Blaenau Ffestiniog

Apparently we experienced the hottest weather in the UK on Sunday. Pity neither my sister nor I are heat lovers but we tried to perspire and suffer  in silence without complaining. Today there was a change with milder temperatures and overcast skies. However, we were fortunate to have no rain for our shorter but lovely trip on tge steam train  through the slate area of northern Wales. 

 

Cute wee steam train. We were again in the open carriage just behind the engine. Interestingly we did not get smoked out! Was lovely to hear the piercing whistle of the train as it approached crossings and we were lulled by the clickety clack as we slowly ascended and descended through the lush forests and across the boggy moorland -quite mystical.

 

 

We stopped off at our grandmother's favourite holiday place Betwys-y-coed, meaning prayer house of the trees. An exceptionally apt name for such a

truly beautiful and restful spot.. Perfect location for a picnic on the stones beside a tributary of the Conway River. The very pretty light purple rhododendruns are everywhere here in this area. They make the areas of slate look less oppressive but are in fact hugely invasive, and just like the magnificent lupins in New Zealand, which are a tourist's delight, they are fast becoming a problem for other species

 

Now Annie and I are spending our last evening at Llandudno on the north coast of Wales, with an incredible 2 kilometre sandy bay with a backdrop of fine hotels. The promenade around the bay was virtually empty. In another month it will be jam packed with holiday makers, and the beaches just a sea of bodies. Bit hard to inagine today !

 

A walk on the pier brought back childhood memories of Brighton Pier, though the fruit machines in the amusement arcades are now 20 times more expensive 😳

Welsh for the day -

 

And also this beautiful poster by a young girl warning others to be careful at railway stations. 

 

You hear a lot of Welsh here. It is great! Wales is really doing well in retaining their language. I love the sound of it, though Annie tells me it is very different from the Welsh spoken in the south.

Home to Llantwit Major tomorrow and a repack for the next day to Liverpool.😀 

Before i stop writing i have to share this next photo of a lady at the next table to us. There were such incredible similarities between her and her dog 😊