In case you are confused about the terms “Great Britain” and “United Kingdom,” this is the difference: Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales; the United Kingdom also includes Northern Ireland.  Our tour covered all four countries.

Located west of Chester, England, Wales is the “forgotten” country of the United Kingdom.  At least, that’s how Tom, our tour leader, and probably many of the 3+ million other Welsh people feel about how they are treated by the English government.  And, if I were Welsh and living in Wales, I would feel the same way!

This country of 10 million sheep, roughly the size of New Jersey, was (literally) beaten into submission by England to join the U.K., unlike Scotland who volunteered.  As a result, the two countries are treated differently with Scotland enjoying a higher status.  Wales has its own government; however, London controls the purse strings and seems to ignore the needs of Wales.

Brexit has had a huge economic effect on Wales, and the farmers will have some big decisions to make at the end of the year when the subsidies they received and relied on while part of the European Union will end.  Beginning in 2025, farmers will have to convert 10% of their farmland to trees and 10% will have to remain a natural habitat.  As a result, food production (and their incomes) will decrease.  If farmers comply, they will continue to receive subsidies, but will it be worth it financially?  They make so little income as it is and can barely make ends meet.  How will the land of Wales change? Will the cost of food increase? There are so many other questions, but the answers remain to be seen…

Currently, one of the big issues in Wales is the housing crisis.  The former government promised to add enough housing; however, they failed—miserably.

Bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west, Wales is a mountainous, beautiful country.  It is a draw for rock climbers and other outdoor sports enthusiasts, most notably Sir Edmund Hillary, who trained alongside his team on the technically difficult mountains of Wales to prepare for climbing Mount Everest.

While driving north through Wales on our way to Conwy Castle, we enjoyed the mountain views and looked forward to seeing more in the afternoon.  But first, we headed to visit the castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The weather was a bit questionable at first, cloudy with a brief, light sprinkle. But then the skies turned blue with beautiful clouds adding photographic interest.  Again, our weather luck continued…

Built between 1283 and 1287 by Edward I during his conquest of Wales, this castle is remarkably well preserved.  The adjacent town of 4,000 people is still protected by an unbroken 4,200-foot ring of stone walls.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

While our local guide went into detail about the history of the castle, I noticed people way up high at the top of each tower.  Tom noticed I kept looking up, so he pulled me aside and asked if I would like to climb the towers and do some exploring on my own.  The local guide wouldn’t be taking the group up the towers, so if I wanted to see them, I had to split off.  Tom showed me the way and then promised he would keep an eye out for me when it was time for the group to leave.  Thank you, Tom!  It was at this moment I knew we had a great guide!  He was excellent at helping each of us in the group see and do what interested us the most.

After visiting the attractive little town and having a group lunch, we continued our drive south.  In the north, Welsh is the language spoken, and signs are in English and Welsh; but, in the south (where most of the Welsh population lives), English is the predominately spoken language.

We stopped to see the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct that was built over 200 years ago over River Dee. What an amazing sight seeing canal boats cross the 336-foot long,12-foot wide canal that flows 126 feet above the river!

Our drive through the Snowdonian Mountains to Snowdonia Park was beautiful, but I was looking forward to getting out and doing some hiking for an up-close look.  Our hike took us to Llyn Idwal, a small lake with spectacular views, including the mountains where Sir Edmund Hillary trained.  Slate is also mined in this area, and it’s the standard stone used for fences and roofs.  I enjoyed the hike very much!

On the way back to Chester, Tom honored a special request Bruce and I had: Drop us off in Wrexham.

Next up:  UNITED KINGDOM #3: WELCOME TO WREXHAM!