Wales, Devon and Cornwall: a 10-Day Itinerary in Search of Ancient Houses and Picturesque Landscapes

Cowbridge

At 5 in the morning we leave our car at Parkingo and are then taken by shuttle to Terminal 2 at Malpensa. Parkingo has excellent prices but lately the service leaves something to be desired: long queues even at dawn to pay for the parking, and the airport shuttle doesn't leave until it is full. Moreover, once we reach the airport, we discover that our Easy Jet flight to London Gatwick is a full 4 hours late. So what the hell did we get up at 4 in the morning for???? Needless to say, Easy Jet, as a low-cost airline, really SUCKS. It's the third time we've used it and on 2 occasions we've had problems. What's more, the seats on their planes are designed for Smurfs: incredibly narrow! In short, the whole itinerary we had planned for the first day of our trip literally goes to hell.

Among other things, our choice to arrive in London (rather than the closer Bristol) to gain hours of daylight to visit something more proves practically useless. Besides the 4-hour delay, the motorway between London and Cardiff is extremely busy, with queues and slowdowns, and we lose a lot of time. Gatwick airport is also very large and sprawling. Just to reach the car rental we walk a great deal with our luggage in tow: extremely uncomfortable! It would have been much better to arrive in Bristol, even though the flights from Malpensa were only in the late afternoon. We pick up the brand-new Ford Focus without any problems, trying not to let Hertz foist extra costs on us for various additional insurances. We discover, however, that the excess in the event of any kind of damage to the car is very high: about 500 pounds.

We take the risk and don't pay the 150-pound supplementary insurance. Let's hope nothing happens to us! Given the late hour, we have no choice but to head for our B & B in Cowbridge: Plas Llanmihangel. Calling it a Bed & Breakfast is an understatement! It is a genuine manor house from the 1200s, which we reach with a kind of treasure map sent by the owners. Not a single road sign. Not a sign outside the house. Not a name on the intercom (there wasn't even an intercom). To work out whether we had arrived in the right place, we have no choice but to slip in stealthily and find ourselves in the owners' kitchen! A place truly out of time, which shows all the years it has, but which preserves a couple of very beautiful rooms, such as the dining room where we will have breakfast and the little sitting room where in the evening they serve us tea.

The town of Cowbridge is pretty and colourful, even though it stretches along a single street (a shame it's raining, but it often rains here. We'll have to get used to it. The rain will accompany us for much of our trip). We have dinner in a large Pub-Restaurant: The Duke of Wellington, trying to "navigate" our way through the things on the menu. As is well known, English cuisine is really not the best.

CARDIFF

After the classic English breakfast at the manor, we pay in cash (no credit cards here, but at the other b&bs there are no problems) and try to make up for all the time lost yesterday. We visit Castell Coch, a beautiful furnished castle with a circular plan, and Caerphilly Castle (only from the outside), a large fortress surrounded by a suggestive and wide moat. We then head to Cardiff, where we will stay at the central Sandringham Hotel, a modest hotel in the centre but convenient for the city centre and for the nearby paid covered car park. Cardiff is a truly ugly city. There is nothing to visit apart from the beautiful castle. So... my advice: visit Cardiff castle and then don't stop here. Perhaps stay overnight in the not faraway town of Tenby. We, on the other hand, are obliged to stay. So we visit the castle and then don't know what else to do.

Cardiff is full of shopping centres, even if housed in historic arcades, but we're not interested in shops. I convince Max to have dinner in an Italian restaurant, but the pizza is dried out and really resembles the Bofrost pizzas I use in emergencies at home! It would have been better to go to McDonald's (in these parts it's the best thing!).

FISHGUARD

We have breakfast at our Hotel in the company of all the city's street cleaners (I think Cardiff Council has an arrangement here) and then head to Swansea, recommended by our invaluable Mondadori Guide (we don't use any other guides). But even the best guides are sometimes wrong, and Swansea turns out to be a real dump. I don't even get out of the car and Max takes a photo of the maritime quarter from the window. It's a city that's too big and too chaotic. It's not for us. Instead we go to nearby Tenby. Here the music changes. The town is really beautiful (a shame about the bad weather) and we kick ourselves, since we should have stayed here. In the front row facing the sea there are picturesque hotels, and in the second row a whole series of Guest Houses. In the narrow, flower-filled alleys there are many craft shops.

