I love North Wales as I used to holiday there as a child. We lived in Cheshire which is only a 2 hour drive but it felt like a lifetime away. We stayed in caravans on Anglesey, the Llyn Peninsula, Conwy and Bala lake. Although it did rain quite a bit we also had some glorious sunshine and we absolutely loved it! One caravan we rented was on Jane's Farm and I will never forget those fresh eggs, oh and the muck in the farmyard! My ancestors are from North Wales, specifically Menai, Anglesey, where, according to the 1898 census my great-grandmother lived on a farm with 9 siblings and a 95 year old lodger!

The Castles

Wow, what an impressive range of castles North Wales has. What architectural splendour! As a child I visited Beaumaris, Harlech and Conwy but more recently I took my kids to Caernarvon Castle which is impressively large and stands over the River Seiont.

The Landscape

Snowdonia National Park, set within North Wales is known world-wide for its extensive network of walking trails that offer breathtaking views. I have certainly been on a fair few of them and even up Snowdon, in my youth, although I will be trying it again very soon before I get too old! Everywhere you turn there is a dramatic view as you are totally immersed in spectacular scenery.

The Food

North Wales is renowned for its quality local produce. It has a history of stoic people who lived off the land. Traditional dishes are simple and made out of good quality local ingredients. There are a ton of artisan food producers here and many excellent restaurants that use these local ingredients. Some famous dishes are, Welsh rarebit, laver bread and Welsh cakes but there is local produce which is also plentiful such as Conwy mussels, Welsh lamb and beef, Anglesey Sea Salt and Welsh Slate Cavern Aged Cheddar Cheese.