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

Ice Magic

Smoldering volcanoes, Baltic souls and green valleys Read more
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  • Ice Magic
    Disappointing Roman walls Holyhead
    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

    September 17, 2025 in 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.    Read more

  • Ice Magic
    Cloth created by 2 master weavers
    Magnificent 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

    September 18, 2025 in 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 were 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.    Read more

  • Ice Magic

    Conwy and Betws-y-Coed

    September 19, 2025 in 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.    Read more

  • Ice Magic
    Roman bridge around 2000 years old.Coach and Horses where we had dinner

    Betws-y-Coed to Bwlch

    September 20, 2025 in 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 tanding after all this time.
    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.    Read more

  • Ice Magic
    Llanthony priory
    Steep 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.A dill at the prioryThe old church next to the priory built in the 1600s

    Llanthony Priory and England border

    September 21, 2025 in Wales ⋅ ☀️ 13 °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 to the start of our walk. The walk was steep uphill for the first6-800 meters, then relatively flat as we walked on the ridge about 12km 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 complainingby 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 headed home then while we went in to Brecon for dinner at a Thai restaurant, which was surprisingly good.    Read more

  • Ice Magic
    Narrowest bridge in the world
    Guardian of the ValleysSix Bells miners accommodationLots of narrow roads in WalesRiver Wye

    Blwch to Green Bottom

    September 22, 2025 in 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) and secondly 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.    Read more

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