StoneRoad2013's photos with the keyword: Gwynedd

Types of dwellings classified by Gwynedd CC as "second homes" ... . Not my Image : fair use & public education

There is a concerted campaign in certain quarters to reduce the second / airbnb problem of pricing out local people in the NW Wales area, and also makes claims about the loss of the Welsh language. . But I don't think over-charging on council tax is really the way forward ... . I've highlighted "Porthmadog" as it is an area I know fairly well. Yes, I admit that it does have some second homes, but quite a few of those are owned by people intending to retire there, plus another - somewhat overlapping - group are owned by families that volunteer for the busy narrow-gauge railways that operate there and which attract many thousands of tourists every year. The one railway is actually a significant local employer, despite using volunteers. Note also that many second homes have been renovations of what otherwise would be derelict buildings. . Not my Image : fair use & public education

What looks like a pillar case in what is probably the undercroft of the North Tower. Note that the area to the right is native Wales / bare rock on which the castle was built.

Having walked a little was northwards within the courtyard, and climbed to the upper level, it is possible to see much more of the Afon Dysynni valley that lies around the castle. Definitely rich, flat and fertile farmland - compared to the surrounding hills.

Remains of the Round Tower to the left, so looking at the SW Corner of the curtain wall.

The surviving foundations and lower part of the round tower, which over looks the entrance to Castell y Bere. The walls are very thick, and the lower part [foundations] may have the noticeable slope as a form of buttressing.

The southern / main entrance to Castell y Bere was exceptionally heavily built for the time, with two drawbridges over dry moats and a couple of Barbican type towers, plus the round tower overlooks the same area.

There were quite a few clumps of this plant growing on the castle hill. Not fully convinced, but I think that it is possibly a pink rather than blue version of Wall Speedwell [Veronica arvensis], actually, the leaves aren't quite right either. I'll have another look in my Keble Martin.

Tucked away on the side of the castle hill were some quite luscious blackberries.

The info board at the entrance to Castell y Bere, Gwynedd. The hillock seems much more prominent in the landscape without the modern trees cloaking the shape. Still plenty of black cattle and sheep around here, as the valley of the Afon Dysynni is still a very lush agricultural landscape, with plenty of wildlife / wild flowers.

The state of the Cambrian Coast railway at Afonwen after Storm Ciara - there really is a standard gauge line under that debris thrown up from the beach over the weekend of 8 -> 9 th February 2020. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_Ciara After significant efforts, the line was cleared to reopen on 17th February 2020.

Hydro-Electric Power station built in 1905 by the Porthmadog, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway (and the North Wales Power and Traction Co Ltd). This makes it the oldest power station in Britain, and probably one of the oldest grid connected HEP stations in the world. It was used to power the Telegraph Station built by Marconi at Waunfawr in 1912. . It supplies power to the National Grid, and the single Francis turbine was upgraded to 10 MW in 1990. The water is from Llyn Llydaw some 1040 feet above the "Chapel in the Valley" and the penstocks are about 1.25 miles in length. There were originally 13 staff but none now as it is controlled remotely from Dolgarrog.

The rail bridge (the concrete one) has been tested and was opened for traffic on 1st September 2014; after various lengthy delays. The replacement road bridge has not been started, and will result in the destruction of the original (1867) listed timber bridge. (it was to have been kept as a cycle / foot route).