HOLIDAYS  BUYING  HELPLINE Great Escapes: North Wales 4 Celtic legend Wales has a rich and varied history. Its ancient Celtic mother tongue remains the first language in many of the parts of North Wales that we visited. Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in western Europe. Many of these castles enjoy stunning coastal locations, or are perched at the mouth of panoramic valleys, and they contribute a greatly to the beauty of the Welsh landscape.Then there's the tradition of legend and myth, most famous among these being that of Arthur, son of Uthyr Pendragon, whose bravery and supernatural powers are said to have fought off the Saxons and the forces of darkness around the year 500AD. North Wales also has its fair share of museums, too, to relate some aspect of local history. We explore all of the above in our themed tour of history and legend. Start here The start/finish point for our tour is the Caernarfon Airpark Aviation Museum. From Caernarfon take the A487 signposted Porthmadog, then bear right on the A499 towards Pwllheli. Turn right for Dinas at 5.4 miles, then follow the coastal road all the way to the air museum: an attractive drive along the seafront, with mountains across the bay. Arrive at eight miles. Home of RAF mountain rescue Caernarfon Airpark Aviation Museum was formerly the home of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service which was formed back in 1942, when it trained pilots for aerial attacks on Germany. The collection in the museum is a potted history of the aircraft used in operations since the end of World War II. On show are Westland Whirlwind helicopters which served in the Suez crisis of 1956, a Hawker Sea Hawk which saw combat over Egypt (also during the Suez crisis), two Hawker Hunters and perhaps best of all the DeHavilland Tiger Moth, a throwback to the daredevil days of pre-war flying. Many of these exhibits are inter-active, allowing visitors to seat themselves at the controls, in a cockpit. There's also a chance to take a trial flying lesson in a light aircraft from the airfield here. Choose from a Cessna 150, Cherokee 140, or a Warrior 160. Lessons are up to an hour's duration. 2. Caernarfon Castle Zero the car's trip meter on leaving the Airpark and return to Caernarfon. Follow the signs to one of the many car parks dotted around the perimeter of the town's castle walls. Ancient Caernarfon Castle stands on the shoreline of the Menai Strait, and is the most famous and attractive castle Wales has to offer. Building began in 1284 at the behest of Edward I, as a military stronghold and royal palace. The fortress looms over the bustling, walled market town of Caernarfon. Take a walk along the ramparts, beneath the twin-towered gatehouse and browse the exhibits housed within the towers. 3. Conwy Castle Leave Caernarfon on the A487, signposted Bangor. At 15.5 miles join the A55 North Wales expressway to Conwy. Ignore the Conwy/A457 turn-off at 31.1 miles, and take the A456 at 32.6 miles, signposted Deganwy. Turn left at top of road at the roundabout, take the first exit for Deganwy/A456, then go straight across the next roundabout (second exit), over the bridge and turn left (first exit) at the larger traffic island at 33.5 miles. Left again at next island and through the archway in Conwy's walled town. Park in the car park on the right at 34 miles. Conwy Castle overlooks the river Conwy and is a remarkable fortress in the shadow of the Snowdonian skyline. Like Caernarfon, this was built by Edward I towards the end of the 13th century, and the perimeter of the town is still marked by its walls. It's possible to walk around the 15ft-thick walls, which were built in the shape of a Welsh harp. The walls are half a mile in length, punctuated by eight, great drum-towers and more than 20 semi-circular towers. Almost as fascinating are the bridges that cross the river Conwy to meet the castle. Telford's iron-wrought suspension bridge is flanked by Robert Stephenson's tubular pedestrian bridge on one side and the road bridge on the other. Plas Mawr, in Conwy, is also worth a look. It is widely held to be the finest surviving Elizabethan gentry town house in Britain. 4. Bodelwyddan Castle Returning to the A55 North Wales expressway, continue east. Turn left at 47.8 miles, signposted to Castel Bodellwyddan. Turn immediately left at the next traffic island and then take the second left at the following island and into the castle entrance. Bodelwyddan Castle, with its limestone turrets and battlements, is certainly striking. Unlike its medieval counterparts, Conwy and Caernarfon, it was built in the 19th century, based on a conversion of a Jacobean house. A tour of the rooms shows that many of its features have been restored. The castle also houses many artworks from the National Portrait Gallery, and a number of pieces of furniture from the V&A Museum. We were surprised to find an exhibition of pop icon photography from 1958 to 1999. Parents need not worry that their children will be bored: there's a section called Techniquest in which there's loads of hands-on activities as well as Victorian games and inventions to toy with. 5. Return to the A55 and head west, back towards Conwy. At 60.6 miles, before entering Conwy, turn off left onto the A470 for Betws-y-Coed. At 75.2 miles turn left onto the A5 then immediately right onto the A470, signposted Blaenau Ffestiniog. Continue on the A470 through Blaenau Ffestiniog, then turn left at 75.6 miles, signposted Dolgellau. The Tynycornel Hotel is at Talyllyn, on the B4405 off the A487 south of Dolgellau, and is set amongst some stunning scenery. Opposite soars the 892-metre peak of Cader Idris and you can gaze at the calm surface of lake Tal-y-llyn. The food is reasonably priced. 6. At the court of King Arthur Turn right onto the A487, signposted Machynlleth, at 95 miles, then turn right into King Arthur's Labyrinth at 101 miles. King Arthur's Labyrinth re-tells the legend of King Arthur as you explore a maze of tunnels and caverns scored deep into the mountains. Arthur's last battle was said to be at the nearby Pass of the Arrows. This and other tales, of Merlin, the Battle of Camlon, and Avalon are told as you take a boat ride along pretty underground river passes, through the great waterfall and into the labyrinth. 7. The Celtica museum Continuing south on the A470 brings you to the town of Machynlleth at 105 miles. Half a mile past the town monument, and through a series of mini-roundabouts, turn off left and follow the signs for Celtica. Celtica is a fascinating interactive museum which celebrates a Celtic past, present and future. You can learn here about the origins of the Celts, learn how the advance of the Roman Empire forced the Celts to surrender much of their lands, and sample life in a Celtic Iron Age village. The main exhibit, an audio-visual experience, explores Celtic history, culture and beliefs. Return to the A487, then follow the A470 to Porthmadog. Cross the toll bridge and return towards Caernarfon on the A487, arriving at 162 miles. HOME PAGE | TOP OF PAGE GREAT ESCAPES   Sun, sand, surf  Hillside drive  Walk the walk  Celtic legend  Back to nature  Under your feet  Let off steam  Local information  BACK TO ARCHIVE PLANNING  Distance 162 miles Time 10 hours Start/Finish Caernarfon Airpark Aviation Museum Suitable for All the family REFRESHMENTS Tynycornel Hotel, Talyllyn. Tel 01654 782282 Tafarn Pencei Cafe Bar, Keyside, Porthmadog. Tel 01766 514959 Unicorn Inn, Smithfield Square, Dolgellau. Tel 01341 422742 ATTRACTIONS Bodelwyddan Castle. Tel 01745 584060 Caernarfon Airpark Aviation Museum. Tel 01286 830800 Caernarfon Castle. Tel 01286 677617 Celtica. Tel 01654 702702 Conwy Castle. Tel 01492592358 King Arthur's Labyrinth. Tel 01654 761584 TIP For information on other castles in the area, and the Segontium Roman Fort, visit the CADW website. HOLIDAYS  BUYING  HELPLINE Contact Practical Caravan Best viewed in screen resolution 800 x 600 using I.E.4 or Netscape 4 or later.