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called Bangor Ferry about two miles from Bangor and after a good night’s rest we proceeded to Carnarvon, a very original town in which there is a fine old Castle built by Edward the 1st out of the revenue of the See of York. Ed 2nd was born there and they shew the room. It is quite a ruin and covers a great deal of ground. From the top of the castle is a most extensive view and extremely beautiful, the sea and Welsh mountains being the principal objects. We had intended staying a week in Carnarvon but found a day was amply sufficient to see all its beauties which with the exception of the Castle consists more in the neighbourhood than the town. At the Inn sign of the Goat was an old Welsh harper playing the national music with a great deal of feeling. Ellen got him to teach her some tunes. The tones in the harp are very melodious and at every Inn they have a harper. We saw the house of a gent, a Mr Rice Thomas near Carnarvon, with beautiful grounds. The Welsh gentry far exceed the English nobility I assure you tho’ they are scarce. We next went to a place called Llanberris, and the scenery we
passed thro’ was magnificent, so mountainous and rugged. You know my partiality for such scenes and I was indeed delighted. When we arrived at Llanberis there was only one Inn and it was quite full, no place for us but the landing on the stairs, and we were glad of it, but the landlady invited us into the kitchen to warm ourselves when we found it was the most fashionable resort, Lord and Lady Denbigh and a large party were assembled round a large fire and many more from all parts and people we had passed and repassed on the road so soon became acquainted and were very merry. I can give you no idea of the place, all the people gabbering Welsh which is the most unaccountable language I ever heard. However a large party of us set out about 6 in the evening to go and see a fine waterfall in the neighbourhood with about ten little ragged barefooted bairns as guides, who could say nothing we could understand but ‘dim sicknark’ which means ‘no English’. Thus attended we scram

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bled over rocks etc to the falls and were well repaid by it grandeur. But unfortunately a thunder storm came on and it became quite dark when we were about 2 miles from the Inn. We took shelter in an old Castle called Dolbadern where Lleywellyn Prince of Wales lived. It is a most beautiful spot at the foot of it are the Llanberis lakes and falls, very romantic. We found there was no chance of fair weather so prepared for a drenching but were convulsed with laughter at our little guides who as soon as they saw us take shelter in the Castle wished us ‘Good night’ tho’ they could not speak a word of English before. When we got to the Inn some of the people had gone on and we were soon comfortable. From Llanberis is the best ascent to Snowdon is the reason why it was so full. It is 6 miles to the summit but the weather made it impossible for us to think of ascending at which I was very much disappointed as I had fully intended it. I ought to have told you we had a gent with us, who travelled with us from Liverpool for five days, in [torn] Mr Court a very gentlemanly young man [to] whom we had an introduction. He walked all the way and usually set out an hour before us to explore and then waited till we arrived when anything particular to see. It was very agreeable for us, as we should have felt the want of a gent in such travelling for we sometimes went in carriages sometimes on ponies. From Llanberis we proceeded on ponies to wind round the base of Snowdon and through the finest pass in north Wales to Capel Cureg, a distance of 13 miles, which we accomplished in 6 hours. No carriage roads only a mountain track, but over the most sublime scenery! I saw nothing in Scotland that could surpass it, the chain of mountains called Snowdonia with waterfalls gushing headlong from heights of a thousand feet with all the accompanying cataracts, chasms etc. form such scenes as neither I can describe or you imagine. Snowdon is 3,500 feet above the level of the sea. You will all wonder however we got [?] over such a country, I cannot tell: I am surprised when I think

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of it. Chester October 3rd Since writing the above, we have arrived at Chester and the reason why I did no finish at Bangor was a wasp stung my thumb and it was so painful I could not hold a pen, but to resume my route not to confuse you I must tell you we staid a few days at Capel Carig where was seen all sorts of beautiful scenery, falls etc. and from thence to Bangor and staid ten days there we were much pleased with the last named place, It is a See and consequently has a cathedral, very different to ours but still all the form is kept up in the same way. It is a very genteel neighbourhood and Mr Pennant is rebuilding Penryhn Castle on the same plan as if it was in the reign of William 2nd, military Gothic and very grand, it is about 2 miles from Bangor. Mr P spends 100,000 per annum in building it and has been 7 years, it will not be complete in 4 years more. I never saw a more princely looking place. We were all over it – Lord Penryn was the owner but the title is extinct and Mr P has only 2 daughters. He gets his immense wealth from a slate quarry the largest in Wales. We next went to Beaumaris in Anglesey for a few days, it is a sea bathing place and only 3 miles from Bangor, so we used to go often to bathe from there. It is even more beautiful than Bangor but not so amusing as Bangor is the thoroughfare all through Wales & you would be surprised what numbers of carriages pass through. The Duke of Sussex was visiting in the neighbourhood

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at Colonel Hughes’s of Kinmail Park and Prince Lieven was staying at Beaumaris for some weeks. There is a most wonderful bridge which connects Carnarvonshire and Anglesey called the Menai Bridge. It is an iron suspension one and the most elegant looking concern imaginable, the span is about a qr of a mile. It was built by Government for the convenience of the mail to Holyhead and cost £100,000 and the roads are very good in Wales. There is also another bridge of the same kind but of smaller dimensions at Conway over the River Conwy which place we went to next but only staid a few hours to see the castle which was built at the same time as Carnarvon castle by Ed 1st. It is quite a ruin, but a very fine one, but not in so perfect a state at Carnarvon. Conwy is on the coast and very romantic. We next went to St Asaph in Flintshire which is another city & see as this place and Bangor, but not nearly so nice a place as either; the cathedral nothing worthy of note but a window and that inferior to many in York. From Bangor to Conwy the country is very mountainous and romantic, the hills of Flintshire and Denbighshire bearing no comparison in respect to picturesque beauty with the rocky scenes of Carnarvonshire. Instead of being gentle in ascent and covered with green to their summits they wear a savage and majestic appearance, are precipitous rugged and gloomy, but I much prefer this latter sort of scenery.