Three Walking Boys near Harlech, where it rained on our first day. But there's no such thing as bad weather ....

July 2016

Having endured a long drive from home we enjoyed lunch at The Hand at Llanarmon which, though in Denbighshire, was certainly worth a detour down narrow winding lanes which reminded Mark of driving in the 1950s. Then on to Harlech for our first, 3 mile, walk.

Strongly Welsh-speaking, we saw patriotic flags celebrating the stirring though unlikely success of the Welsh football team, and made our way up hill from Harlech for a good view of the Castle some distance below.

The rain emphasised brooding skies and stern stone walls but the walking was not difficult and views were splendid. Portmeirion village and Criccieth Castle can both be seen from vantage points on this circular walk which headed uphill north of the castle to circle round in an anti clockwise direction.

Harlech Castle is a classic fort, built by Edward I in 1282-9. UNESCO considers Harlech to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage site.

Standing stones are prominent and re-used for practical reasons.

This statue from 1984 stands near the entrance to the castle and depicts the legend of the "Two Kings." Bendigeidfran carries the body of his nephew Gwern, following the latter's death at Efnysien's hands.

We returned to Merionethshire on Sunday for another short walk, five miles in the woods at Maentwrog, by the lake Llyn Mair, in Snowdonia National Park and within hailing distance of the Ffestiniog railway, which we also visited while staying in Porth Madog. We stayed very comfortably at The Royal Sportsman and ate surprisingly well at Spooners which backs on to the railway platform.

This walk was on forestry tracks, some ill-defined, but it was a very pleasant wander through the trees. A map is available here. Lunch was excellent and good value at The Grapes, Maentwrog. And so ended our walking in the characterful county of Merionethshire - or Sir Feirionnydd.