zipworld to do the Bounce Below adventure. This was the coolest thing ever! Bounce Below is the first facility of its kind in the world, located at the Zip World Titan site. Hidden underground in a 176-year old cavern, is this subterranean playground, installed with HUGE bouncy trampoline-like nets. The whole place is lit up with different color lights allowing you to see all around the cave. The activity is one-hour session but make sure you arrive 30 minutes early to check-in and get instructions. Also make sure to wear clothes that cover your entire body from the neck down or you will need to wear a suit. This is because you slide down ropes and they don't want you to get rope burn. Bounce Below is open year round although they are closed right now for reconstruction. They are putting in new nets and bigger slides made of metal that will allow for more speed. I can't wait to go back!! Watch the video to get an idea of how much fun you could have! Be prepared to get out of breath in 10 minutes. It is exhausting but you can take a break whenever you'd like. I took several :)

 

Zip World also offers many other adventures including: Velocity Zip Line (the longest zip line in Europe and the fastest in the world), Titan Zip Line (the first 4 person zip line in Europe), adventure course (unique and exciting high ropes course), and caverns (an underground rope course adventure), as well as a couple other activities. This is awesome because it is for all ages! I highly recommend booking in advance, especially during the summer time.

caerblaidd.com

After our excitement in the caverns, we drove to Snowdon Mountain to get started on our hike. We are not hikers! In fact, this was our first time hiking with a purpose. My husband grew up in the N.C. mountains so he loves to be outdoors but the mountains in North Carolina are filled with so many trees, it is hard to get a good view. In Wales, some of the mountains don't have any trees, they are just marshy and filled with lots of rocks. We found a parking lot and then set out on our hike at noon. We brought two sandwiches each and 3 large water bottles. Our goal was to get to the Cantilever stone at the summit of Glyder Fach. The thing is, we didn't have much of a plan. We bought a map at one of the hotels and just decided to wing it. Little did we know, there was an actual cut-out path that would have made our journey a LOT easier. Well, we took on a challenge. The first mountain we climbed was extremely steep.
I don't know how the sheep do it (they were everywhere). Once we got to the top of that mountain we could see the mountain that we actually wanted to climb. We walked down our mountain, around the pond, and started climbing the very marshy mountain full of prickers.

We took a break on this rock for lunch

First climb

I had on capris which was a bad call. My legs were getting all torn up. Had we gone up the trail from the beginning, it wouldn't have mattered. I'm sure if we went in the middle of the summer, there would have been more people and it would have been easier to see everyone on the path. However, we were going up the steepest route and we couldn't really see that others knew something that we didn't. About two hours into our hike, we started noticing more people, and they were all walking in the same place. We realized that they were walking much faster than we were. Seriously, we were struggling not to step in holes or trip over rocks. We decided to head toward them. Once we got close, we felt really silly once we saw that there was a perfectly cut out trail that went straight up the mountain. No more dealing with bushes or muddy grass! The rocks were a little uneven so we still had too look down but man, oh, man did this hike seem like a piece of cake now. The sad thing is that we just wasted two hours of daylight. We knew that sun would start setting at 4 PM and was supposed to be completely dark by 5 PM.

Jumping rocks at the water fall

We still had a long way up. We started to calculate how long it would take us to get up and come back down. At 3 PM, we still felt like there was a lot more mountain to climb until we got to the cantilever. We didn't want to chance getting stuck in the dark so we sadly decided to turn around once we reached the waterfall. We spoke to a few people who were headed down, and they said that it was about an hour more to the top. If we found the trail at the beginning, we definitely would have made it. So next time we know to start our hike earlier and now we know the quickest way to get there.

We could see the ocean from here

On our way back down we saw some hang gliders running off of the mountain. We stopped to watch some of them and then continued down. We got to the bottom in about an hour. We were disappointed we didn't reach our goal but we are using it as a reason to go back and hike again!


Since we still had a little bit of daylight, we stopped at Swallow Falls on our way back. I was a little annoyed to find out that it cost £1 to view it. I've never had to pay to see nature before so thought it was a little weird. It's also not a waterfall that you can't get real close to since they have railings and signs that tell you not to swim. If you've seen some amazing waterfalls, you won't be too impressed and it may not be something that you would want to take the time to visit.

Next, we dropped off our backpacks at the hotel and then walked down the road to Pont Y Pair Inn. This is also a B&B and restaurant with a bar. The homemade food was fresh and delicious! My husband ordered tomato soup for a starter and he said it was the best tomato soup he's ever had. I had the vegetable soup and I also thought it was extremely tasty. Both of our main courses were also good. The bar was crowded since they were playing the Wales vs England soccer (football) game on the TVs. It was a bit noisy but we were seated in another room from the bar so it wasn't too bad.


