Never before has it been possible to follow a trail that stretches the length of an entire country’s coastline but, come May, that will be possible. The best news is that the 870 mile path follows the stunning Welsh coastline, from Chepstow in the south with its views across the Bristol Channel and of the magnificent Severn Bridge, to the outskirts of Chester in the north. The Wales Coastal Path promises to offer walkers, horse riders, cyclists and runners the chance to experience the beauty of the Welsh coastline in its entirety. Presuming you haven’t a month to dedicate to it, the only problem will be which part of the path to choose from!

Comprising crashing waves, dramatic, craggy cliffs, sandy beaches, and offering plentiful rewarding views, the Welsh coast is truly stunning and the Wales Coastal path offers all of that plus quaint villages, seaside towns, tiny hamlets and even Britain’s smallest city. It is perhaps not surprising then that Lonely Planet named it the ‘World’s Greatest Region’ in its Best in Travel 2012 guide. “What a wonderful thing: to walk the entire length of a country’s coastline, to trace its every nook, cranny, cliff-face, indent and estuary. How better to truly appreciate the shape – and the soul – of a nation?” And really, what more could you want from a holiday than that?

It is possible to walk the entire length of the path, stopping at B&Bs or camping each night, and there are a number of companies which offer to book accommodation and transport your luggage so you’re not having to lug a huge backpack with you. However, if you haven’t a few weeks to spare, you’ll need to decide what part of the trail to explore. Our vote goes to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which wins for the incredible diversity of its landscape, ranging from ancient flooded glacial valleys, sheer limestone cliffs and pinky red sandstone bays. Add to that some of the country’s loveliest towns and villages, including Tenby, St Davids and Newport, and you have a recipe for a fantastic trip. National Geographic seemingly concur – in 2010 they voted Pembrokeshire the second best coastal destination in the world.

For serious walkers, or just those who like to feel the sea breeze on their face and drink in spectacular views, the opening of the Wales Coastal Path in May is an exciting prospect. If you’re there during its opening weekend, May 5th, there will be a number of fantastic events to be part of, including the Big Welsh Coastal Walk, a series of led walks over the length of the path. Pack your bags, book some international travel insurance, pull on your boots and get walking!

Guest Post: These boots were made for walking… the length of Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The website Wales Online has an interesting article about the history and traditions behind Wales’ colored harbour houses.

Here’s an excerpt:

It is one of the best-known and best-loved traditions of West Wales’ coastline. Sion Morgan traces the history of painting harbourside houses in a spectrum of pastels

LEGEND has it that the pastel shades of West Wales’ harbours are a legacy of the fishermen forefathers of these small communities.

Once, as the story has it, fishermen would paint their terrace homes around the dock in varying colours so they could recognise their own as they returned from the sea.

Today those colours are the proud hallmark of towns around the coast, from popular Tenby to the tiny bay of Solva and up to beautiful Aberaeron, all of which boast rows of pretty Georgian and Victorian cottages and houses in a rainbow of peach, blue, green, violet and pink.

Click to read more here.

Wales: The history and traditions behind Wales’ multi-coloured harbour houses is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Film star Luke Evans shows off his native Wales with a stunning video of castles, culture and magnificent scenery.

Video: Luke Evans’ guide to Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

photo credit: joncandy

Though today Christmas is celebrated in much the same way across Britain, in years gone by the traditions and customs of Wales were unique to the region. From the quaint to the curious, the Christmas traditions of Wales are as diverse as the landscape itself.

Plygain

Early on Christmas morning, or Y Nadolig, families would gather for the plygain service at the local parish church between the hours of 3 and 6am to listen to carols sung by male voice choirs in 2, 3 or 4 part harmony. The tradition of male voice choirs remains strong in Wales today and such carol services are believed to be a pre-Reformation tradition that was modified to suit new conditions in the 16^th century. Traditionally, these church services would be widely attend and being that they were the only service of the year held after nightfall, the attending parishioners would light the church with the glow of the candles they had used to light their way to the church. After two or more hours of singing the service would end and everyone would make there way home to continue their Christmas celebrations.

Toffee Making

A traditional part of the festive season, predominantly in North Wales, was toffee making, known as cyflaith, ffanni, or most commonly taffi in Welsh. Families and friends would gather together and after enjoying a meal, much the same as today’s Christmas dinner, games would be played and toffee mixed and cooked. Toffee making is very much a skill, with the cook having to be able to precisely judge the temperature of the boiling sugar and butter mixture, before pouring the volcanic liquid onto a flat surface to cool. Once the toffee began to cool, all those in attendance would take turns trying to properly ‘pull’ the toffee, a process that is needed to give the candy its light and chewy texture. Traditionally, it was believed that the curling strands of the toffee would reveal the initials of your true love! If you’d like to try making this traditional candy yourself there is a wonderful recipe on the website for National Museum Wales. Why not get your family and friends together this holiday season and recreate this Welsh tradition?

The Mari Lwyd

One of the more unusual Welsh Christmas customs is that of the Mari Lwyd, or the Grey Mare. With one member of a group dressed as an old grey mare, sometimes including the skull of a real horse, visits would be made to houses throughout the village where the group would sing and try to gain entrance to the house for food and drinks. In a strange combination of wassailing and trick or treating, one member of the group would challenge an occupant of the house to a debate, or pwnco, in which both entrants would throw insults and jokes at one another, in the hopes that the visitor would be victorious and be invited in for homemade cakes and a drink of ale. This tradition, unsurprisingly, is believed to be a pre-Christian custom and is still practiced today in parts of Wales.

The Christmas traditons of Wales are unique to the region and fascinating to discover. Much unlike those practiced in other parts of Britain they are very much worth learning more about and taking any opportunity to participate in them yourself. Why not take a trip and rent one of the many self catering cottages in Wales this holiday season and take part in some of the Welsh Christmas traditions yourself? There are activities and markets happening at local museums and villages from the north to the south of the country this season, and visiting is a great way to learn and experience something new this Christmas.

Nadolig Llawen to you and yours this holiday season!

Guest Post: Christmas Traditions in Wales – Welsh Christmas is a post from: Anglotopia.net

1). Cardiff Castle - Cardiff may only have been a city for 100 years, but there has been a castle here for nearly 2000 years. The original Roman walls and Norman keep can still be explored, but the highlight of a visit is the tour of the refurbished Victorian interiors – transformed into a mock-Medieval palace by the 3rd Marquess of Bute.

www.cardiffcastle.com

2). Millennium Stadium - When the stadium isn’t hosting major sports matches or concerts you can take a tour of the 74,000 seater stadium. Walk down the player’s tunnel, try out the Queen’s seat in the Royal box and discover how they removed the curse from the away-team changing rooms.

www.millenniumstadium.com

3). Wales Millennium Centre - Dominating the skyline in Cardiff Bay, the Wales Millennium Centre is home to seven major arts organizations, including Welsh National Opera and Diversions Dance Company. The centre presents international opera, ballet, modern dance and musicals. ‘Arts Sherpas’ run backstage tours of the centre, and if you’re lucky you may even catch a glimpse of a rehearsal.

www.wmc.org.uk

4). Techniquest, Cardiff Bay - Enter a world of science and technology at Cardiff Bay’s Techniquest, which is sure to delight children of all ages. Fancy firing a rocket, launching a hot air balloon or racing an electric car? There are over 160 hands-on exhibits with puzzles and activities to entertain the whole family. There are also shows in the Science Theatre and tours of the Universe in the Planetarium. Visitors can also conduct their own experiments in the science Laboratory.

www.techniquest.org

5). National Museum of Wales - Two wealthy Welsh sisters bequeathed their large art collection to the museum and gallery in the mid 20th century, resulting in Cardiff owning one of the largest collections of Impressionist paintings outside of Paris, with works by Renoir, Monet and Cezanne on display. A couple of hours can easily be spent exploring the extensive museum exhibits too. (free entry, closed Mondays)

www.museumwales.ac.uk

6) National History Museum St Fagans - The national History Museum at St. Fagans is home to a variety of historic buildings from across Wales – all of which were taken apart brick by brick and carefully reconstructed in the museum to present a view of life in Wales over the last 500 years. Re-erected buildings include an elegant mansion house, a humble quarryman’s cottage, farmhouses, a terrace of six cottages and a Victorian shop complex from the South Wales valleys with a working bakery, blacksmiths, saddler, tea shop and store. The museum is open every day and also runs regular seasonal events.

www.nmgw.ac.uk

7). Chapter Arts Centre - Chapter has earned a reputation as one most diverse arts centres in Europe, and combines theatre, art, film, music and literature into one venue. The gallery hosts exhibitions by artists from across the globe, and is the venue for the annual Experimentica Festival, boasting some of Britain’s most dynamic art. The Chapter has recently undergone a £3.5 million facelift and is celebrating its 40th birthday with a year of special events.

www.chapter.org

8). Cardiff International White Water – The most popular and sociable of all our water sports, White Water Rafting ranges from the thrills and spills to the gentler float trip. Descend raging rapids in the heart of our capital city on this adrenalin fuelled activity. Whatever your experience you are in for an enjoyable ride!

9). The Senedd (Welsh Parliament Building) – The Welsh Assembly Government’s new debating chamber, The Senedd, was opened by the Queen in March 2006. Visitors can explore the building, have coffee and Welsh cakes in the café or watch Assembly debates from the public viewing gallery.

www.wales.gov.uk

10). Spillers Records - Officially the oldest record store in the world, Spillers Records has been a fixture in Cardiff since 1894. As well as a diverse selection of CDs and vinyl from the latest up and coming indie and dance acts, the store has a section dedicated to Welsh bands and singers.

www.spillersrecords.co.uk 

11). The Cardiff Story Museum - Discover how Cardiff was transformed from the small market town of the 1300s to one of the world’s biggest ports in the 1900s, to the cosmopolitan capital we know today.

www.cardiffstory.com 

12). Cardiff’s’ Arcades - Cardiff’s arcades still retain many of their Victorian and Edwardian features and are now home to dozens of unique stores and cafés. All manner of Welsh gifts can be found in these arcades, from handmade Welsh textiles to Welsh love spoons and rugby shirts. Visit Morgan and Castle Arcades for the latest designer fashions in independent stores such as Woodenwood or rest your feet and enjoy a meal in cafes such as vegetarian café Crumbs, or The Plan, which specialise in organic and FairTrade food.

