North Wales Visit – Part 1 北威爾斯之旅 – 上集

Like most of you, my first trip to Wales was all about those more well-known cities in the south – Cardiff, Swansea, and Newport. But whether it was my bad luck or just poor timing, the moment I arrived, the rain started pouring… and it never really stopped. Six days straight of relentless downpours! Every time we stepped outside, we barely lasted half a day before retreating back to the hotel, completely soaked.

So, if you ask me what I remember about South Wales… well, probably just Cardiff Bay, the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), and, of course, my hotel bed! 😅

同很多人一樣，第一次到威爾斯旅遊 就集中在南部的數個較為人熟識的城市，例如 Cardiff、Swansea 及 Newport 等。但不知是我運氣不好還是選錯時間，六天行程由出發當日開始，每日都滂沱大雨，走不到半天便要怱怱返回酒店。

如果你問我對 South Wales 有甚麽印象，相信只有 Cardiff Bay 同 Wales 嘅國會大樓，當然還有酒店的床！

Luckily, on the day I left, the weather finally gave me a break! I got the chance to walk from Cardiff city center along the Cardiff Bay Trail all the way to Penarth, then loop back via the Pottinger Bridge. Even better – I had a surprisingly good lunch in Penarth! A small win, but I’ll take it. 😆

還好在離開當天有機會從 Cardiff 市中心沿着 Cardiff Bay Trail 漫步到 Penarth，再經 Pottinger Bridge 返回 Cardiff Bay，更在 Penarth 吃了一餐頗不錯的午餐，可算是個小確幸。

This time, we wanted a change of pace – time to experience the more nature-filled side of Wales!

The trip is roughly split into two parts:

For the first four days, we’ll be staying up north in Wrexham. It’s got great transport links, making it a perfect base to explore nearby attractions – and, of course, we are sneaking in a side trip to Liverpool while we are at it!

The second part of the trip takes us to Betws-y-Coed, the gateway to Snowdonia National Park. Since the mountain railway is out of service, we’ll be attempting to hike up, if weather permitting. Let’s see how that goes! 😆

今次換過口味，要體驗一下 Wales 貼近大自然的一面。行程大致上分兩部份，頭四天住在較北的 Wrexham，貪其交通方便，可以遊覽隣近景點，亦打算順道到 Liverpool 走一轉。第二部份會入住作為 Snowdonia 國家公園主要入口的 Betws-y-Coed。由於上山的火車已停駛，在天氣情況許可下，會嘗試沿步行道上山。

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Day 1 – Wrexham City Centre, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct & Chester

Wrexham is one of the more historic and bustling cities in North Wales, at least by local standards. The city center has a fair number of shops, mostly small, independent businesses rather than big-name chains.

As we wandered through a few of the smaller shopping centers, I couldn’t help but notice quite a few empty storefronts. It definitely gave off the vibe that the local economy isn’t doing too great.

Wrexham 在北威爾斯算是一個較富歷史及繁盛的城市，市中心大街有不少商舖，主要是地區小店，規模亦較小。走過數個小型商場，留意到有不少閒置的舖位，感覺經濟環境應該不太好。

After a short stop in Wrexham, I headed to another nearby attraction – the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

When we arrived at the parking area, something unexpected (but awesome) happened. Just as I was about to park my car, a visitor who was leaving pulled up in front of me, handed me his day pass, and said, “Here, have a beer on me!” Guess I got lucky on this trip after all – shoutout to that gentleman for the good vibes! 🍻

稍作逗留，便𨍭到附近的另一景點， Pontcysyllte Aqueduct。

當抵達景區停車場時，一位正在離開的遊客把車子停在我面前，說要請我喝杯啤酒，隨手便把他的一日停車卷送了給我，總算是出門遇貴人呀！

The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct has been standing for over 200 years and holds the title of the longest aqueduct in the UK and the tallest in the world. It was originally built to carry the Llangollen Canal over the River Dee, serving as a vital commercial transport route.

From the photos I saw online, its 18-arch design looks absolutely breathtaking. But, of course, my luck with the weather struck again. When I reached the bridge, it was almost entirely swallowed by thick, ghostly fog! Walking across it felt more like stepping into a scene from a horror movie—both eerie and nerve-wracking. 😅

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 已有二百多年歷史，是英國最長，亦是全球最高的水道。主要是令 Llangollen Canal 可以橫跨 River Dee，提供商業運輸的作用。從網上找到這座擁有18個拱型結構的圖片非常壯觀，遺憾的是當天天氣不佳，走到橋頭竟發覺 Aqueduct 已差不多被白朦朦的濃霧包圍，走在橋上亦令人提心吊膽。

After strolling along the canal for a bit, I decided to switch things up – hopped in the car, hit the motorway, and headed to Chester for an early dinner. Sometimes, a warm meal in a cozy city beats battling the elements! 😆

沿運河走了一會便決定駕車經高速公路往另一城市 Chester 提早吃晚飯。

After dinner, I thought I was in for a relaxing drive back to the hotel—but nope, my car’s GPS played trick on me. Instead of taking the highway, it decided to send us on a “shortcut” through the backroads.