On Sunday morning we ate breakfast and checked out of the hotel and then drove to Conwy, which was only 30 minutes north of Snowdonia. We parked in a long-stay parking lot right near Conwy Castle. We were lucky enough to be visiting on a weekend that they were offering free entry. It usually costs £7.95 for an adult ticket. This medieval castle was breath-taking with its high towers and curtain walls. It is situated right on the water with great views of the mountains.

Across from the castle, is a boating dock. Along the water were lots of food vendors, as well as restaurants. We got fish and chips from one of the restaurants and sat on a bench near the water. We were blessed with another beautiful day. In this same area, was the Smallest House in Great Britain. This is something that you must visit if you are in town! To take a look inside, it costs 50p for children and £1 for adults. It is open from 10AM to 4PM in the spring and autumn and open longer in the summer. It is just 72 inches wide and 122 inches high. It was occupied until May 1900. It was extremely hard to imagine a family of four living in it. There was just enough room for a single bed, a fireplace, and a coal bunker. The ladies out front were very kind and were there to answer your questions before entering and give you a little history of the house.

We were sad to leave Wales but the weekend had come to an end. It was a perfect weekend getaway. It only took us 4-5 hours to get there and back home so it was definitely worth it! Check back to see what travel blog I post next!

Quick Trip to Edinburgh

My husband and I went to Edinburgh for a weekend in November to check out their Christmas Markets and see a little bit of the city. We, by far, did not see all that Edinburgh has to offer but we did see some of the main attractions. We have a feeling that we will be going back to visit quite a bit so decided not to worry about doing too much in so little time. The weather was also rainy, which is very typical so hopefully next time we go back we will have better luck.

Accommodation:We stayed at the Emerald Guest House which is about 10 minutes from the city center. There is a bus right out front that will take you straight to the city center. There is also a grocery store right behind the guest house. The service was very good but there is not much parking. The complimentary breakfast offers a great selection and the couple that lives there is very friendly and helpful.

The Christmas Markets were lovely. They had a train for the kids and an ice skating rink that we enjoyed. They also have a Ferris Wheel and another ride but it was too cold in our opinion.

  

The one sight that we had to see on our first visit was the Edinburgh Castle. We thought we couldn't go to Edinburgh and not see the castle. We took the self-guided tour around the grounds and liked that we had access to almost everything. I thought it was well preserved. Our favorite room was of course the Crown Jewels. I also enjoyed the view overlooking the water. There was a free whiskey tasting at one of the gift shops, if you are interested.

Next to the castle, we stopped in the Scotch Whisky Experience. We didn't want to pay for a tour so we just went into the shop and looked at all of their whisky. It depends on what you're interested in, but the tour may be something you will like if you want to learn more about the story of scotch whisky.

Down the road from the castle is St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Giles Cathedral. To me, St. Giles wasn't a spectacular cathedral but I enjoy going in churches when I pass them. We did not go in St. Mary's.

Although we didn't have time to go in, we wanted to see the Palace of Holyroodhouse from the outside. It looked beautiful and I would have liked to go in. This is the official residence in Scotland of Her Majesty The Queen. You can explore the Queen of Scots' historic chambers, ten State Apartments, and the 12th-century ruins of Holyrood Abbey. You can also combine your visit to the Palace with The Queen's Gallery, which features changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection.

As you can see, we did not have very much time in Edinburgh but we most certainly enjoyed our visit. We look forward to going back!

If you are driving from England, I also want to suggest stopping by Bamburgh Castle on the way there or back. It is about 1.5 hours SE of Edinburgh and is right on the beach. It is only open on the weekends though. We were going to go in and then decided at the last minute to save the visit for another trip with our family. We just walked down to the beach and took a stroll. It is a beautiful location for a castle since there is not much else around so it won't get too busy.

If you have more time, here is what I suggest looking into that I hope to do on future visits:
Day Trip Loch Ness Tour
Camera Obscura and World of Illusions : 6 floors of interactive fun for all age. Mirror maze, vortex tunnel, bird's eye view of Edinburgh with the rooftop experience
Royal Botanic Gardens: 70 acres, 10 magnificent glasshouses, exhibitions, shopping, family events
The Edinburgh Dungeon
Edinburgh Old Town
The Georgian House

Any other suggestions? Leave a comment below!!

Bath, Stonehenge, and Salisbury

The city of Bath is a beautiful town in the rolling countryside of southwest England that is a great weekend trip for the family. It is just an hour from Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument in Wiltshire. My husband and I thought that we should get the two places done in a long weekend since they were so close together. Researching what else was close, we also decided to take a quick pit stop in Salisbury, which is just 8 miles north of Salisbury. 

