I've lived, worked and studied in South Wales all my life and to my shame, I had never been to North Wales until my recent trip. It took 30 years of my life to get north of Machynlleth and boy was I silly to leave it that long.

Martyn, Coco and I had two weeks in our little caravan to take in as much of North Wales as possible and this special trip really showed me the splendour and beauty of my home country. #ProudWelshGirl

We based ourselves on the north coast for week one and on the Llyn Peninsula for week two to be able to take in as many of the sights as we could. Our home for week one was the Bron-Y-Wendon Touring Park just outside Colwyn Bay. This site was very well appointed with fully serviced pitches (electric hook up, fresh water and grey water disposal) and spotlessly clean shower facilities. We had fantastic sea views from our pitch and the campsite was very calm with only a few children around during the school holidays. The only negative was some noise from the A55 which ran close to the site. 

We were able to cram lots in to our first week and still have plenty of down time to relax in the caravan. We were not blessed with ideal weather, it was either roasting hot or misty and raining so all the pretty dresses and going out tops I packed weren't much use and I spent most of the time in leggings and a rain coat - who says caravanning isn't glamorous, ey?

There are lots of destinations I didn't take photos of or that we only stopped off at briefly but I've tried to share the edited highlights below (I don't think you all need to see 400 photos, most of which are of my dog).

Llandudno is a classic Victorian seaside town and is popular with visitors from nearby cities like Liverpool and Manchester. It is home to Wales’s longest pier, offers superb views and all the ice cream, dinky doughnuts and candy floss you can dream of.

Once we walked along the pier and enjoyed a Punch and Judy show we headed up the Great Orme which rises 207 meters above the sea. The Orme is home to some interesting flora and fauna and the largest prehistoric copper mine in the world. The main reason that Martyn and I wanted to visit is because we are transport geeks and wanted to travel on the only cable hauled tramway in the UK.

The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno opened over a century ago in 1902. It's open everyday from late March to October with a adult return ticket currently priced at £8.10. At the halfway station you can learn all about the Tramway's history, before heading to the summit. The views at the top of the Orme were simply stunning and are not to be missed if you are in the area. 

Conwy was such a charming walled town with an impressive castle. If the weather is good and you are travelling by train I recommend walking over or to Deganwy railway station for spectacular views of the castle and the surrounding area.
 
There are plenty of lovely shops where you can pick up some lovely Welsh produce and I highly recommend a pit stop at Parisella's of Conwy for some award winning ice cream (the salted caramel and raspberry ripple are divine) and Popty Conwy bakery for some affordable lunch options and a nutella stuffed doughnut of dreams pictured below.  

Betws-y-Coed is known as the gateway to Snowdonia and has more outdoor shops catering to walkers than I've ever seen in a tiny town before and plenty of trails heading to waterfalls and forests making it the perfect spot for adventurous travellers. 

Martyn and I headed to the town to see the lovely scenery but also because it has a lovely railway station and links to the Conwy Valley Railway line which I've wanted to explore for a long time. From our departure at Betws-y-Coed to our arrival at Llandudno we were treated views of the castle at Conwy and dramatic landscapes. The 27 mile long Conwy Valley line offers one of the most beautiful rail experiences in Britain, well worth a visit.

The station building and street was home to some great cafes and restaurants. We stopped off at Hangin' Pizzeria as we were ravenous after a day of exploring and to escape the heatwave going on outside. They have a great selection of pizzas with vegan and gluten free options too. A percentage of proceeds go to animal conservation charities so you get to eat pizza and do a good deed. I opted for a garlic butter, goats cheese and caramelised onion pizza which was thin and crispy which is just how I like it and it was enormous. Great spot for lunch!

Bangor was a surprise stop on our trip but I'm so glad we made time to briefly pass through. We had hoped to visit Bodnant Gardens but they do not allow dogs in so we had to think on our feet and visited Garth pier. The pier in Bangor is Grade-II listed and equally as lovely as the more famous pier in Llandudno. It is very charming and not filled with shops and stalls selling tat. It's perfect for promenading along like the Victorians did and taking in the views of the Menai Straights and Suspension Bridge.

The Menai Suspension Bridge was opened in 1826 and is a marvel of engineering. Thomas Telford's' creation helped to link Anglesy to the mainland as previously the only way to travel between the two was to walk at low tide of get a ferry boat.

There isn't a lot to see at Llanfair PG station but I had to make a quick pit stop at the station with the longest name - Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. In English it means 'Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of Saint Tysilio near the red cave. The name is spelt out phonetically underneath so you can try pronouncing it when you visit. 

You can read all of my posts about Wales here. 


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So, I booked a trip to Disney World on a whim last week... Why not, ey?!

