Wales - Day Four

We left the YHA on Monday morning and headed home, but not before making some scenic detours along the way!

First off was Dolwyddelan Castle on the A470, a small Welsh Castle built to guard the mountain pass near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Much of the castle is now in ruins, however the main keep was restored during Victorian times.



The keep offered commanding views of the nearby highlands.




We continued south (past more spectacular mountain passes and rustic mining towns) and arrived at Harlech. I wanted to go to this castle as a) it looked spectacular and b) 'Men of Harlech' was an old standard for my high school marching band.













After Harlech we were treated to a lovely coastal drive, through several summer-holiday destinations in Wales such as Tal-y-bont (which has the biggest caravan park we had ever seen in our life!). Many of the towns and villages felt very much like Lorne back home.

We had lunch in Dolgellau, where Natasha took some signs in Welsh which she found rather amusing. Its a rather strange language, with 29 letters, and a rather distinct lack of vowels!