North Wales: Fesity and Poetic
This is a quick and handy source for details on the sights, hotels, tour guides and restaurants featured in the "North Wales: Feisty and Poetic" show. For much more (and updates), see this year's edition of Rick Steves' Great Britain guidebook.
Conwy Castle
Dramatically situated on a rock overlooking the sea with eight linebacker towers, this castle has an interesting story to tell. Built in just four years, the castle had a water gate that allowed safe entry for English boats in a land of hostile Welsh (£4.50, or £7 Joint Ticket with Plas Mawr, daily April–May and Oct 9:30–17:00, June–Sept until 18:00; Nov–March Mon-Sat 9:30–16:00, Sun 11:00-16:00; tel. 01492/592-358, www.cadw.wales.gov.uk). Guides wait inside to take you on a 60-minute, £1 tour; if the booth is empty, look for the group and join it. The guides also do inexpensive city walking tours in the evening; consider enthusiastic Neville Hortop (£10 total for up to 10 people, £1 more per additional person, tel. 01492/878-209).
Plas Mawr
A rare Elizabethan house from 1580, this was built after the reign of Henry VIII. It was the first Welsh home to be built within Conwy's walls. (The Tudor family was Welsh — and therefore relations between Wales and England warmed.) Billed as the oldest house in Wales, Plas Mawr offers a delightful look at 16th-century domestic life to anyone patient enough to spend an hour following the excellent included audioguide. Restored in the 1990s, a display explains the long process involved in restoring historic buildings. Docents in each room are happy to point out what's original and chat about how the restoration was done.
Visitors stepping into the house were wowed by the heraldry over the fireplace. This symbol, now repainted in its original bright colors, proclaimed the family's rich lineage and princely stock. The kitchen came with all the circa-1600 conveniences: hay on the floor to add a little warmth and soak up spills; a hanging bread cage to keep food away from wandering critters; and a good supply of fresh meat in the pantry. The bedroom of the lady of the house doubled as a sitting room — with a finely carved four-poster bed and a foot warmer by the chair. At night, the bedroom's curtains were drawn to keep in warmth. In the great chamber, hearty evening feasting was followed by boisterous gaming, dancing, and music. And fixed above all of this extravagant entertainment was...more heraldry, pronouncing the important — if unproven — family connections and leaving a powerful impact on impressed guests (£5, or £7 Joint Ticket with Conwy Castle, April–Aug Tue–Sun 9:30–18:00, closed Mon, shorter hours Sept–Oct, closed Nov–March, tel. 01492/580-167).
Ewe-Phoria Sheepdog Show
Despite the goofy name, this really is a fun and fascinating peek, rated [s], into the world of sheep farmers and their frantically loyal, well-trained dogs. Drop in for one of two shows — at 11:00 and 13:00 — on the days they're open (see below). First, you'll see the dogs rounding up the sheep (who seem to roll their eyes at this polished demonstration); then you'll head into the barn to see a sheep show and shearing (£4.50, open Easter-July Wed-Fri and Sun 10:30-15:00, plus Tue in Aug; Sept-Oct Wed, Fri, and Sun 10:30-15:00; closed Nov-Easter; just off A5 midway between Betws-y-Coed and Llangollen in Llamgwm, tel. 01490/460-369, www.ewe-phoria.co.uk).
Llechwedd Slate Mine
Slate mining played a blockbuster role in Welsh heritage, and this mine on the northern edge of Blaenau Ffestiniog does a fine job of explaining the mining culture of Victorian Wales. The Welsh mined and split most of the slate roofs of Europe. For every ton of usable slate found, 10 tons were mined. The exhibit has three parts: a tiny Victorian mining town (with a miners' pub and a view from "The Top of the Tip," free and worthwhile) and two 30-minute tours (3/hr). Do the "tramway" tour first — a level train ride with three stops, no walking, and a live guide. It focuses on working life and traditional mining techniques. Plan to stay for the cool slate-splitting demonstration, which occurs only at certain times (often 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, and 16:30). Then descend into the "deep mine" for a tour featuring an audiovisual dramatization of social life and a half-mile of walking. Both tours are different and, considering the cheap combo-ticket, worthwhile (£9 for 1 tour, £13.50 for both tours, daily March–Sept 10:00–18:00, Oct–Feb 10:00–17:00, last tour starts 45 min before closing, tel. 01766/830-306, www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk).
Bodnant Garden
This sumptuous, 80-acre display of floral color is six miles south of Conwy. Set in the lush green of Snowdonia, this garden is one of Britain’s best. It’s famous for its magnolias, rhododendrons, camellias, and floral arch made of bright-yellow laburnum, which blooms late May through June (£6, mid-March–Oct daily 10:00–17:00, closed Nov–mid-March, café, best in spring, phone message tells what’s blooming, tel. 01492/650-460).