HOLIDAYS
CONWY CASTLE
From castles to coastlines in Conwy
N Beautiful green spaces
too, as the park welcomes dogs and is surrounded by green spaces that are perfect for long, leisurely walks. Craiglwyd Hall caravan park has a hen it comes to holiday parks with close community feel and a welcoming spectacular views, Craiglwyd Hall atmosphere, making it a great place to caravan park in Penmaenmawr, Conwy, relax and get away from the is very close to the top of the hustle and bustle. The site pile. The beautiful holiday park, ‘The caravan boasts a play area, gym and hidden away on a gorgeous park has games room, meaning there’s stretch of the north Wales a close plenty of fun to be had right coastline between Conwy and on your doorstep, and there Bangor, offers an amazing community is also free WiFi throughout vista from Llandudno to the feel and a and an on-site launderette. right across the Menai Strait to welcoming Whether you’re looking Anglesey, giving you a taste of atmosphere’ for somewhere to spend a the many places you can visit rejuvenating weekend trip from the tranquil site. or searching for the ideal location The jewel in Thornley Leisure Parks’ for your dream holiday home, crown is ideally situated in one of north Craiglwyd Hall offers everything Wales’s most-visited regions. From here you can venture to beaches, castles, you could possibly need. And you’ll probably agree as, at the end of a mountains and Victorian resorts. It’s the day filled with new memories, you perfect place to own your own luxury holiday home, and Penmaenmawr itself unwind while enjoying panoramic views across Puffin Island from your is a beautiful town to enjoy with the caravan. www.thornleyleisure.co.uk entire family. You can bring your pet
W
o visit to the Conwy area would be complete without a trip to see its world-famous castle, a magnificent medieval fortress that still towers over the town after 700 years. Thanks to restored spiral staircases in its great towers, you can now walk a complete circuit around the battlements. In the distance rise the craggy mountains of Snowdonia and spread out below you are the harbour and narrow streets of Conwy – still protected by an unbroken 1.3km ring of town walls. It’s enough to take the breath away. Especially when you consider that Edward I and his architect, Master James of St George, built both the castle and the walls in a barely believable four years between 1283 and 1287. Conwy takes its place alongside Edward’s other great castles at Beaumaris, Harlech and Caernarfon as a World Heritage Site. The famous fortress is exceptionally well preserved and contains the most intact set of medieval royal apartments in Wales. The high curtain wall and eight lofty towers rise almost as impressively as when they were built.
NESTLED BETWEEN MOUNTAINS AND SEA Barcdy’s views of Snowdonia National Park
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arcdy is a small, quiet touring caravan and camping site, offering pitches for caravans, tents and motorhomes. It lies in a secluded and sheltered vale, with wooded hills to the rear and wide open views across the Dwyryd estuary to the front. Situated in the Snowdonia National Park between the sea and the mountains, Barcdy is the ideal base for visiting a wide variety of attractions. The lovely seaside town of Harlech, with its castle and miles of golden sand, is just a short distance away and the famous village of Portmeirion lies just across the estuary. The ever-popular Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways
are a short car ride away at Porthmadog, and from there you can explore even further afield by steam train. Barcdy welcomed its first visitors 60 years ago, and many return year after year to enjoy the very best standards of comfort and cleanliness. The site is ideal for families and it is a pleasure to see children playing happily for hours in these natural surroundings. Bring them to Barcdy and the team on site guarantee that they will forget about using their electronic devices – and if they do happen to remember, there is WiFi accessible in every tent and caravan on site. www.barcdy.co.uk January/February 2020 | SHIRE MAGAZINE 67
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