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Ice Magic
  • Geoff Gardner
  • Bunja Cowles
  • Geoff Gardner
  • Bunja Cowles

Ice Magic

Smoldering volcanoes, Baltic souls and green valleys Meer informatie
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  • Ice Magic
    View from the coffee shop in Holyhead. What a dump. Best coffee we have had since leaving home.
    View from the coffee shop in Holyhead. What a dump. Best coffee we have had since leaving home.South Stack lighthouse Holy Head Anglesey.Jules on the walk up from the lighthouse.Jules doing a dance of delight at the Bryn Celli Ddu burial mounds 2000BC.Beaumaris castle. Building started in the late 1200 by Edward I of England after he conquered Wales.Longest place name in the world is in Wales.Beaumaris harbour.Menai Bridge designed by Telford. Geoff loves bridges.

    Anglesey

    17 september 2025, Wales ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Another great day of discovery. We started the day by finding a great coffee shop in a trashy town. We went there because of the Roman ruins but they hardly existed and were almost completely non existent . The coffee made up for that though. We had two and bought bagels for lunch.

    The South Stack lighthouse walk and lighthouse tour made up for everything though. Such a dramatic coastline and such hardships of the past explained to us. Thousands of ship wrecks lay submerged under the sea along the coast and hemp baskets transporting the workers and provisions across a zip line to the lighthouse which is across a gorge not attached to the mainland. So many steps and the wind nearly carried us away at times. It was absolutely beautiful.

    The Bryn Celli burial mounds were from prehistoric times. Approximately 200BC. I was very excited about seeing these. The area was so atmospheric with beautiful green rolling hills.

    After this we drove to Beaumaris to have a quick look at the perfectly symmetrical castle, also built by Edward I. It was never finished as he ran out of money. He was trying to show his might in this area of Wales after conquering from Welsh. Four castles were started but never finished. These ruins are amazing in size and symmetry.

    The last sight was the Menai Bridge. A beautiful bridge across the Menai Straits Beaumaris is a picturesque town, really happy to have visited.    Meer informatie

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  • Ice Magic
    Cloth created by 2 master weavers
    Cloth created by 2 master weaversMagnificent roman ruins dance.Jules does n I. The hydrocaust underground pit which generated heating for the baths/living areas.Beddgelert St Mary's Church.1It was so wet, Jules had to take her glasses off again to see.LlandudnoInside St John's Methodist church, before the choral concert started.

    Caernarfon, Beddgelert and Llandudno

    18 september 2025, Wales ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    Had a two hour session in Caernarfon the morning learning how to weave. Very interesting and very easy.
    On our way out of Caernafon, we had a look at the ruins of a Roman fort. The fort was manned by German auxiliary rather than real Romans. Geoff was ecstatic anyway.
    Then to Beddgelert, where it was raining cats and dogs. A very nice village, which was the site of a very sad incident in the late 1200s (see photo).
    We had a rest at home before heading out for dinner at Llandudno at the Abode restaurant, which was very nice (home-made pie and veg). Then a walk around the town (which was a bit of a revelation - this is a very popular seaside holiday destination with lots of delightful Victorian buildings along the shoreline) before attending the local Methodist church for a 2 hour concert by the local all male choir. The choir was great, as were the guy accompanying them on the piano and organ and a female soloist. All very good. Jules over the moon.
    An hour drive home and straight to bed after another very successful day in Wales.    Meer informatie

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  • Ice Magic
    Conwy Castle walls
    Conwy Castle wallsView of the modern city from the castle.Daredevil kayakers in the raging River Conwy running through Betys Y Coed.Our host. He was wonderful. Bought the manor 20 years ago and made apartments for rent.

    Conwy and Betws-y-Coed

    19 september 2025, Wales ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The decision we had to make today was whether we were too tired to drive to Conwy to see the best of the Edward I castles. It is renowned for being the best preserved Middle Ages castle and also particularly beautifully positioned. The alternative was to hang around Betwys Y Coed, catch up with admin and relax. Going to the castle won! So we did.

    It was everything that was promised. The walls incorporated the whole town and it was still in tact and impressive . Not all accessible on foot but mostly. The wall perimeter was 1.4km. The fiesty Welsh had to be kept out of the whole town. Life for the locals was tough and they were a savage foe.

    We went to Bank cafe for the second worst coffee ever and then headed back to Coed Y Celyn, our lovely home.

    Geoff dropped me off at the town of Betws for me to look at the shops and then I walked home. I bought a North Wales tea towel and a carved wooden spoon. It’s a welsh tradition for the boys to carve one for their wife to be.

