UK Sun 12/6/11: Lake District: Windermere

No heavy duty hiking nor sightseeing today. Woke up to a glorious morning and had basic breakfast in the hostel. Then packed my stuff and started out towards Orrest Head, a popular viewpoint in Windermere. At the top, I rested on a bench while enjoying the view that spread before me. Great site to picnic!


Back in town, I wandered around aimlessly. With extra time to kill, I walked towards Bowness Village. Along the New Road, there is a public path "Sherif's Walk" that weaves along the river before connecting back to the road to Bowness. Initially, I was sceptical and reluctant to visit the World of Beatrix Potter (fee GBP 6.75) but I am glad I did. All of her famous animal tales are well depicted in beautiful exhibits. Everything just look so cute and pretty. There is Peter Rabbit garden,  video show and and interactive map to show Beatrix Potter's farm house, holiday homes and other places in Lake Distcit that inspired her. Beatriz Potter wrote all her stories based on her pets, family friend, Scottish washerwoman and landlady with the backdrops set in places like Hill Top (her first home in Lake District), Hawkshead (where she met her husband), Derventwater (the lake is Jeremy Fisher's pond), Sawrey etc. 


By noon, I walked another half hour to the train station. I had to change train twice at Oxenholme and Preston to Manchester where I changed to a coach to London Victoria. It was an exhausting long journey lasted about 9 hours. There is faster way to travel to Lake District via London Euston but I used another way for cheaper cost. The bad weather in the evening was not helping. It was still raining by the time I reached London. Waited for a train to Redhill and then changed train to Earlswood. It was near midnight when reached home...

World of Beatrix Potter

UK Sat 11/6/11: Lake District: Ambleside, Grasmere, Rydal,Bowness-on-Windermere

It was a very long and tiring day. Sweet Adeline woke up early to make French toasts. After breakfast, Whye Onn dropped me off at Piccadilly station to board train to Windermere. It was a 2 hours journey and I dozed off along the way. Once reached Windermere, I dropped some stuff in the hostel before taking a bus to Ambleside.

Thank God weather was really perfect on this day. Ambleside is a very lovely town. It is a good base for hiking with lots of trail to choose from. I was spoilt by choices. At the end, I decided to explore Loughrigg Fell. I do not have OS map but I downloaded a written guide and managed to get a simple map of Ambleside at the tourist office in Windermere. At the bus stop, I walked along Kelsick Road passing by White Platts Recreation ground on the left before entering a church. After crossing the church courtyard, there is a signboard showing direction to the fell. I walked through the Rothay Park and arrived at a riverbank. Crossed an arched stone bridge and turned right. After went through two cattle grids, it is a steep climb to some houses on top. Then I climbed the stiles on the wall to reach another trail. From here onwards, I had no detailed guide and sort of just clambered my way through. I reached the top but I was not sure whether I have reached Todd Crag. The view however is all worth the effort. I did not know where to proceed from here and just sat on one of the big rock to eat my lunch. After lunch, I wandered around and prayed to God for sign. Almost immediately a couple with 2 dogs appeared near Lily Tarn. The man is a very experienced hiker and has climbed all the hills in Lake District. He suggested where to get best view of Windermere Lake which I gratefully follow. I told him that I wanted to go to Loughrigg summit and Lourigh Tann. He gave some directions but to be honest but I could not really remember all. I wandered off by myself and got lost. Another couple, Samuel and Beverly appeared and I followed them. Just when we chatted, I told them I did not know where I was going. Then the lady told me that the man with two dogs told them to watch over me because he knew I might be lost. I felt so touched. At that moment I knew God took care of me and has sent some angels to guide me...Thank you God! The hike was pleasant although there are some steep climbs. It is definitely easier than Snowdonia. Having someone to hike with is also more fun. We reached the summit ultimately and the view from Loughrigg Terrace is spectacular. I could see Windermere Lake, Loughrigg Tarn, Elderwater, Grasmere Lake and Grasmere town. Here, I left Samuel and Beverly and went down the path that leads to Grasmere. 


