Squire Family Genealogy Pages - Photos

UK/Ireland/France holiday, 2009

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(Week 3) Sunday 23 August 2009
We were up early today to take a taxi to Dublin Port for the ferry. There are two choices; the slow ferry and the fast ferry. We booked the fast ferry, but just our luck for the fast ferry to be cancelled due to rough seas. We ended up on the four deck vehicle and truck ferry, taking 3.5 hours instead of 2 and a bit. The trip was pleasant enough. We met people from Anne's conference (who were from Tasmania), and spent nearly two hours talking with them.

We collected our car at Holyhead around midday, a VW Golf, and headed into the unknown. Well across Anglesey actually. We took the old A road instead of the two lane highway, and stopped a couple of times to look at the sights. We crossed into the mainland on the Menai Bridge, an old iron suspension bridge, into Bangor. We stopped at a large Tesco's, bought some provisions, made a comfort stop, and ate a nice fish lunch at their cafe. We intended driving to Conwy, but we made a navigational error and ended up at Caernarfon. Look it up on a map!.Undaunted, we visited the walled city (or is it a town), and visited Caernafon Castle, the 'seat' of the Prince of Wales.

We left there at about 4:00pm and headed into real mountain country, and into fog, drizzle and a bit of rain. We found our accommodation at Llangollen two hours later. A very nice room, if a bit on the small side. We are here for three nights.

Driving over the Menai Bridge. A view inside a corridor inside part of the wall of the castle. The stone walls on both sides of the road, taken through the front window of our VW Golf.

(Week 3) Monday 24 August 2009
We slept in this morning because breakfast did not start till 7:30am. We then drove (1.5 miles) into the village of Llangollen, found an all day park, and walked to the canal tour office. We were able to book seats (last 2) on the 12:15pm canal boat ride to and over the Pontcysylite Aqueduct, built 126ft high over the Dee River. This was one of our 'must see' things, but to ride over it was special. Tomorrow we want to see it on foot. Before the canal ride we spent two hours wandering around the town, and we bought several souvenirs and things for ourselves.

After the canal trip, we were bussed back to Langollen, in time to take a 90 minute steam train ride to Carrog and back. We took lots of photos today, and had a hard time keeping just the best. We found a couple more postcards in the town, before getting back to our hotel about 6:00pm.

Weather was good today, but Wednesday is expected to be a shocker, rain, hail and sleet; will wait to see if it really is this bad! Only have internet in the lounge area here, so have to go there to connect.

A view of the Canal just across from where we will hop in the narrow boat. The canal is not very wide, and in places, you could not pass. It was also a very windy canal. Our skipper did well to navigate and steer the boat. This view across the aqueduct has to be seen to be believed.

(Week 3) Tuesday 25 August 2009
Today we drove to Chester to have a look at the city. First, though, we detoured to look at the aqueduct from the road. We could not drive to the base, so we took photos from one end. It really is enormous. Decided against walking along the tow path - it was a bit scary, but anyway we decided to get a move on to Chester.

We arrived at the Park-and-Ride and caught the bus to the town centre. It was another tourist trap, and there were plenty of tourists around. This town has black timber and white-washed walls everywhere. It is very well photographed. Over the next few hours we walked all the shopping streets, and visited the main attractions. The Cathedral was a highlight - it was started in the 1200's I think, and the stone was worn but had a nice honey colouring in it. It felt warm and welcoming, and was not chock-a-block with tourists. We spent an hour wandering around and taking photos. Anne loves the stone and marble tombs, especially when there was a carved effigy of the person below. We had a Cornish pasty for lunch. - similar to ours but the pastry was more doughy. We walked around part of the town wall, which is one of the most complete walled cities, walked alongside the canal, and wandered along 'the Rows', first floor open arcades, running parallel to the street. Looked at the market, the shopping centre that was built within the traditional facades, and all the gift and nick-nack shops.

We returned via another mountain pass, saw a ruined castle and abbey or two, and returned to our hotel after 6:00pm. Another long and tiring day. Bonus pictures today because there are too many to choose from.

This is what supports the aqueduct across the valley. Photo of Chester city. And another of one of the city centre. Vehicles are excluded from most of the walled area.
A photo of the cathedral. One of Anne's tombsI A scene on the way back to Llangollen.