I've been to Disneyland Paris a few times as an adult but I've not visited the parks in Orlando since 1999 when I was still in High School. I was 14 during my last visit so my mum planned the whole thing and I just took it all in, one day at a time and didn't have to organise a thing. This time the planning will be all down to me and I want to make the most of every minute of our trip as it's not something my husband Martyn is likely to do with me again (he's not the biggest Disney fan.)

My brother has been to Orlando recently and I've got a former cast member colleague so I'll be asking them for lots of Disney World advice but I have started to put my own little plan together and I'm slightly overwhelmed, there's so much to think about! The adverts make it look like you will be skipping around the parks hand in hand with Mikey and waltzing up to attractions and walking straight on but previous experience tells me otherwise. To make sure I have plenty of fun and enjoy both the build-up and the holiday I've broken my planning down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Itinerary 

I would like to have a rough idea of which park we are heading to each day so I can make some dining reservations and book our FastPasses (more on this later.) I don't want to have every minute accounted for and plan on having plenty of downtime. We will be in Orlando for just under two weeks so a few days at the water parks, relaxing in the hotel pool and a few cocktails in DisneySprings will be a welcome break after walking 30k+ steps in the parks. 

I've got a notebook and a folder for all my tickets, this girl is organised! There are some great tools out there to help plan like this spreadsheet and you can find my day planner below.

FastPass+

Dining Plan

We have a free Disney Dining Plan as part of our booking, this entitles us to two snacks per day and two counter service meals with a drink of our choice (you can have alcohol, shakes, hot drinks etc). You can upgrade and get table service meals but booking reservations for so many sit down meals would put restrictions on our time and whilst this would be nice it is an extra expense and after looking at the menus for confer service food I know we will be more than happy with the variety.

Supplies

I've shared some tips for packing for Disney on the blog before and a bit of planning ahead can save you money when you're in the park and make the day even more enjoyable so I like to put a together list to make sure I've got everything I need. Who wants to pay $8 for paracetamol or $10 for a poncho if it rains? Not me! 

I will also make a list for my big suitcase and plan on taking comfy shoes, light layers and some snacks for the hotel room. I will also be packing some cute Disney themed outfits. Yes, I'm 30 but I'm totally ok with being basic. I'm not going full-on Disney princess but I do have this Haunted Mansion t-shirt and fancy getting something with a tropical vibe for my days in Animal Kindom  - maybe some dresses with animal or palm print like these ones from the Plus size occasion wear section at Quiz.

I've already made a big start on planning and the next stages will be making dining reservations 180 days before we go and booking those fast passes 60 days before our trip. If anyone reading this is a Disney veteran and has some tips for me please leave a comment below. I would love to know what your favourite Disney attractions are, any top tips for what see that's underrated and snack recommendations. 

Since getting our caravan last year we've only been away for one short break in it. Our first trip was just a few miles away from our home to test everything out and get used to towing. Our trip to Cheddar was our first proper mini break in Florrie (our Freedom Caravan) and it was the perfect location to continue to get used to caravanning and wasn't too far to tow from our home in South Wales. 

I've become a member of the Camping and Caravanning Club which comes with lots of benefits. Firstly you get a discount on club campsites and access to Certified sites which are small, privately run sites which operate under the Club's jurisdiction and can only accommodate a handful of caravans and tents. They can be secluded hideaways and because of their small size, they are often able to operate in areas close to beaches or in National Parks where bigger, more commercial sites aren't allowed. 

Our campsite was situated on the outskirts of the village of Priddy, the highest in the Mendips. Cheddar Camping and Caravanning Club Site is an ideal base to explore all the area has to offer and would be perfect for walkers, climbers and families with kids who don't need a clubhouse to be entertained. The site has beautiful views, charming stone walls and was very tranquil. 

The site offers pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes, trailer tents and tents including grass pitches and hardstandings with electric hookup. There are 90 pitches in total open to club members and non-members too. 

Upon arrival were received a warm welcome from staff in the reception which also serves as a shop. The shop is open all season and sells locally produced meat, cheese, groceries, gas and anything you might have forgotten to pack. Fresh bread and pastries are baked each morning and available to pre-order. There's also a farm shop a short walk from the site where you can pick up produce and get a hot meal if you're not in the mood to cook. 

Dogs are welcome on-site but can't be exercised there. Luckily there are plenty of public footpaths nearby where we could walk Coco. Coco can be a tad anxious if people are coming and going past the caravan and is very curious. Even though the site was fully booked for the Bank Holiday whilst we were there it was still very quiet and Coco behaved very well and was relaxed. 

The site had spotless facilities including hot showers, washbasins and toilets, a laundry and dishwashing area. There is a chemical disposal point and the site has Wi-Fi (fees apply) and BBQs to hire. The site was perfect for our needs and I would love to return for a longer trip in the future. 

We used the day we arrived on site to pitch up, relax and enjoy the facilities on offer and only ventured off site to walk the dog. On day two we headed out to explore the area and visited  Wells, England's smallest cathedral city.

