Wonderful Wales in Four Days

On Wednesday morning I picked up a little Fiat 500 rental car and headed west on the M6. It took me an hour to get through Birmingham, despite the traffic mostly flowing well.  My lunch stop was in the beautiful town of Shrewsbury. I happened past a river cruise leaving soon and decided to do it. It was a sweet way to see some of this lovely town on the England/Wales border.

Thursday's focus was the Snowdon Mountain Railway. I'd booked an 1886 steam train ride back in March, as it sells out well in advance. The train takes you almost to the top of Wales' tallest mountain, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). The one hour journey up was stunning but the weather changes dramatic. Whilst mostly clear there was rain, hail, sleet and dense fog. Thankfully the fog cleared five minutes before the train returned down the mountain, so I got to see the full view briefly. I was also thankful that we only got told when almost back to the station that the train and the carriage are purposely not hooked up. The train pushes the carriage up the mountain, with the guard giving hand signals to the driver. 

Before WW2 this valley was full of many small farms but in 1938 the government moved them all into the nearby town and turned the area into an area for the military to practise. Just about everyone refused to move back when given the opportunity after the war, they'd grown to used to having running water and electricity in their new homes.

The guard definitely could not see much at times, the biggest issue is sheep on the tracks but the diesel trains had scared them all off for us. He also had a hand turned wind screen wiper, which he needed to use periodically.

Clearing view from the top. 

My train, an Abt train that has been on the route since they opened in 1896. There are mostly diesel powered trains for the one hour journey now or three walking routes.

I had a great seat, initially I thought it was at the back but with going backwards it was actually at the front!

Friday was a stunning drive through several national parks and beautiful farms of Mid Wales. I was disappointed at the lack of pull over spots, they could definitely learn from Scotland in this regard. 

My lunch stop was at Devil's Bridge, where there are three bridges built on top of each other.

All the directional road signs are bilingual, some end up rather too long to easily read. 

I often have no idea where I'm headed as I either have no idea how to pronounce the place name or sometimes there are two totally different names for the same place.

Saturday I visited the Llandovery Sheep Festival (Ll is a Cl sound!). It was really just a general festival with one of the three marquees having some sheep, spinners and wool sellers in it. But it was interesting and involved what will probably be my last driving on one lane roads, as well as purchasing summer lovely wool. 

These two sheep had a really, really curly fleece.

I don't understand why one lane roads have the same  60mph/100km/hr speed limit as two lanes roads? Especially as most of the one lane roads have hedges either side and passing places are few and far between. 

Sunday I'm heading into southern England for the last six days of my holiday.