Returning Home from Llandudno

Crowds on the Seafront Yesterday

Today’s photo was taken yesterday afternoon, on the way to see the Waverley depart from the pier. Taken around one o’clock, a bit different to the photos I took at seven yesterday morning.

I woke up with a pain in my right foot, which lasted all day. In fact, it lasted until the end of the week (which was one of the hottest on record, temperatures well into the thirties). I spent four or five days hobbling around, trying not to walk too much.

Too much walking on very hot days, methinks.

Train Home, First Part

The online timetable said that I should change trains at Llandudno Junction to a through train to Manchester. I decided not to do this for two reasons. One: I wanted to visit a new station bar, the Chester Station Tap, run by the Spitting Feathers Brewery. Two: I didn’t fancy changing trains at Llandudno Junction, the train might be crowded. So, I decided to catch the 10:10 Liverpool train as far as Chester. The train starts at Llandudno so I thought I should be able to get a decent seat. I did.

The guard advised us not to get on the train until just before departure as the train was not air conditioned and was very hot. Because I wanted a decent seat, I ignored the advice. The train was hot, but not uncomfortable. All the windows were open creating a cooling draft when the train was moving. Not far from Chester someone came round handing out free cans of cold water. Very nice of them.

I spent the journey looking out of the window and reading Mike Rtherford’s book, The Living Years.

Chester Station Tap

The Chester Station Tap is owned by the Spitting Feathers Brewery. The same brewery that owns the West Kirby Tap, one of my favourite Merseyside pubs. So, I decided to check it out. It looked like it’s a place to have a drink while waiting for a train. It is, I had two pints of their bitter at £4.60. It was in fine fettle. It’s a very pleasant pub.

I shall return to cover the pub in more detail. For now, a mention in dispatches.

I just people watched and finished Mike Rutherfors’s autobiography.

Train Home, Second Part

The fast trains to Manchester can be full of passengers coming from North Wales. I decided to try the local train from Chester to Manchester via Delamere. The guard thought I was mad when I asked him if I could use my ticket on the train (the answer was yes). It’s a slow train, but it was half empty. I think I made the correct choice.

At Manchester I caught the local to Marsden, it was incredibly crowded, but I managed to get a seat. Given the pain in my right foot that was good, I was dreading having to stand all the way.

The train was late, I missed the bus and had to hobble for 15 minutes across the valley to home, for a well-earned rest. And, more importantly, some restorative wine.

Welsh Language

Most of the time people were speaking English, mainly because there were large numbers of people visiting from England and a lot of English people live here. However, I did hear Welsh being spoken, in the odd bar, on the street and at the odd bus stop. The first Welsh I heard was an announcement on the train, while we were waiting to depart Manchester Picadilly.

It brought back memories of visiting Wales while at school. Often, we had a competition to see who could collect the most translations of Welsh words and phrases. I won one of the competitions.

Problems Walking

I’ve always enjoyed walking around places, but as I get older it’s getting harder and harder. This weekend I pushed the boat out a bit too far. I must have walked well over twelve miles with a lot of standing around (in hot weather too). Getting off at the wrong bus stop going to photograph Conwy Castle didn’t help. By the end of each day my feet and legs were tired, resulting in an early night.

By Monday it resulted in a pain in my right foot, luckily it went away after four/five days.

I did a lot of hobbling around on those days.

I need to do something about this; I’m seventy-one and finding it harder and harder to walk long distances. This needs to change. I’ll be writing a series of posts about this, starting soon. Basically, I need to get proper shoes for walking around town (easier said than done), get fitter and lose a couple of stones. Keep an eye on the Walking tag.

The car is useful for getting places, but I don’t like driving. This time next year I’ll probably be going carless.

To cut down on the walking I’m going to have to have a taxi budget when away from home. Also, on trips away, the walking needs to be planned, around trains, buses and taxis.

Llandudno

Llandudno is a pleasant place to visit, with lots of hotels, suitable for all budgets. Lots of interesting places to eat. There are lots of pubs, the Good Beer Guide lists six. Most seem to be expensive. The one I settled on was [Tapps][CameraPubs-Lladudno-Tapps], on Madoc Street in the centre.