Conwy…A Medieval Welsh Town 

          Conwy is located near the boundary of Snowdonia National Park on the coast of ‘old north’ Wales (not to be confused with New South Wales!).  Pronounced ‘Conway’, it is a medieval walled market town that boasts one of the best preserved castles in Wales.  The short train ride from Shrewsbury, England cost about $25 and took us through some beautiful scenery along the way.  As the train approached town we crossed the Conwy Railway Bridge dating back to 1849, which is situated along side the Conwy Suspension Bridge dating back to 1826, now used for pedestrians only.  Even before disembarking, passengers are treated to an up close and personal view of Conwy Castle as the train circles around it before stopping at a tiny, unmanned train station.

On the Irish Sea

          On arrival visitors immediately get the impression that they are in a quaint little village of historic significance.  What makes it even more interesting is that nearly 30% of the town population speaks the ancient Welsh language.  The town is located on the Conwy River where it widens into an estuary leading to the Irish Sea.  Looking across the water one can see the town of Deganwy on the far side.  Conwy is a great jumping off point for forays into Snowdonia National Park with its picturesque hamlets like the famous Betws-y-Coed.  With the many outdoor activities available in the park, it is definitely one of the places that will be high on the list of stops during my next trip to Wales.

A Popular Tourist Destination

          Since Conwy is such a popular tourist destination, I knew that finding a room there might be difficult, but little did I realize that I would end up staying in a Bed and Breakfast that would turn out to be one of my favorite ‘sleeps’ of the trip.  I will feature the Llys Llewelyn Guest House in my next posting.  But for now, trust me…this is where you will want to stay when you visit Conwy.  An access point to the medieval town walls was located close by the B and B, so after checking into my room I ventured out and climbed to the top of the walls for a good view of the town, the castle and the estuary below.  Among the best preserved in Europe, the town walls cover three fourths of a mile and have 22 towers.  Dodging the many school children visiting that day, I followed the walkway along the top of the wall until I had the lay of the land and was ready to explore what awaited me below in more detail.

Historic City

          Although small, the town of Conwy is filled with historic sights which are easily seen on foot.  The Castle was built by Edward I of England between 1283 and 1289 and in my opinion is one of the most beautiful of all the castles I have seen in Europe.  Virtually across the street from the castle is the town itself, which contains a Guild Hall, the Aberconwy House, which is a medieval merchant’s town house, the Plas Mawr, which is an Elizabethan town house, and a funny little dwelling right on the waterfront that is billed as the smallest house in Britain.  A statue of Llywelyn the Great stands in Lancaster Square from which the narrow streets of town fan out.  In addition, the remnants of the original Conwy Abbey, which he built, can be seen at the site of the new church in the center of town.

A Fishing Village, Too

          At the bottom of the hill along the river visitors are treated to another look at the castle from a different angle and then turning the other way, the fleet of colorful fishing boats comes into view.  As an inveterate hiker, I was delighted to find two great trails to walk during my visit to Conwy.  First, I took the long cycle path along the south side of the estuary past Bodlondeb Park nature preserve.  By the time I reached the sandy beach at Morfa the crowds had thinned out to almost nothing.  I stopped to chat with a couple of fishermen along the mussel beds before reaching the elegant golf club and marina at the mouth of the estuary.  After returning to Conwy, my second trek was in the other direction.  Crossing the river on the pedestrian bridge, I walked to the town of Deganwy on the other side of the estuary, stopping at intervals to take a look back at Conwy and the castle off in the distance.

Dinner at the Local Pub

          After perusing some antique shops in Deganwy I headed back to Conwy to find a place to eat.  From a good selection of pubs I settled on one called Ye Olde Mailcoach in the center of town, ordered a beer and some food and sat down to relax for the first time that day.  An older gentleman stopped by my table to say ‘hello’ and ask how I had enjoyed my walk.  It turned out to be one of the fishermen I had chatted with miles and hours ago.  It was fun chatting with some of the other guests at the pub who were typical of the friendly folks I met everywhere throughout my visit to Wales.  As darkness set in and the town slowly closed up I returned to the Llys Llewelyn Guest House for the night.  Be sure to stay tuned for my review of this great Bed and Breakfast in my next posting.

A Quick Tour of Conwy, Wales