Now, don’t underestimate these so-called shortcuts. This 18km stretch was a rollercoaster of steep climbs, sudden drops, and endless twists and turns. Add in the pitch-black night, thick fog, and barely any streetlights, and visibility was almost zero. The scariest part? The speed limit was still a wild 50 mph!

For the next 20+ minutes, I relied on my high beams (constantly switching them on and off) and GPS to predict the road ahead. After what felt like the longest, most nerve-wracking drive ever, I finally made it back to the hotel in one piece.

Never trusting that “shortest route” option again! 😵‍💫

飯後本以為可以輕鬆返酒店之際，車內的自動導航竟引領我走路程較短的小路。

不要低估這些小路的難道，18 多公里的路程，大部份都是上上落落，亦有不少彎位，在燈光不足及濃霧之下，能見度極低，更恐怖的是車速上限是 50 mph！最後靠著不停開關高燈及從 GPS 預灠路面彎位程況下終於渡過驚嚇的 20 多分鐘，安全地回到酒店。

Day 2 – LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH, Menai Suspension Bridge

You read that right, and I also didn’t mistype it – today’s destination is the town with the officially longest name in the UK: LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH!

Before the trip, my son made it very clear that we had to visit this place. Why? Simply because it’s unique – and nearly impossible to pronounce! 😆

Originally, I planned to visit after settling in Betws-y-Coed, but with rain and snow in the forecast for those days, I decided to seize the moment while the sun was out. That’s the beauty of a road trip – instant itinerary changes at will!

The drive from Wrexham to Llanfairpwll (yep, that’s the much shorter nickname) mainly follows the North Wales Expressway (A55) – about 70+ miles, taking just over an hour. Along the way, I passed through Conwy Tunnel, which I later learned is the UK’s first immersed tube tunnel beneath a river, the River Conwy.

As for the road itself? I’d say it’s actually a notch better than some of the motorways in mainland Britain. Plus, since much of the Expressway runs along the coast, the stunning views of the Irish Sea are a huge bonus – way better than your typical inland motorways!

For the outbound trip, we first crossed the Britannia Bridge to reach Anglesey, and shortly after, arrived at the famous Llanfairpwll train station.

Turns out, according to my son’s expert explanation, the name actually has an English breakdown! 🤯

LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH

St. Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave

你沒有看錯，而我亦沒有寫錯，今日的景點是擁有全英國官方認證最長名字的小鎮 LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH！

出發前，兒子已再三強調一定要去這地方，無他，只因夠特別，而且發音極度困難！

基於路程考慮，原本打算是住在 Betws-y-Coed 才去，但因天氣預測那數天會落雨兼且落雪，最後還是趁陽光普照，即時改行程，這亦是自駕旅遊之最大好處。

由 Wrexham 到 Llanfairpwill (簡叫的名字）主要經 North Wales Expressway (A55)，全程約七十多英哩，大約一個多小時便到達，其間會經過橫跨 River Conwy 的 Conwy Tunnel，據聞這是英國第一條沉管式海底隧道。

以整體路面質素而論，我覺得稍勝於英國本土的高速公路。另一方面，由於 Expressway 大部份是沿海建設，可遠眺愛爾蘭海，亦非其他內陸公路可比擬！

去程會先由 Britannia Bridge 進入 Anglesey，不多久就到達著名景點， Llanfairpwll 火車站。

經兒子解釋後，原來這名字是有個英文注解的！

LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH

St. Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave

After snapping the obligatory photos, we took a stroll along the road by Menai Strait toward our second stop – Menai Suspension Bridge. This Grade I listed structure, built nearly 200 years ago, holds a pretty cool title: the world’s first major suspension bridge!

After grabbing lunch, we headed back to Llanfairpwll before sunset to pick up the car and drove back to the hotel. All in all, I walked about five miles between the two bridges – not bad for a bit of unexpected exercise! 🚶‍♂️😆

打完咭，便沿着 Menai Strait 傍的車路漫步至第二景點，甲級保護建築 Menai Suspension Bridge，而這座約二佰年的鐵橋亦是世界上第一座大型懸索橋。

吃過午飯便趁着太陽仍未落山前返回 Llanfairpwll 取車回酒店。今天來回兩橋間行了約五哩，算是做了一點運動吧！

Everyone was pretty worn out today, and with the thick evening fog rolling in, we decided to just have dinner at the hotel.

