Monday August 29th - Part 2 - Llyn Brenig & Denbigh Castle

Leaving Carrog behind I headed back through Corwen and along the A5 to revisit Llyn Brenig. The lake lies 1,200ft above sea level so the B4501 road from the village of Cerrigydrudion ran mostly uphill, and as I reached a level part I was hit by a panoramic view across the fields to the hills beyond. This was definitely worth a photo or two so I pulled into the side of the road and snapped a couple before continuing on to the lake. 

The main car park next to the visitor centre was full but there was a smaller car park with plenty of spaces available and lots of shade so I drove into that one and backed the van right under some overhanging tree branches then set off to take some more photos. 

Walking down past the side of the visitor centre I turned right along the path at the bottom of the slope and went along to the dam at the end of the lake. I did consider going across to the far side but it was quite a distance and there wasn't much along there anyway so I decided to stay where I was. There was a lot more cloud over the lake than there had been down at Carrog but it was mainly fluffy white stuff so I didn't mind that too much and in some cases it added to the photos.

When I'd got all the photos I wanted I took the dogs back to the van, switched on the fan to keep them cool then went in search of coffee and cake. There was quite a queue at the cafe counter so it took a while to get served but I got there eventually and ordered a latte coffee and a slice of Victoria sponge cake. The cake was okay though a bit dry, and the coffee was just slightly hotter than it had been on Saturday, but they took the edge off my appetite and not wanting to linger I finished them quickly and went back to the van.

Driving along the one-way track past the lake I turned a corner and came across a lovely bay where a couple of dozen sailing boats were anchored. This seemed to be quite a popular spot for families to picnic or just sit and enjoy the view without having to pay to park so I pulled up on the grass verge and went to see what I could photograph. I didn't wander too far, although I probably could have done, and with half a dozen shots taken I returned to the van and continued my journey.

My next port of call was Denbigh Castle and the B road from Llyn Brenig took me straight into Denbigh. The castle was easy to find as, unlike Harlech, there was more than one brown direction sign, and with plenty of parking available I was able to find a nice shady spot to leave the van. The castle was much more of a ruin than Harlech and as I went through what would once have been the main entrance I was met by the amplified sounds of chains and a portcullis being lifted, though to be honest it all sounded a bit spooky.

Although smaller than Harlech castle it had lots more nooks and crannies and what would have been passageways, though I thought it was spoiled somewhat by the addition of a modern cafe/information building overlooking the central lawned area. Climbing up and down the tower staircase was quite an experience though as there wasn't much light coming through from the outside, and though the walls weren't as high as Harlech castle the view over the countryside from the top was certainly worth the climb.

Not wanting to leave Sophie and Poppie for too long I didn't linger and once I'd photographed everything which interested me I made my way back to the car park and took them both for a walk round the green outside the castle before setting off once more. My original plan had been to go from Denbigh through Ruthin and down to Llangollen via the Horseshoe Pass then back along the A5 to the camp site, but it was getting on for 5pm by the time I left the castle and I felt like I'd been out long enough so Plan B came into play.

Reaching Ruthin I changed my intended direction and took the A594 which was a much more direct route to Corwen, and less than an hour after leaving Denbigh castle I drove in through the camp site entrance. With the van parked up by the back door of the tent and the dogs curled up in their beds I made myself a quick meal and the rest of the evening was spent in total relaxation with my book.