Sir, I salute you.

Marcia commented on my last post that she hoped I found some sunshine when I went to Wales.  Yes, Marcia I did.  About thirty minutes on Thursday.  But they were thirty wonderful minutes for I was travelling up Snowden.  

The railway up Snowden has cheap fares on the 9am departure so I was there by 8.15.  What I hadn't realised was that one ought to book on line.  The first train I could catch was at 10.30 so no bargain fares were to be had.  Before nine o'clock there was a sign up saying that all trains for that day were now fully booked!

My train was steam pushed - the engine follows the carriage up the hill and goes before it when coming down.  The journey is an hour each way with just thirty minutes at the summit station.  Part of the journey up was in brilliant sunshine but the cloud had re-descended by the time we got to the top.  The scenery is magnificent.

What was also magnificent was the sheer number of walkers making the journey to the summit on foot.  I'd expected there to be a few but it was as busy as a high street.

And most magnificent of all was this man walking up Snowden with a fridge on his back to raise money for Help for Heroes, the military charity.  Sir, I salute you.

A friend for Basil

Plas Newydd

It rains a lot in Wales.  A Very Lot.  On my first holiday there (when I was six) Mother had to buy me some new wellies.  However we saw waterfalls at their very best (or at least that's what the landlady said).

The Menai Straits from Plas Newydd

But lots of rain means well watered gardens so whilst I was in Wales this time I went to see a couple of the National Trust offerings.

Pladd Newydd (which overlooks the Menai Straits from the Angelsey side) was a bit "exciting" to see from a trundle truck as it is very sloping.  The views are spectacular.  I didn't go into the house  (many houses allow wheelchairs but not trundle trucks) but I enjoyed the wonderful  trees planted decades ago and now at their perfection.  

From Bodnant looking towards Snowdonia

The best garden I visited was Bodnant.  Here there are spectacular natural views combined with wonderful planting.

Basil's

And whilst walking around I found a friend for Basil!

Harmony

I've been on my hols!  Someone whom I have met only briefly gave me a seven day self-catering break which she had booked for herself but couldn't use.  How kind is that!

For me the day before I go on my holidays is the most important day of the holiday.  That's the day I prepare for the break but even more I prepare for coming back from the break.  As I've said many times, I'm a lousy housekeeper but there's something about going on holiday which spurs me on to do something about the state of the house.

So off to North Wales I went last Friday and I stayed in a delightful barn conversion and just chilled.  I went out every day but sometimes only for two or three hours before I came back to the real business of this break - helping my soul and body to be in the same place.  Once I upload my photos to the pooter I'll write about some of the things I did but for today I am just enjoying being back in my lovely home.