15 Jun 2008
Views from the Battlements
Some more picspam from Wales. This time I got some views through windows or from half tumbled battlements to show how the castles are part of the landscape. Views their inhabitants enjoyed some hundred years ago (and damn those modern houses that keep getting in the way).
Chepstow, view from the battlements above the sea gate to the Wye river
Wales is very green - where it isn't yellow and brown. The Wye is a tidal river like most in Wales but I have no idea why it has such a muddy colour; other rivers looked more like water. Maybe there had been some heavy rains the days before that washed earth into the waters.
Dolwyddelan, view from Llywelyn's Keep
See what I said about yellow and brown? But our dear Llywelyn ap Iorweth had a great view, didn't he? It may have been strategic reasons to build a castle there, but I'm sure people back then did enjoy such views in those few calm moments where they didn't need to watch out for rival clans or those bloody English sneaking up on them in the mists.
Conwy Castle, view towards the strait between Conwy and Llandudno
A grey day, a grey sea. The beauty of melancholy. The boats, of course, are out of time.
I took this one from a tower and zoomed in on the battlements in the foreground and the sea. I didn't climb as many towers as I'd had the chance to, but I don't stand heights well. Though afterwards I regretted to have been such a coward; I could have taken some fine pics from those vantage points.
View from the inner curtain wall of Criccieth Castle
A sunny evening with lots of wind, but so beautiful. Sparkling blue water and mist-veiled mountains in the distance. Though the hazy atmosphere was the reason I decided to go to Criccieth instead of Mount Snowdon since I don't think I'd have gotten good pictures there. Nor did I regret the decision, Criccieth was less spectacular in size than the Norman castles, but its situation on top of a mountain outcrop surrounded by the sea is one of the finest in Wales. ¶ June 15, 2008
Some more picspam from Wales. This time I got some views through windows or from half tumbled battlements to show how the castles are part of the landscape. Views their inhabitants enjoyed some hundred years ago (and damn those modern houses that keep getting in the way).
Wales is very green - where it isn't yellow and brown. The Wye is a tidal river like most in Wales but I have no idea why it has such a muddy colour; other rivers looked more like water. Maybe there had been some heavy rains the days before that washed earth into the waters.
See what I said about yellow and brown? But our dear Llywelyn ap Iorweth had a great view, didn't he? It may have been strategic reasons to build a castle there, but I'm sure people back then did enjoy such views in those few calm moments where they didn't need to watch out for rival clans or those bloody English sneaking up on them in the mists.
A grey day, a grey sea. The beauty of melancholy. The boats, of course, are out of time.
I took this one from a tower and zoomed in on the battlements in the foreground and the sea. I didn't climb as many towers as I'd had the chance to, but I don't stand heights well. Though afterwards I regretted to have been such a coward; I could have taken some fine pics from those vantage points.
A sunny evening with lots of wind, but so beautiful. Sparkling blue water and mist-veiled mountains in the distance. Though the hazy atmosphere was the reason I decided to go to Criccieth instead of Mount Snowdon since I don't think I'd have gotten good pictures there. Nor did I regret the decision, Criccieth was less spectacular in size than the Norman castles, but its situation on top of a mountain outcrop surrounded by the sea is one of the finest in Wales. ¶ June 15, 2008
Comments:
<< Home
Some excellent fields of fire, there. The engineer in me gets all giddy. *g*
(My welsh word verification: meyddbth)
(My welsh word verification: meyddbth)
Beautiful pictures, they make me miss the mountains. Heck, we're so flat here, I'd settle for hills. Or termite mounds. :)
(new mountain name/word verification: mtjjmi)
(new mountain name/word verification: mtjjmi)
Tsk, tsk, Constance, you're only happy if things go boom, it seems.
Ann, I couldn't do without mountains. It's bad enough I live away from the sea.
Not in that one, Bernita. It's one of those places where modern civilization keeps a distance. It's quite a climb up that hill and there's a lot of wind and not much else. ;)
Ann, I couldn't do without mountains. It's bad enough I live away from the sea.
Not in that one, Bernita. It's one of those places where modern civilization keeps a distance. It's quite a climb up that hill and there's a lot of wind and not much else. ;)
Lol. Hi, Joe, welcome to ny blog. Hope you enjoyed the photos. Maybe you can use them as inspiration, after all, every Fantasy novel needs a castle or two. With a dungeon. ;)
Lovely photos. I love the mountain and seascapes. I haven't visited Mt Snowden either. From what I hear it's often obscured in mist and cloud.
Same with the Ben Nevis. I climbed that one back in 98 only to see lots of mist. And since the train to Mt Snowdon doesn't go all the way because of some rebuilding going on on top, I didn't bother. Not to mention I don't like hotels on mountains; I prefer nature.
If I had more time, I'd have walked up all the way from the bottom as I did with Ben Nevis, but that's a day tour.
If I had more time, I'd have walked up all the way from the bottom as I did with Ben Nevis, but that's a day tour.
Excellent photos of Wales. The views transported my imagination back in time, as it gives a feel for the location.
Hi Barbara, welcome to my blog. And thank you for your kind words.
Lady D, I suspect those Welsh princes were quite the romantics sometimes. ;)
Lady D, I suspect those Welsh princes were quite the romantics sometimes. ;)
I suspect their thoughts were more in line with Constance's comment :-) Defence combined with status first, romance second. Fortunately you get the romance for free in Wales.
Pity they were digging up the Snowdon railway, but the walk up to Criccieth was probably a better day out :-)
Did you get any of the view from Ben Nevis, or was the cloud down at rooftop height that day? As I remember it, the views start to open out once you get onto those interminable zig-zags above Halfway Lochan .
Pity they were digging up the Snowdon railway, but the walk up to Criccieth was probably a better day out :-)
Did you get any of the view from Ben Nevis, or was the cloud down at rooftop height that day? As I remember it, the views start to open out once you get onto those interminable zig-zags above Halfway Lochan .
"Sparkling blue water and mist-veiled mountains" - How I'd love to live near a place like that. Beautiful pics as always.
About normal, then :-)
You did well to get up and back down again safely. The summit plateau of the Ben can be very dangerous in bad visibility.
You did well to get up and back down again safely. The summit plateau of the Ben can be very dangerous in bad visibility.
Yeah, esp. for German tourists wearing sandals and expecting a restaurant on top. I chased two of them back halfway up because they really weren't equipped for snowstorms. :)
Post a Comment
<< Home