(Week 3) Wednesday 26 August 2009
We are ending our stay at Llangollan today, and drove west initially to reach the Llechwedd Slate Caverns. We booked for both underground tours, and were advised to do them first before the queues got too long. We did the deep one first, visiting two levels about 300ft below the surface. They mined the slate in appalling conditions; very little light, and very damp. The second underground tour was on a tramway that dropped each group of about 20 people at two different locations deep within the hillside. 'Old' miners were our guides, and spoke about conditions and the tasks that were performed in the early days of slate mining. Miners started at 10 or 11 years of age, usually with their father or an uncle.

We then drove though more fabulous scenery and mountains, and many quaint villages. We stopped in one to post a package (for Janett), and to have afternoon tea, before continuing to Aberystwyth. We easily found our accommodation on the northern end of the esplanade. Sadly, our room faces away from the sea.

After unpacking, we went for a walk and discovered a cable tramway up the side of the adjacent hill. We took a ride to see the views of the town, before returning for soup and to catch up on this diary. Bonus again as we could not find just 3 pcs. The second lot of 3 are scenes from some of the villages we passed through.

A tunnel on the deep tour. This was hard hat territory. The view of the Esplanade of Aberystwyth. Our hotel is right at this end. A view of the first UK electric cable tramway.
Scenes along the roadside. From Anne's collection of buildings. This one was in a little village we stopped in.

(Week 3) Thursday 27 August 2009
After a good breakfast, we walked to the railway station and booked tickets on the narrow gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway for the 10:30am trip to Devil's Bridge. We did not really know what to expect, but the train headed up the valley and rapidly climbed up the side of the valley on a narrow ledge. We eventually reached Devil's Bridge, a narrow pass high up on the side of a large valley. At Devil's Bridge, there is a bridge over a very narrow chasm; in fact you can see three bridges, one above the other, the earliest is Roman. We climbed down to the bottom of the chasm below the bridge, some 100ft, with the rock only about 1 metre wide. Spectacular!

After an hour, we caught the train back to Aberystwyth, and wandered around the town till about 5:00pm. There is ruins of an old castle to see, but it was so windy, I declined to venture into the blustery conditions. Back in our room now to catch up on Email, Facebook and this web site.

Our train at the Aberystwyth station This is one of the attractions at the end of the line. This is the valley that we crept up, ever higher on the steep valley sides.

(Week 3) Friday 28 August 2009
We woke up this morning to a nice looking but overcast day. Or so I thought. After breakfast, I took a case down to the car, only to have the frond door of the hotel blow open in my face. A cold howling gale faced me, plus 2 metre waves onto the beach. We managed to get the car loaded, and drove around the promenade to the harbour. It was too blustery to get out for more photos.

We drove to Llampeter and walked around the village. Lots of tiny shops and the obligatory market. There were also several op shops to inspect. On then to Brecon for another break from driving, and to wander around the town. Our target for today was to reach Usk and the Rat Trap Hotel, painted a bright pink colour. The hosts were very welcoming. Dropped our bags and drove back (1 mile) to the Usk township. Not very tourist friendly because we could not find any car parks to be able to wander down the High street (which was not much anyway). We returned to the hotel and dined in tonight. Nice food.

The photo does not show how blustery the weather is. The church in Brecon A pub in Usk.

(Week 3) Saturday 29 August 2009
This place also has 8:00am breakfasts so we opted to sleep in again. We needed to find a Laundomat today and we were told there was one in Monmouth, a 20 min drive away. This town was quite lively, and we had a good look around as well as getting the washing done. We then went on to Tintern Abbey, a quite remarkable ruin of a very large monastic centre. Much of the main cathedral building walls were still standing after being abandoned in the 1530's.

We drove on to Chepstow. The main attraction was its castle, even in a state of decay. There was some preservation work going on, and we could walk up stone circular stairs to access the second floor where they had replaced the floor, and also climb further to assess the top parapet. We returned to Usk the long way, negotiating the M4 and other weird signage, but getting here safely (after a while). Too many pictures to choose from again! Oh, and we are half way through our trip.

we found this little church in Monmouth. Really old! This is the oldest stone bridge with an intact gatehouse built over the river. Inside the ruins of Tintern Abbey. This is just the church - the foundations of all the abbey buildings are very extensive.

The great hall in Chepstow Castle. The upper floor would have been busy, with servants and attendants below. The castle is built at a strategic point on the Wye river. This iron bridge was built in the 1800's.

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