Chepstow Castle | Wales

Perched on a cliff overlooking the river is a castle sitting in ruin. It's a familiar sight in small Welsh towns, however you can tell this castle is different. Maybe because it overlooks the border between Wales and England. You aren't sure. But you are drawn in by its sheer size and beauty. 

Chepstow Castle is a beautiful example of a fortress. Its obvious changes over the centuries allowed it to stay relevant and strong. Construction began in 1067, making it one of the oldest stone fortresses in Britain. Its original purpose was to watch, and intimidate, the Welsh. Its presence would have been both breathtaking and frightening. 

Ownership passed from lord to lord, however its military purpose came to an end in 1685. Like many castles after the English civil war, it laid in ruin for hundreds of years. Its eventual rise in tourism can be attributed to the industrial revolution and the modernization of leisurely travel in the mid 19th century. With the invention of steam trains and steam ships, people began exploring some of Britain's most beautiful treasures. 

Getting to Chepstow Castle is quite easy. A 10 minute walk from the train station, the castle is hard to miss. For 6 pounds you have unlimited access to the grounds. Every nook and cranny has something interesting behind it! 

What are some of your favorite castles across Europe?

xoxo

The Last Town in Wales | Chepstow, Wales

The thing I miss most about living in England is the ability to jump on a train and explore somewhere new. Don't get me wrong, I love having my car here in America. However, there is something about train travel that really opens new possibilities. 

Chepstow has been on my list of places to visit ever since I read about it on Elle's blog. On my recent visit to the UK I made sure to make a day trip out of it. The last (or first depending on how you look at it) town in Wales, Chepstow is a sleepy city with a big history. As soon as you step foot onto the Chepstow train station platform, you are greeted with signs and paths leading you to exciting places. My first stop was the bridge between Wales and England. 

Old Wye Bridge was built in 1816, however bridges have been standing in its place since the 13th century. A bridge easily accessible by foot, you can literally walk from Wales to England. That's right, you can literally walk from one country to another. Despite the gorgeous weather, there were only a few other tourists snapping away. In true fashion, I decided to show off how awkward of a human I am in front of a camera. 

I think I'll stick to taking the photos instead of being in them. 

There is a world of difference between Wales and England. Ask any Brit and they'll give you an extensive history of the differences between the two countries. Chepstow may be a stones throw away from the English border, but it has a lot to offer all on its own. 

The Largest Castle in Wales | Caerphilly Castle

Despite the fact I had lived in the UK for over a year I hadn't really visited a castle. Well, I have. In 2011 I visited Edinburgh Castle, but that was years ago. Since my "big move" last September, I hadn't made a single trip to a castle. Obviously long overdue.

Caerphilly Castle was chosen as our destination based on serious research. Pintrest research of course. Elle stumbled across a few pictures of Wale's largest castle via Pintrest and I was sold. The trip out to the castle seemed easy enough (we're notorious for having at least one horrible public transportation experience per trip). We headed to the train station one rainy morning and booked our tickets to Cardiff. Cardiff seemed unusually busy when we arrived. I'm talking police every ten feet patrolling the crowds busy. Turns out the International Rugby game AND ComicCon were taking place in the city that day. Our luck, right? We maneuvered our way through excited rugby fans and comic book characters to get on another train that would take us to Caerphilly. 

Caerphilly, only about 20 minutes north of Cardiff, was a charming little Welsh town. Like many towns with surviving medieval fortresses, the entire city is practically built around the castle. A five minute walk from the train station and we were there. 

The largest castle in Wales, Caerphilly Castle sits on an island surrounded by a moat. Yes, an actual castle surrounded by an actual moat! It is largely in ruins thanks to the generous bombings that took place during the English Reformation (this is me rolling my eyes at people in the past disregarding the importance of sites such as this one).

Having made our trip in November, we practically had the castle to ourselves. Tickets to Caerphilly Castle are only 4.50, an absolute steal if you ask me! We spent the majority of our day wandering the deserted corridors, laughing our heads off at the hidden statues (especially the one in the mirror room)! Wellies/rainboots are a must, especially if you go in the winter months!

Happy Thursday!
xoxo

Doctor Who Experience | Cardiff, Wales

I had been wanting to go to the Doctor Who Experience since first moving to Bristol. Doctor Who is extremely popular in the UK, and for a good reason, it's an amazing show! Located in Cardiff, Wales, the Doctor Who Experience is only about an hour train ride away. When my cousin came to visit for a few days, we made it a priority to see the Experience. 

I'm not going to lie, I was pretty excited to see the Tardis parked on the waterside. We eagerly bought tickets and then headed inside. The first part of the Experience is interactive. Moving from one room to the next, you are presented with a task the Doctor has asked: land the Tardis and help him escape. The set was absolutely amazing, but because you are with a rather large group of people, nobody really wants to 'play along'. Afterwards, you are free to explore the exhibit which houses props, clothing, and sets from the TV show. It was incredible seeing some of these things up close, but to be honest I was expecting the exhibit to be larger. 

Overall the Doctor Who Experience is worth the 15 pounds. Will I go back? Probably not. The entire Experience will be closing at the end of the month to prepare for the new Doctor (who is amazing in my opinion). Who knows, maybe I'll go back to see what they change! 

Do you watch the show? And if so, who is your favorite Doctor, companion, and villain?

My favorites are Ten, Rose, and the Weeping Angels!

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo