Welsh Highland Railway

What a fabulous trip! Thunderstorms forecast but most of day dry , warm and sunny with very short heavy cloudbursts and tonight a really fantastic natural son et luniere over Harlech  castle and Snowdonia. Absolutely awesome.

The day started with a somewhat hair- raising bus journey to Portmadoch. There was only one speed - very fast. Bends or no bends.  I think the driver was practising for a personal race with drivers from the Amalfi Coast. The only reassuring facts were that this time i was seated, gripping the seat rail, and  not standing next to the driver in fear of being thrown through the windscreen and down a 200 metre cliff. 

Compared to our hurtling along the roads in the bus, the steam train's sedate journey through truly spectacular scenery was an absolute joy in every respect.

 

I can only say that today's trip through the heart of Snowdonia was certainly one of the most enjoyable and beautiful train trips I have ever done. It even matches many of the Swiss rail journeys.

 

 

We were lucky enough to be in the open carriage with uninterrupted views of the spectacular countryside. We were so lucky with the weather, with the heavens opening just as we arrived in Caernavon with its incredible castle. Luckily within a very short time, it was dry again and we thoroughly enjoyed a few hours with views of the castle and estuary.

 

Today's Welsh lesson. A test. What do you think this means ? I love it.

 

Next stop Criccieth with a real Welsh castle perched on a cliff. Met up with a Kiwi ,who is here shearing sheep , in a bar by the station.

 

As we took the train back we had to walk up to the village and castle - not as bad as it looked from the station, only 11 minutes. Our views from the tapas restaurant we chose for dinner tonight could not have been more amazing , with the dramatically silhouetted castle on the one side

 

And Snowdon and the surrounding mountain chain on the other. Snowdon is the pointed peak you can see just to the left of centre.

 

 

The sky was ever changing as the dark clouds rolled in, shed their load and then allowed a touch of sunlight through. The thunder rumbled and lightning flashed across the skies as we ate. Really a memorable meal, perfect in every way- delicious food, brilliant friendly service and nature's wonders all around us.