Summer Hols 2006

Today I'm writing about my visit to the Snowdonia national park, in Wales recently as I had been experiencing a lot of stress and it was having a serious effect on my mental well-being.

I was greeted by exceptional hot, sunny weather affording superb views of Mount Snowdon and the isolated moorlands surrounding it.

The lambs were all out in the fields young and old some having a chew of the grass, others sheltering in the shade of nearby hedges, walls and trees.

A few had the bright idea of exploring the human domain of the narrow roads and we needed to slow down to allow them to cross back into the fields.

I liked the solitude up there but I’m not sure the idea of being literally miles way from the nearest market town would really do for me which I guess is a reflection of my urban upbringing.

Betws–y-coed is a place I like to stop off at as here are good range of shops and spectacular waterfalls. There are a lot woodlands in the area and I took a lot photos – on my ageing Minolta XD7 of the trees, sometimes lying underneath the branches to get the viewpoint I wished to capture.

Llandudno: It remains a largely unspoilt Victorian seaside resort with excellent shopping facilities. The Theatre is really good and many amateur choral performances are hold during the summer season in local churches. On Tuesday there was a Brass Band concert taking place, appropriately enough, on the Bandstand along the promenade. The players were really good – I’m no great fan of Brass Bands but the musicianship couldn’t be faulted.
Bangor: 

I visit here a lot, being a University town with bookshops and some good Pubs that serve meals. 

There is an excellent record shop on the High Street, Cob Records, whose staff really know about music. 

The main store is in Porthmadog – this is a ‘satellite’ store – it has a first rate second hand vinyl department that is well worth rummaging through and stock new vinyl releases too.

I took the bus to Conway - there is a very frequent service - travelling on the river, strolling around the town and enjoying the castle

Things that didn’t go as they should: I days filming got wasted as a Fuji film become tight and tore whilst rewinding it out of the camera – we came close Basil Fawty worthy meltdown!