INCLUDING BEAUMARIS, CARNARVON, THE LAKES OF LLANBERRIS, CONWAY, LLANRWST, LLANGOLLEN, &c. FROM THE TWENTY-SIXTH TO THE TWENTY-NINTH JULY, 1825. BY A GENTLEMAN OF LIVERPOOL. First printed in the Kaleidoscope of August 2d, 9th, and 16th of the same year, and now reprinted; together with AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING SOME PARTICULARS OF REMARKABLE OBJECTS AND PLACES MENTIONED IN “THE TRIP.” SECOND EDITION . LIVERPOOL: PRINTED BY E. SMITH AND CO. 75, LORD-STREET, AND SOLD BY THE BOOKSELLERS 1826.

I had never been in Wales beyond the border counties of Flint, Denbigh, and Montgomery, and was, of course, a stranger to the best scenery of the Principality.  Business, however, required that I should visit some parts of the north-west, and as curiosity prompted me to see the new Chain-bridge over the straits of Menai, I determined upon commencing my trip from Liverpool by the Llewellyn steam-packet; and, accordingly, on Tuesday, the 26th July, about ten o’clock in the forenoon, I embarked on

This mountain is the terminating point of the long Carnarvonshire chain.  It is 1550 feet high, from the level of the sea.  As late as the year 1772 there was only a narrow and dangerous path along the shelf upon its side; but since that period, a grant was made by Parliament, and a voluntary subscription entered into for the formation of the present useful and safe road, “the most sublime terrace in the British Isles.”  It is guarded on the sea-side by a wall of about five feet high, add suppor

This uninhabited island is of an oval shape, about a mile in length, and half a mile in breadth.  Near the centre is an old square tower, supposed to be the fragment of a religious house.  During the summer the island swarms with various birds of passage, particularly the alca artica , or puffin.  The firing of a gun will frequently cause clouds of these birds to rise, uttering loud and dissonant sounds....

This edifice is supposed to stand upon the site of a palace, which, in the eighth century, belonged to Roderic Mwynog, grandson to Cadwalader, the last king of the Ancient Britons.  It appears to have been rebuilt in the reign of Henry VI.; and although it has been greatly altered of late, the original design has been preserved.  It is fronted with yellow brick, which gives it the appearance of stone.  The gateway into the park resembles a Roman triumphal arch....

This pleasant little town is the capital of the island of Anglesea.  Its name is formed from the French words beau , fair, and marais , marsh.  The Castle was built by Edward I. towards the close of the thirteenth century, and its ruins are now included in the domains of Lady Bulkeley.  On the accession of Charles II. Lord Bulkeley was Constable of the Castle.  The lowness of its site, and the great diameter of its circular towers and bastions, together with the dilapidated state of its walls, d

This is a Bishop’s see, in the county of Carnarvon, and is said to derive its name from bon , good, and chœur , choir; but this seems a strained etymology.  It is supposed to have been formerly a more considerable place than it is at present.  The views from the elevated environs are extremely fine.  The Cathedral was founded in the sixth century, by St. Deiniol (Daniel) who was elected the first Bishop of Bangor.  It was destroyed by the Saxons in 1071, and rebuilt by King John in 1212.  In 140

For a description of this magnificent and truly surprising structure, see pages 12 to 14....

This place is so called from Caer , a fortress, yn , in, and Arfon , the district opposite to Mon, or Anglesea.  The ancient city was the only station possessed by the Romans in this part of Wales; it stood about half a mile south of the present town, where, probably, the British dwelt.  The Castle is a magnificent ruin.  It was built by Edward I. after the completion of his conquest in 1282; and as the Welsh would not submit quietly to be governed by any but a Welsh Prince, he caused his Queen

This small but conspicuous structure is the only one remaining of five military stations erected by the Ancient Britons to defend the five passes through the Carnarvonshire chain of mountains.—See page 10 ....

The Snowdon range of mountains commences at Penmaen-mawr, and terminates on the margin of Carnarvon bay.  The height of the peak of Snowdon is 3568 feet....

Conway (from Cynwy , great river) is a fine old fortified town, situated at the northern corner of Carnarvonshire.  The Castle was built in 1284, by Edward I. as a security against insurrections.  He was besieged in it, and only rescued by the arrival of his fleet.  In the civil wars in the seventeenth century it was garrisoned by the Archbishop of York, and afterwards by Prince Rupert.  The town and Castle were taken by storm in 1646, but the parliamentary forces did not injure the Castle, whic

This village is said to have been called Capel Curig, in consequence of St. Curig being the patron of the chapel.  From this place Snowdon and all the contiguous mountains burst at once full in view, marking this the finest approach to our boasted Alps.  The scenery in the neighbourhood is full of variety and beauty....

This romantic village is said to derive its name from a singular occurrence.  Tradition says, that Llewellyn the Great came to reside at Beddgelert during the hunting season, with his wife and children, and one day, the family being absent, a wolf had entered the house.  On returning, his greyhound, called Cilihart, met him, wagging his tail, but covered with blood.  The prince being alarmed, ran into the nursery, and found the cradle in which the child had lain overturned, and the ground covere

The spearmen heard the bugle sound,    And cheer’ly smiled the morn, And many a breach, and many a hound    Attend Llewellyn’s horn. And still he blew a louder blast,    And gave a louder cheer, “Come, Gelert, why art thou the last    Llewellyn’s horn to hear? “O where does faithful Gelert roam!    The flow’r of all his race: So true, so brave,—a lamb at home,    A lion in the chase!” ’Twas only at Llewellyn’s board    The faithful Gelert fed; He watch’d, he serv’d, he cheer’d his lord,    And s