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Wales

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To visit Wales from England is like discovering a different country. And to the Welsh it is a
different country, though unlike the querulous Scots there doesn’t seem to be a
widespread desire to leave the British political system.

The long backbone of the Cambrian Mountains which run from Dyfed in the south to Clwyd in the
north, form a natural barrier which made invasion difficult for waves of would-be conquerors –
Roman, Norman and Plantagenet. Thus did Celtic ways survive cultural colonisation.

Probably the most obvious manifestation of this difference is the Welsh language (see side-bar)
which you will see the moment you cross the border.

It’s a bit of a jaw-breaker at times and the pronunciation can be a bit obscure but there’s no doubt
it adds a whole new flavour to your explorations.

Then there’s the terrain. The peaks of Snowdonia are the highest mountains south of the Scottish
border. It was among these rugged peaks that Ed Hillary and his team, the first men to climb Mt
Everest, did their basic training.

These two touring routes will take you to the most dramatic areas in Wales . . . the northern coast
with its great castles, and the 800 sq miles of Snowdonia National Park rich in forests, waterfalls
and pretty villages, towered above by 3560ft high Mt Snowdon and its attendants the
Glyders, mountains hewn from the primordial rock, deep cut by rollicking rills and rivers.

Between Chester and Caernarfon the interest is mainly historical – the “Iron Ring”, a line of castles
built by Edward I. Magnificent buildings that capture all the magic of those mediaeval days when
one can all but see knights and damsels, magicians and jesters, kings and queens.

Their purpose, however, was much darker. They were strictly royal business, protecting the
kingdom from rabble-rousing revolutionaries.

On the run from Caernarfon to Stratford, however, the mood lightens. You will pass through some
of the most beautiful, the most dramatic scenery in all of Britain.

Then as you cross back into England the mood changes yet again. You’ll catch echoes of the first
days of the Industrial Revolution, perhaps explore some great English fortifications before ending
your journey in Stratford-upon-Avon, home of England’s greatest playwright, William Shakespeare,
whose plays, 500 years later, still fill houses and thrill audiences around the world.

Useful websites:

http://www.northwales.com/
http://conwy.com