Ewloe Castle. Dolbadarn Castle. Dolwyddelan Castle. Castell y Bere. While many visitors to North Wales flock to the magnificent ring of medieval fortresses built by King Edward I, few venture off the beaten path to these smaller castles in Wales built by native Welsh princes, also known as native Welsh castles. Elwoe Castle Nestled …
You don’t have to be a religious person to appreciate the majesty of Britain’s many cathedrals. All of them are significant in British history and each contains historical relics such as the tombs of kings and statesmen. Westminster Abbey A trip to London wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Westminster Abbey. This magnificent Gothic …
The poet, William Wordsworth, first visited the Wye Valley of Wales as a young man of 23, in 1793. He returned five years later in the summer of 1798 and after several days walking, wrote his poem Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey. He said that “No poem of mine was composed under circumstances more …
As the car drives up the steep hillside and I glimpse the rounded turrets of a castle through the trees, I feel as if I’m entering a fairy-tale world. I wonder if Walt Disney used this setting as a model for his films. But the knights and handsome princes who lived here were not those …
As a book lover, I’m giddy when my husband and I drive into the small yet charming town of Hay-on-Wye, mid-Wales. Also known as the world’s secondhand book capital, Hay-on-Wye is home to over 30 used and antiquarian bookshops as well as the internationally acclaimed Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts. A medieval market …
Two of North Wales’ most impressive castles, Conwy and Caernarfon, are close by and both are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are two of the great sights in Wales. Travelers visiting North Wales will find dramatic landscapes, rugged castles and old-Welsh charm, all located within an area smaller than the state of …
Under the pale light of a full moon, I stand below the great stone ramparts of Caerphilly Castle. Will I see her tonight; the mysterious, ghostly woman who haunts the castle walls? Legends say she is the spirit of Alice de la Marche of Angouleme, France, niece of Henry II, and the disgraced lover of …