Wales - Castles, Coast & Steam Trains with Ayshea & Jamie

Wales - Castles, Coast & Steam Trains 

Our holiday started at Raglan Castle the grandest castle built by Welshmen.

We discovered the large kitchen and banqueting hall where we all agreed they would have had some epic banquets. As we wandered around the fortress and climbed to the top of the tower we took in the spectacular views. 

Cyfarthfa Castle and Museum is the biggest castle we had visited situated in 65 hectares overlooking the town of Merthyr Tydfil. Commissioned and built in 1824-25 for the ‘Ironmaster’ William Crawshay ll, who was one of the most influential men in Wales at the time. There was so much history and we loved exploring the museum which houses many artifacts from Egyptian mummy heads to art collections. The old-fashioned clothing worn by the ladies and gentlemen impressed us greatly. We visited the kitchen quarters and the washrooms. Some even went into the cells where they were held before they were sentenced to be hung. 

Next stop on our trip was Blaenavon World Heritage Site, which translated to Big Pit. This is Wales’s richest mining heritage site. Our first experience was to go on The Underground Tour where we met our lovely guide, Emma. Once we were kitted up with headgear and lights, we were lowered to 300 feet underground to where hundreds of men, women and children once worked to extract the precious mineral that stoked furnaces and lit the household fires of the world. The rest of the group had lots more to see above ground including the canary birds which were extremely important to the miners as they would alert them to unseen dangers. The best experience yet was going to King Coal: the mining experience. This showed us films, machinery and stories on how the miners worked at the site. A real must see!

When we weren't visiting castles we got up close with nature at the Magic Life Butterfly House. We walked through the enclosure and were amazed to see so many species of butterflies of all shapes, colours and sizes flying around us. We could dip our fingers into the sugar water and to our delight attracted the butterflies and they sat on our hand and even our heads! It was a lovely experience.

A day out on the Brecon Mountain Railway had been booked and we were all really looking forward to it. We were fortunate enough to be able to watch some engineers restoring a locomotive before having just enough time to have a look around the gift shop before boarding our train. As we stood on the platform, we eagerly awaited the arrival of our locomotive Santa Teresa no.1 and we were thrilled as we heard her chugging into the station and blow her whistle. We found out from talking to the guard that she was built in Philadelphia in 1897 and spent most of her working life up until 1976 in Brazil being used at a sugar mill and coffee plantation and was only brought to the UK in 1990. As we took an exhilarating ride through the Brecon National Park we were treated to some spectacular views of the valleys and mountains and as we passed the huge Taf Fechan reservoir. We enjoyed every minute of our ride back and particularly loved the sounds and smells of the train as she powered her way back down the track.

With our picnic packed up we made our way down to the water where our canal boat was waiting, and our skipper welcomed us aboard. Two hours of calm and peaceful sailing ensued where we spotted wildlife on the riverbank, listened to birdsong and ate our onboard picnic. We had to stop twice at locks, and it was fascinating to see the water level change so that we could continue on our way. 

Our next trip was to Aberystwyth Cliff Railway and Constitution Hill. The railway opened in 1896 operating originally on the water balance system, the 778 feet undulating track and tiled carriages are unique. Once on board the motor started, and we were taken up the cliff at a steady pace. After a 5-minute journey we had reached the summit, and the panoramic views were spectacular.

Our next trip to Aberystwyth Cliff Railway and Constitution Hill. The railway opened in 1896 operating originally on the water balance system, the 778 feet undulating track and tiled carriages are unique. Once on board the motor started, and we were taken up the cliff at a steady pace. After a 5-minute journey we had reached the summit, and the panoramic views were spectacular.

It was game on as we practised our potting skills on the pool table. 

How lucky were we having our very own hot tubs in our lodges! The perfect way to unwind after our busy days out. 

Attractions of Blackpool with Darren & Isobel

 Attractions of Blackpool

It was time to get up close and personal with some of our most loved celebrities from tv and sport. We couldn't believe how life like they were. 

We rubbed shoulders with the cheeky duo Ant & Dec and some legendry sporting stars. 

The Rovers Return was a big hit especially getting to stand behind the bar with Bet Lynch! 

Meeting Royalty was a highlight and we did our best curtsey and Royal wave.

The iconic Blackpool Tower  was a sight to behold; it is such an iconic landmark. We also couldn't resist a ride on the horse and carriage. We felt like celebrities as we waved at passers by. 

Our tour of the tower started with an incredible 4D cinema where we put on our glasses and watched as the special sensory effects and incredible filming which brought the history of the tower to life. It was an amazing experience and a first for some as we encountered wind, snow and water. Next, we made our way to the elevator which took us to 380ft into the sky to the thrilling Skywalk. We all felt very brave as we walked out onto the 5cm thick glass viewing platform to admire the stunning views of the promenade and the whole of Blackpool.

Ready for our underwater adventure at the Sealife Centre where an enormous and amazing collection of fish and marine animals awaited us. Our first stop was the rock pool area where some of us dared to touch some of the small crabs and starfish. We were amazed at all the different colours and sizes of the fish especially the ray pool where we sat whilst they came up to the side of the tank past us. It was thrilling to walk through the glass ocean tunnel whilst the sharks, rays and Phoenix the large sea turtle swam overhead. We took a seat inside where the large tank is and listened as the staff explained to us about plastic polluting our oceans and the dramatic effect it is having on our marine life. They also shared information about the sharks and fish and how Phoenix the turtle was celebrating her 25th birthday which is the equivalent of a teenager in human terms. 

The Tower Ballroom, one of the truly iconic venues of the 19th century was just spectacular to see in real life. We have been so used to seeing it featured on Strictly Come Dancing. As we took our seats, we enjoyed a hot drink and some cake whilst admiring its beautifully decorated ceilings, sparkling chandeliers and ornate balconies. We couldn't visit the ballroom without dancing on the famous dance floor to the sounds of the Wurlitzer organ. 

A visit to the circus was a must. We made ourselves comfortable waiting for the show to begin and it wasn't long before Mooky and Mr Boo the resident clowns appeared causing lots of mayhem and laughter. There were some amazing, incredible stunts, juggling and death-defying acrobatics. During the interval we enjoyed some popcorn and ice cream, and Leonore purchased the circus program, so we decided to try and get it signed by the clowns who were more than willing to oblige. 

It was game on as we hit the bowling alley for a few fun but competetive games. There were high score and a few strikes. It was too close to call at times!