snowdonia national park

Northern Wales is bursting with outdoor activities. Every second car is carrying mountain bikes or canoes, and hikers trudged past us with abseiling gear.

Yes, I was a bit obsessed with photographing the mountain.

folk music night in penmachno, northern wales

We could hear the occasional guitar riff and voice downstairs, but decided to take time to recover from our Snowdonia hiking. Outside our window was a small collection of grey, slate houses, huddled together despite the vast surrounding hills.

When we joined the party in the pub below us, the door could barely be opened. All the villagers were packed into a living-room sized space. Many of the patrons performed: a teenaged girl silenced the audience with her unaccompanied Welsh song; modern rock songs were played on harmonica and accordion; a tapdancer provided the percussion for a violinist.

We heard a saying:

"I was born rich. Not because I am wealthy, but because I am Welsh."

The music kicked on as we went to sleep... then they chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, Oi, Oi!".

Claire and Gaj

Breakfast

Our view of the fields

oxford