Top 12 Things to See and Do In Cardiff – Top Tourist Sites in Cardiff Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

More than 4,000 musicians, singers and dancers from over 50 countries will come to North Wales next July to perform at one of the world’s most colourful festivals.

The 66th annual Llangollen International Eisteddfod will offer six days of music, song and dance (3–8 July), and will include visitors from South Korea, China, Moldova and Slovakia. During the day, musicians, choirs and dancers compete in over 20 competitions. Each evening the best and most colourful competitors share the stage in concerts given by professional artists. Every year the festival opens with a Parade of Nations through the small town.

The 2012 line-up features Alfie Boe (best known for his role as Jean Valijean in Les Misèrables), instrumentalist/composer Karl Jenkins and singers Wynne Evans and Lesley Garrett. Other performers include trumpeter Alison Balsom, violinist Nicola Benedetti, soprano Fflur Wyn, opera star Mark Llywelyn Evans, one of Wales’s most successful choirs, Côr CF1, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The Choir of the World finale takes place on Saturday 7 July.

Many singing stars started their careers in Llangollen. Placido Domingo acknowledges that his first professional experience in the UK was at the 1968 International Eisteddfod. In 1955 Luciano Pavarotti competed with his father in the male voice choir competition with others from their home town of Modena.

Singer Lesley Garrett explains: ‘Llangollen Eisteddfod is an amazing festival that brings many genres of music together. This is a cultural festival with great longevity and a fabulous history. Some of the world’s best singers have headlined here over the past 65 years. I’m also looking forward to performing at Llangollen again and sharing the stage with the fantastic Alison Balsom and Nicola Benedetti. They are wonderful instrumentalists and performers.’

The new Music Director of the Llangollen International Festival is conductor and composer Eilir Owen Griffiths.

Llangollen International Eisteddfod, Royal International Pavilion, Abbey Road, Llangollen LL20 8SW
Tel: +44 1978 862001 (box office)
Website: www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk
Facebook: Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
Twitter: @llangollen2011 

Music of the world comes to Wales for International Festival is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The ‘River of Light’ parade will take place in Caerphilly in South Wales on 22 December and will feature hundreds of lanterns created by local schools and community groups. The parade starts in the town centre and will include music, samba dancing and drumming. Many people gather to watch the festive illuminated ‘River’ which ends its procession at the 13th-century Caerphilly Castle where the crowds can watch a major fireworks display.

From 9 to 11 December the castle will be lit for a twice-nightly sound and light show projected on to the castle walls (5.30 and 6.30pm, admission free). Illuminata 2011 tells of the long history of the 13th-century stronghold. Visitors can stay on after the show for a medieval banquet in the Castle’s Great Hall (7.30–11pm, £30 per head).

The town also hosts a Christmas Medieval Market in the town centre and castle on 10–11 December, 10am–4pm.
Caerphilly is a few miles north of Cardiff and south of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Caerphilly Castle, Castle Street, Caerphilly, Caerphilly, CF83 1JD. Wales
Tel: +44 1443 883143 (Castle)
Tel: +44 29 2088 0011 (Caerphilly Visitor Centre)
Website: www.visitcaerphilly.com
Twitter: Visitcaerphilly

Sound and light at a medieval castle in Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The Wheat has been separated from the Chaff! The last sixteen have emerged to take their Quarter Final spots but who were the Wheat and who were the Chaff?

The last week of the pool round had some scintillating match ups with Scotland needing to get at least one victory from two very tough encounters against Argentina and England. New Zealand had to face their World Cup boogey team France to win their Pool and Ireland just had the thorny little task of beating Italy to advance.

The week got underway with Australia facing a weakened United States in Wellington. The US coach Eddie Sullivan chose a second string US side to face Australia due to the Eagles hectic schedule. Eagles had little chance of turning over one of the competitions early favourites, and with the Wallabies running in 11 tries to one, the chances of an upset lasted only until the two teams walked on to the field.

Aussies, Rob Horne and Rocky Elsom scored for the Wallabies, before they were surprised by a JJ Gagiano’s try for the US. The two times World Champions Australia, then put the Americans to the sword, as Kurtley Beale and Anthony Faingaa ensured Australia earned a bonus point by half-time. The Aussies stepped up a gear in the second half, running in seven unanswered tries, including a six-minute hat-trick from Adam Ashley-Cooper, to secure all five points from the match with a 67-5 victory.

England took a more assured step towards the Quarter Finals as they trounced Romania 67-3 with returning from injury winger Mark Cueto scoring a hat-trick along with Chris Ashton. Jonny Wilkinson seemed to be returning to better form as he converted three tries with his trusty boot along with a penalty conversion before being replaced by Toby Flood who also had a superb outing with his boot. The Six Nations champions seemed to be on better form after a couple of error strewn games earlier in the tournament but they would need to in much better form to face Scotland in a crunch final match in the Pool stage for both sides.

Hosts New Zealand went head to head with France to see who would be the winners of Pool A. Les Bleus had famously knocked out the All Blacks from the 1999 and 2007 World Cups, but with rumors of France possibly throwing the game, so they would have an easier run in, in the knock out stages the tie was highly charged. The Hosts weathered the early pressure from Les Bleus but were never truly troubled by their old nemesis, as they ended up clear winners 37-17 at full time.

Ireland kept their chance of winning Pool C with a emphatic victory over Russia as they easily earned their bonus point to go with the four for winning the tie 62-12. The Irish scored nine tries with Ronan O’Gara scoring an impressive six conversions and a penalty kick. The victory left them in control of the Pool and an important test against Italy to see who would be the winner of the group between them and Australia.

Minutes after Ireland had all but secured their place in the Quarter Finals their Celtic cousins Scotland had a tough task of their own to secure a place in the last sixteen of the tournament. The Scots had to face an ever improving Argentina side. The Southern Hemisphere nation have steadily improved over the years and will finally get its inclusion in the Tri-Nations in 2012, as they become the Four Nations, with a possible Pacific Islands team to make a fifth nation in the future.

Argentina had run England very close in their opening game and would look to make Scotland’s road to the Quarter Finals as difficult as possible, as they did with a dour 13-12 victory over the Scots. Both teams made life difficult for themselves with a number of errors that gifted their opponent’s chances to put themselves on the board but points seemed hard to find for the two nations, as Scotland’s Chris Patterson and Felipe Contepomi of Argentina, who had given the Pumas the lead despite Scotland’s early pressure missed a number of penalty opportunities.

Scotland survived an early scare as Martin Rodriguez sliced wide a simple drop-goal attempt in front of the posts during the first spell of Argentine pressure. Rodriguez missed another stellar chance from a drop goal attempt just after Contepomi put the Pumas on the score board. Scotland did pull level with the Pumas before the half as the Argentine forwards collapsed the scrum to give Patterson another chance in front of the posts, and this time he did not fail to hit the target.

After the restart Ruaridh Jackson then gave the Scots the lead with a Penalty conversion of his own after another collapsed scrum. The Argentinians pulled level as Contepomi made amends for a failed penalty conversion as the Scots collapsed a scrum of their own. Scotland applied the pressure and went close as scrum half Rory Lawson was held up on the line by some stalwart Argentine defending. A minute later, a beautifully controlled drop-goal from Jackson restored the Scots’ three-point lead.

Dan Parks replaced Jackson with 10 minutes remaining and, after a monster kick deep into Argentine territory, slotted over a drop-goal that appeared to put Scotland in the driving seat. However, Argentina swept up the field and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino jagged inside Paterson on the touchline and squirmed inside two more tackles before getting over the try line for an superb try that was converted by Contepomi.

In the dying minutes of the tie, Parks came close to steeling it for the Scots as he sliced wide with a drop goal attempt after being forced on to his weaker left foot by an offside-looking Contepomi, but there was to be no whistle other than the final one from the referee.

Wales not to be out done by Ashton, Cueto and Ashley-Cooper got a hat-trick scorer of their own in Scott Williams in their easy 81-7 victory over Namibia. The Welsh running up an impressive 12 tries to give them the full five points form the match and leave them needing a victory over Fiji to claim their Quarter Final spot.

In other matches Japan and Canada had the first tie of the tournament as they drew 23-23 in Napier. Italy kept on target for a place in the Quarter Finals as they beat the USA 27-10. Georgia beat Romania 25-9 to give the Romanians the ignominy of the Pool B wooden Spoon. The South Africans took a lazy ride through the Samoans as they ran out 13-5 winners to claim top spot in Pool D.

With only two days of Pool action left there were two crunch mates still to play out of the six remaining games on the last Pool weekend. Scotland had a myriad of permutations if they were to win a place in the quarter finals but ultimately they had to hope that they could beat England and prevent England from getting a bonus point to stand any chance. Whilst Ireland had to beat Italy to claim their place in the Quarter Finals as well, but after their historic victory over Australia earlier in the tournament is was Ireland’s to lose.

Despite the hype of an Italy upset before the kick off the Irish easily saw off the Italian threat with a stunning 36-6 victory to win all their pool matches and head the Pool C table over heavily favoured Australia. Scotland on the other hand were not so lucky.

