A week in Wales

      Have just had the loveliest week ever in Wales. I could talk about it for ages but it would risk people getting bored halfway through so I will try to keep it short! Here is how to have a week like mine.....


Recipe
Ingredients-
              Me, my mum, my girls
              A car
              A cottage
              A map

Instructions -

1. Drive to Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
2. Ask local farm person how to find a house called Ty Ucha with no number, on a nameless road!
3. Reverse (rev hard) car into garage and boil up the clutch!
4. Call out AA man who also cannot find house, but then give AA person OS reference of house - result!
5. Panic over, clutch is ok by the time the AA man finally arrives - holiday can continue!
6. Visit Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfalls, very beautiful and breathtaking, I HIGHLY recommend!
7. Go to Llangollen and take a narrow boat trip across the Pontcysyllte aquaduct, watch man stand up slowly with his wobbly, hairy bottom sticking out of his trousers and feel nauseous! 
8. That afternoon, go to nearby Chirk and cross the Chirk aquaduct too, which although not as high as Pontcysyllte, it has a much better view, ie, no sewage farm below or football pitch!
9. Drive through purple and yellow mountains to Lake Bala and worry about driving off the edge! Take a train ride to Llanuwchllyn and back.
10. Drive again through purple and yellow mountains to Barmouth seaside, eat very tasty fish and chips and bury daughters in sand up to their necks!
11. Have a day exploring the fields and walks around nameless road cottage and realise you need a map to stay on the public footpaths but sit amongst sheep pooh anyway whilst admiring the mountains in Tanat Valley.
12. Go back to waterfall as it is so fantastically wonderful and watch oddly dressed people have a wedding there. Walk up to the middle of the waterfall, risking your necks on a narrow footpath with sheer drop to one side and wonder later that day why on earth you risked your children's lives! I would also like to recommend NOT wearing wellie boots on slippery rocks, especially when the sheer drop is in place.
13. Spend all your evenings chatting with mum and daughters whilst making word searches for each other and crocheting!
14. Drive back home to sunny Suffolk via Ironbridge. Bridge is great but shops are very, very lovely and make you want to buy everything! Have a cupcake at Queenies Cupcakery and a pot of tea in vintage cups and with knitted tea cosies. Make sure you buy a pork pie before you leave!

Results - 

View from Ty Ucha

Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall

Obligatory 'we've been here' photo!

Mummy and I

Fun rope swing!

Pontcysyllte aquaduct

Walking over the Pontcysyllte aquaduct

At the bottom of the pontcysyllte aquaduct - River Dee

Walking over the Chirk aquaduct

Rainy morning by Lake Bala

Didn't know I had dogs!

Pretty idea for a phone box - hang children off it ;-)

The beautiful mountains of Tanat Valley

Barmouth seaside and the best way to keep an eye on rogue children!

Ahh, peaceful!

Sitting amongst sheep pooh on the invisible footpath!

View from sheep pooh mountain!

Children investigating sheep pooh mountain!

Half way up the waterfall! Bit dizzy here!

We made it!

Lovely rainbow!

Children testing the coldness - answer is 'very'!

The Ironbridge

Pot of tea!