At Grasmere Lake, I strolled around the lake before continuing towards Rydal. I followed the path along River Rothay and reached White Moss, a small forrest that is near north end of Rydal Water. Then I hiked uphill towards Rydal Cave, a man made quarry that has been hollowed out of a rock outcrop. The cave is surprisingly very photogenic. From here, I hiked down to the Rydal Water. While waiting for bus, I visited Rydal Hall, an old manor house with lovely garden. It has formal garden and quiet garden. The interesting thing is the whole place is powered by hydro turbine using the water flow from nearby waterfall. Nearby is Rydal Mount and Dora field, where Wordsworth planted daffodils in remembrance of his daughter. I did not go to latter places because I had to return to Ambleside. Initially I wanted to do more hiking but I felt so tired that I abandoned the idea. I went to Bowness on Windermere instead. Bowness is very popular and was swarming with tourists. Most of them gravitated towards the ferry pier for the lake cruise. I am not a fan of cruise so I hiked up to Post Knott instead. Post Knott and Brantfell are two viewpoints overlooking Bowness Village and Lake Windermere. After taking in the view of Lake Windermere, I returned to Bowness village to board a bus to Windermere. Bought fish cakes and chips for dinner but it tasted nothing like fish and chips that I had in Llandudno. Very very tired by nightfall...

Loughrigg Fell

Lake Windermere

Rydal cave

UK Fri 10/6/11: Manchester

Despite leaving early after my night shift in the hospital, I was still rushing. Was busy writing a letter because I had to send it off before boarding the train to London Victoria.

The weather was gloomy. By the time I reach London, it was drizzling. Soon after, rain started pouring and road traffic was heavy. Half way through the journey, the bus stopped at the roadside to change tyre. By the time I reached Manchester, it was 1.5 hour later than scheduled time. Manchester is a very large and busy city with its own tube network and criss crossing trams. I walked towards Manchester Piccadilly station to collect my train tickets. Then, I found my way to Arnsdale Centre to shop for hiking shoes. Near the shopping centre is Piccadilly Gardens with Queen Victoria statue. I only managed to try on few shoes when the shop worker informed me that they were closing. Left to board bus at the Piccadilly Garden to visit my university senior, Whye Onn who is staying in student hostel near the Royal Manchester Children Hospital. His girlfriend,  Adeline is a lovely girl from Penang. We went to Trafford Centre for shopping and dinner. I managed to buy my much needed hiking shoes from Clarks. My Brooks running shoes has big hole after much abuse from all the mountain climbing in Untersberg and Snowdonia mountains. For dinner, smart Adeline managed to find discounted vouchers for burgers in GBK (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) so we headed there for dinner. I am not a burger fan but I must say GBK burgers which is a franchise from New Zealand are really yummy! After dinner, we stopped at the Manchester United stadium to snap a photo before heading back to the hostel. Very very tired…slept past midnight.

Wales Day 3: Sun 5/6/2011: Llandudno

Woke up refreshed. Had a good breakfast in hostel before heading out. The weather was not as sunny as the days before.  I brave the cold wind and walked fast along Mostyn Street and passed by the Prince Edward Square to reach Llandudno Pier. Painted in blue and white theme, the pier somewhat resembles the Eastbourne pier but much longer. It is after all the longest pier in Wales. Like most piers, it has a tacky arcade, stalls selling food and trinkets and children playground. I could get good view of the Great Orme from the end of the pier.

It is a short walk uphill to the Happy Valley Garden, a former limestone quarry donated by Lord Mostyn. The strange looking Bardic Stone Circle is located here along with the lovely Alpine Rock garden. The longest cable car in Britain can be found here too. The best view of Llandudno and its two beaches (North Shore and West Shore) is from the old fort hill just above the garden. I found it by sheer curiosity after reading the information board on prehistoric settlement and Rocking stone. In that era, criminals were laid on the Rocking stone and if it rocks, innocence is proved and life is spared. If stone is immobile, prisoners would be thrown over the cliff into the sea. Intrigued, I hiked up the small hill to take a look at the Rocking Stone and remains of Bronze age settlement and was rewarded by a panaromic view of Llandudno. Nearby is the Ski & Snowboard Centre and Taboogan Run. I was very tempted to try the tabbogan because the trail is long and steep. The ride would be exhilarating but I have to buy ticket worth £4.50 for 2 rides with exact change via the coin machine...so I restrained myself. I did not climb the Great Orme hill but I had fun looking for the characters in Alice in Wonderland at the Alice trail. The garden was set up because the real Alice spent holiday in Llandudno before. Alice character is based on Alice Liddell whose father was Oxford University dean. There are figurines of the White rabbit, King and Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire cat and even a picnic table with wooden stools for the tea party with Mad Hatter! Now, if only real food appears on the table...


