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a fun visit to Conwy Castle

Conwy Travel Blog › entry 42 of 68 › view all entries

After a layoff from my first job out of college, my friends began asking what I’d do. I jokingly responded, “I think I’ll go to Ireland.” But the more I said it, the more it sounded like a good idea, so I started looking into it. I compiled several travel itineraries I found online - for Ireland as well as the UK. With some free maps from AAA, I highlighted all of the points of interest, connected the dots, and made my own itinerary. And using my credit card points, the airfare was free.

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a fun visit to Conwy Castle

August 20, 2002

Conwy Castle in Wales across Thomas Telford Suspension Bridge (a toll footbridge)

As in Ireland, the Welsh isle of Anglesey offers vast pasturelands speckled with sheep and several stone construction ruins. With more power lines, rubbish yards, urban development, brush, and woods, however, notable distinctions are also easy to draw. On the train through Wales, I was tempted to get off at the stop in Bangor for a look around in a sister city to that of my birth. It was the first time through a Bangor in 30 years!

Conwy Castle greeted me through the train window as I turned to see it whizzing by. A 15-minute hike from the station took me to the Thomas Telford Suspension Bridge, which is a tool footbridge leading to the entrance across the River Conwy. Inside for a thorough inspection, the castle was like a giant playground and I was having too much fun to hurry.

Conwy city behind the castle

Poetically contrasting old and new, modern military fighter jets crossed the blue skies above 13^th-century, stone fortress as I toured the courtyard. One after the other, I ascended each of the accessible towers and marveled at the wonderful views in all directions. Conwy is an endearing little, walled Welsh village.

Having spent more time at the castle than I had expected and considering the rail routes are sparse in Wales, I decided to forgo Snowdonia National Park and Chester, England, setting my sites on Windermere. A well-traveled Welsh fellow sat across the table from me on the train departing Conwy. We talked the whole ride and he directed my attention to many notable sights, which included Grych Castle nestled in the side of a mountain, Chester’s Roman architecture, trailer caravans (fields of mobile homes for tourists to hire), and the longboats in a canal.