We find there’s something magical about historic buildings, especially castles. No matter what state they’re in you can always imagine what life must have been like for the lucky ones who got to live within the fortified walls, and the not-so-lucky ones who had to take their chances outside.
Conwy Castle is one of the best we’ve visited – you could quite easily convince yourself you were starring in an episode of Game of Thrones as you wander around this one. Even driving into Conwy is pretty magical, as you cross the bridge spanning the River Conwy and then drive under one of the outer walls to get to the town’s main car park.
This was another historical landmark where our English Heritage memberships came in handy. The building is not owned by them, but by Cadw – part of the Welsh government. In your first year of EH membership you are entitled to half-price entry to all of their sites (which also include Beaumaris and Caernarfon castles). If you renew your membership for a second year you can get into the attractions for free.
Conwy was built as part of Edward I’s massive fortification of Wales and has survived pretty well to say it’s been around for more than 700 years.
There’s quite a steep walk to get into the castle entrance, and plenty of steps once you get inside, so be warned if you’re not feeling like doing much climbing. All of the restored narrow staircases mean you can get to the top of each of the eight towers and walk along the walls. You get great views of the town and Snowdonia; and you can still make out the town walls that used to protect the king and his subjects.
Like Kenilworth Castle, because everything’s enclosed we felt pretty safe that the girls could go wild and explore on their own – they soon come back to find us if they spot something interesting (like a pigeon nesting in one of the windows, that caught Peggy’s eye).
A real standout bit, in the far left tower, is the inner ward chapel with its striking stained glass windows. They’re not the originals. They’ve been altered in recent years to show scenes that relate to the local history and countryside. But they’re still quite a breathtaking and surprising sight. If you poke around enough you’ll find a secret little chamber that overlooks the chapel, which would be where the king could sit and observe religious ceremonies in private.
We spent a couple of hours here, which was enough to see just about everything.
While we were in Conwy we also paid a visit to the smallest house in Great Britain which is down on the quayside. It’s only a couple of pounds to get in, and the woman at the entrance was very kind and helpful, and very keen to take a picture of you outside the building.
One other highlight that we definitely have to mention is Popty Conwy Bakery on Berry Street. We popped in on our way to the smallest house for a savoury, and soon headed back for a sweet. The pies and pasties were great, and the cakes were equally good – and absolutely massive.
