Holidays: A time when the rain was warmer!

On our recent holiday we went to Criccieth, which is situated on the Lleyn Peninsula in North West Wales. The picture above is of the town square, a restful oasis bedecked with trees and flowers. Criccieth has won Wales in Bloom for five years in succession, and it's obvious as you wander around the streets that a great effort is put in by the residents to beautify their town.

Of course, it's a fact that Wales gets its share of rain, and we usually manage to find some of it when we go on holiday each year, but at least, being the holiday season, the rain is warm!

Most days the seas were calm, and often there were bathers enjoying the waters. However, as you can see from the picture below, sometimes the seas were very rough indeed!

Here I am enjoying the sun with Sam on one of our many jaunts to the surrounding towns and villages.

A little cobbled charm in Criccieth, beneath the gaze of Criccieth Castle. Further down the road, and on the opposite side, was Cadwallader's Ice Cream Parlour, to which I was a very frequent visitor, checking out as many of the different flavours as I could.

Above and below are a couple more shots of 'blooming' Criccieth. The climate is quite temperate here, with temperatures similar to those found in South Devon and Cornwall, just a few degrees warmer than other areas.

This flower-filled boat in Criccieth is designed to be a boat of remembrance, and folk placed pebbles with messages about loved ones lost at sea or passed away. There was something lovely about its simplicity.

Castles are, of course, a major feature in Wales, harking back to a period when the land was either under siege or there was a need felt to control the Celts by the English usurpers. The example above is Criccieth Castle, with the Information Centre in the foreground.

Below you can see the remains of Harlech Castle, and the final picture is of the ruins of the great castle at Caernarvon.

All in all, once again we enjoyed a wonderful holiday in Wales, and can always recommend it to you, dear reader, to go and see the wonderful sights --- and the wonderful tastes --- that Wales has to offer.