We started our weekend off in Bath, although you could do the trip in reverse order. Bath is a city that has originated and developed around its hot spring waters discovered by the Romans over 2,000 years ago. The city offers museums, galleries, gardens, and many other tourist attractions. We planned on going to 5 attractions while we were there. In no particular order, this is what I recommend during your time in Bath:
1. Roman Baths & Pump Room
Around England's only hot spring, the Romans built a magnificent temple and bathing complex that still flows with natural hot water. While visiting, we walked on ancient stone pavements and learned about this place of worship and bathing. We decided to take the self-guided tour, although you can purchase headsets if you want more detailed information. The Pump Room is the restaurant right next to the Roman Baths that offers refreshments and tea.

2. Thermae Bath Spa
This was such a relaxing experience! This unique spa is the only place in the UK where you can bathe in natural hot waters. It offers facilities including a full range of spa treatments and therapies. Since we went in the summer, the line for those without an appointment was about an hour wait. If you are going during the week, it should be a lot less crowded. I suggest you make reservations in advance. Without an appointment, the £37 ticket gave us 60 minutes of access to the open-air rooftop pool, minerva bath, aroma steam rooms, and Spring Cafe restaurant. The rooftop pool was truly sensational with a view of the city as we swam in such hot water. This facility provides a robe, slippers, and towel so you don't need to bring that. Just bring a change of clothes and bathing suit and you'll be all set. They have changing rooms. Although the massage treatments sound incredible, I think they are a bit pricey but it's worth looking into.

You cannot bring cameras/phones into the facility.

3. Bath Abbey
This cathedral that began in 1499 and stands on the foundation of two previous churches is right next to the Roman Baths. While we were there, we climbed the tower to get a spectacular view over the city. A guide leads you up the narrow stairs, shows you how the clock works, and lets you get directly behind the clock hands. This was the most access I have gotten from a church so I really enjoyed going up.

4. Royal Crescent, Circus, & Pulteney Bridge
The Royal Crescent was built between 1767 and 1775 and contains around 30 houses, one of which is now the Royal Crescent Hotel, a museum open to the public. We just went to look at the design and take a break sitting in the field and then we headed toward the circus. Viewed from the air, it forms the shape of a key. Pulteney Bridge is located closer to Bath Abbey and is a nice location for a stroll in the park or on the path by the water. You can get the best view of the Palladian architecture from Parade Gardens.

5. Jane Austen Centre
If you are a fan of Bath's most famous resident, definitely go here to get a glimpse of life during Regency times and explore how living in this city affected Jane Austen's life and writing. They offer teas and cakes in the Regency tea room, have a souvenir gift shop, and have someone out front dressed in character to greet you.

Our next stop on our trip was Stonehenge. We arrived early in the morning, got our tickets and then headed into the museum where they give a lot of background information and history of the monument. It was nice learning things that I hadn't known about it before we went to see it. We could also see the neolithic houses to imagine how people lived 4,500 years ago. From the visitor center, we took a short bus ride (runs every 5-10 mins) to the stone circle. As of recently, the circle is roped off so you can only see it from a distance unless you go on special days. This is such an iconic symbol of England that I did not want to miss seeing.

 

Modern calculations show that it would have taken 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone, with an extra 100 men needed to lay the huge rollers in front of the sledge.

It was great to visit but definitely not something you can stare at forever. While I was looking at it, I thought about the movie Guilt Trip when Andy and his mom visit the Grand Canyon. There are no set rules that say you have to look at Stonehenge for a certain amount of time but anyone who has visited the natural wonder will tell you that it does get awkward after standing there staring at a bunch of rocks for so long.

Joyce: "I always wanted to see the Grand Canyon."
Andy: "I know"
Joyce: "How long are we supposed to look at it?"
Andy: "Ten minutes? Seems disrespectful to look at for any less..."
Joyce: "But who'll know?"
Andy: "That's a good point."

After the morning spent at Stonehenge, we took a short drive to the town of Salisbury. I looked up a few things to see while were there and then headed home. The first thing we saw was Salisbury Cathedral. Some people don't like looking at churches, but I think they are so pretty! Dating from the 13th century, Salisbury Cathedral is the tallest cathedral in England. It also contains one of the four original copies of the Magna Carta and the world's oldest working clock (dating from 1386).

Next we saw Old Sarum, the site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury.This was neat to look at where a castle had stood on the mote and get great views over the Wiltshire plains. You can also stand in the footprint of Salisbury's original cathedral. Over 2,000 years ago, the Romans, Normans and Saxons left their mark on this impressive landscape.

We grabbed a bite to eat and walked around the town for a bit before heading home from our long weekend. We really enjoyed our visit!

