Coast Road, North Wales

Entering North Wales from Chester, the road runs alongside the Dee estuary through a heavily industrialized area to Flint, an old town which was granted a charter by Edward I in 1284. Edward also built the castle (now ruined), which has an unusual plan with a separate keep surrounded by a moat. The castle, which was begun in 1277, was the first of 17 fortresses which Edward I had built to defend the North Wales coast. It also features in Shakespeare's "Richard II" as the scene of the king's capture by Bolingbroke.

Holywell (pop. 8,905) is a place of pilgrimage, the site of St Winifred's Well.

At the Point of Ayr a stretch of coastline begins, with sandy beaches and good bathing, which extends to beyond Llanfairfechan. The resorts here offer ample facilities for entertainment and sport, with small yachting harbors and seafront promenades ideal for a long stroll. The resorts include Prestatyn, Rhyl with a promenade 3mi/5km long and Sun Centre, Kinmel Bay and then a series of resorts along the wide sweep of Colwyn Bay, including the town of Colwyn Bay itself, with its annual fishing festival, Rhos-on-Sea and Llandudno.

Colwyn Bay (pop. 26,278) is a seaside resort.

It is well worth a small detour from Rhyl to Rhuddlan Castle in the Vale of Clwyd (3mi/5km south of Rhyl). This fortress, completed in 1282, was the second largest in the chain of castles which Edward I built in North Wales, and he himself sealed the conquest of Wales here in 1284 in the "Statutes of Rhuddlan". The fortress, which was designed by James of St George on a plan of concentric circles, had a double ring of walls, six massive fortified towers and a protected harbor. It was later razed to the ground by Cromwell's troops.

Up the beautiful valley of the River Conwy, at Talcafn Bridge, are the magnificent Bodnant Gardens, laid out by Henry Pochin in 1875. They are particularly renowned for their rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, as well as for the rose garden and rock garden.The garden's Laburnam Arch is not to be missed on a spring visit.

From Bodnant Gardens the coast road continues up the valley to the little market town of Llanrwst (pop. 2,700), with its beautiful three-arched bridge thought to be built in 1636 to plans by Inigo Jones, who is also believed to have supplied the design for the nearby Gwydir Uchaf Chapel (1633). The latter contains a stone coffin, supposedly that of Llewelyn the Great (13th century).

There is a very beautiful road from Conwy over the Sychnant Pass to Penmaenmawr, a seaside resort particularly favored by sailing enthusiasts. To the west is the Penmaenbach promontory (783ft/239m). Here there is an interesting history trail, with Druid stone circles and a Stone Age axe factory.

Llanfairfechan is located in the Snowdonia National Park.

Criccieth is a popular seaside resort with a small 13th century castle, from which there are very fine views. A delicious specialty of Criccieth, which every visitor should sample, is the creamy Cadwalader's Ice Cream.Criccieth Castle was built atop a rocky crag by Llywely the Great around 1230. It was captured and burned in 1404 by Owain Glyndwr. In its remains there are two exhibitions: "Castles of Welsh Princes" and "Gerald of Wales".

At the mouth of the River Glaslyn are the twin towns of Porthmadog and Tremadog (pop. 3,420), tiny industrial centers which attained international importance for the shipping of slate and today have developed into seaside resorts with excellent facilities for sport. From Ynys Tywyn, near the harbor, there are wide views of the surrounding area. The poet Shelley (1792-1822) lived for some time in Tremadog; Lawrence of Arabia (1888-1935) was born there. The Coed Tremadog woods are designated a nature reserve.

In Tremadog Bay, on a wooded peninsula between Porthmadog and Harlech, is an Italian town in miniature, Portmeirion, which is now a holiday colony. Portmeirion was the brainchild of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis (1884-1978), who dreamed of recreating an Italian village in Wales and had it built on his own private promontory, together with a mansion (now a hotel) and Gwylt Gardens.

The road from Harlech to Barmouth, some 10mi/16km in length, passes through an area of great scenic beauty. Inland lies part of Snowdownia National Park, with mountains rising as high as 2,462ft/751m. Rhinog Fawr (2,362ft/720m) is popular with climbers, the starting point for the ascent being the village of Llanbedr on the Artro, a river well-known among anglers for its trout.

The road from Harlech to Barmouth runs along the foot of the hills, passing through Ardudwy, for many years a center of the Welsh struggle for independence against England, and Llanaber with its early 13th century church.

Barmouth/Abermaw is a popular seaside resort situated on a narrow strip of land between the hills and the sea. Charles Darwin produced part of his treatise on the evolution of man here.