I skipped the Marina Walk to return to the Prince Edward Square. initially, I was planning to board a bus to Betws-y-coed but since I explored the small town on the day before...I decided to take a later bus. So, I walked to Church Walks and arrived at the historical 100 year old Great Orme Tramway, the only cable hauled tramway in Britain.  It was one of the very few three cables tram left in the world. Curious, I followed the tram uphill on foot. Ended up at the Great Orme mine, which is the oldest Bronze age copper mine and largest prehistoric mine in the world! I would love to explore the 3500 years old tunnels (admission fee is £6.50 for adults) but there was not enough time. Walking back towards the town, I found a fish and chip shop near the tram station. It is not just any shop, it won an award for best fish and chips in 2009. It did not disappoint. It tasted so so good! Love the cod fish and vinegar on chips. I was running late so I ate it at the bus stop. I am not sure whether it was the smell or the look on my face as I devoured the fish , everyone that passed by was looking at my food. Boarded a bus back to Betws-y-coed passing by Conwy and Llanwst.

The bus 19 to Betws-y-coed took 1 hour and cost £4 (single). There is nothing much to do or see. There are a lot of souvenirs shops at the train station and I managed to shop for Snowdonia cheese. The mustard with ale cheese is yummy! I did not visit the railway museum nearby (small fee per admission) but I visited the shop instead. Killed time by watching the miniature steam train chugging around the station carrying passengers of all age group. I caught the evening train to Llandudno junction then changed train to Cardiff central. There was 1.5 hour gap at Llandudno junction station so I went to explore the town. The streets were deserted and there were nothing to see. It was getting dark by the time the train pulled over at Cardiff Central station. Since it was Sunday night, the streets were quiet and most shops were closed. I walked along the St Mary street and High street to see the Cardiff Castle at night. There are many gardens around the castle but it is a shame I did not get the chance to visit. Initially, I planned to stroll along River Taff to reach Cardiff Bay but one look at the river and the darkness and stillness that surrounded it, I chickened out ...definitely not a good idea. Walked back to train station instead. My National Express bus to London was at 245am on the next day. To my dismay, although Cardiff is a big city, the central train station is closed by 1230 midnight. I tried to get temporary shelter in one of the waiting room in the platform but it smelled of urine...probably some drunkards passed out there before. The coach station opposite the train station is not any better, if not worse. There is no proper building like the central bus stations in Swansea or London Victoria so passengers have to wait in a bus stop. There is no protection from the harsh cold wind. It was very cold that night...8-9*C. Without my winter jacket, I really struggled. Another taste of being homeless. It was very scary too since there was no one else but me at some point. Once in a while, there would be other passengers waiting for bus to Heathrow or Gatwick airport. After I prayed for safety, a homeless man appeared. I actually felt slightly more relieved since there was someone else too. Thank God because he was not drunk and did not cause any ruckus at all. Somehow I survived that night without dying from hypothermia. On the bus, collapsed into deep sleep till the bus reach London Victoria. What a horrible weather. It was raining cats and dogs in London that morning hence I did not get the chance to visit Hyde park to while away time. My train ticket to Earlswood was only valid off peak time (after 930am) so I spent my time shopping at Sainsbury and Whittard.  Reached Earlswood safely and had to sleep to prepare for night shift on the same night.

