Fun day driving through Wales.  The weather never did really break either way (neither sun nor rain, but both threatened to happen all day) but it was good enough such that we could do and see everything we hoped to.

Our first stop was in Llanberis to take the Snowdon Mountain Railway up to the top of Mount Snowdon.  The railroad is a narrow gauge, rack and pinion track first run in 1896 and little changed since.  The engines are still steam powered and the ride takes more than an hour to go up the 3600′ to the top of Mount Snowdon – the highest point in all of England and Wales.  We had good weather and fantastic views up about 80% of the way … we then entered the clouds and things got so thick at the top that all we could do is wander about in a white haze and take everyones’ word that we stood at the top of a mountain with views to Ireland, Scotland and England all about us.

Abandoned house halfway up the mountain.

Standing at the top – cold, wet & windy and no view due to fog. They serve hot chocolate there, thank goodness!

The kids still had fun, even when there wasn’t much to see. The old rail cars were a lot of fun to ride.

It takes a rugged sort of soul to call this home. The sheep seem to like it just fine, though.

I can’t make much progress with my Welsh.  The signs were everywhere and even a number of radio stations and TV channels were Welsh.  This is very much a live language here and we all had a good time foolishly trying to pronounce things.

The old steam engine.

Afterwards, we stopped briefly in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Wales … the longest town name in the world.  It is on Anglesey Island on Wales – it’s pretty small, but still had several tourist buses stopped there to buy items with the town’s 58 letter name printed on them.  The English translation of the name is “St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool of Llantysilio of the red cave.”

Holden at the train station.

Before heading to our hotel in Llangollen, we went to one more popular-in-days-gone-by Welsh seaside town, Llandudno.  Like most UK seaside towns, this one has a long promenade and an even longer pier heading out into the Irish sea.

Inspecting the goods at one of the antique stores.

Take a good look at the folks in this picture — I dare anyone to find a person under 50 years of age.