Bangor and the place with the long name

/ 24/08/2023

After our Snowdon walk, we had two days in three that involved car journeys. Firstly, on the Wednesday, I had to bring my eldest down to Gloucester, so he could return to Plymouth with his mum to get his GCSE results. Then on the Friday we were leaving Snowdonia, and heading to Bolton, for my mum and dads 50th wedding anniversary party, via Gloucester again to pick up my eldest. Both journeys were around 300 miles! The Friday one, was a normal Friday on the motorways and took us a truly horrible 8-9 hours. In between those journeys we had a superb day bimbling around the town of Bangor, without my eldest, with a sneaky trip over the Menai Bridge thrown in for good measure. The sun came out as we walked around Penrhyn Castle, and stayed out as we headed out along Bangor Pier for an ice cream. We then headed over the Menai Bridge to tick off the touristy bit of visiting Anglesey and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, we stood there wondering how they have got away with putting four letter L’s in a row in that town name! Even if it is only created to make it the longest named place in Europe, and increase tourism, it works as plenty head here to see the place. A thoroughly enjoyable day out, the final few photos are from the drive back along the A5 back to the house in Penmachno, passing the mountains around Llyn Ogwen as the sun started to drop a little. All in all it was a busy holiday, that started with a wedding, had a storm and walking in the middle, lots of car journeys and a party to finish. Need another holiday to rest now.

Penrhyn Castle, its a National Trust place and gave us a bit of a Welsh castle fix. Built in the 1700s for the Pennant family. They made a lot of their money from the Jamaican sugar plantation estates and the use of slaves on them. On returning to England they invested in this area, especially the Penrhyn Slate Quarry, and started to campaign against the abolition of slavery
Views back to Snowdonia from the grounds of Penrhyn Castle
And across the North Wales coast towards the Great Orme
The main hall
Get the vinyl out in the drawing room
It had its own chapel, workers in the castle would sit down there, with the owners sat up on this higher platform
The slate bedroom
Looking down on the main hall
The great staircase and stunning carvings and detail in the ceiling
Dining room
With the nearby slate quarry being owned by the family they have a large number of steam trains on show as well
All the trains were in use at the quarry at one time or another
Back outside and the clouds have cleared nicely to reveal the Carneddau mountains, with Moel Wnion on the left
From the castle we took a short drive into Bangor itself to have a look at the pier. Its 50p to get onto the pier, so we took a walk to the far end, around 450 metres away. It was opened in 1896 and has had more than one or tow renovations, including when a boat crashed through it in 1914 in a storm.
Me and my youngest
Linda and myself with Snowdonia behind us.
The Menai Straits across to the Great Orme
Back along the pier to Snowdonia, Y Garn is poking up on the right, then the Carnedds and further left are Foel Grach, Carnedd Uchaf and Llwytmor is furthest left with a bit of shade on the summit
All along the pier
Ice cream time
One more dart in the car, across the gorgeous Menai Bridge down there, with stunning views to Snowdonia beyond
And the other way to the Britannia Bridge and the western side of Snowdonia. Moel Tryfan sticking up to the left of the bridge
Train station for that village here in Anglesey
My youngest on the platform
The meaning of the name, apparently
We drove back to Penmachno along the A5, passing through the centre of the Carnedds and Glyders, this is Pen Y Ole Wen
Tryfan on the left and the Bristly Ridge rising to the right of Tryfan up to Glyder Fach. Bwlch Tryfan between the two
And one stop on the way after passing Tryfan to catch a silhouette of this mountain
And to finish our superb holiday away a photo of me and Linda, with Linda looking gorgeous as always.

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13 thoughts on “Bangor and the place with the long name”

  4. Great news that your eldest got the results he needed. Stressful time for those taking exams.
    When I first saw the pier at Bangor from the Anglesey side I thought it was a bridge that I couldn’t find on the map!

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