We also visit the Tudor Merchant's House (an old merchant's house) but don't find it very interesting. We then go to St. David's to visit the cathedral of the same name (more suggestive on the outside than inside) and then to Fishguard, where we will stay at the Hotel Seaview, a yellow building facing the sea but off-centre relative to the town. Fishguard is small but colourful. Nice, just past the centre, is the little harbour with its small dock. In the evening I'm tired, so we have dinner in our room with a box of Ritz and the tea that is never missing in any room, with an electric kettle and everything you need.

CAERNARFON

After the classic Welsh breakfast (which we never turn down, so we manage to postpone lunch until 2 p.m.), we stop at Aberaeron, a small village by the sea where we take a few photos. The second stop will be the village of Dolgellau with its stone houses, considered already a mountain place even though we are only a few miles inland, and then we head to Caernarfon, where we will stay overnight. Then we make a mistake. Following the directions in the Guide, which devoted a lot of space to the place, we go to visit the village of Portmeirion. Don't go there! It is a village built by a mad architect, with an admission fee, containing a jumble of buildings in an Italianate style. The whole thing is horrid. Money and time wasted. Caernarfon is very beautiful: a small town entirely surrounded by walls, with an ancient castle overlooking the sea.

The view from the drawbridge, which opens and closes every time a boat passes, is beautiful. Unfortunately we can't visit the castle because, in this area, the museums open late (at 11) and close early (at 5). However, we are in time for a boat trip that will allow us to see the town and the castle from the water and the surrounding landscape. In a shop near the castle, we also buy the traditional "LoveSpoon", the wooden spoon, a symbol of love, typical of this area. We then reach our accommodation for the night: BLACK BOY. It is an old b&b, located above a picturesque and much-photographed Pub. The rooms are large and full of character, but the antiquity of the structure shows through (for better and for worse). I don't like it much but Max does. And besides, here in Caernarfon, we didn't notice many other places to stay. The Pub also serves as a restaurant, so we have dinner here.

Let's draw a veil over the dinner. I ordered a simple steak but surprise... surprise... the big steak was there, but with peaches in syrup plonked on top of it. But Max says it's my fault because I always order "the wrong things".

SHREWSBURY

First stop of the day at Beaumaris, where we admire from the outside the remains of the castle surrounded by a moat (the interior visit isn't worth it), and then we head to CONWY. The town is very interesting, with many things to visit. Besides the remains of the castle overlooking the sea (an exterior visit is enough), the historic centre is full of fine buildings and Victorian houses. We also visit with great pleasure THE SMALLEST HOUSE (the smallest house in Great Britain), overlooking the quay. We also go into the Aberconwy House, the house of a wealthy merchant run by the National Trust (a guarantee of quality for a museum) and PLAS MAWR (a splendid Elizabethan building with a very complex plan). By chance we pass through a place called LLANRWST: we immediately notice the fine stone bridge and, beyond it, a splendid cottage completely covered in ivy.

We go closer and discover that it is an old 15th-century Tea House, to be precise: TU HWNT I'R BONT. Obviously, we take the opportunity to have lunch and also sample their splendid cakes. Next stop at Welshpool to visit Powis Castle, with furnished interiors and beautiful flower gardens where we are lucky enough to see a beautiful rainbow. For the night we will stay in Shrewsbury, a fine, large town with beautiful half-timbered houses and plenty of shops. The guest house where we will stay is splendid and well kept: SANDFORD HOUSE. Besides being right in the centre, it has a very convenient paid car park right beside it. It is a Guest House, which means more than a b&b but less than a hotel. Let's say that Guest Houses are small, family-run hotels.

There's even a fountain in the garden! We have dinner in a distinctive Italian restaurant, housed in a kind of cellar with low vaulted ceilings. It is called TRAITOR GATE BRASSERIE. The owner, Mr Giuliano, is very kind and talkative, and is from Foligno. We eat really well this evening!

