Day 10 – Shrewsbury to Harlech via the Center for Alternative Technology, Meirion Woolery Mill, Castle y Bere

We got off to an early start and drove into Wales.  Suddenly everything changed – not in the way the countryside looked, but in the road signs!  Everything was written in both Welsh and English.  Or first stop was the Center for Alternative Technology, a former mine that was converted in the 1970’s into an environmental center.  It had a bit of a “commune” feel to it, with residents tending organic gardens, working the kitchen and running the water-powered inclined cable car.  The center featured alternative energy – sort of.  It displayed different types of insulation, green roofs, and solar panels but the wind energy diplay was bizarre; there were large pieces of turbines laying around and used as “sculpture.”  One blade formed a car bumper stop in the parking lot.  It was interesting though.

Our next stop was the Meirion Woolery Mill.  How could Pat pass that up?  Waste of time!  When we got there it was nothing more than a hyped-tourist store.  They told us “Oh.  There hasn’t been a woolen mill here for years!”  At least there was a very interesting structure - Pont Minllyn, a “pack horse” bridge.  While looking at this ancient structure two fighter jets screamed overhead – quite a technological contrast.

Finally, at the end of the day, we came to our first Welsh Castle - Castle y Bere.  This was mostly in ruins but we had the place to ourselves.  It commands a great view on top of a hill in a broad valley.  Wandering around the ruins it wasn’t hard to imagine the serfs in the fields below and the castle withstanding every attack – at least until they ran out of food, water or something else.

The rest of the day we spent on the road, arriving in Harlech at dinner time.  The inn was right below the massive Harlech Castle, which we would go see on another day…