Needing to beat England and prevent their old rivals from claiming a bonus point they failed dismally as the English stumbled to yet another World Cup victory 16-12. The game was over shadowed by the wet and blustery conditions that made handling a major issue for both sides in Auckland. Scotland will count themselves unlucky that they couldn’t put the game to bed as the English gave way numerous penalties in scoring positions for the Scots and failed to put away scoring opportunities of their own.

The Scots had the advantage at the half with a 9-3 lead but whatever England coach Martin Johnson put in his player’s tea certainly did the trick as England came out a new team. Despite some ranging runs from the English backs, the Scottish defence held out and after another error from the English the Scots extended their lead from the boot of Patterson. The tie was in Scotland’s hand but the every present drop goal threat of Wilkinson bore fruit as on 63 minutes the English pulled three points closer. The Scottish line out failed near the Scottish touchline as Wilkinson again gave the English a lifeline from his boot to put the English within three points. However, with England trailing 9-12 and the game entering its painful finale for Scotland, English replacement Toby Flood threw a devious miss-pass to Ashton on the right wing who dived over to end Scotland’s hopes, with Flood adding the extras from the touchline.

The rest of the weekends fixtures were games to make up the number as the Pools had all but ended as expected, Australia routed the Russians 68-22, Argentina rested a few first team players as they ran out 25-7 winners over Georgia. The Welsh continued their fine form as they demolished Fiji 66-0 in Hamilton and New Zealand took a leisurely stroll to beat Canada comfortably 79-15.

In contrast to the majority of tier one nation’s relatively easy passage to the Quarter Finals, the French failed to qualify in style, as they suffered an ignominious 19-14 loss to Tonga. The loss meant that Les Bleus limped into the Quarter Finals, with Marc Lievremont’s side in disarray after a fine start to the Pool stage of the completion.

So the cream of world rugby has risen to the top and the only shock is the omission of Scotland from the Quarter Finals but for Argentina it is a well-deserved spot in the last 16 after some combative and spirited rugby. The Quarter Finals have separated the Northern Hemisphere sides from the Southern, meaning that it will be a North versus South World Cup Final.

The 2003 winners England have looked less then sterling in their Pool play and can count themselves lucky to have squeaked through, after some awful displays. France has also looked like a disjointed team bereft of originality and clearly not at the races in their last two outings. Ireland and Wales both look like they can beat anyone on their day, unfortunately one of them will miss out on a Semi Final spot.

Reigning champions South Africa have a formidable test against Australia but New Zealand will be quite happy that they be playing Argentina in the Quarter Final and hoping that their possible Semi Final opponents have a very tough match. However, the teams got to the Quarter Finals it is now that the real World Cup starts in earnest.

Pool A
1. New Zealand
2. France
Pool B
1. England
2. Argentina
Pool C
1. Ireland
2. Australia
Pool D
1. South Africa
2. Wales

Quarter Finals

Ireland Vs Wales
England Vs France
South Africa Vs Australia
New Zealand Vs Argentina

IRB Rugby World Cup – New Zealand 2011 – Final Pool Week Round Up. is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Australia collapse another scrum to nullify a dominant Ireland

The 2011 Rugby World Cup got its first upset of the tournament as the Irish turned over Australia in a thriller at Eden Park, Auckland. The United States recorded their first win as they beat Russia, and reigning champions South Africa and host’s New Zealand sustain their dominance in their pools.

The United States had come off the back of a fine performance in their defeat to Ireland to face a Russia side that has one eye on improving their performance as Rugby Sevens is to be included in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The USSR had regularly beaten the likes of Italy in the 1970’s but with the decline of the Soviet Union their players had spread to the four corners of the broken up Soviet Union.

The Eagles outperformed the Bears on their World Cup debut, under horrendous conditions with the wind and rain lashing the Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth. Russia got off to a fantastic start, as Yury Kushnarev kicked Russia’s first World Cup points from a penalty after only three minutes. Ultimately though, despite the early lead the debutants ended up losing 13-6 to the stronger American side. Russia’s coach, ex-Sale head coach Kingsley Jones would have been pleased with the stalwart defensive play of his charges who despite an overwhelming size difference in the pack managed to hold the Americans to one try in the first half, and prevented them scoring any in the second half.

For Russia their second match of the week was against a slightly stronger side than the US, in the shape of Italy. The Italians needed to rack up some points if they wanted to challenge Ireland and Australia for one of the two quarter final berths from Pool C. Unfortunately for Russia that is exactly what they did. As the ran out clear winners with a 53-17 victory to claim all five points up for grabs and claim their first victory of the tournament and leave Russia squarely at the foot of Pool C.

The Pool was thrown wide open for Italy as Ireland pulled off a fantastic mauling of the Tri-Nations Champions Australia at Eden Park, Auckland. The Aussies had gone into the match up as clear favourites but the Irish who have stuttered in the last couple of years produced some of the form that gave them the Six Nations, Grand Slam in 2009 to record an historic victory by 15-6. The Wallabies were without their playmaking flanker David Peacock and influential hooker Steven Moore, but the front five of Ireland would have made it difficult for any team out there, with their total dominance.

The other home nations came through relatively unscathed from their ties but England coach Martin Johnson will not be pleased with the manner of his team’s victory over Georgia. England stuttered through their match, winning 41-10, scoring six tries to gain the extra point but it was only the fitness levels of the English that told at the end to allow them the dominant victory, as they only led 17-10 at the half. Johnson will be hoping that his charges concentrate more on their team performance then their late night partying after a number of them were caught drinking late into the night at a local night club.

The Welsh are sitting in third place in Pool D, after a narrow 17-10 victory over second placed Samoa. In previous World Cup’s the Welsh have struggled to defeat the Samoans but with only Fiji and Namibia to play the Welsh will be feeling confident of moving onto the quarter final stages for the first time since 2003. However, they will be mindful that it was a 38-34 loss to Fiji that stopped them qualifying for the quarter finals in the last World Cup.

Scotland did not play this week but there has been some grumbling in the Scottish camp that their most difficult games come in the span of five days against Argentina and England. However, with nine points in the bag and joint top of Pool B with England, a berth in the quarter finals is theirs to lose.

In other matches the hosts New Zealand gave Japan a 83-7 thumping as they continued their dominancy in Pool A. New Zealand’s main rivals for winners of Pool A, are the French who gave Canada a thumping of their own as they ran out 46-19 winners. The two giants of pool face off next week as the All Blacks and Le Bleus attempt to top the pool, but speculation is rife that the French who have knocked out the All Blacks in recent World Cups are going to play a second string starting XV, in an attempt not win, with the hope of an easier route to the final.

Reigning champions South Africa trounced poor neighbours Namibia 87-0 in Pool D, to all but guarantee their place in the last eight of the tournament but with only second placed Samoa to play it is their berth in the quarters to lose.

In the battle for the wooden spoon in Pool A, Japan were on the end of another loss as Tonga beat the Cherry Blossoms 31-18 and in Pool B, Argentina beat the pool’s whipping boys Romania 43-8 to leave themselves still in the hunt for a quarter final spot at the expense of either England or Scotland.

The second week of ties has shown that the established nations will beat the tier 2, nations, in the Rugby World 99 times out of a 100. This has led to a call in some quarters for the exclusion of the emerging nations from the actual finals. However, this would be wrong. For many players from the lesser rugby playing nations it is a chance to play in some of the finest rugby stadia in the world, in front of thousands of fans. It is a chance to pit their wits, energy and skills against the world’s finest rugby playing athletes. It is a chance at glory, a chance to cause an upset and maybe a chance to be seen by a scout from one of the world’s professional clubs and turn professional.

For the established nations these games are vital, they give the teams a chance to come together as a squad for over two months, a chance to iron out kinks in their games, a chance hone their skills so that when they (barring a humiliating defeat) reach the quarter finals they should be firing on all cylinders. The coaches should know who their ideal first XV is. They should know what tactics they should be employing as they take on their top flight opponents and whether they actually have a cat in hells chance of winning the tournament.

Rugby World Cup – New Zealand 2011 – Week Two Round Up is a post from: Anglotopia.net

South Africa's Captain John Smit Raises Aloft the 2007 William Webb Ellis Trophy

The 2011 Rugby World Cup is only a week old! Everyone has played at least one game but which of the coaches will be the happy hooker and who will feel they are in the sin bin?

The tournament got off to a cracking start with a stunning opening ceremony in Auckland with a choir of 400 singing the Rugby World Cup anthem, World in Union. Martin Sneddon, CEO for Tournament Organiser Rugby New Zealand 2011, said of World in Union, “the performance sums up the cosmopolitan character of our young nation with singers of Maori, Pakeha, Samoan, Fijian, Cook Island, Niuean, Tongan, Tokelauan, Australian, Chinese, Korean, English, Irish, Danish, American, Canadian, Dutch, South African and Indian descent”, and he wasn’t wrong. The massed voices of multi-cultural New Zealand did their nation proud but it was up to the 30 players on the field to make the rugby world proud.

The hosts did not disappoint their fans with a dominant display to open the festival of rugby, beating Tonga 41-10. The All Blacks led by 29-3 at half time with a pair of tries each for Israel Dagg, and Richard Kahui with Tongan, Kurt Morath scoring a penalty to put some points on the board for the visitors. The All Blacks failed to capitalise on fine first half performance but after 19 minutes of the second half gone they managed to break the resolute Tongans with another try, this time from Jerome Kaino after a neat chip from Kahui set him free to power over the line. The Tongans did not take this lying down and took the fight to the All Blacks, gaining some great possession. With New Zealand born Taumalolo burrowing his way over the try line from short range for a well-deserved try, which was converted by Morath.

Despite the five points for the host nation in the opening tie of the competition. New Zealand coach Graham Henry will be happy to have got the opening game under his belt but will be mindful of his team letting the game slip in the second period.