 Prince Edward Square, Llandudno

The most yummy fish and chips

Wales Day 2: Sat 4/06/2011: Porthmadog, Snowdonia, Caernarfon, Llanberis,Betws-y-coed

Woke up feeling like a walking dead. Thankfully, the staff in Machynlleth station came early and unlocked the toilet. Refreshed myself and boarded the first train to Porthmadog. I wished I was the only passenger so that I could enjoy the scenic view of the coastline with peace. Unfortunately, there was another passenger in the same coach who refused to stop talking and just refuse to take hostile body language as "No, I don't want to talk to you!". The train weaved past beautiful seaside towns like Aberdovey, Fairbourne and Barmouth before arriving in the small quaint  town of Porthmadog.

Porthmadog is a gateway to Snowdonia National Park. Other places of interests nearby are Llyn beach and Portmeirion but I had not enough time. Most tourists use the Festiniog railway to reach the summit of Snowdonia. In Porthmadog, the Festiniog station is located next to the harbour which is a short walk from the main railway station. I wanted to save money and experience the climb to the top so I took a bus to Snowdon Ranger Park. The ranger park is a good base to start the excursion.

I boarded the earliest bus S97 to Beddgelert, a lovely town with vast array of colourful flowers and changed to bus S4 to Snowdon Ranger Park. The red Rover day ticket cost £5.40 (www.traveline-cymru.info). The Youth Hostel near the ranger park has a lot of information on which trails to hike up to the summit of Snowdonia. This Snowdon ranger park trail is one of the easier path with scenic view of the many lakes. Snowdonia (1085 m) is the highest mountain in Wales and is very popular. Due to excellent weather, there were a lot of hikers and I just followed them....no map is needed!. The initial part is easy as the path is well marked and mostly flat ground. The view of Lynn Cwellyn near the ranger park is amazing. As much as I enjoyed the view, the route becomes increasingly steep and rocky.Met a group of ladies while hiking u p and one of them gave me tips on what to do and which restaurant is good in Llandudno and I even get to eat energy boosting sugar mint cake! With just 3 hours rest the night before, I was very tired in the last hour of ascent. Mental strength started to waver as my legs protested loudly...The only way I could reach the top was by using food as a bait...telling myself i could have one piece of chocolate biscuit if I walked another 200 metre each time....I had 5 pieces before reaching the top...he he he.  It took me 3 hours to reach the top. The view from the summit is worth all the effort. The exhilarated feeling was beyond words. I even got good snapshots of the historical Snowdon train chugging its way up, puffing steam along the way. There is something attractive about steam train...is just so cute to watch and I could not resist waving at the passengers! I did not rest too long before descending via Rhyd Ddu trail. Though this trail is slightly shorter than Ranger trail, it has more rocky path which I did not enjoy :( The descent took me 2 hours because my knees were hurting and I could not go any faster ( I suspect due to previous injuries I sustained from Untersberg mountain in Salzburg). At the Rhyd Ddu car park, I catched bus S4 to Caenarfon.

Caernafon is a lively town with good spirited locals and visitors busy fishing for crabs at the marina. The Caernafon castle dominates the center of the town. It is the most important Wales castle where investitures of Prince of Wales is held. I had less than an hour before the next bus to Llanberis so I gave the castle miss ( I am no castle fan) and shopped for summer hat and umbrella instead :p 

The bus 88 to Llanberis was punctual. Llanberis took me by surprise. Snapped some really gorgeous photos here. The Vivian quarry and the Padarn lake near the bus stop are worth exploring. The Highland railway station is just next to the bus stop. While waiting for a bus to Betws-y-coed,  I watched the steam engine separating from the coach. It was very entertaining.

I strained my neck to see the famous Penny-y-pass as the bus S2 trudging by. Did not manage to get best shot though. Penn-y pass is a starting point for another trail to the Snowdonia summit .Reached the charming village of Betws-y-coed. I had more than an hour here. So I paid a visit to Motor museum behind the railway station and walked along the suspension bridge crossing the Conwy river. The 14^th century St Michael church is also nearby. There was still a lot of time left so I was contemplating taking a bus to Swallow falls nearby but brushed the idea off because I could not afford to miss the bus to Llandudno. Instead, I window shopped at all those dainty shops near the station. I particularly like one candle shop there. The candles are all handmade.

