LLangollen

After a scenic drive through the Welsh countryside, we arrived at the picturesque town of Llangollen on the River Dee.

It is reknowned for its' International Eisteddfod festival in the first week of July. This is an annual contest which draws musicians, singers and dancers from around the world.

A celtic cross stands in the middle of town , commemorated the men of LLangollen who fought in the first world war.

This sign shows the official name of the town. Ysiopfachgardiauwrthybontdrosyrafonddyfrdwyynllangollen. It is quite a mouthful.

It is recorded in the Guiness Book of Records as the longest name of a town in the world.

Horseshoe Pass

From Liverpool, we circled south, back into North Wales, for a scenic morning drive over the Horseshoe Pass.

Our tour director, always with mic in hand, gives us a commentary about the countryside we are passing through.

The rugged landscape of North Wales. Sheep and cattle graze on the wooded slopes.

Mid-morning we pause for a rest stop among the magnificent landscape.

A spectacular view of the valley. The area is popular for hikers who come to enjoy the peacefully solitude and the striking beauty of the region.

Back on the bus, we pass the ruins of an abbey tucked away in the remote highlands.

Liverpool

Day 6, we arrived in the city of Liverpool. Originally a fishing village called Livpul, it was granted a charter in 1207by King John. Its population at that time was only 1,000.

While in Liverpool, we checked in at our hotel, the Moat House on Paradise Street, before beginning a guided tour of the city.

The Liverpool Cathedral is the largest Anglican cathedral in the world. It was completed in 1978 of red sandstone and is gothic in design.

Our Liverpool tour guide explains how the foundation stone was laid in 1904 ,but construction was delayed by two world wars before the cathedral was finally finished.

The nave and high altar of the cathedral .

LIverpool Museum houses five floors of exhibits. These include a fine collection of Nigerian bronzesand a section for Eqyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities.

The Beatles continue to draw fans to Liverpool .Here is the Beatles Story museum where you can pick up memorabilia of the band. The museum traces the Beatles' meteoric rise to fame to their eventual break up.

Not far from the hotel we stayed at is Mathew Street where the Beatles first played in Liverpool at the Cavern Club. The original Cavern Club was torn down to make way for shopping centre. A replica using bricks from the club is situated nearby, along with statues of the Beatles.

As the tour nears its end and the sun dips, we arrived at the Mersey River. It was from here the first ocean liners set out in 1840, taking the would-be emigrants to the new world.

The Ferry Cross the Mersey. Wasn't that a 50's rock and roll song?

Stoke-on-Trent

One of the advantages of taking a guided tour is you get to see places that you might miss if you went touring by yourself. One of these is the Wedgwood China Factory at Stoke-on Trent.

Founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood, Wedgwood China's best known design is the blue jasperware decorated with white Classical themes. Made from English bone china, which usedpowdered animals' bones for strength and translucence, the china has been shipped all over the world.

A benefit of a booked tour is you get to see parts of the factory normally out of bounds to the general public. You have the chance to see close hand how the china to made and get to ask about things that really interest you.

Here we have hand painted china figurines.

A close-up view of a craftsman at work.

Brecon Beacons to Ludlow

After a night's stay in Cardiff, we headed northward into the area of Wales known as the Brecon Beacons.
The Brecon Beacons is a national park, a lovely area of mountains, forests and moorlands.

After driving for a while, usually an hour or two, we stopped for a break. This gives us the opportunity to get out of the bus and stretch our legs. Here we stopped at small but charming inn called the Baron's Cross to get a mid-morning bite to eat. It has a nice view of the surrounding countryside.

Much of the Brecon Beacons consists of high open country with smooth, grassy slopes on a bedrock of red sandstone. It is easy to see why visitors come here to enjoymany outdoor pursuits, from fishing to pony trekking; cave exploring to hiking along its many trails.

Castell Coch a restored Neo-Gothic style castle.

Ludlow"s Broadstreet, with its small shops and lovely half-timbered tudor buildings.

Some good examples of the tudor style of building include these shops in the town center.

Cannon with red bricked half-timbered building behind it.

The inner bailey of Ludlow Castle. Built in 1086, it was damaged in the Civil War and abandoned in 1689.