In some of the other opening round match ups, England and Argentina fought out a close match with England ruing five penalty misses from kicking stalwart Jonny Wilkinson. The English looked to be heading for a shock opening defeat at the hands of the Pumas as they were tailing 9-3, with 13 minutes left on the clock. However, a late try from scrum half ,Ben Youngs spared the 2003 champions blushes to leave England second in Group B behind old rivals Scotland.

On paper you would think that Scotland would have an easier task as they took on Romania, but with the Scots ability to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory the game did not seem to be going to plan for their coach Andy Robinson, as his side let a 21-11 lead slip. After victory in all but two of their last twelve encounters it seemed like it was going to be another loss for Scotland as Romania lead 24-21 with only 12 minutes remaining. Unfortunately, for Romania the Scottish kicking metronome Chris Paterson had not left his kicking boots in the dressing room as he leveled the tie before Simon Danielli went over late to take the match away from the Romanians.

Scotland put in a less than impressive display in the second of their first week matches as they struggled to stamp their authority on Georgia, as they won by the tight margin of 15 points to six. Andy Robinson’s side were defensively very strong but had no attacking dynamism which was hampered even more by the difficult wet conditions. Dan Park who was in for Chris Paterson for kicking duties managed to convert only four of his seven penalty attempts and produced all of the Scottish points from his boot. Despite Scotland’s difficulties they still sit on top of Pool ‘B’ with nine points, five ahead of England.

In Ireland’s opening tie the defensively frail United States, showed that they had heeded the warnings of their weak defence and produced one of the best defensive displays so far, holding the 2009 Six Nations Champions Ireland to three points in the first half, and could feel unlucky to have not gone into the dressing room on level terms. However, for the Eagles the Irish were just too strong in the second half running out as 22-10 victors with both side failing to gain the extra point.

The last of the home Nations, Wales can feel slightly unlucky to have lost their opening tie to reigning Webb Ellis trophy holders South Africa, after James Hooks controversial penalty kick was judged to have gone wide despite appearances, to leave the Welsh on the end of a scintillating 17-16 defeat. When questioned about the disputed penalty decision, Tournament organisers said: “Correct protocol was followed. The IRB will not be making further comment.”

In other ties, Australia won 32-6 to run out as clear winners against Italy in a one sided contest that gave them maximum points, and in first place above Ireland in Pool C. France made heavy weather in their opening game against Japan but still ran out clear winners, 47-21. The Frenched claimed the extra point to leave them in second place in Pool A behind New Zealand. Fiji were the first of the second level teams to record a victory as they beat Namibia 49-25. Unfortunately, for Namibia they also lost their second match of the week to Samoa as they the Pacific Islanders won 49-12. It leaves the Africans with no chance of qualifying for the next stage of the Cup.

Canada recorded an impressive victory over Tonga to resign them to a second consecutive defeat in a week as the Canucks ran out winners in a tightly fought contest that ended 25-20. For the Canadians it was the third time that they have defeated Tonga in World Cup competitions and means that Toga have no chance of progressing to the second stage of the Tournament.

With the second set of ties now underway and the Pools starting to take shape it is clear that the usual suspects of England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and France will be in the mix for the knockout stage. However, the only team to stamp their authority so far on the tournament seems to be Australia and their coach Robbie Deans will be very pleased with their performance. Scotland’s Andy Robinson will be happy to have nine points after two games but won’t be happy with the less then dominant performances from his side, and South Africa’s Peter De Villiers will be unhappy at the way Wales took his reigning champions so close. However, with four more games left for most teams it’s still all to play for.

About the Rugby World Cup

The IRB (International Rugby Board) Rugby World Cup 2011, is one of the preminent sporting events in the world’s sporting calendar and is held every four year. It is the globe’s third most watched sporting event after the Olympics, and the FIFA World Cup. This year’s tournament is being hosted by rugby power house nation New Zealand. The New Zealand, ‘All Blacks’ will be joined by 19 of the World’s finest rugby playing nations. Each country will compete in four ‘Pools’ in their quest to hoist the William Webb Ellis Trophy, at Eden Park, Auckland, on Sunday October 23rd after seven weeks of intense competition.

Each of the four pools consist of five teams, with the top two teams qualifying for the quarter-finals, where it becomes an elimination competition. The pool stage is a round-robin competition of ten games, with each team playing one match against each of the other teams in their group. The teams are awarded four points for a win, two points for a draw and none for a defeat. If a team scores four or more tries in one match, or if a team loses by seven points or less they will score a bonus point.

Sport: Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand – 1st Week in Review is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The summer is officially over and we’re hastily heading into the cold winter months. What’s the best way to keep yourself warm and relaxed? That’s right, the spa. There is a spa for every type of luxurious treatment dotted all over Britain, so you’ll never be short of ideas for spa hen weekends or personal trips to use up those spa day vouchers. Here, we take a look at four of the best spas from each corner of the British Isles.

ONE Spa, Scotland

One of Edinburgh’s finest spa resorts, the ONE Spa and Health Club offers a wealth of rejuvenating treatments. In a perfect mix of old and new, you can enjoy super active facials, ultimate massages and ONE’s signature experience, which comprises 25 minutes in the Serial Mud Chamber. Located between Edinburgh and Haymarket rail stations, ONE is the quintessence of Scottish spas.

Intercontinental, England

Mayfair in London is home to the one of the most luxurious spas in England, Spa InterContinental. Having recently undergone contemporary renovations, the hotel resort is now an even greater delight to immerse yourself in. Its spa days are completely personalised for every individual, as visitors can choose their favourite treatments, the lighting and even the music for their experience.

Celtic Manor, Wales

Celtic Manor is not only famous for the quality of its golf course; it also has a world-class spa on its grounds. Its beautifully contemporary treatment programme includes the steam temple with a combined mud bath and a warm tropical rain at the end to cleanse your entire body. The resort has 16 separate treatment rooms guaranteeing complete privacy and total reinvigoration.

Lough Erne, Northern Ireland

Lough Erne’s Thai Spa is something else. For a start, it is the only completely Thai Spa experience in the UK and boasts an attractively ancient approach to spa treatments. Thai spas are renowned for the quality of their massages and Lough Erne doesn’t disappoint in bringing it to Northern Ireland. It has a Crystal Aroma Steam Room, an exotic rain shower and a Deep Relaxation Area that promises to send you drifting into a serene slumber.

Image courtesy of Spa Breaks

Relaxation Britain: The Best Spas in the British Isles is a post from: Anglotopia.net

2). Museums and Heritage - Welsh history is written all over the landscape, from Neolithic burial chambers to hands-on science discovery centres. There are museums for every passion: from the origins of Wales to Doctor Who. There are Seven national museums that help tell Wales’s story through art, history and the natural environment. At Big Pit: National Coal Museum you can go 300ft (90m) underground with a real miner to discover what life was like at the coal face. A great day out guaranteed and even better, all seven museums are free to visit.

3). National Parks - There are three National Parks in Wales. Snowdonia is the largest, with the highest mountain in Wales (Snowdon) and largest natural lake (Llyn Tegid). Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is Britain’s largest coastal national park, with spectacular landscapes. For a small country, there’s a breathtaking remoteness to the Brecon Beacons, but there are also sheltered woodlands, reservoirs, waterfalls and caves.

4). Go Coastal - With 750 miles (1,200 km) of coastline, Wales has plenty of seaside resorts. In Victorian resorts likeLlandudno, you can indulge in seaside traditions like strolling along the prom. There are harbour towns, like New Quay, from which you can take a boat-ride to look for some more unusual local inhabitants – dolphins, seals and porpoises. Then there are villages where the sand and sea are the focal points – like Llangennith, the (unofficial) surf capital of Wales, with its laid-back vibe. Our coastline also has more than its fair share of Blue Flags: 45 in 2010.

5). Gardens - Wales is full of gardens. It’s location on the western edge of Britain, combined with the warming effects of the Gulf Stream, means things grow bigger and better here. That might explain why Bodnant Garden is home to the UK’s tallest California Redwood. Or why Portmeirion has a giant herbaceous flowering plant native to the Brazilian forests.

6). Great Little Trains of Wales - Built at a time when the pace of life was slower, Wales’s narrow gauge steam railways are a charming way of taking in the scenery, some having a history of well over 100 years. 2011 will be memorable for the Welsh Highland Railway as, for the first time ever, passengers will be able to ride the complete route from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, where they can jump aboard the world-famous Ffestiniog Railway. A total trip of 40 miles (64 km) – a great railway journey for anyone with a soft-spot for steam travel.

7). Galleries/Venues - In 2011, the National Museum Cardiff will complete the development of a National Museum of Art for Wales, exhibiting works by Renoir and Van Gogh alongside collections by distinguished Welsh artists. Ffotogallery in Cardiff hosts exhibitions, workshops and courses of all kinds; Oriel y Parc in St Davids is an innovative architectural home to many of the finest pieces of landscape art in Wales. The Wales Millennium Centre is a striking addition to the Cardiff landscape and home to several of Wales’s premier performing arts companies.

8). Inspired by Wales - Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven is said to have been created at Bron-yr-Aur, a cottage in southernSnowdonia. The Pembrokeshire coastline inspired the makers of the latest Harry Potter movie to build Shell Cottage, set in fictional Tinworth, on Freshwater West beach. Charles Darwin – yes, the one who ‘invented’ evolution – actually trained as a geologist and honed his skills observing the natural world during field trips across North Wales. And you can’t talk about people inspired by Wales without mentioning Dylan Thomas, who wrote many of his finest works, including Under Milk Wood, from his writing shed overlooking the Tâf Estuary.

