Conwy Castle, Wales, UK

View of River Conwy from Conwy Castle

 We arrived at Conwy, Wales by train from Holyhead.

Conwy Railway Station / Geoffrey Sutton 2022

You can't miss the impressive medieval fortress known as Conwy Castle.

I took this short video to provide an overview of this magnificent World Heritage Site built more than 700 years ago.

The castle was ordered by King Edward I and the building was under the direction of architect Master James of St George.

The views inside and outside are incredible. There are eight high towers.

The depth is hard to capture in a photo.

A fun photo

After we explored the castle, we walked around the town of Conwy and down by the beach.

River Conwy Beach

The return train was late but we got back to Holyhead in time to board our cruise ship.

Conwy Railway Station

The rail journey is scenic-- following is a short clip from SuttonTravels on YouTube.

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Conwy Castle Notes from 2022

There a number of facilities- see the website

There is a range of fees.

We got a discount with our English Heritage Card

Google Map  Link 

We used the Transport for Wales railway from Holyhead to Conwy

  There is a direct train to Conwy Castle.

  Because of our time, we went to nearby Llandudno Junction, which is less than a mile from the Castle.

Castle address

Conwy Castle
Rose Hill St, Conwy LL32 8AY

Floors Castle, Kelso, Scotland

 

Floors Castle is in the southern part of Scotland known as the Scottish Borders. Located in Kelso, Roxburghshire, it is the largest inhabited  castle in Scotland.

Architect William Adam built the iconic Floors Castle between 1721 - 1726 for the first Duke of Roxburghe.

The rooms house collections of fine art, porcelain and tapestries.

Through the windows you can see the gardens, the River Tweed, and the Cheviot Hills.

Notes

There are places to eat and shop.

There is a play area for children.

In 2022, they were open between April and September.

Find more information on their website. https://www.floorscastle.com/

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St Andrews Scotland

 

St Andrews is the world famous home of golf on the coast of Fife, Scotland.

Here's a view of the St Andrews Club House.

Nearby is the beach--the one used in the movie, Chariots of Fire.

No surprise, there's a castle here too.

And a Cathedral

Close to St Andrews Castle is the highly ranked University of St Andrews, which dates to 1413 and is Scotland's oldest university.

The university is where Prince William earned a Master of Arts degree. He switched from Art History to Geography. He also met Kate Middleton who studied art history. The couple married in 2011 and are known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Notes

The city of St Andrews is named after St Andrew the Apostle.

St Andrew, is the patron St of Scotland.

St Andrew's Day is celebrated 30 November. It is also known as the Feast of Saint Andrew and Andermas. It is also a national holiday.

Golf has been played at St Andrews Links for some 600 years. The links are known as the Old Lady, Grand Old Lady, and the Old Course. The 150th Open Championship was played at St Andrews in July 2022.

St Andrews Castle and Cathedral

Bishop Arnold began building the Cathedral in the 1100s. The Cathedral and the castle are ruins. The Catholic Cathedral was the centre of church power as the seat of the Bishops and Archbishops of St Andrews. The ruins indicate how impressive the building must have been before it was destroyed. The castle was the residence of the lead bishop of Scotland in the Middle Ages.

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Urquhart Castle & Loch Ness Scotland

Urquhart Castle was built on a rock by the famous lake, Loch Ness.

According to his biographer, St Columba may have been here about 580 because of a story about a monster at the loch. Columba had left his monastery on the Isle of Iona to visit the king of the Picts at the Inverness court of Bridei.

The castle is the site of historic conflicts. Edward I of England captured the castle in 1296. Robert the Bruce had control of the castle in 1306. The MacDonald clan from the Isle of Islay also attacked the castle after the death of Robert the Bruce.

Clan Grant had the task of restoration in the 1500s with instructions from King James IV.

Loch Ness is a large freshwater lake having a length of just over 22 miles but is only about a mile and 3/4 wide. It is of course the site known for the Loch Ness monster popularised by the 1933 photo.

Lakeside activities include boating and enjoying the lake trails on bikes, horses, or on foot.

Notes

Loch is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots, and Irish word for lake.

Loch Ness is near Inverness and can be reached by busses.

Check online for tickets to tour the castle.

There is a café at the castle

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Dunrobin Castle, Scotland

Dunrobin Castle, Scotland / Geoff Sutton 2022

 We arrived at the 700-year-old Dunrobin Castle via coach from Invergordon on a pleasant sunny August day. We decided to tour the castle first before walking about the gardens and visiting the small museum.

I didn't count the number of rooms on the tour but they were surely a fraction of the 189--Dunrobin is the largest castle in the Northern Highlands and one of the oldest houses where people have always lived.

As you might expect, the dining hall is grand.

The furniture and other items reveal purposes for different rooms.

There's a gift shop of course.

The Military Room

A clear window offered a fantastic overview of the gardens and the Moray Firth.

The castle is most impressive from the garden.

Before leaving, we photographed the view from the long drive.

The cafeteria is worth a look even if you don't stop for a snack.

A short video offers a panorama of the gardens.

Notes

The name, Dun Robin is from the Gaelic meaning Robin's Hill or Fort.

The castle has been home to the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland since the 1200s.

The Earldom of Sutherland, created in 1235,  is one of the seven in Scotland's history.

The castle has been added to over the centuries.

It was remodeled in 1845 by Sir Charles Barry. Queen Victoria's residence at Balmoral appears to have influenced the style.

Dunrobin is the home of Clan Sutherland.

The castle is located at Golspie, Sutherland, Scotland  KW10 6SF

According to the website, it is open from April to October.

A colourful  guide book is available for a small fee.

You can learn more about the castle at http://www.dunrobincastle.co.uk/

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Final note- amazed by giant rhubarb!