WELLS

This morning we quickly take a photo of Stokesay Castle (which obviously, being early, is still closed) and make a first short stop in the town of Ludlow, which also has half-timbered houses but, apart from that, nothing else. The only interesting note, a shop of the "Birthday" chain (everything for birthdays), where I buy a nice birthday hat with lots of candles on top. We'll use it to blow out the candles for all the family birthdays. Lunch stop in Monmouth, in a pub near the ancient gateway to the town. We then decide to visit the nearby Cyfarthfa Castle, but it will prove an unfortunate choice because the castle is really not very interesting. Then we are obliged to make a sudden change of plan. We cannot reach the town of Abergavenny, where we had booked (and paid a deposit) for the Bed & breakfast (Pentrecourt house), because of a motorway traffic jam.

To avoid hours of queuing, we decide to head elsewhere, moving ahead with the following day's itinerary and looking for a pleasant place in the Mondadori guide. Along the way, we identify the town of Wells (in Somerset). We arrive in the late afternoon but have quite a hard time finding accommodation. We find a place a little more expensive than expected, in an old Guest House located right inside the ancient gateway, directly in front of the famous Wells Cathedral, complete with a four-poster bed (a bit small). We visit the cathedral quickly (since, as usual, they are closing). Of the cathedral, the majestic facade, all intricately carved, is much more interesting than the interior, which is rather anonymous. But the wonder of the town is the Bishop's Palace.

The palace is furnished in an austere way, but more interesting are the magnificent gardens with the famous well (wells) from which the city takes its name. The palace is completely surrounded by a beautiful moat and from the well some ornamental channels branch out, adorning the garden. Beautiful, beautiful! We have dinner, as on other occasions, at Subway, a cheap chain of fast-food sandwich shops, where they make long sandwiches right before your eyes, and where you can personally choose the ingredients to put in.

TOTNES

First stop, in Devon, at Powderham Castle, still inhabited by the original owners, with furnished interiors and a huge park. There's even a lake. Next stop at Sidmouth, a seaside resort in Devon, pretty but a bit too touristy and crowded. We have lunch in a bar/restaurant facing the sea with a tall, tall hamburger and the splendid English Apple Pie, which is different from ours. I think it's the best thing the English know how to cook. The apples are not placed on top of the pie, nor mixed into the dough, but rather enclosed inside the shortcrust pastry, sugared on the surface. It is served with the typical local cream (clotted cream, a cross between butter and cream) or vanilla ice cream. FanTastic in Sidmouth is the river ford by car.

At a certain point you have to cross the river with the car, under the supervision of an attendant who constantly measures the level in order to close the spot when the water is too high. In the afternoon we visit the ancient, timeless village of Cockington with a series of graceful cottages. Then we head to Totnes, where we will stay overnight. In Totnes there is really nothing to see; we don't understand why the Mondadori guide devotes so much space to it. Luckily we arrive in the evening, so we head straight to the bed & breakfast. (Four Seasons), run by a modern couple of men, very kind. The gentleman with the little apron is very kind, one of the few B&B owners who carries my suitcase up to the room, up the narrow stairs (which we find without fail in every accommodation). tastic.

FOWEY

This morning we leave Devon to reach Cornwall. At last I will be able to visit the places so exalted by the romance writer Rosamunde Pilcher. We visit Buckfast Abbey, a large complex housing a not very interesting abbey. However, the water mill attached to the abbey's craft shop is very beautiful. Since it keeps raining, we decide to visit castles, so at least we'll stay dry. We visit Cotehele House, dating from 1500, tackling a long and tortuous journey to get there by car. Here the narrow Cornish roads begin: narrow single-lane roads but all rigorously two-way. When you meet a car coming from the opposite direction, one of the 2 has to look for the nearest widening of the road and wait there for the other car to pass, sometimes reversing. On top of all this, here cars (including ours) have right-hand drive.