First Time Skiing in Oslo, Norway

I have heard how beautiful Norway is so I decided to go see for myself. It was definitely a beautiful country that I really enjoyed. I was bummed that we didn't get to see the Northern Lights on our short two day visit so I plan on going back within the next couple of years to a different town. On this trip we flew into Oslo Rygge and stayed in Oslo for a weekend in February. We took the free shuttle bus from the airport to the train stop. The train took us about 40 minutes to get into the city center. Once we arrived, we checked into our hotel Scandic Oslo City. The hotel could not have been in a more perfect location. It was a 5 minute walk from the train station and right outside of the hotel was a bus and metro stop. We bought a 24-hour transportation pass that we used for the bus and metro.

The main attraction that we wanted to see was the Viking Ship Museum so we decided to see this first. We took a 15 minute bus ride on Bus 30 from our hotel straight to the museum. In this museum, you will get to see three viking ships up close, as well as unique burial artifacts from boat graves around Oslo. The ships had been used for sea voyages before being hauled ashore for a royal ship burial more than 1100 years ago.

After we learned about Viking history, we took the bus to Akershus Castle and Fortress. Akershus is a medieval castle from around 1300 AD that was remodeled to a renaissance castle in the first half of the 17th century. We walked around the grounds of the castle (open 6AM to 9PM) but did not go in the castle since it was closing at 4PM. The castle grounds allowed us to have a great view of Oslo overlooking the lake.

 
Next, we walked to the Armed Forces Museum (Forsvarsmuseet). If you have any interest in military history, I recommend you taking a look at this FREE museum. We could have spent a lot more time in the museum, but like most of the museums in Oslo, it closed at 5PM. The museum introduces the history of the Norwegian military from the Viking ages to the present day.

After the museums, we walked down the road to the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet which is Norway's largest music and performing arts institution. Even if you do not have time for a performance (we did not), it is still fun to stroll around the unique building's roof and get another view of Oslo.

By this time, we were starving! We were trying to see as many sights as we could before it got dark since we knew the next day would be spent primarily on the slopes. We decided to look up good Norwegian restaurants and then headed to Olympen. Although very expensive, this restaurant had a great atmosphere and excellent Norwegian food.

After we ate, we headed back toward our hotel and went in the Oslo Cathedral. This was honestly one of the most beautiful interiors of a cathedral. It was very unique from anything I had seen. It has a cruciform design and the pulpit, altar, and organ have acanthus carvings that are all original. The ceiling and stained-glass paintings were lovely! This cathedral was free and is open to the public.

On our second day, we got up early and headed to Tryvann Vinterpark. This large ski resort with 18 slopes and 11 lifts is located just north of the city center. It is open from December to Easter. We took the metro (metro 1) for about 30 minutes, which was such a scenic metro ride! It was obvious where to get off, as almost the entire metro emptied out with people in snow gear. From the metro stop, a bus picked us up and dropped us off at the entrance to the park. We rented our skis/snowboards and boots and purchased a lift pass and locker to put our stuff in. We went down the bunny hill first before we went down a slope. This was my first time skiing so it was quite frustrating at first. I honestly never really got the hang of it. No matter how hard I tried to slow down, I seemed to be going way faster than anyone else. I ended up crashing going down a steep hill, which caused some injury to my shoulder, but I kept on going. After a tiring day, we decided to take on a few more sights before our time at Oslo came to an end. One of my regrets of this day is forgetting to stop at the Holmenkollen Museum and Ski Jump on the way back. The ski jump allows you to enjoy a panoramic view of Oslo from the top and the museum is the world's oldest ski museum. Next time I visit Oslo, I will be sure to stop and try the ski simulator.

When we got back into the city, we took the metro to Vigelands Park. Unfortunately, it was too late to go in the Vigelands Museum, where you can experience the almost complete collection of sculptor Gustav Vigeland. The museum also features temporary exhibitions of traditional or contemporary art. It was nice to take a stroll in Vigelands Park as the sun was setting with my husband. This is one of the Norway's most popular tourist attractions with more than one million visitors a year. This unique sculpture park represents the work of Gustav with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite, and forged iron. It was definitely an interesting walk.

Last thing on our agenda was to see the Royal Palace. This palace allowed us to get right up to the doors and wasn't guarded like most other palaces. This could have been because of the time of day or year that we went. The palace is open to the public in the summer but we were fine with just seeing it from the outside. Maybe on our next visit, we will go in if time permits.

There are so many things that we would have liked to have done had we stayed longer but we definitely enjoyed our visit. I don't know how much more time we could have afforded though. It was extremely expensive.

If you have more time than we did, I recommend looking into the following:
The Norwegian Film Institute
Stortinget (Parliament)
The Mini Bottle Gallery
Frammuseet
Norsk Fokemuseum (Open-air museum)