Old Tree in Betws-y-Coed

Conway Falls in North Wales

300 Degree Fairy Glen Panorama

Fairy Glen in the shade

Steepholme and Flatholme as Seen while docked at Penarth(they can be spotted at the right side end of the horizon). A very moody image capture on a cruise on the "Bolmoral":http://www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk/balmoral.htm on one of its rare trips from Weston-super-Mare. The effect was achieved by taking a series of photos, with the exposure compensation ranging from -3 to +3 EV. These were aligned then highlights and shadows were compressed. This was not my intended final photo but it caught my eye in Photoshop as I was cycling through the layer merge options.

Four hours into our trek and at the top of Mynydd Garthmyn we were greeted with this. ZOMG!! A storm is coming and we are unprepared! Luckily, after some threatening posturing, the clouds blew away...

Coed-y-Celyn Hall in Betws-y-Coed. bq. Coed-y-Celyn Hall is situated in its own grounds on the banks of the River Conwy, about a mile from Betws-y-Coed in the Snowdonia National Park. Guests can walk in the grounds which include a length of private riverside - a perfect place to relax at the end of a day spent exploring this beautiful part of Snowdonia in North Wales. This is an ideal base from which to explore and enjoy the many activities and attractions that North Wales has to offer. bq. _Quote from "Coed-y-Celyn Hall Holiday Flats Website":http://www.snowdonia-self-catering.co.uk/_ Coed-y-Celyn Hall is where we stayed in our 2007 visit to Betws-y-Coed and plan to go there many times more. Tracy & Michael Williams, who run the holiday flats at Coed-y-Celyn Hall were excellent hosts and we very informative on all the local hidden beauty spots and walks. Thank you Tracy and Michael.

Coed-y-Celyn Hall in Betws-y-Coed. bq. Coed-y-Celyn Hall is situated in its own grounds on the banks of the River Conwy, about a mile from Betws-y-Coed in the Snowdonia National Park. Guests can walk in the grounds which include a length of private riverside - a perfect place to relax at the end of a day spent exploring this beautiful part of Snowdonia in North Wales. This is an ideal base from which to explore and enjoy the many activities and attractions that North Wales has to offer. bq. _Quote from "Coed-y-Celyn Hall Holiday Flats Website":http://www.snowdonia-self-catering.co.uk/_ Coed-y-Celyn Hall is where we stayed in our 2007 visit to Betws-y-Coed and plan to go there many times more. Tracy & Michael Williams, who run the holiday flats at Coed-y-Celyn Hall were excellent hosts and we very informative on all the local hidden beauty spots and walks. Thank you Tracy and Michael.

Another view of Llyn Crafnant reservoir, this time from the southern shore. This shot is a composition of three sets of panoramas, exposed at different exposure compensation (0, +1 and +2) to capture the highlight detail in the sky and clouds.

Magic at Fairy Glen. This is a truly wonderful site situated at the bottom of a gorge and has long been know as a tourist spot, dating back to the Victorians. bq. Fairy Glen, known as Ffos Noddyn in Welsh, is a famous 'beauty spot' best seen when shafts of sunlight beam into the deep ravine. The welsh name Ffos (a ditch) and Noddyn (anoddyn - a chasm) gives a more dramatic impression than the sentimental Victorian name. When in flood the river bevels as it sweeps around the bends. A bridge across the ravine was swept away by floods. bq. _extract from Walks Around Betws-y-Coed_

By the little damn at the north east point of Llyn Crafnant.

Inside the Ty-Gwyn. bq. The Ty Gwyn Hotel situated in Betws-y-coed, at the heart of the Snowdonia National Park, is a former coaching Inn dating back to 1636. The Ty Gwyn has been owned & run by the Ratcliffe family for the past 25 years, and Martin (the chef for the 25 years) and his wife Nicola have now taken over the running of this Centuries old, Multi award winning Inn. _extract from "Ty Gwyn Hotel Website":http://www.tygwynhotel.co.uk_ Amanda & I would very much recommend dining at this charming establishment (the food is delectable).

Boulder at Llyn Crafnant Reservoir

Sheep on top of Mynydd Garthmyn. This photo was taken in early June and several lambs could be seen around the hills of Betws-y-Coed. The sheep were slightly skittish this time of year... maybe because of the lambs. Whole herds would stop and stare at us as we would cross a field on our adventures.

Machno Falls, a very well hidden (and un-advertised) fall but well worth a look. bq. An old guide book describes the falls as follows: 'Nature has double been assisted by art for the old mill wheel plays a most effective part in the view.' Sadly the wheel has gone but the shell of the old corn mill is still standing. The clear water of the Afon Machno is turquoise as it falls into the chasm and surges into the cleft below. _Quoted from Walks Around Betwes-y-Coed by Hilarry Kendel and Hilary Bradnam_

Conway Falls Close-up. bq. Here the Conway rushes into an amphitheatre-lie hollow of strongly jointed Ordovician rock. The stream, stained brown by its journey through peat, is divided by a buttress of rock on which you can see the remains of an old salmon ladded which never worked. The new salmon ladder was completed in 1993. _Quoted from Walks Around Betws-s-Coed by Hilary Kendell and Hillary Bradnam_

West Wales coast north of Llangranog