9). Adventure - If you’ve a passion for adventure you can choose the challenge in Wales. Have a go at coasteering. First, kit yourself out in a wetsuit, helmet and buoyancy aid. Then, do everything your mum told you not to: climb, swim, slip, slide and scramble your way along the rugged coastline before throwing yourself off the cliffs into the swirling waves below. If that doesn’t appeal there’s always rock climbing, white water rafting, canyoning, caving, scrambling or paragliding. Our Visit Wales websites will point you in the right direction. So what are you waiting for? Go play.

10). Golf - Wales was proud to host The Ryder Cup in October 2010. And what a thrilling Ryder Cup it turned out to be, with Europe clinching victory over the US right at the death. But that was just the start. There’s a whole nation of golf to explore – over 200 courses – from outstanding links courses like Royal Porthcawl and Royal St David’s, or laid back courses likeclifftop Cardigan or Cradoc, and nine-hole hilly delights at St Davids City and Priskilly Forest. Golf in Wales has it all – whether you’re looking for a challenging 18-hole course, just want to ‘pay and play’ or practice your swing at the driving range.

11). Walking - Wales is a strong contender for the best walking country in Europe, maybe even the world. It’s not just the 500 miles (805 km) of National Trails, the five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the treasure trove of Welsh history or the astonishingly ancient landscape. It’s the sheer variety packed into such a relatively small space. Work continues to create the Wales Coast Path, which by 2012 will provide walkers, cyclists and horse riders a continuous 850 mile (1,368 km) path running right around the coastline. National Geographic recently voted Pembrokeshire the second best coastal destination in the world! So that’s what you should do get out there and take a walk!

12. Cardiff - Cardiff or Caerdydd as the Welsh say is the capital city of Wales. A modern and cosmopolitan city with an event calendar to rival any other European capital. In the Cardiff Bay area, you’ll find some stunning showpiece buildings; the Millennium Centre, a fantastic arts and cultural venue, the new slate and glass Welsh Parliament Building and in the city centre, the Millennium Stadium with its sliding roof. But despite all that forward thinking, it’s a city that has not forgotten its past. The Civic Centre and National Museum are one of the finest in Europe and Cardiff Castle an unexpected city centre surprise.

Top 12 Things to do in Wales – What to do in Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Summer has officially arrived, and there is no better time of year to get out to the coasts, rivers and lakes of Britain for a refreshing dip. All across the UK there are fresh, chlorine-free waterways situated in some truly stunning locations, so why not give them a try these summer holidays? Below are just a couple of suggestions to get started:

Where to Swim in England

Burgh Island, Devon

This small but picturesque island off the coast of South Devon is only accessible from the mainland at low tide. For enjoying the water though, the slack high tide is better, when keen swimmers can challenge themselves with a circuit around the island.

River Thames, Oxfordshire
The River Thames is no longer the filthy waterway of yesteryear, especially once upstream of the Tideway at Teddington Lock. A great place for a dip is in the Oxfordshire stretch, where the crisp, fresh waters offer a tranquil and picturesque setting – just watch out for boaters.

Where to Swim in Wales

Caerfai Bay, Pembrokeshire
Red and purple sandstone cliffs surround this extremely welcoming beach on the Pembrokeshire coast. This is a great spot for cheap holidays with the family, as the beach and shallows are suitable for kids, and water conditions are ideal for a good ocean swim, especially in the summer months.

Coed-y-Rhaiadr, South Wales
Coed-y-Rhaiadr is more commonly known by its translation, Waterfall Woods. This is a group of waterfalls and natural lidos sheltered by wild forest. Swimmers can leap into the plunge pool, swim beneath falls and those with snorkels can explore some amazing underwater rock formations.

Where to Swim in Scotland

Loch Ness, Inverness
In the breath-taking wilds of Scotland just outside of Inverness, this loch – famous for its mythical monster – is a great place for freshwater swimming. With temperatures not rising much above 10°C this makes for a rather brisk dip, yet there are keen swimmers here even in winter.

Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye
The best wild swims are found in wild places, and Scotland’s Isle of Skye is no exception. Skye’s natural, aqua-blue swimming holes offer swimmers of all levels a gaspingly cold but magical swim. Visitors should bring their goggles to make the most of the incredibly clear water.

Wild Summer Swimming in Britain – Where to Swim in the UK is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The eccentric Really Wild Festival will be celebrating rural traditions, wild food and countryside fun in Britain’s smallest city at the end of July.

The festival, in the ancient cathedral city of St David’s, South Wales, has a focus on food and drink. Four celebrity chefs will be giving cookery demonstrations using locally grown or produced food, including wild ingredients foraged from the hedgerows, coast, beach and river. Marquees, yurts and trade stands will sell a wide variety of local food, drink and craftwork.

There will also be walks, talks and storytelling sessions, demonstrations of rural crafts such as wood-carving and weaving, pony-riding courtesy of the St Davids Trekking Centre, a display of unusual small horses by members of the Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain, and bizarre sports including ferret-racing, pig-racing and wellie-wanging (throwing a wellington boot as far as possible). Now in its seventh year, this is the first Really Wild Festival to feature live music, with a concert on Saturday evening.

The tiny city of St Davids is situated on the far south-west coast of Wales, within the beautiful Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. St David’s Cathedral, built in the 12th century, was a popular pilgrimage destination throughout the middle ages. A few minutes’ walk outside the city is a peaceful field with views of St Davids Head and Ramsey Island – the site of the Really Wild Festival on 29–30 July.

Really Wild Festival, Whitesands Road, St Davids, Pembrokeshire SA62 6PH
Website: www.reallywildfestival.co.uk

Going really wild in South Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The country of Wales is also known as the Castle Capital of the world. It’s home to nearly 400 castles in various states of ruin with about 100 being used today or restored for visitors. We’ve gone through all the castles we could find and found the best castles worth visiting if you’re planning a trip to Wales.

We’ve gathered the most interesting information from Wikipedia, the coolest pictures we could find, as well as the info on how to visit some of these great buildings yourself.

So, without further ado, here’s our list of the most awesome Castles in Wales.

Hensol Castle

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Hensol Castle is a castellated mansion in the gothic architecture style dating from the late 17th century or early 18th century. It is located north of Clawdd Coch and Tredodridge in the parish of Pendoylan in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It is a Grade 1 listed building.

The Hensol estate dates from at least 1419. It was owned by the Jenkins family in the seventeenth century, and the house was said to have been built by David Jenkins’ great-grandfather, David Tew. The famous judge David Jenkins (1582–1663), the son of “Jenkin Richard of Hensol in the parish of Pendeulwyn” was born at Hensol. He was described in old documents as “Counsellor at Law, and one of the judges of the Western Circuit in the reign of King Charles I”. Judge Jenkins was a man of great force of character and some eccentricity, named “Heart of Oak” and “Pillar of the Law”. Being a staunch royalist, he took an active part against the Parliamentarians, during the Civil War, condemning several to death for activities deemed treasonable. He was captured at either Hereford or Oxford in 1645 and sent to the Tower of London. He refused to kneel at the bar of the House of Commons and was fined £1,000 for his contempt. He was impeached for high treason, and when an act was passed for his trial, he met it with a declaration that he would “die with the Bible under one arm and Magna Carta under the other”. After the restoration of the monarchy under King Charles II, he was liberated in 1656 and returned to his estate in Glamorgan where he subsequently died and was buried at Cowbridge. His wife, Cecil, was daughter of Sir Thomas Aubrey, of Llantrithyd.

In November 1926 he sold the castle and estate of 1,082 acres (4.38 km2) to Glamorgan County Council for the sum of £36,500 for use as a County mental hospital. Part of the estate was divided up into smallholdings. Hensol hospital was opened in July 1930 as a “colony” for 100 men with learning disabilities (“mental defectives” in the terminology of the time). New blocks were built in the grounds in 1935 to accommodate up to 460 men, women and children and in 1937 it was visited by Sir Kingsley Wood, Minister of Health. At that time it housed 343 inmates and the Minister was reported a saying that he hoped to take back to his work in London fresh ideas which one could never obtain from minutes and records. Further building and expansion took place with the advent of the National Health Service in 1948. Latterly in the 20th century, with the move towards community care for people with learning disabilities, the number of patients progressively decreased. In the 1980s the ground floor of the house became a conference centre and, from 1992 to 2002, the upper two stories housed the Wales School of Occupational Therapy .The hospital closed in 2003 and the castle and grounds were bought by local businessman and supporter of sport in Wales, Gerald Leeke, chairman of the Leekes group of companies who had previously built the 145-bed Vale of Glamorgan Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort on adjacent land. Some of the old hospital buildings have been converted in luxury apartments. Hensol Castle was used to film scenes of Whitehall in the 1992 movie Rebecca’s Daughters and scenes set in 10 Downing Street for the BBC television Doctor Who episode “Aliens of London.”

Castle Location: Vale of Glamorgan
Castle Website: Official Website

Chirk Castle

photo credit: maz.nu

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Chirk Castle is a castle located at Chirk, Wrexham, Wales.The castle was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March as part of King Edward I’s chain of fortresses across the north of Wales. It guards the entrance to the Ceiriog Valley. It was the administrative centre for the Marcher Lordship of ChirklandThe castle was bought by Thomas Myddelton in 1595 for £5,000 (approx. £11 million as of 2008). His son, Thomas Myddelton of Chirk Castle was a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War, but became a Royalist during the Cheshire Rising of 1659. Following the Restoration, his son became Sir Thomas Myddelton, 1st Baronet of Chirke.During the 1930s the Castle was home to Thomas Scott-Ellis, 8th Baron Howard de Walden, a prominent patron of the arts and champion of Welsh culture. The Myddelton family resided at Chirk Castle until 2004. Lieutenant-Colonel Ririd Myddleton was an extra equerry to Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 until his death in 1988.The castle is presently in the ownership of the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty and is open to the public between February and October. The state rooms, towers and dungeons are staffed by well informed guides. The property is also notable for its gardens, with clipped yew hedges, herbaceous borders, rock gardens and terraces and surrounded by 18th century parkland.

