The September ’21 Grand tour of mid and North Wales in a motorhome Day 11

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 Never fully trust the directions of locals!

It is time to move on, so we head north towards the Quarry View Touring Park at Blaenau Ffestiniog via Harlech because I have always wanted to visit the castle but have never been. Having taught history many times over the years at KS3 to help out various history departments, castles, the medieval period, abbeys, all have been on the curriculum. Let’s face it, I’m a closeted historian. As a geographer I stayed on the side of the Jedi; my son crossed to the dark side though. He became a history teacher! Thanks heavens our daughter saw the light and went the ecology route (and thus is on the side of the Jedi).

The drive along the A496 gives stunning coastal views along the Mawddach estuary and then out along the coast to Llanbedr.

We arrive and park in the long stay car park down from the town centre. A brief review and we decide it doesn’t feel safe. The only space we could find is right in the corner of the car park under trees and the E bikes are hidden from view and therefore vulnerable.

We move off in search of the castle car park and miss the turning (not that it matters as we later discover as it is way too small for a motorhome). So, we have to drive down the B road, back onto the main road and all the way around again. Whilst filling up at the local garage, a local tells us to take the turning left after the level crossing to another car park.

 

Bad idea. Should have known better. Should have listened to my own gut and more importantly trusted the observations of the boss!

“It says no lorries”

“It will be OK”

“It looks very narrow and it says 25% incline”

“Mag it will be fine. The guy said take this turning”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup, trust me”

“Steve, that corner, that corner is way too steep, look at it its near vertical on the inside, we will never do it, it’s a hairpin bend!!!”

“We’ll do it, have faith”

 

We didn’t do it!

 

A car comes down around that corner. Racing up, I come to a sudden ‘gear crunching’ halt.  The motorhome, in first gear, can’t pull away. The wheels spin, the clutch burns and the pungent smell of burning rubber as the wheels leave their tread on the inner part of the bend, wafts up to the castle above. Along with the distinct smell of singed clutch!

“What is it with you and hills?”

Ouch! For Mag, that’s a stinging rebuke. She is normally so relaxed and easy going.

It is a looooong, humiliating, reverse back down the narrow hill lane, done in complete silence. This will take a LOT of coffee and cake to resolve!

Worse still, we end up back up top in the short stay car park.

We retreat to a small café opposite the castle entrance; snug couches, warm artificial fire heaters, bright colours. Lovely lattes and very nice cinnamon buns. Twinkling eyes are back and there is the faint hint of a smile. I am reprieved, just!

Harlech castle is imposing, indomitable and fiercesome in appearance. It has been under siege so many times through history. A double walled concentric design with a wicked killing area between outer and inner gates where arrows, boulders and hot oil were poured onto trapped attackers, Edward 1st clearly had the best castle designers and builders.

We wander the battlements getting breathless and dizzy ascending the spiral staircases in the tall towers. We marvel at the thickness of the walls and get vertigo on the open, low walled battlement sections between towers. The distant views across the sand dunes and spit along the coast and up the estuary to Snowdonia are truly breath taking and a great reward for our exertions, even if it is pouring with rain. As always, we remember what our son has taught us.  Strip away the modern landscape layers and imagine what it was like in the 1200’s. Work out where the coastline would have been 900 years ago. Then you have an idea of what it might have looked like and why the castle was built where it was.

 Having regained some composure after almost slipping down all the wet steps, we return to the motorhome and head to Porthmadog Tesco’s to stock up on food. After that we head up the road to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The Quarry View Touring Park is possibly one of the nicest little sites we have ever stayed on since we started caravanning and motorhoming. The welcome from the land lady is so warm, genuine and uplifting. The pitches are well maintained and spacious despite this being a compact site. Facilities are new, clean and warm.

 Each pitch is screened from another by laurel hedges. It is a relatively new site but over time as it matures it will be wonderful. We were genuinely impressed. It truly does have a view of the old quarry workings which tower above us, their steep zig zagging inclines where little carts ran on rails to bring slate down from the upper levels, clearly visible. So much wasted slate a purply grey – huge mountainous heaps.  And every single piece touched by a human hand!

Of course, its pouring with rain. Do you know, I have never ever in all the times I have visited Blaenau over the years ever seen it when the sun is shining!

 

Route:

A493 – A470 – A496 – A470

Expenditure:

Quarry View Touring Park: £26

Harlech Castle: £15

Fuel top up:  £60

 

Useful websites:

Quarry view Touring Park: https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/Wales/North-Wales/Gwynedd/Blaenau_Ffestiniog/quarry_view_touring_park/?gclid=CjwKCAjw2bmLBhBREiwAZ6ugo135-p9U9OgXrSK9cHTfUCi1QMy-oir0LUNnTHxAJ5UChjrGVVNyOxoCAUwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Harlech Castle: https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/harlech-castle

Tourist information Harlech: https://visitharlech.wales/

Tourist information Blaenau Ffestiniog: https://www.visitsnowdonia.info/blaenau-ffestiniog