Dolwyddelan Castle

This morning I left Llandudno and set course for the south of Wales. My first stop was at what remains of Dolwyddelan Castle, just outside the little village of Dolwyddelan. Built in the first half of the 13th century, it commands a very nice view of the valley, and one can actually go inside the keep and climb all the way to the top (do note that the battlements are a 19th century afterthought). The castle was never all that well fortified; Edward I took it without much trouble, and after the English had secured Wales it fell into relative obscurity.

Today it is owned by Cadw, who has such a lax admission policy in place that one may apparently walk all the way up, slouch about inside for a good 20 minutes and then stroll down again, without once being asked to pay the £2.50 it costs to get in (not that I would need to pay anyway, it's the principle of the thing). A family of five came up after me, and I believe they walked straight up too. Hrmph.

A wee word of warning: The road up and the fields around are a foul smelling cesspool of mud, cow shit and sheep droppings, and you really have to negotiate your way through a never ending series of big, stinky turds from various animals. I couldn't see any bovine life, but there were plenty of sheep around. This being Wales, they're extra jumpy.

All pics.

The castle.


From the interior.


From the ramparts.


Looking another way.


Wales is so green and pretty.


You could be excused for thinking you were in Scotland. Snowdonia National park is full of mountains like these.


Blissfully, there are large sections where you at least have some stone under your feet.


I came upon this waterfall by accident. I followed the broad way down, instead of taking a path to the right, and came round the bend slightly higher than I should have. Lo and behold, this was what I saw.


And this.


Autumn colors and a slightly foggy feeling.