Castle Location: Chirk, Wrexham
Castle Website: Official Website

Powis Castle

photo credit: Gruban

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Powis Castle  is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country mansion located near the town of Welshpool, in Powys, Mid Wales. The residence of the Earl of Powis, the castle is known for its extensive, attractive formal gardens, terraces, parkland, deerpark and landscaped estate. The property is under the care of the National Trust, who operate it under the name “Powis Castle and Garden.” Queen Victoria visited the castle during her tour through England and Wales in 1832.

Castle Location: Powys, Mid Wales
Castle Website: Official Website

Carew Castle

photo credit: ammgramm

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Carew Castle is a castle in the civil parish of Carew in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire. The famous Carew family take their name from the place, and still own the castle, although it is leased to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, which administers the site.

The castle stands on a limestone bluff overlooking the Carew inlet — a part of the tidal estuary that makes up Milford Haven. The site must have been recognised as strategically useful from the earliest times, and recent excavations in the outer ward have discovered multiple defensive walls of an Iron Age fort.

The Norman castle has its origins in a stone keep built by Gerald de Windsor around the year 1100. Gerald was made castellan of Pembroke Castle by Arnulf of Montgomery in the first Norman invasion of Pembrokeshire. He married Nest, princess of Deheubarth around 1095. Nest brought the manor of Carew as part of her dowry, and Gerald cleared the existing fort to build his own castle on Norman lines. The original outer walls were timber, and only the keep was of stone. This still exists in the later structure as the “Old Tower”.

Castle Location: Carew
Castle Website: Official Website

Pembroke Castle

photo credit: Andrew Last

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Pembroke Castle is a medieval castle in Pembroke, West Wales. The first castle was established in 1093 during the Norman invasion of Wales. However its present appearance owes much to William Marshal, one of the most powerful men in 12th-Century Britain.

Pembroke Castle stands on a site that has been occupied since, at least, the Roman period. Yet its history is one of inheritance and acquisition not wars and sieges.

Pembroke Castle remained in ruins until 1880 when a three-year restoration project was undertaken. Nothing further was done until World War I veteran Major-General Sir Ivor Philipps acquired the castle in 1928 and started an extensive restoration of the castle’s walls, gatehouses and towers. After his death a trust was set up for the castle, jointly managed by the Philipps family and Pembroke Town council. The castle is open to the public. It remains the largest privately-owned castle in Wales.

Castle Location: Pembrokeshire
Castle Website: Official Website

Picton Castle

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Picton Castle is a medieval castle near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Originally built at the end of the 13th century by Sir John Wogan and is still inhabited by his descendants, the Philipps family.  The estates, gardens and parkland of Picton Castle was once part of the larger Manor of Wiston, but had became a separate holding, replacing Wiston Castle by the 13th century. Picton Castle began as a motte castle and was reconstructed in stone by the Wogan family during the 13th century. In 1405, French troops supporting Owain Glyndwr attached and held the Castle, and it was seized again during the English Civil War in 1645 by Parliamentary forces.

The Picton Castle estate was acquired by the Phillips family when Sir Thomas ap Philip of Cilsant married Jane, daughter and heiress of Sir Henry Dwnn, of Picton in the 1490s. Sir John Philipps, who inherited the castle in the 15th century, remodelled the building and created a new entrance which remained until the 1820s when a new entrance was designed by Thomas Rowlands (who also designed Slebech Church). The estate remained with the Phillips family until the death of Lord Milford in 1823, when it was inherited by his cousin Richard Grant, who assumed the surname Philipps and was created a Baronet in 1828 and Baron Milford in 1847. His heir was his half-brother, the Reverend James Henry Alexander Philipps (formerly Gwyther), who assumed by royal licence the surname and arms of Philipps. On his death the estate passed to his son-in-law, Charles Edward Gregg Philipps, who was created a Baronet, of Picton, in 1887 (see Philipps Baronets) then to Sir Richard Foley Foley-Philipps, cousin of Sir John Erasmus, and grandson of Charles Edward Gregg Philipps. The estate is now run by the Picton Castle Trust, and the present owner, Jeremy Philipps, lives in a lodge in the grounds.

Castle Location: Pembrokeshire

Castle Website: Official Website

Beaumaris Castle

photo credit: Vix_B

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Beaumaris Castle, located in Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales was built as part of King Edward I’s campaign to conquer the north of Wales. It was designed by James of St. George and was begun in 1295, but never completed. Beaumaris has been designated as a World Heritage site.Beaumaris castle was positioned to face the royal llys at Abergwyngregyn on the opposite shore of the Menai Strait and was intended, along with Conwy Castle and Caernarfon Castle at either end of the Menai Strait, to overshadow the Welsh Royal home and centre of resistance in the English forces.

Castle Location: Anglesey

Castle Website: Official Website

Caldicot Castle

photo credit: nicksarebi

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Caldicot Castle is an extensive stone medieval castle in the town of Caldicot, Monmouthshire, in southeast Wales. It was at one time a possession of Thomas of Woodstock, a son of King Edward III of England.

From 1885 to 1964, the Cobb family owned the castle. Joseph Cobb’s family remained at the castle after his death and it was his son Geoffrey Wheatley Cobb, and in particular Geoffrey Wheatley’s wife Anna, who continued the work of restoration. Geoffrey Wheatley died in 1931. In 1943, after Anna’s death, the castle passed to Joseph’s grandson, Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Cobb. In part to counteract the shortage of housing in Caldicot at the time, Geoffrey and his wife Barbara opened the castle to a succession of young married couples and families, who rented furnished apartments in three of the towers and in parts of the gatehouse. In 1964, Chepstow Rural District Council bought the castle from the Cobb family for £12,000. By then, much council housing was available locally and the tenancies gradually came to an end. The castle, including a small museum, was opened to the public in 1965. After 1967, medieval-style banquets were held there. The castle is reputed to be haunted by a number of ghosts and spirits including a grey lady (who is believed to be Alianore de Bohun), hooded monks, a beggar boy and a mischievous poltergeist. At the centre of the activity is the Gatehouse Banqueting Hall; shadowy figures, as well as moving furniture, has been witnessed in this area. Many people have experienced unusual cold spots, as well as hearing footsteps in vacant parts of the castle. The Castle offers Fright Nights and Ghost Tours to visitors wishing to experience these mysterious goings-on for themselves.

Castle Location: Monmouthshire
Castle Website: Official Website

Chepstow Castle

photo credit: Aim low, play bass

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Chepstow Castle (Welsh: Cas-gwent), located in Chepstow, Monmouthshire in Wales, on top of cliffs overlooking the River Wye, is the oldest surviving stone fortification in Britain. It was built under the instruction of the Norman Lord William fitzOsbern, soon made Earl of Hereford, from 1067, and was the southernmost of a chain of castles built along the English-Welsh border in the Welsh Marches.

Castle Location: Monmouthshire

Castle Website: A Website

Cardiff Castle

photo credit: Patrick Denker

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.

In 1947, the Bute South Wales estates having all been sold, the castle, and surrounding park, was gifted to the City of Cardiff by the fifth Marquis. It is now a popular tourist attraction, and houses a regimental museum in addition to the ruins of the old castle and the Victorian reconstruction. It sits in the expansive grounds of Bute Park.The castle has hosted a number of rock concerts and performances and has the capacity to accommodate over 10,000 people. Notable concerts include the Stereophonics’s Live at Cardiff Castle in June 1998 and Green Day in 2002. Tom Jones performed here before a large crowd in 2001; it is on DVD, Tom Jones: Live at Cardiff Castle. In 1948 a crowd of 16,000, a record for a British baseball game, watched Wales defeat England in Cardiff Castle grounds. Cardiff Castle plays host to Cardiff University’s Summer Ball each year. It is the site of Wales’ largest Mardi Gras held every August.

Castle Location: Cardiff
Castle Website: Official Website

Bodelwyddan Castle

photo credit: Sarah Giesecke-Green

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Bodelwyddan Castle, close to the village of Bodelwyddan, near Rhyl, Denbighshire in Wales, was built around 1460 by the Humphreys family of Anglesey as a manor house. Its most important association was with the Williams-Wynn family, which extended for around 200 years from 1690. It is now a Grade II* Listed Building.

The castle was bought from the Humphreys by Sir William Williams, Speaker in the House of Commons from 1680-1681. The castle which stands today was reconstructed between 1830 and 1852 by Sir John Hay Williams, who employed the architects Joseph Hansom (inventor of the Hansom cab) and Edward Welch to refurbish and extend the house, though the Williams’ family fortunes had started to decline since the 1850s, due to the loss of the main source of income for the estate, lead mining. The castle has been described as one of Hansom’s most ambitious projects, “being wildly dramatic and owing nothing to its predecessors”.

At the same time works were carried out to construct an estate wall and formal gardens.Further refurbishment work was carried out in the 1880s by Sir Herbert, 7th baronet, who inherited Bodelwyddan Castle from his heirless cousin.By the First World War the house had become a recuperation hospital for wounded soldiers. During this time, the grounds of the estate were used by soldiers based at the nearby Kinmel Camp for trench warfare training. Traces of these trenches can still be seen.By 1920, the cost of maintaining the castle and estate had grown too burdensome, and the Williams-Wynn family leased Bodelwyddlan to Lowther College, a girls private school.

