Bangor to Abergwyngregyn.  Aber Falls.

Couldn’t get that tune ‘The Day We Went To Bangor’ out of mind all morning. If you can’t remember listen here –

This rendition probably sums up the North Wales seaside resorts then and ?now. As an aside Jasper Carrot had a splendid parody involving Blackpool.

Anyhow to get back to this morning, industrial outskirts of Bangor led to country lanes and my route left the Coastal Path near the entrance to Penrhyn Castle. Walking up the Ogwen valley I came across what appeared to be a fairly well preserved mill  with an under flow wheel. Further on I passed Cochwillan Old Hall, a late 15th century house, apparently one of the best examples of a Welsh medieval estate houses. A good start. On a more mundane note many of the fields and lanes here have slate stone ‘hedges’.Buzzards were occupying the airspace above the rough fields. Little used lanes took me up into the foothills of the Carneddau and onto an old track traversing at about 250m above the coast. There were good views back over Penryhn Castle, Bangor, the Menai Straits and Anglesey.The diminutive Puffin Island off Anglesey was ever present.Turning a corner the view changed from the coast to the hilly interior and ones eyes are drawn to the twin Aber waterfalls. The North Wales Path crosses directly below the falls, the larger easterly one being the most visited from the valley. Up till now I had met no one but suddenly there were throngs of tourists.I had my quick fix of photos with the crowds and the quickly descended the wooded valley for a coffee in the excellent community Yr Hen Felin cafe in Abergwyngregyn, that’s a mouthful to pronounce.