I adored Wells with its impressive cathedral and moated Bishop's Palace. It was a lovely place to wander around for a few hours and highlights included the picturesque Vicars’ Close, which is believed to be Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited street. It is tucked away to the side of the Cathedral, just past the Music School so don't miss it if you are in Wells. The market was also fantastic and is held each Wednesday and Saturday. Taylors of Bruton had some tasty baked goods and Nutts Scotch Eggs were delicious, I recommend the salmon ones or the black pudding. There are over 15 stalls offering tasty treats, perfect for a picnic on the green or to take back to the caravan like we did.

We left Wells and ventured back to the site via the impressive Cheddar Gorge to spend the evening reading, relaxing and scoffing our market goodies. We decided to head to Glastonbury on day three and visited the romantic and historic ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. 

The entrance fee is £8.25 at the gate with gift aid (£7.50 without) and is discounted if you purchase in advance online at £7.43 (£6.67 without gift aid). The abbey is thought to be the resting place of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere and it is believed that the Holy Thorn tree located in the abbey's grounds sprouted from Joseph of Arimathea's staff, who is reported to have visited the site just a few decades after the death of Christ. The abbey was ransacked during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII  and now lies in ruins set in 36 acres of parkland.

The abbey is a very dog-friendly site and Coco loved playing in the grounds. I highly recommend taking a picnic and making a day of it.

We throguhly enjoyed our time in Cheddar and thought the caravan site was the ideal spot to relax and take a break from our hectic day jobs. To plan your own camping or caravan trip in the South West head over to the Camping and Caravanning Club site for full listings of sites in the area.

We are currently planning our next trip in the caravan and will be visiting North Wales in July. If you have any tips for dog-friendly things to see and do in North Wales please leave a comment below. 

I love a railway-themed attraction or museum and have visited lots of them all over the UK and Europe. (You can read all my train posts here) I'm particularly interested in the history of the London Underground and have been on a few tours that explore the hidden history of this extraordinary network now. I've always fancied an abandoned station or tunnel tour after previously visiting the Acton depot and the London Underground's former HQ which is a gem of art deco architecture. 

You have to be quick to get tickets for the Hidden London tours organised by the London Transport Museum and my husband and I have missed out on them before as they are released whilst we are in work. We were lucky enough to get tickets for the Euston Station Lost Tunnels tour when the museum last released a batch of tickets and were so excited for a glimpse behind the scenes. 

The tour explored a century of the station’s history, from its beginnings on the corner of Melton and Drummond Street to its future as part of an evolving and growing national railway network. I'm pleased that we were able to explore the lost tunnels before the site is transformed for HS2 and repurposed to delivery a more future-proof railway. The Underground is always evolving.

Euston has two station types, one a mainline station and the other, an underground station. Euston was the first mainline station to connect London to Birmingham in 1838.

The two branches of the Northern line were constructed by two competing companies and they had two separate entrances at Euston. Later the companies agreed to join the two stations with a passageway. The tour takes you through this now-closed passageway, the ticket hall and still has posters hanging from the 1960’s.

We really enjoyed exploring parts of the underground that are closed off to the public, the tunnels felt like a time capsule with British Rail posters and advertisements for Pyscho and West Side Story adorning the walls. The tours aren't cheap but are really immersive and well worth the ticket price. 

Not content with visiting one transport themed attraction in one day we also made time to visit Mail Rail during our trip to London. We purchased a combined ticket which gave us access to both the Postal Museum and a ride on Mail Rail - another chance to explore subterranean London.


Inside the museum, there’s a whole host of items tracing the history of the postal service from its beginnings in Tudor times up to the present day. The museum is split into chronological zones and houses the first post box, various post vans and carriages and the only sheet of Penny Black stamps still in existence. 

The part of the museum I was most excited to explore was the Mail Rail - a 15-minute journey under the streets of London just opposite the Postal Museum. 

For just under a century, (and unknown to many Londoners), a railway network operated under the city streets transporting the country’s correspondence. Mail Rail was introduced to ease the congestion on the roads of London and speed up the transportation of post. At its peak, it ran between Paddington and Whitechapel.

The network remains pretty unchanged since it was decommissioned in 2003 and sits deep below the Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant sorting office. Mail Rail was closed as the cost to operate the system was far greater than transporting post via road but we have been left with a fantastic experience and chance to explore more of London's hidden history. 

The journey starts when you board tiny carriages in the exhibition space. These trains were never intended for passengers and hefty me and my tall husband found them quite a squeeze. If you don't know the person who you are travelling with before the Mail Rail ride you will by the time you emerge at the other end! The tunnels are now home to dynamic video guides and testimonials from staff who used to work in the tunnels. The history of Mail Rail is far more interesting than you might expect!

Combined tickets for the museum and Mail Rail are currently £17 and the Euston  - The Lost Tunnels tour costs £41.50.  Both get a big thumbs up from me and Martyn.