To be honest, Hotel Wrexham itself was pretty average in terms of room quality. But its restaurant, The Savvy Fox, was a pleasant surprise! While the menu wasn’t huge, the food was both well-presented and genuinely tasty – definitely worth a recommendation! 🍽️👌

今天大家都有點累，再加上晚間較大霧，決定就在酒店吃晚飯。平心而論，這間 Hotel Wrexham 房間質素一般，但它的 restaurant, The Savvy Fox 倒是不錯。選擇雖然不太多，但味道與賣相俱佳，值得推薦！

Day 3 – Liverpool

The last time I visited Liverpool was over 20 years ago! I’m not really a Beatles fan, so this trip wasn’t about paying homage to them. And as for my son? Let’s just say this legendary band isn’t exactly his cup of tea either. 😆 The real reason for visiting? Simply because it was nearby, and he hadn’t been there before!

This time, our main stop was Liverpool Cathedral – the largest cathedral in the UK, with over a century of history.

I’m usually not one to spend much time in churches or museums – normally, it’s a quick visit, snap a few photos, and move on. But this visit was different. We ended up staying for over an hour, and I have to say, the scale of the cathedral was seriously impressive.

A few things stood out to me:

• The massive pipe organ – one console is tucked away in a high-level organ loft, while another, a movable console, sits on the cathedral floor.
• The stunning stained-glass windows, which not only flood the interior with natural light but also beautifully depict various Bible stories.

Overall, it was definitely worth the visit – more fascinating than I expected!

對上一次去 Liverpool 已是廿多前的事，我本身不是 Beatles 的 fans，再到 Liverpool 當然不是去朝聖，而對於兒子來說這個老組合更不是他那杯茶，去的原因只是近同未去過！所以今次只打算去參觀擁有佰多年歷史，全英國最大的 Liverpool Cathedral。

以往很少會去參觀教堂或博物館，即使去了通常亦只會到此一遊般匆匆離開，今次反而有點不同，我們逗留了個多小時。大教堂規模真的不少，內部建築頗細緻，比較吸引我的她的大型風琴，控制台一個位於高層的風琴室，而另一座流動的控制台則放在地面大堂。除此之外，就是教堂大量的彩色玻璃窗。除了為教堂內部提供充足的自然光線作照明外，更描繪了很多聖經故事。

After the cathedral, we took a walk down to the waterfront to visit the Museum of Liverpool. Unlike most museums, this one focuses entirely on a single city – Liverpool – showcasing its rich cultural, social, and industrial heritage in a modern and engaging way. It was a fresh take on a city’s history, making it quite an interesting stop.

Since we were leaving Wrexham the next morning and heading to Betws–y–Coed, we wrapped up the day with dinner before driving back to the hotel for an early night. Time to recharge for the next adventure! 🚗🌿

之後便步行到了海傍的 Museum of Liverpool，與其他博物館不同之處是，Museum of Liverpool 以單一城市 Liverpool 作主題，從引人入勝且現代的方式展示了利物浦豐富的文化、社會和工業遺產。由於明早便要離開 Wrexham，𨍭到 Betws-y-Coed，吃個晚飯便提早駕車返回酒店休息。

Day 4 – Greenford & Betws-y-Coed

Today, we officially left Wrexham and headed toward Betws-y-Coed.

Before hitting the motorway, we made a stop at the Gresford Colliery Memorial, which commemorates a tragic mining disaster from 90 years ago. This disaster claimed the lives of 266 miners, making it one of the worst mining tragedies in UK history.

Standing there, it was a sobering reminder of the dangers miners faced back then. A quiet but important stop before continuing our journey.

今天正式離開 Wrexham，轉到 Betws-y-Coed 。

在踏上高速公路前先去參觀為紀念90 年前礦難的 Gresford Colliery Memorial。這場礦難令 266 位礦工失去寶貴的生命，亦是英國有史以來最嚴重的礦難。

After about an hour’s drive, we finally arrived at our Betws-y-Coed accommodation. Since our room wasn’t ready yet, we parked the car and took a stroll to Fairy Glen.

This 1.4 km trail isn’t too long, but it’s absolutely scenic. The lush greenery, moss-covered rocks, and flowing water made it feel like something straight out of a fairy tale. Aside from a few slippery spots due to recent rain, the trail was pretty easy – perfect for all ages. A great way to stretch our legs before settling in! 🌿✨

一個多小時的車程，終於到達 Betws-y-Coed 的旅館，因房間仍未準備好，泊好車便到到附近的 Fairy Glen 走走。這條行山小徑不長，約 1.4 公里，沿途景色優美，除了雨後路面稍為濕滑外，整體難度不高，適合一家大小。

Compared to Wrexham, Betws-y-Coed was freezing at night! ❄️ After having dinner at the hotel, we decided to skip any evening strolls around the village and just call it a night and be ready for the second half of our North Wales adventure, 🚗✨

相比起 Wrexham，Betws-y-Coed 晚上非常寒冷，在酒店吃過晩餐廳便不再打算在小區內遊覧，好好休息以迎接明天北威爾斯之旅的下半部。