Prince Arthur , elder brother of Henry VIII, died at Ludlow Castle in 1502. His heart is buried in St Lawrence Church at the other end of Castle Square.

The gardens around Ludlow Castle. In early summer open-air performances of Shakespeare's plays are held within the castle walls.

The outer walls of Ludlow Castle.

Cardiff in Wales

LEavung Bath, our headed across the 3,240 foot SevernRoad Bridge into South Wales. Most of Wales lies in the Cambrian Mountain range. It is a land of spectacular scenery and vibrant culture.
It is also a land rich in medieval castles, such as Cardiff Castle. Origanlly a Roman fort, it passed to several powerful families who continually added to it. The ornate mansion of the present castle was built between 1867 and 1875 by architect William Burges.


Rich in medieval images and romantic details, is a delightful and amazing construction. Here, the clock tower is just one of the many additions William Burges added to the castle.

Began as a Roman fort, Cardiff Castle encompasses a large courtyard. At the center is a keep built in the late 12th century.

In the evening we returned to Cardiff Castle where we attended a Welsh banquet with.in castle's wine cellar.

Upon entering the wine cellar/ banquet area, we were met by our host who welcomed us with a goblet of mead. The The banquet that follwed was a delicious feast of typical Welsh dishes with wine included.

Along with dinner , Welsh entertaianer performed. The ladies of Morgannwg in national costume, sang the lovely melodies of Wales. They were accompanied by harp and minstrels.

After the banquet we made our way to the hotel we stayed at while in Cardiff.Nice little hotel. With a pub of course.

Bath

According to legend, the hot springs at Bath were first discovered by the Celtic King Bladud in 860 BC. Outcast as a leper, he used the curative powers of the springs to cure himself.
In the first century, the Romans built baths around the springs. Water flows from the spring into the bath via way of the upper corner. It is at a constant temperature of 46 degrees C.Over the next four centuries that the Romans were here, the bathing chambers around the springs became more elaborate. This is the Great Bath. The stone blocks around the pool are the original bases of the piers that once supported a barrel vaulted roof.
When the Romans finally left the baths, like most Roman built structures in Britain, fell into ruin.

The Great Bath was rediscovered in the 1870's when extensive excavations revealed the the Roman's remarkable engineering skills.

In the late 19th century the elevated terrace was added around the pool. The statues on it, represent famous Romans such as Julius Caeser.

Situated not far from the Roman Baths is Bath Abbey. It was built by medieval monks who exploited the springs curative properties.

The splendid facade was inspired by a dream of Bishop Oliver King in 1499. It shows stone angels climbing Jacob's Ladder into heaven. Some say it also shows demons decending having been kicked out of heaven.

Set among the rolling green hills of Avon, Bath is a very beautiful city of elegant Georgian houses. Where ever you walk here, you will enjoy splenid views of the surrounding countryside.

Glastonbury Abbey

Glastonbury Abbey is considered the first Christian Sanctuary in the British Isles. It was founded by monks around 700 A.D. The monks it profitable to encourage a connection between Glastonbury and the mythical island of Avalon, King Arthur's last resting place.

In the year 1191 A.D., the remains of a knight in armor and his lady were found on the site. They were identified as that of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and the legend was revitalized.

The abbey was left in ruins after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, leaving behind some magnificent ruins.

The impressive ruins of the Choir section of the Norman abbey.

The interior of the abbey looking from the High Altar, through the Choir to the Nave beyond the arches.

The high arched doorway of the Nave.

The Holy Thorn said to have been grown from a cutting from the staff of St Joseph of Arimathea who had visited the abbey in AD60. The tree, an English Hawthorn, astonishingly still flowers at Christmas as well as in May.

A view of the smaller yet no less impressive Lady Chapel. It is situated at the south end of the Abbey.

The entrance to the Lady Chapel.

The interior of the Lady Chapel. This section is in relatively better shape than the rest of the abbey. The stairs at the far end lead up to the Nave of the abbey.

Overlooking the abbey is Glastonbury Tor with the remains of a 14th century church at its summit. The Tor, being situated in what was once flat marshlands can be seen for miles. It too is embroiled in Arthurian legend. The Holy Grail, the chalice used by Christ at the Last Supper is said to be buried somewhere at the base of the hill.