 The bus to Llandudno weaved through Llanwrst with its photogenic stone bridge and Conwy with its looming castle. Llandudno, to my surprise is a delightful town. Dotted with colourful painted buildings, it has two beaches (North shore and West shore), the longest pier in Wales and the largest prehistoric mine in the world. Despite the cold weather, I went out to explore the promenade along the North Shore beach facing the Llandudno Bay and Prince Edward Square after checking into the hostel. Managed to stumble into Home Cooking, a restaurant that was recommended by a fellow hiker earlier on. I had beef steak and ale pie with chips and green peas, a traditional Welsh food for dinner. It was 10pm by the time I left the restaurant. The Llandudno hostel is very cozy and clean. Due to fatigue, I dozed off within minutes.

 Porthmadog

 On the way to Snowdon summit

 View from summit

Wales Day 1: Friday 03/06/2011: Swansea, Gower Peninsula

Oh dear. Is nerve wrecking trying to blog about a holiday that happened a year ago. Now I am getting a full payback from laziness and procrastination. Even if I have to tear my hair out, I must write about my trip to Wales. To recall my fragmented memories, I had to go through all my photos and reread the Lonely Planet to retrace my travel plan...my obsessive compulsive behavior is kicking in.

Just when I thought I know most of UK, Wales took me by surprise. This beautiful nook of UK is a definite MUST see! The Welsh are very proud of their heritage..I would too if I am a Welsh. It is interesting to note that they speak in Welsh and the language is widely used in the public signboards. There are many w and y and I just cannot get it sound right despite rolling or knotting my tongue.  From friendly warm people to rugged coastline and spectacular mountainous range, Wales has got the right recipe to make any travelers fall deeply in love. I know because I was smitten ;)  All in all I had a great time. Unfortunately, 3 days are not enough to see Wales. I had no time to explore Cardiff and Pembrokeshire.


It was almost like Murphy's law in action on this day. It took me 5 hours instead of 4 hours by train to reach Swansea because the 7th tunnel was closed and the train was rediverted to another route. From the Swansea train station, it is another 600m walk to reach the Castle Square passing by the ruins of Swansea Castle. The bus station is situated near the Quadrant shopping centre. One can buy Swansea Bay day ticket or Gower day explorer ticket from the bus driver.  I should have purchased a Plusbus ticket when I bought my train ticket because Swansea day ticket cost £4. Because of the delay, I missed the bus 118 to Rossili Bay. So, I had to strike Rossili Bay off the list :( 
And as if I had all the time in the world...the local buses were delayed as well. There were many passengers waiting too but nobody kicked any fuss. Everyone seemed to be so relaxed. The bus to Pennard arrived eventually and it was packed like sardine. The driver even had time to swing by a church to run a short errand.  As I said, everyone was cool about it. There are two ways to reach the famous Three Cliffs in Gower Peninsula. Either take bus 118 to Penmaen Church and walk from there (map and guidance available online but have to check the tide timing because need to cross the stream) or take bus 14 to Pennard Cliff and hike for 15minutes. Because both buses were much delayed and bus 14 came first, I chose the latter option.
The fresh sea breeze greeted me as I alighted at Pennard cliff. Sun was out and it was midterm break hence many families with kids were enjoying a day out on the beach...which explained the traffic congestion and bus delay. There is ample parking at the Pennard Cliff stop but the roads that lead to the cliff is quite narrow. I enjoyed the walk along the coastline to reach the Three Cliffs. Spent less than an hour along the cliff before walking back to the bus stop.  Had I known the bus would be delayed for more than an hour I would have spent more time at the beach. While waiting, I chatted with an old Welsh couple.

Back in Swansea, I lingered around the South Dock Marina with its new Sail bridge and walked along the beach facing Swansea bay. Did some shopping for food supply in Tesco before boarded a train to Porthmadog.  I purchased all my train tickets by advance to get cheaper price hence I could not afford to miss any train...Travelling in UK is expensive. Train tickets alone cost me £100++ but renting a car would have cost more too plus I would be very tired.