In the 1980s, the site was bought by Clwyd County Council with the aim of developing the castle as a visitor attraction. Partnerships were formed with several prominent museums and art galleries, such as the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Academy of Arts, so that the castle could be used to display objects from these collections. In order to house these items, the interior of the castle was restored by Roderick Gradidge, an expert on Victorian architecture.Part of the site was leased to the Rank Organisation in 1994 for development into a luxury hotel – Bodelwyddan Castle Hotel and this use remains today.

Castle Location: Denbighshire
Castle Website: Official Website

Caernarfon Castle

photo credit: Foucalt

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Caernarfon Castle (Welsh: Castell Caernarfon) is a medieval building in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. There was a motte-and-bailey castle in the town of Caernarfon from the late 11th century until 1283 when King Edward I of England began replacing it with the current stone structure. The Edwardian town and castle acted as the administrative centre of north Wales and as a result the defences were built on a grand scale. There was a deliberate link with Caernarfon’s Roman past – nearby is the Roman fort of Segontium – and the castle’s walls are reminiscent of the Walls of Constantinople.

While the castle was under construction, town walls were built around Caernarfon. The work cost between £20,000 and £25,000 from the start until the end of work in 1330. Despite Caernarfon Castle’s external appearance of being mostly complete, the interior buildings no longer survive and many of the building plans were never finished. The town and castle were sacked in 1294 when Madog ap Llywelyn led a rebellion against the English. Caernarfon was recaptured the following year. During the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415, the castle was besieged. When the Tudor dynasty ascended to the English throne in 1485, tensions between the Welsh and English began to diminish and castles were considered less important. As a result, Caernarfon Castle was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.

Despite its dilapidated condition, during the English Civil War Caernarfon Castle was held by Royalists, and was besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. Caernarfon Castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. In 1911, Caernarfon Castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales, and again in 1969. It is part of the World Heritage Site “Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd.”

Castle Location: Gwynedd
Castle Website: Official Website

Penrhyn Castle

photo credit: Gruban

Castle Trivia from Wikipedia:

Penrhyn Castle is a country house in Llandegai, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, in the form of a Norman castle. It was originally a medieval fortified manor house, founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In 1438, Ioan ap Gruffudd was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the stone castle and added a tower house. Samuel Wyatt reconstructed the property in the 1780s.

The present building was created between 1820 and 1840 to designs by Thomas Hopper, who expanded and transformed the building beyond recognition. However a spiral staircase from the original property can still be seen, and a vaulted basement and other masonry were incorporated into the new structure. Hopper’s client was George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, who had inherited the Penrhyn estate on the death of his second cousin, Richard Pennant, who had made his fortune from Jamaican sugar and local slate quarries. The eldest of George’s two daughters, Juliana, married Grenadier Guard, Edward Gordon Douglas, who, on inheriting the estate on George’s death in 1845, adopted the hyphenated surname of Douglas-Pennant.

Hugh Napier Douglas-Pennant, 4th Lord Penrhyn, died in 1949, and the castle and estate passed to his niece, Lady Janet Pelham, who, on inheritance, adopted the surname of Douglas-Pennant. In 1951 the castle and 40,000 acres (160 km²) of land were accepted by the Treasury in lieu of death duties from Lady Janet. It now belongs to the National Trust and is open to the public.

Castle Location: Gwynedd
Castle Website: Official Website

What’s your favorite castle in Wales? Let us know in the comments!

Top 13 Best Castles in Wales With Beautiful Pictures – Top Welsh Castles is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The oldest classical music festival in Wales takes place again this summer in the country house where it was born.

There is a gold theme to the 2011 Gregynog Festival. The Cardinall’s Musick, winners of Gramophone’s Record of the Year Award in 2010, will perform Field of Cloth of Gold. The King’s Singers present All that Glistens, which includes the world première of a new commission by American choral composer Eric Whitacre. Ex Cathedra will perform music from the Latin American Baroque in a program called Rivers of Gold.

As usual, the festival has attracted performers from overseas, including the Escher String Quartet from America and Iranian-born harpsichord virtuoso Mahan Esfahani. The Australian guitarist Craig Ogden will present Golden Dawn with flautist Judith Hall.

The young Welsh folk band Calan, who won first prize at the 2010 Festival Interceltique in Lorient Brittany, will open the festival on 17 June. It continues until 3 July.

Many performances take place in the intimate setting of Gregynog’s Music Room. Other venues include St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury, Y Morlan, Aberystwyth, and Montgomery Town Hall.

The festival was founded in 1933 by sisters Gwendoline and Margaret Davies, who were pioneering collectors of contemporary French and British art. Gregynog Hall, which was their private home, is 8km (5 miles) north of Newtown in Mid Wales.

Gregynog Hall, Tregynon, Powys SY16 3PW
Tel: +44 1686 207100 (box office)
Website: www.gwylgregynogfestival.org

A golden music festival in Mid Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Visit Cardiff Castle

If you’re planning a trip to the UK you should definitely include the exciting an exceptionally beautiful country of Wales. The whole family can enjoy Wales year round, and you should always be able to find somewhere great to stay as there are more than enough Cardiff B&Bs, Swansea hotels and Brecon holiday cottages for you to choose from.

Booklovers visiting Wales simply have to take a tour through the famous book town of Hay-on-Wye in Powys. This small town is home to more than thirty bookshops, many of which are popular for their stocks of rare and hard to come by books. If you’re a collector, chances are you can find what you’re after at one of these shops. Hay-on-Wye is also known for the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts that’s held in the town once a year. If you’re visiting around the time of the festival you’ll get a chance to sit in on book readings by some of the best authors in the world.

Those who prefer historical attractions will love Caerphilly Castle. This castle is actually the largest in Wales and the second largest in

Britain, so is understandably popular with visitors to Wales. Caerphilly Castle was completed in 1271 and, considering its age, is still in very good condition today.A visit to Caerphilly Castle will teach you all about the castle’s history and the people that once lived in it.

Visit Castell Coch

Many of the rooms have been reconstructed to show how they would have been used, and you can take a guided tour throughout the castle to get a better insight into its timeline. Photographers should bring their cameras and snap some great photos of the castle and the impressive grounds.Remember to also visit the fairytale Castell Coch, a folly built by an eccentric.

You can also check out the National Museum of Cardiff – if you’re trying to keep the cost of your holiday down you can take a walk around the museum and the attached art gallery for free. You’ll find everything from dinosaur skeletons to archaeological finds from across the globe. Everyone can find something that interests them in this museum, and children will especially enjoy the interactive exhibits.

Wales has over 700 miles worth of coastline that you can take advantage of all year round. There is a huge selection of beaches for you to choose from – ones what are popular with surfers and other watersports enthusiasts, ones suitable for families and lots that are best for sunbathers. If the idea of staying close to the beach is something you’re interested in there are loads of Llandudno Hotels on offer.

Visit Wales' Best Beach

One of the best

beaches on the Welsh coastline is Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire. This beach is constantly being referred to as Pembrokeshire’s ‘jewel in the crown’ as

it’s widely considered to be the most beautiful of Wales’ beaches.

Unfortunately the only way to reach this particular stretch of coastline is to take the coastal path, which includes some steep climbs; although this does mean that the bay is never overly busy. To learn more check out our list of the best beaches in Wales.

Things to do in Wales – Great Days Out In Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

This trip comes via Visit Wales. You have the chance to win a luxury vacation for two to Wales, the home of many screen legends.

The prize:

You can win an exciting Wales vacation for two including:

• Two round-trip economy flights from the United States to London on American Airlines
• Three nights at the Quay Hotel and Spa: “Luxury on the North Wales Coast.”
• Two First-Class, Four-Day BritRail FlexiPasses
• A chance to meet photographer Cambridge Jones.
• Prize is subject to terms and conditions.

For more information, click here to enter!

Good luck!

Anglophile Alert: Win a Luxury Trip To Wales for Two is a post from: Anglotopia.net

In honor of the Ryder Cup currently going on in Wales, Visit Wales have announced a contest for a chance to win a trip to wales.

Here are the details:

To celebrate our first Ryder Cup we’re offering you the chance to win an amazing Wales vacation in our sweepstakes. The Celtic Manor Resort’s Twenty Ten course.  is the first purpose built for the tournament!American Airlines,  Visit Wales and the VisitBritain Shop offer you the chance to win an amazing vacation to Wales.

The prize includes:

• Round-trip economy flights for two from the United States to London, courtesy of American Airlines.
• Three nights accommodation with breakfast at the four star Parc Hotel in downtown Cardiff.
• Two nights accommodation with breakfast at the Celtic Manor Resort, dinner for two and a round of golf on the Twenty Ten Course.
• A one-day excursion tour for two people, courtesy of See Wales; and round-trip “airport to anywhere” bus tickets for two for travel from London to Cardiff, courtesy of National Express and the VisitBritain Shop.

You have until November 30th to enter.

To enter this contest, click here.

Anglophile Alert: Contest to Win A Trip To Wales is a post from: Anglotopia.net

As any fellow Ricknik would know – Rick Steves spend 4 months of the year traveling in Europe – seeing the site and updating his fantastic guidebooks.

He’s returned from a glorious summer galavanting across Europe and published some observations about England that I thought were worth sharing. He spent quite a bit of time in Britain this past summer.

In Conwy in North Wales, the fisherman’s harbor was fixed up by EU money, but EU regulations require that fish must be transported in refrigerated trucks. Those trucks couldn’t fit through the gate to the new harbor, so they set up shop in the next town. Now Conwy has a fine fisherman’s harbor…with no fishermen.

Windsor, which is just under the landing path of planes coming into London’s Heathrow Airport, is a delightful town at night. It has inexpensive B&Bs (compared to London prices), a wonderful pedestrian zone along the
Thames River and in the shadow of the hulking Windsor Castle, and an enticing array of small restaurants. Windsor gave me a peaceful and charming last night in England before flying out.

