A group of 57 members had a very enjoyable holiday early in June, based in Llandudno, North Wales. The hotel,
ideally positioned for the promenade and town, was comfortable and provided excellent meals.
On the way up, we stopped at the very attractive city of Chester, where we had the opportunity to visit the
cathedral, the city walls, old shopping areas and see the magnificent clock.
On our first day, we were pleased to welcome Judy (a Blue Badge Guide) who came with us on the coach to Anglesey
and gave us interesting information about the area we were in. The weather was disappointing, but we were
fortunate to be inside for a tour of Anglesey Sea Salt. This is a small, family - run company, which extracts salt from
the local seawater and creates different flavours. We were shown the different processes of extracting and cleaning
the salt and were able to purchase a range of different salt products in their shop.
In the afternoon, we visited Plas Newydd with its striking Grade 1 listed 18th century house and the attractive
gardens which overlook the Menai Strait. The house is the home of the Marquess of Anglesey, its previous historic
residents include the 1st Marquess who lost his leg during the Battle of Waterloo, and the flamboyant 5th Marquess.
One of the most famous items in the house is the magnificent (17.5 metre long) Rex Whistler mural which has clever
3D effects, European fantasy scenes and is backed by the mountains of Snowdonia.
On day two, we spent the morning exploring the stunning Caernarfon Castle with its 7 magnificent towers, Great Hall and Gateway. It is one of several castles built by Edward 1st and is a World Heritage site. It was possible to climb the stairways in the towers to get great views and to go along the walkways between them.
There were also excellent exhibitions including one of life – sized chess pieces of the royalty linked to the castle’s history.
Our afternoon visit was to the beautiful Bodnant Garden which was stunning in the sunshine. We were fortunate that the Laburnum Arch was still in bloom, along with many of the rhododendrons and roses. There was so much to see throughout the gardens: woodland trails, a stream and waterfalls, rockeries, pools, terraces and the Old Mill.
There were numerous opportunities to sit and take in the different views and enjoy refreshments in the café.
The Ffestiniog railway journey was our next adventure which took us along the edges of the old slate mines, above
the reservoirs and through the woods to Porthmadog where we took the coach to the quaint village of Portmeirion.
Architect Williams-Ellis acquired the land in 1925 and set about building in typically Classical and Palladian style.
Several buildings were salvaged from demolition sites, giving rise to Clough's description of the place as "a home for
fallen buildings." This recycling of building materials continues today.
On our return to Sawbridgeworth, we stopped at the British Ironworks Museum which has a huge outdoor display
of metal sculptures. The displays are themed, the largest one showing endangered animals and giving detailed
information of their country of origin and other facts. After a good 2 course lunch at a nearby pub, we headed home.
It was an excellent trip all round, with a great balance of activities for everyone. You could do as little or as much as
you wanted at each of the sites which meant that no-one was disadvantaged. We packed a huge amount into the
five days but had ample time for each excursion. A vast amount of planning went into this to ensure that all of the
above was possible and so huge thanks go to our Events Manager, Carol-Dixon Smith and her helpers for doing this.