Bangor Group 2: Caernarfon, Gwynedd, North Wales

Caernarfon is a small town of just under 10,000 people located in the North West of Wales on the edge of the Menai straight. It is well known as a port and royal town and is home to a grand castle built by Edward I. The castle was the seat of government for many years in the 13^th century. His aim was to get all of Wales to be one, English speaking country. Caernarfon Castle is one of many that Edward I built, the others are in Harlech, Conwy, Aberystwyth, Builth, Rhuddlan, Flint and Beaumaris.

The surrounding town in some ways is reliant on tourist income generated by the castle. The square outside the castle and the surrounding streets have loads of bistros/cafes, ice cream parlours and pubs for tourists to enjoy. As well as this, its handy location means that the historically thriving trading port and harbour can now be used to house many holiday makers and their yachts. However, the further away from the centre of town you go, the less up market the surroundings are. The area quickly morphs into one that resembles a council estate and close quarter terraced housing; typical of a town with a tourist centre.

During our visit we walked from the outside if town into the centre and headed straight for the castle. When we arrived we found Liz looking regal in front of the Lloyd George statue! It was actually free to enter the castle which surprised us somewhat. As a very large monument the castle was fascinating to explore, which led to many photos being taken!