At the beginning of August we took a coach holiday to North Wales for a week. Our base was  Criccieth a very quiet seaside resort on the Llyn peninsular. The theme of the trip was the Beautiful Gardens of N. Wales. During the week I took so many shots (unfortunately no masterpieces) that I was at a loss as how to frame this blog. So I have decided just to show the first full day and perhaps do some of the others later.

So it's six-forty five and I'm up and ready for the day, it's almost  a couple of hours before breakfast so I think that I shall take a walk along to the sea front and see what pics I can get. The weather? - Just my luck very dull and windy. So what pictures can I get?

The lifeboat station?

Some boats?

The castle?

The Bay

The hills in the distance?

A close up of the Jolly Dolly

Or this part of Criccieth ?

 

Well I've had a try but the light is awful, so it's back to the hotel for breakfast.

After a good breakfast we are now ready for our first coach trip which is to visit the house and gardens of Plas Newydd on the Isle of Anglesey.
After a pleasant journey during which we had some good views across the Menai Strait we crossed the Brittania Bridge onto Anglesey. Of course as we are on Anglesey we had to make the tourist visit to this place.

I'll let Jen pronounce it.

Wow!! What's this?  The sun's out!! But not for long.
 

Well it seems that Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
has only one claim to fame and that is the length of its name. So after a coffee we go on to our main destination Plas Newydd National Trust House and Gardens.

After leaving the car park the first thing that catches one's eye is this fine line of trees

And we continue down to the house,

Unfortunately photography is not allowed in the house which holds an extensive collection of work by Rex Whistler, the artist who was killed during the Second World War. This includes a huge mural with some amazing perspective effects- well worth a visit.

Outdoors the weather was still gloomy. We had a look around the gardens.

In the distance it was possible to see the Brittania Bridge over the Menai Strait so I decided to see if it was possible to find somewhere to get a better view. Between the footpath and the sea in that direction is a thick belt of trees so I had to go quite a distance along this path.

Possibly half a mile before I could find my way down to a tiny beach where I found this view.

And so back to the gardens, just pausing to take a shot of this urn.

And the stables

Before returning to the coach and the journey back to the hotel in time for dinner.

Continues on http://www.myfinepix.com/blog/680/28841