Wales from above

02/08/2024

This week we visit Llandudno again to see the paddle steamship PS Waverley on its annual visit.

PS Waverley is the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world. Built in 1946, she sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973. Bought by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society (PSPS), she has been restored to her 1947 appearance and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast.

Since 2003, Waverley has been listed in the National Historic Fleet by National Historic Ships UK as "a vessel of pre-eminent national importance".

PS Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott's first novel. She was built for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) to replace a PS Waverley that was sunk in 1940 while helping to evacuate troops from Dunkirk. The new vessel was ordered from shipbuilders A. & J. Inglis of Glasgow, who laid the keel at their Pointhouse shipyard on 27 December 1945, Lady Matthews, wife of the Chairman of the LNER, launched the new 693 ton steamer on 2 October 1946. Fitting out proceeded, around the end of the year the ship was towed to Victoria Harbour in Greenock where Rankin & Blackmore installed the engine and coal-fired boiler they had manufactured. After sea trials in June 1947, Waverley entered service on 16 June, working the LNER's Firth of Clyde steamer route from Craigendoran Pier, near Helensburgh, up Loch Long to Lochgoilhead and Arrochar, joining the LNER Clyde paddle steamer fleet of Lucy Ashton, Jeanie Deans and Talisman. In her first year in service, she wore that company's red, white and black funnel colours.

The Waverley with red lions and yellow funnels in 1970
The 1948 nationalisation of Britain's railways brought their Scottish steamers into the Caledonian Steam Packet Company (CSP), a subsidiary of the Railway Executive. The funnels were repainted yellow with a black top. In 1965, a Scottish red lion rampant was fixed to each side of both funnels. Waverley's hull was painted monastral blue until 1970.

After a revival of fortunes in the 1950s, the 1960s saw a gradual change in holiday habits that led to a decline in passenger numbers and the closure of many of the small piers. Since 1969, and the formation of the Scottish Transport Group, the CSP had been gradually merging with the West Highland shipping and ferry company David MacBrayne Ltd. In 1973, the company became Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd (CalMac).

07/06/2024

This week we take a closer look at Caernarfon Castle.

Caernarfon Castle (Welsh: Castell Caernarfon) is a medieval fortress in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The first fortification on the site was a motte-and-bailey castle built in the late 11th century, which King Edward I of England began to replace with the current stone structure in 1283. The castle and town established by Edward 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 work ended in 1330. Although the castle appears mostly complete from the outside, the interior buildings no longer survive and many parts of the structure were never finished. In 1294 the town and castle were sacked and captured by Madog ap Llywelyn during his rebellion against the English, but were recaptured the following year. The castle was unsuccessfully besieged during the Glyndŵr Rising of 1400–1415. 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 besieged three times by Parliamentarian forces. This was the last time the castle was used in war. The castle was neglected until the 19th century when the state funded repairs. The castle was used for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1911 and again in 1969. The castle is managed by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service. It is part of the World Heritage Site "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd".

Where I showcase my drone photos here in Wales. New photographs will be published @ 12am Fridays.

05/06/2024

Shout out to my newest followers! Excited to have you onboard!

Helen Delport, Adriaan van Wyk, Erna A Basson, Ian Steenkamp, Leslie Howard, Pierre De Kreek

31/05/2024

We are back. This week we have a view of pretty much the whole of Caernarfon on the north west coast of Wales, with its medieval castle.

To the left of the photograph is the Menai Straights with the island of Anglesey beyond it. If you follow the town walls round to the left to their furthest point you come to the marina, and then beyond that is Victoria Dock.

Victoria Dock these days is home to both a Travelodge and a Premier Inn hotel. There are also places to eat and drink to be found there such as ‘Table Table’ (I can recommend the mixed grill) and ‘Gallery’.

If you then follow the town walls to the left corner where they turn again to return to the castle the large white building is the ‘Black Boy Inn’ which seems to be known by many visitors to the town.

The bridge in front of the castle is a pedestrian swing bridge over the River Seiont and leads to the harbour which in times past was used to export slate from the vast Welsh slate mines.

If you follow the carpark to the right of the photograph you come to the old Harbour Master’s building, and continuing to the right (beyond the edge of the photograph) you would come to the Welsh Highland Railway station where you can board an ex-South African Railways hauled steam train to Porthmadog 25 miles away. At Porthmadog the station is shared with the Ffestiniog steam railway where you can travel a further 15 miles to Blaenau Ffestiniog and its slate mines.

We will leave the details about the castle until next week when we will take a closer look at it.

Where I showcase my drone photos here in Wales. New photographs will be published @ 12am Fridays.

19/04/2024

Sorry I won't be posting a photograph today, normal service will be resumed ad soon as possible.

12/04/2024

This week we remain in Llandudno on its pier. We take a "seagulls eye" view of the ‘tower’ on the central of the three buildings on the pier head. Today this building houses on of the two arcades on the pier, but in days gone by it was the pier’s bandstand.

Where I showcase my drone photos here in Wales. New photographs will be published @ 12am Fridays.

05/04/2024

This week we return to Llandudno and its Victorian Pier. The pier is Grade II* listed, and at 2,295 feet (700 metres) is the longest pier in Wales.

At the end of the pier you can see the deep water landing stage that was used for many years by steam ships of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Throughout the 1970s I was at boarding school and we always knew summer was just around the corner when the ‘Isle of Man boat’ returned. These sailings ended in the late 1980s.

These days it is used for occasional visits by the preserved steamships PS Waverley and MV Balmoral. Last year (2023) the PS Waverley visited for two days of excursions between Llandudno and Puffin Island and Liverpool in June. This year she due to return for a repeat of these popular trips and adding a third day with a trip to between Holyhead and Llandudno.

Where I showcase my drone photos here in Wales. New photographs will be published @ 12am Fridays.

29/03/2024

This week we remain in Conwy with another view of Conwy Castle.

Conwy Castle was built by the English King Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1287. Constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conwy, the combined defences cost around £15,000, a massive sum for the period.

UNESCO considers Conwy to be one of "the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe", and it is classed as a World Heritage Site.[

In the 21st century the castle is managed by Cadw as a tourist attraction and 186,897 tourists visited the castle in 2010; a new visitor centre was opened in 2012.

Where I showcase my drone photos here in Wales. New photographs will be published @ 12am Fridays.

22/03/2024

This week we move to just a few miles from Llandudno to Conwy (formerly Conway) and its medieval castle and town walls set beside the River Conwy.

Down river to the right can be seen the marina at Deganwy and at the top of the photo the Great Orme headland over in Llandudno.

In the foreground is the north Wales Railway that runs from Crewe in England to Holyhead ferry port for connections to Ireland. In days gone by this was a vital link for the Irish Mail trains between Dublin and London

15/03/2024

Time to finally get this page going, it has been long in the planning stages. And what better way to begin than with a view of Llandudno Pier.

Where I showcase my drone photos here in Wales. New photographs will be published @ 12am Fridays.