The train from Swansea was on time but the journey to Porthmadog takes about 5 hours plus and requires at least 2 changes. The train from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth was delayed by an hour and I reach there at midnight. Foolishly, I planned to sleep in the train station to save some quids as the connecting train to Porthmadog is at 550am. That night, I had a  grim taste of being homeless. The station has a waiting room with no heater and although it is enclosed, the cold snap at night was difficult to bear ...it was like 8 *C and I did not bring my winter jacket! The cold air managed to seep through the door slit and the metal bench is not helping...was wishing they are wooden or plastic benches. I survived the night but with barely 3 hours sleep. The toilet was locked too. I swore to myself not to do it again. It was pitch black inside the waiting room and the station was so deserted. Anything could have happened but God took care of me that night... Until today, I could not fathom the reason behind my temporary insanity. 

 The Three Cliffs, Gower

South Dock Marina, Swansea

Prague Day 2 Thu 26/5/11

On the second day in Prague, I decided to venture to the Vysehrad and the southern part of Nove Mesto (New town). Vysehrad (High Castle) is an old fortress and Prague’s birthplace. Inside, there are Church of St Peter and St Paul, peaceful Vysehrad cemetery and the lovely Vysehrad garden. I spent longer time in the garden because of open air exhibition about the Jewish community during World War II and the escape of Jewish children to other countries.

While walking towards the New Town, I stopped briefly at the Botanic Garden out of curiosity but was not impressed by the whole layout. Next, I visited the interesting Dancing building before eating lunch at the nearby Slav Island.  Tried a traditional Czech dish for the first time. Later, I walked towards the Jewish Synagogues. Unfortunately, these Jewish religious buildings have become a popular tourist magnate and one have to pay hefty fees to visit all the synagogues. So I just to walk around and appreciate the unique exterior architecture of the synagogues. Incidentally, stumbled across a lovely garden near a church before walking back to the hostel.

Left Prague for London…

 Traditional dish, wish more meat though

A Jewish synagogue

Prague Day 1: Wed 25/05/11

Arrived in Prague via an early morning train from Vienna. In my opinion, Prague is probably the most beautiful capital I have ever visited. It actually surpasses Zagreb and Wien. After checked in into hostel Arpacay, I hopped into a tram towards Malostranka to visit Prague’s most popular attraction, the Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad). It is the largest ancient castle in the world! From the castle, one can have a panoramic view of the city. The old castle steps lead to the east entrance instead of the main gate. First, I visited the Lobkowicz Palace with its vast collection of paintings (mainly portraits), armoury, musical instruments and decorative arts. I did not particularly enjoy the palace and fast became bored before end of the audio guide tour. Next is the Basilica St George, a 10^th century church founded by Prince Vratislav 1 and burial ground for Premysl princes. In the center of the castle is the massive St Vitus Cathedral. After visiting the Story of Prague Castle, I walked around the third and second courtyard before exiting via the main gate.  Sadly, the Old palace and the Golden Lane (Alchemist Lane) were closed to visitors at that time. I took the time to stroll around the Royal Garden with the unique Ball Game House.

After the Royal Garden, I explored the Stare Mesto (Old Town) by crossing the famous Karluv Most (Charles Bridge). This photogenic bridge is strewn with sculptures on both sides along the whole length. There are towers at both ends too. The Old Town has so many churches that I lost count. It is easy to get lost in the crowd of tourists. Slowly, I drifted towards the Staromestske namesti ( Old Town Square) where the Old Town Hall and the amazing astronomical clock are situated. No doubt the ancient clock drew the most attention, even more than the on-going rock concert in the square. It is a nice place to sit and do people watching. So, I bought my dinner at the many food stalls at the square (overpriced of course) and while away time by watching the concert. Before sunset, I walked all the way back to my hostel in the Smichov area. It was a very long walk and I passed by the Wenceslas Square and the National Museum. Managed to snap a sunset view of the Dancing Building in the Nove Mesto (New Town).

 Karluv Most (Charles Bridge)

Many faces of Prague

View from Prague Castle