The Lost Fort
My Travel and History Blog, Focussing mostly on Roman and Mediaeval Times
A Peaceful Evening in Wales
Here are some pictures of the yacht harbour in Caernarfon. I love looking at water and when I found a restaurant overlooking the harbour, I decided it was the perfect place for dinner, and I was lucky to get a table at a window.
The harbour in the eveningI'm fascinated by the tide. I've spent several childhood holidays at the Baltic Sea and that one is not tidal; probably the reason I like to watch the tide coming in.
And at nightIt was a lovely evening. People around me spoke Welsh which sounds beautiful, the food and the wine were good, the sea was calm, and I didn't want to be elsewhere that night.
Hazy Welsh Views, With Castles
Few of the photos I took of the Welsh landscape are not veiled by the hazy atmosphere, but judging from the picutures in my guidebook that problem is a persistant one. Does something like a clear Welsh sky actually exist?
Mountains at Dolwyddelan Castle
Of all the castles I visited, Dolwyddelan was the one with the most spectacular location, and the one offering the best climb. A bit like those German hilltop castles, just with fewer tourists and more sheep. The view of the Conwy Vale is breathtaking.
Dolwyddelan Castle, Llywelyn's Keep
While the whopping Norman castles are impressive, Dowyddelan felt more like an actual home. I sat in one of the Keep windows for some time, drinking tea, listening to the wind and looking at the mountains. There were no other tourists, and it felt really peaceful.
Another hazy view from Dolwyddelan Castle
And this is the view from said window. Though it should have been wine to go with the time; they didn't have tea then, poor Welsh princes. ;)
Conwy Bay, view from Anglesey to the mainland
It was a sunny day albeit a stiff breeze (to use a Hamburgian dialect phrase) rippled the water and blew the sails of the boats. It was my last day in Wales before I left for Chester, and I really wanted to stay longer.
Conwy River, seen from the Kings' Tower in Conwy Castle
A busy waterway these days that makes you forget the strait is the burial place of
Llys Helig, one of the sunken cities so frequent in Celtic legends. It probably takes a quiet night to hear the bells, though.
The evening sun glittering on the sea at Criccieth Castle
I love the sea in all weathers, but the low sun sparkling on the waves is the prettiest sight. It was my farewell to Wales: the sea, sun, wind, and a castle. Perfect.
Outside the Saalburg Fortress
Here's another quick picture post, showing the vicus outside the Saalburg. Almost all Roman frontier forts attracted a settlement at their threshold where the inofficial families of the soldiers, craftsmen and traders lived. Some of those villages developed from the local huts into a more sophisticated place with stone-built forum, baths and temples.
The main gate seen from the outsideContrary to the fortress, the
vicus has not been reconstructed except for the
mithraeum, but the foundations that appeared during excavations in the 19th century have been preserved.
Foundations of the guest houseThe houses themselves were made of timber, but they had stone cellars serving as storage rooms, and many of them had a small stone walled room that held the hearth. Most of them had a vegetable garden at the back.
Foundations of a house, with the fort wall in the backgroundThe rectangular houses were arranged along a main road leading to the fort, facing the road with the smaller side. They look so much alike that it is assumed they were erected according to a Roman design.
Roman layout - a street in the vicusThe
vicus brought to light a number of finds from Roman everyday life, toys, tools,
terra sigillata (of course, lol). Most of them are shown in the Saalburg museum.
One of the gate towers and the fortress wallI'll leave the baths and the
mansio, the guest house, for another little picture post. Not that you can see very much, my visit of the Saalburg fell into the very rainy summer of 2007 and the rain really showed off that day. *grin*
Pembroke Pictures
I've had a busy week and the next one doesn't look any better; right now I don't even get as much writing done as I want, thanks to the complicated mess that is business administration studies. So it will only be a photo post today. I chose a collection of another southern Welsh castle: the famous Pembroke.
Pembroke Castle in the evening sunThere will be a post with more information later, but for now let's enjoy what my Travel in Wales guidebook calls a 'big, whopping caste.' The castle and the main road more or less make the town of Pembroke. The disadvantage is that the station is at one end of the road and the castle (and my hotel) at the other. Dragging luggage made that road appear very long.
Inner ward with Marshal Tower (left)While the evening was sunny, the afternoon had looked a lot more Welsh, with dark, low clouds (but no rain). The light added an aura of drama to the view, the only thing lacking were some archers on the battlements. Just as well, though, that way I could get in by merely paying an entrance fee.
Battlements on the outer curtain wallNo hot looking knight anywhere in sight these days, but fortunately, there were few tourists as well which makes for better pics. Those jeans and sweaters look a bit out of place.
The outer ward is a large yard that should make a perfect place for reenactment tournaments.
Inner bailey, view towards the Northern HallAs with Chepstow and other castles, Pembroke was altered during its history. Almost every new owner added something, a tower, a new hall, more walls ... and especially the inner yard still looks crowded with half-fallen buildings. It must have been a busy place back in the Middle Ages when the walls still stood to full height and the roofs weren't missing.
Inside one of the towersThe parts still intact or reconstruced are a maze of rooms and passages. It makes me wonder if William Marshal's kids played hide and seek there. What I found interesting about those passages which can be found in most Norman castles, is that the ceilings are lower in Pembroke than fe. In Caernarfon. Edward I was called Longshanks for a reason, it seems.
Another outside view of Pembroke CastleI had already changed for dinner when the sun came out. I decided to take a few shots of the castle from outside the walls and ended up walking the entire perimeter around the lake. It is one of several lovely memories I brought home with me.