Friday, 18 August 1944

Log of a Cycle Tour to North Wales, by Roy Spurgeon, with Leslie Lee.   17 August   19 August

When we awoke, the weather was extremely dull, the hills opposite being nearly covered with clouds, whilst others scudded past the Hostel windows like patches of smoke, seldom more than a few feet off the ground. We really had "our heads in the clouds" more than once. We were informed by a gloomy co-hosteller that the weather would not improve "until the clouds lifted off the Moelwyns".

Unfortunately, this prophecy proved only too true, for shortly afterwards the rain started and it continued to fall all day with only very brief intervals. At breakfast, we decided we would try to obtain permission to stay in the Hostel for a while, particularly as we had no definite destination on this day and were spending the next night at this Hostel too; so we ordered lunch in the village. Back at the Hostel, we got our permission and set to work polishing up the self-cookers dining room. Tiring of this, I offered to take the warden on at table tennis, upon which we had heard she was very keen. Having polished her off, too, it was time for lunch, so we made our way, on foot, in the pouring rain, up to the village.

We had a very excellent meal and then discovered that the rain had stopped, though the weather still looked very uncertain so we laid plans to go by bus into Harlech. Having plenty of time, we were recommended to visit the falls near Ffestiniog on the Cynfal river, a tributary of the Afon Dwyryd (see photo of Hugh Lloyd's pulpit). This involved a tramp of about a mile through the folds of the hills, but was well worth it, both for the sake of the falls themselves and for the fine view we obtained whilst on the way back, looking right down the whole length of the Vale of Ffestiniog (see photo). Our next step was to catch the bus to Harlech at 1534 hours. This we accomplished although we had to wait in the cold and rain, which had started again in earnest. We were soon travelling back in comparative comfort over the ground we had covered the day before.

We got off the bus at Harlech and sat down to tea in a cafe opposite the castle, with a Lancashire lassie whom we had met on the bus and who was staying at Harlech Hostel. She informed us that she had spent the day on top of the Moelwyns, which we thought a rather peculiar pastime in view of the prevailing weather. Having finished tea and taken leave of our passing acquaintance, we went into the castle.

The wind blowing in from the Irish Sea was terrific and it was really quite dangerous work walking along the battlements. It is remarkable that this fine old castle is in such good condition (see photo), since its position on the hillside leaves it wide open to the full force of the elements. The castle overlooks a large, flat, triangular piece of land, with sides about three miles long, known as Morfa Harlech; this is land which the sea has given up as, during the centuries, it has receded towards the west, for when Harlech Castle was built by Edward I as one of his chain of castles to dominate the Welsh during the 13th Century, the sea washed the base of the rock on which it stands. The castle has been the scene of many historic engagements, culminating in the Wars of the Roses when it was the last stronghold of the Lancastrians in the 15th Century. A truly magnificent view can be obtained from the top of the castle walls, the golden sands all along the coast being particularly outstanding.

Having seen all there was to be seen of the ruins, we left the castle and caught the bus at 1805 hours back to Ffestiniog and supper. During the course of this meal, we endeavoured to make the proprietress's dog, a large animal believed to be a Great Dane, understand us. Our efforts met with no success and we were regretfully forced to the conclusion that in Wales even the dogs speak Welsh. After supper and a glass of cider, we returned to the Hostel, in pouring rain, to bed (4186.5).

Total cycling distance for the day - 9.2 miles, entirely taken up by local runs for meals, etc.

Next day: 19 August