Yesterday we went to Bangor in North Wales for the day. No, we didn't drive all the way from Norwich - nor even from Milton Keynes. We're spending a few days staying with Jan's former college friend Jane near Chester.
We had an excellent time revisiting some old haunts, and we enjoyed a perfect autumn day's weather.
Our day started at Bangor Pier, where Jan used to take the children when I was at work. The pavilion at the end of the pier serves excellent scones, which we ate with our coffee and hot chocolate.
From the pier we walked to Telford's famous suspension bridge connecting the mainland with Anglesey.
The bridge was finished in 1826 and, at the time, had the longest span in the world. Telford built it to complete his London to Holyhead road, which became the A5.
Visible from the Menai Bridge is Robert Stephenson's Britannia Bridge, completed in 1850, which carried the railway over the Strait in a square-section tube. Again, this was the longest such bridge in the world. The bridge was reconstructed after a fire in 1970, and is no longer tubular. Above the rail deck was built a road deck, now carrying the A55.
We had a picnic lunch under one of the Anglesey arches of Telford's bridge - funny how this bit looks just like his Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - and then walked back to Bangor.
Here's a view of the Menai Strait from Bangor Pier.
I had a three month attachment to BBC Bangor in 1989 - we all thoroughly enjoyed our time in North Wales.
Hwyl!
1 comment:
I've been catching up here, John. Your trip to North Wales looks lovely. What a pretty part of the country it is.
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