Cotehele House is a residence of great charm, both for the original period furnishings and for the inevitable gardens, which every historic residence has. The interiors are a little dark, this is so as not to damage the ancient furnishings. But even more astonishing, in Cornwall, is Lanhydrock house, an immense noble residence, completely furnished and complete with furnishings, where you visit as many as 49 rooms! There is even a vintage car with a driver to transport guests, for a modest price, from the car park to the entrance of the castle. We manage to catch it on the way back. These castles, like all the residences we visit, are well organised: they all have a fine Tea Room (where you can eat quick dishes and spectacular desserts) and a well-stocked Gift shop, where you can find more refined items than in ordinary souvenir shops.

Here you also find the famous butter biscuits, typical of the area. For the night we will stay in the seaside village of Fowey, a colourful borough in a sailor's style. The b&b, Fowey Marine, is in a convenient position because it is close to the centre and located right in front of the town's large car park. Here eating fish is a must. There is no shortage of restaurants.

ST.IVES

Today we visit the famous S. Michael's Mount. It is the poor twin of Mont St. Michel, in France. Here too there is a small mount, cut off from the mainland, reachable on foot only when the tide is low. At the top of the mount, however, there is a castle (in France, by contrast, there is an abbey). St. Michael is much less touristy than its French sister. Reaching the top is truly an ordeal; the path is rather winding and uneven. The climb knocks me out for the whole day. The view from the top, however, isn't bad (but Mont. St. Michel in France is better). This is the only place on our trip where we meet any Italians. For the rest of the stops, nothing at all. Italians don't come on holiday to these parts! We have lunch in Penzance based on Cornish Pasties. These are typical Cornish puff pastries filled with every kind of thing (meat, cheeses, vegetables etc. etc.).

You just have to choose the right one.

ST.IVES

ael's Mount. It is the poor twin of Mont St. Michel, in France. Here too there is a small mount, cut off from the mainland, reachable on foot only when the tide is low. At the top of the mount, however, there is a castle (in France, by contrast, there is an abbey). St. Michael is much less touristy than its French sister. Reaching the top is truly an ordeal; the path is rather winding and uneven. The climb knocks me out for the whole day. The view from the top, however, isn't bad (but Mont. St. Michel in France is better). This is the only place on our trip where we meet any Italians. For the rest of the stops, nothing at all. Italians don't come on holiday to these parts! We have lunch in Penzance based on Cornish Pasties. These are typical Cornish puff pastries filled with every kind of thing (meat, cheeses, vegetables etc. etc.). You just have to choose the right one.

We don't like Penzance, so we reach the nearby Mousehole through very narrow little roads (how scary!): a small village with a famous little harbour and narrow alleys. In the afternoon we then go to LAND'S END, the westernmost tip of Cornwall, with large rocks plunging sheer into the sea. I am very interested in the place because here is the famous Land's End Hotel, where Verdone shot the film "Maledetto il giorno che ti ho incontrato" with Margherita Buy. Obviously I take a photo in front of the entrance. I think, though, that Verdone would no longer like this place. A monstrous Visitor Center has now been placed here that somewhat disfigures the landscape. It looks like Gardaland! For the night, having found no room in St. Ives, we have to make do with a b&b, located above a pub, in nearby St. Earth. The website of the b&b Star Inn is a bit deceptive. It describes St.

Earth as if it were a fairy-tale place, village of the year and similar nonsense, whereas there is nothing at all here. There isn't even a shop, and since the pub owners decided to close the kitchen that day, we don't even know where to have dinner, as there are no other places. So we have no choice but to take the car to reach nearby St. Ives. After dinner we return to our accommodation, positioned in the pub's courtyard. It almost looks like an old granary that has been restored. The room is very large and clean. On that score, nothing to say. Breakfast is also precise and punctual.

LYNTON

Early in the morning we visit St. Ives, very, very pretty, even though from the book by M. McInerney set here (Scomodi segreti) I expected it to be a bit smaller. Instead it is really quite a town. I even manage to find the hotel (Porthminster) mentioned in the book. We also visit Trerice Manor; beautiful but decidedly smaller compared to the residences visited earlier. The gardens it mentions, moreover, are completely non-existent, or rather, they are simple vegetable plots.