Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Walled Towns in Wales

I’ve said before that I really enjoy going on other people’s Coach Trips. Much as I enjoy running my own trips, it’s nice to be able to relax sometimes and see the sights without any responsibility!

A trip that I went on recently was run by Woods Coaches to two of Edward I’s walled towns in North Wales. He built a large number of castles to subdue the Welsh, and in most cases added a walled town under the castle’s protection.

Caernarfon is a great place, with a massive square just outside the town wall. While I was there, I took the opportunity to visit the remains of Segontium, the Roman fort on the edge of the town.

Something that English visitors sometimes find disconcerting is that the predominant language in Caernarfon is not English at all, but Welsh. But no need to worry – everybody speaks English as well.

Conwy is very similar. One its charming features is the cottage on the quayside known as the smallest house in Britain. I certainly wouldn’t presume to argue with this claim.

Watch out for Caernarfon and Conwy appearing on the list of my own Coach Trips before long.