I am a sucker for old, historic, black-and-white photos. Many small and charming towns have no museums or organized way to let people know what they were like a century ago. But a few hotel lobbies, pubs, and cafés collect and display old photos, serving as a small history gallery for visitors. While it may sound weird, I find this is a plus when I consider recommending a place.

For silly and personal reasons (which I won’t share), I included Blackpool in Europe’s Top 20 Destinations in the special edition Smithsonian magazine we recently produced with the wonderful people on that staff. Visiting Blackpool last month, I was hoping it would charm me in the gut-bomb, white-trash way only Blackpool can. But the place depressed me. Two men greeted me by showing me their new tattoos that still made their butt cheeks all red. And it went downhill from there.

I desperately needed a couple of good B&Bs to recommend in my Blackpool chapter. I found a great one, but the woman who runs it was furious at me for my industrial espionage methods of research. (I drop in and say I need a room. They show me a couple as if I’m a prospective customer. Then, once I’ve seen how they treat travelers without knowing who I am, I tell them I don’t really need a room and that I’m researching for a guidebook.) She just stopped talking with me, so I couldn’t complete my research interview to get the information on the hotel I needed to write up a new listing. It was strange to be essentially thrown out of a hotel that I’ll still write up and recommend and send lots of business to in the coming year via my guidebook.
Blackpool is a study in people watching. For a long time I observed a woman, in a carnival-like trance, digging dreamily into her piggy bank, dropping in coin after coin in hopes of winning a tiny teddy bear.

The people of Blackpool are so impressed by the goofy tableaux that line their main drag (big, garish, cartoon-like installations that are strewn with little electric lights). I can’t imagine that they were impressive, even back in the 1960s when they were set up. But then I went to the Funny Girls drag show, had a wonderful time, met one of the performers — a gorgeous Filipino named Christopher — who “absolutely loves my show.” And I remembered what Blackpool was all about: unbridled, unpretentious, lowbrow fun.

As I say in my guidebook, the Cumbrian Lake District in North England is beautiful, but its beauty is even more striking when coming from crass Blackpool. Keswick is my slam-dunk favorite home base for exploring the Lake District. Intending to freshen up my hotel and B&B listings, I spent a morning visiting new places. I toured a great guesthouse, thinking I was incognito. When I told Gillian (who ran the place) who I was, she said, “You’re not going to insult my carpet, are you?” Startled and confused, I asked what brought on that random comment. She said that her friend was in my book, and I described her place as “good in spite of the tired, kitschy carpet,” and she considered that insulting. It was funny to me because I didn’t even think she knew who I was, much less how I described the carpet in a competing B&B.

Rick Steves Observations from Wales:

As in the States, people in Britain have been trained by the media to talk about “The Crisis.” For 10 days, all I saw was Britain at play. But the metabolism of tourism is certainly down. It’s sad to see lively cultural events like the medieval folk banquet in Ruthin (North Wales) and the sheep shows (Ewe-phoria in North Wales and the Cockermouth Lakeland Sheep and Sheepdog show near Keswick) fall out of business. All three were major sights in my guidebook. And now all three are gone.

For 20 years, I’ve built my North Wales coverage in part around the medieval banquet at Ruthin Castle. Driving into Ruthin, knowing its banquet was out of business, I intended to cut the town entirely from my guidebook. I was on edge, moody, as if I was about to commit a violent act. I was mad that the town would drop the one thing that put it on travelers’ map. I was going to kill it.

But as soon as I entered my good old Ruthin — and saw the funky half-timbered pubs, the humble fountain, the cheap but beloved WWI monument, the home where Cynthia Lennon lived after John left her, the church with the never-locked wrought-iron gate where everything is in Welsh, and the views down cobbled lanes leading directly into forested hills — I lost my nerve and knew I’d have to keep it in my book. Even without the banquet — the wenches playing harps, the noble lord telling Irish jokes, and the rotund voices of Welshmen and -women raising the rafters of the castle dining hall to the delight of tourists from around the world — I couldn’t cut Ruthin entirely. I scaled my coverage down, but kept the city.

The new attraction for me — perhaps a sign of the times — was not the medieval folk banquet, but the panache that Christopher and Gavin (a big-city couple) have brought their adopted hometown with their artful guesthouse and restaurant. They’re gay, artsy, and flamboyant — a little dicey when they first came to this rural town. But within a couple of years, they and their restaurant were established. In fact, Gavin was actually mayor (actually, “president of the town council”). Today when locals want the best meal in town, they go to the Manorhaus, and are served by Gavin and Christopher.

On the joys of hiking in Britain:

I just spent 10 days in a car exploring Britain. I forgot to note the mileage, but I started in London, scoured the Cotswolds, toured North Wales, and then drove up north to the Windermere Lake District (near Keswick), before returning to London. Total cost for diesel: £120 (about $185).

For the first time, I really took time to hike in the Cotswolds and the Lake District. And when I think back on the highlights of the last 10 days, those hikes were it. Nothing too demanding — just hiking through farmland from Stow-on-the-Wold through the Slaughters to Bourton-on-the-Water and back in the Cotswolds; and up along Catbells, high above the lake called Derwentwater in the Lake District.

The point: I can’t imagine a better way to spend three hours in a day. Every day has three hours to spare. What else is so important between 4 o’clock and dinnertime? With these walks, I take home vivid memories.
In the Cotswolds: farms in action viewed from behind, ducks rudely butt-up in millponds, rabbits popping up in fields like some video game challenge, ancient wind-sculpted trees, wet and slippery kissing gates, and slender slate church spires marking distant villages where a hot cuppa tea awaits.

In the Lake District, I struggled up and over Catbells — a ridge walk I’ve recommended for years (and felt guilty having never actually hiked). The weather almost kept me in. But I was glad I ventured out — the wind “blowing the cobwebs out” (as my B&B host warned) once atop Catbells ridge, the comedic baa-ing of sheep, being the stick figure on the ridge for those observing from distant farms or boats on the lake…as others have always been the stick figures for me.

And, oh, the joy of a pub after a good hike. Studying the light on ruddy faces while sipping the local brew in a pub has always been part of the magic of travel in Britain. When your face is weather-stung and your legs ache happily with accomplishment, the pub ambience sparkles even better.

About the weather: In Britain, you don’t wait for the weather to get good. Blustery weather is part of the scene. Consider it a blessing. The majority of “bad weather” comes with broken spells of brightness. Don’t get greedy — you wish for and are thankful for brightness, not sunshine. As they say here, there’s no bad weather…just inappropriate clothing. And if you’re in a hiking area and your clothing is inappropriate, your B&B host can likely loan you a heavy coat (along with the best local map).

Hiking along the ridge, with the weather — like a dark army — storming overhead, the wind buffeting in my ears, my camera bulging but dry under my coat, and a commanding 360-degree lakes view…makes me want to turn cartwheels.

Source: Rick Steves Blog Gone Europe

Rick Steves: Rick’s Observations of England from his Recent Travels is a post from: Anglotopia.net

The BBC held the press launch for the new series of Doctor Who starring Matt Smith today in Cardiff.

A couple news pieces came out of the event:

• There will be a Christmas special for Christmas 2010
• There will be a new series of Doctor Who this time next year as well

Here’s an excellent video captured by the awesome folks at Blogtor who that features an interview with new Doctor Matt Smith and also shows an exclusive clip from the first episode of the new series, The 11th hour.

Enjoy!

Doctor Who: Press Launch today for the 11th Hour – Clip Inside is a post from: Anglotopia.net

When I was growing up the one show that really inspired me to travel to Europe was the wonderful – if a little hokey – travel show presented by Rick Steves on PBS.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, some of those shows are now available online and we can share them with you.

So, as part of an ongoing series, here’s some of Rick Steves’ shows from Britain.

Rick Steves’ Europe: North Wales Feisty and Poetic

Rick Steves in Wales: Rick Steves’s Europe – North Wales Feisty and Poetic is a post from: Anglotopia.net

A Beginner’s Guide to British Pubs:

The pub is a very important aspect of British life and it can be very confusing place for foreigners to navigate. Well, I found this pretty cool guide that fills you in on the British pub etiquette and knowledge you’ll need to not look like a fool in a British pub.

From the Site:

The pub, short for ‘public house’, is an integral part of British life. In many parts of the world, most bars are little more than functional drinking holes. In Britain, though, a pub is typically much more than this: it can be a meeting place, an entertainment centre, the focal point of a community. As a visitor, popping into one or two pubs will help you to understand what the country and its people are like, beyond the usual tourist images of castles, royals and Shakespeare.

A Beginner’s Guide to British Pubs

Lonely Isles – Guide to the Scottish Isles:

I’m always intrigued the small corners and forgotten isles all around Britain and I found this pretty cool site focused on information on the abandoned and sparsely populated islands off the coast of Scotland. Pretty cool stuff with lots of pictures.

Lonely Isles – Guide to the Scottish Isles

Gathering the Jewels – Guide to Welsh Heritage and Culture

If you’re interested in Welsh history and culture, then this site is for you. It’s filled with information on everything you could possibly want to know about Wales from laws, religion, history and much more. Pretty cool resource for Welshophiles out there.

Gather the Jewels

Guide to the Australian Citizenship Test:

This really cool website is an online guide to the Australian Citizenship test. It features all kinds of information about Australian History and politics that are interesting,even if you aren’t taking the test.

Check out the Australian Citizenship Test Site here.

15 Things You Can’t Miss in Australia:

This list from travel site Matador Trips gives a pretty cool list (with pretty pictures) of the Top 15 things to see in Australia, if you’re fortunate enough to be able to take a trip there.

15 Things You Can’t Miss in Australia

Anglophile Links: Link Friday Weekly Roundup is a post from: Anglotopia.net