    We tried a couple of pubs for a beer at around 5. After 2 hot beers we went home for a home cooked steak and veg. The first hot beer was in Ty Gwynn, formerly a pack horse stop built right at the current roads edge. It was a very atmospheric building.

    Betys Y Coed has been a great place to stay.    Meer informatie

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  • Ice Magic
    Roman bridge around 2000 years old.
    Roman bridge around 2000 years old.Would have been difficult building this bridge over such a raging stream.Such green lovely narrow roads.Coach and Horses where we had dinner

    Betws-y-Coed to Bwlch

    20 september 2025, Wales ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    We moved today to Bwlch in the Brecon Beacons area.
    As we left Betws-y-Coed we got instructions on how to find a bridge built by the Romans about 2000 years ago from Michael, the Airbnb owner. Found the bridge after the occasional wrong turn. It is a very narrow stone bridge over a raging torrent. It is amazing that it is still standing after all this time, although blocked off to all foot traffic.
    After settling in at Bwlch, and because it was raining fairly heavily, we met Geoffs old friend Barbara and her husband Simon at The Big Pit, a coal mining museum that includes a tour underground. The guide we had was an ex-miner and was very knowledgeable and entertaining.
    We then went out for a very enjoyable dinner with Barbara and Simon to the Coach and Horses Inn.    Meer informatie

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  • Ice Magic
    Llanthony priory
    Llanthony priorySteep climb at the start of the walkGreat sceneryThe path on the ridge passed through a lot of swampy ground.Barbara and SimonThere were quite a few wild horses along the trailPriory from the top of the ridgeGeoff, tired after a long walk, being made to look at the priory ruins again.Oh. Now interested again. I wonder if someone mentioned 'the Roman's'. 😁A dill at the prioryThe old church next to the priory built in the 1600s

    Llanthony Priory and Wales/English border

    21 september 2025, Wales ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    We met Barbara and Simon at Llanthony Priory, built by the Cistersions in the 1200s. We left their car at the priory and drove our car to the start of our walk. The walk was steep uphill for the first 600-800 meters, then relatively flat as we walked on the ridge for about 12km and wound our way back to the priory. It was a beautiful day, and the scenery was spectacular. The top of the ridge is the border between England and Wales for a large section of our walk.
    It was a steep drop of about 500m from the ridge top down to the priory so Geoff's knees were complaining by the time we got down. We had a drink at the priory bar (cider-a great thirst quencher) before Simon drove us back to the start of the walk to pick up our car. B and S brought their camper to the Beacons and headed to their home after the walk. We went back to our accommodation at Brecon for dinner at a Thai restaurant, which was surprisingly good.    Meer informatie

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  • Ice Magic
    Narrowest bridge in the world
    Narrowest bridge in the worldGuardian of the ValleysSix Bells miners accommodationLots of narrow roads in WalesRiver WyeSimon and Barbara. Sadly Simon passed away 11 months later, yet to be diagnosed with lung cancer.

    Blwch to Green Bottom

    22 september 2025, Wales ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Today, we traveled to Barbara and Simons place at Littledean near the Royal Forest of Dean.
    On the way we detoured a couple of times, firstly to get a photo of a very narrow bridge that we had to cross the previous day (7 foot max width). The second stop to Abertillery to see the Guardian of the Valleys, a 20m tall sculpture commemorating the Six Bells mine explosion that killed 45 miners in 1960. The statue is very imposing and impressive. The names of those killed are listed around the base of the statue. As well as the statue, there are a number of plaques providing an insight into the devastating impact that this accident would have had on the local community. A very moving memorial.
    Then it was on to B and S at Green Bottom and a short walk along the River Wye and up to a lookout on an adjacent ridge for views of the river. The views were stunning. B and S do a lot of kayaking on this river.
    Then it was back to Green Bottom for dinner and an early night.    Meer informatie

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  • Ice Magic
    The back view of the Colebank's 100 year old beautiful home.
    The back view of the Colebank's 100 year old beautiful home.Titsey manor with the gang.They beautiful gardens.

    Zambian Mafia, Oxted

    24 september 2025, Engeland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Chris and Cathy John’s (old friends from Zambia days) arrived and we had a walk around the local area including to the local manor house “Titsy” where we had a guided tour. All very interesting.
    In the evening we all went to the local pub for dinner where we met even more old friends from Zambia, Manuel and Celia Marques. A very pleasant evening was had reminiscing about the old days.    Meer informatie

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