Enchanted in North Wales
Caernarfon’s grand scenery and history spring to life on St David’s Day, says Neil Geraghty
Lambs are always an enchanting sight and one of the most delightful places in the UK to see them is in the countryside surrounding Caernarfon in North Wales. I’m taking a short break in this historic royal town during Wales’ St David’s Day celebrations which also coincide with the meteorological start of spring.
Caernarfon is located on the edge of Snowdonia and for hiking enthusiasts there are many scenic coastal and inland walking trails to choose from. As it’s a beautiful sunny morning, I set out early for a brisk country walk. My route takes me along the winding Seiont River and out into the foothills of Snowdonia. Since my arrival, the mountains have been shrouded in veils of wintry cloud, but on this sparkling spring morning, the clouds have lifted to reveal Snowdonia’s majestic summits silhouetted against an eggshell blue sky.
The path leaves the river and heads towards the hills where dozens of sheep are grazing in patchwork meadows. The bright sunshine makes me squint and I feel I’m gazing at an optical illusion as the sheep seem to be bouncing up and down. When I get nearer all is revealed.
Many of the sheep are in fact lambs and are frolicking around in the fields, leaping up into the air as they go. Technically this behaviour is known as stotting which prepares the lambs for fight or flight later in life, but watching them bleat and bounce like jumping beans you can’t help but sense the sheer joys of spring written all over their adorable faces.
Travelling by train to North Wales is a scenic treat and the stretch between Chester and Bangor is especially beautiful. Once over the Welsh border you quickly arrive at the estuary of the River Dee from where the train line hugs the coast all the way to Bangor. Initially the landscape is one of undulating heathland but as we approach the Cambrian mountains the train gains height and begins gliding past dramatic rocky headlands and curved bays fringed with wide golden beaches. The most spectacular sight of all is at Conway where the train passes directly beneath the walls of its mighty 13th century castle, one of several built in North Wales by Edward l which are collectively some of the best preserved medieval castles in Europe, four of which were granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1986.
When I arrive in Caernarfon I immediately get a clue as to why
Edward built these castles. The town is still predominantly Welsh speaking and lies in the heart of a region that has stubbornly resisted English influence. Edward I decided to crush the rebellious Welsh once and for all and at Caernarfon, which is strategically located on a peninsula guarding the Menai Straits, he built a colossal fortress full of royal symbolism to demonstrate his military might.
After checking in at the atmospheric 16th century Black Boy Inn, one of the oldest in Wales, I head straight over to the castle which dominates this tiny town. Its most prominent feature is the unique 10-sided Eagle
Tower which originally served as a royal palace and now houses several artistic exhibits that illustrate the castle’s fascinating history. The ground floor is laid out with a giant red and white chess board on which medieval kings and knights trace the complex relationships between the Welsh (red) and English (white) royal families. Upstairs the life of Edward’s wife Eleanor of Castille is reimagined in a series of intricate laser cut cardboard scenes set within a medieval jousting tent. It was in
Caernarfon Castle that Eleanor gave birth to the future Edward II, who in 1301 was made the first Prince of Wales.
No trip to Caernarfon Castle is complete without a walk around its imposing crenellated towers and battlements. However, you can’t help but wonder how medieval knights in armour actually managed to climb up the spiral staircases which are so steep and narrow ropes have been installed to help visitors haul themselves up. Up on top of the Eagle Tower, to mark Wales’ national day, the Welsh flag is fluttering alongside the yellow cross of St David. Beneath me the sound of drums strikes up and a parade of schoolchildren dressed as medieval knights, daffodils and dragons begins to march around the castle walls. It’s not quite the ferocious medieval siege that Edward I might have foreseen, but nevertheless is a charming display of the proud Welsh identity that neither he nor his successors ever managed to extinguish.
Its most prominent feature is the unique 10-sided Eagle Tower
Advance single train fares on Avanti West Coast from Edinburgh to Bangor start from £26.10. www. avantiwestcoast.co.uk and for more ideas on holidaying in Wales – www. visitwales.com