Day 3: Montgomery Castle

Today when we woke up the kids and I decided to walk up the hill. Michael has several paths laid out here with directions and secret things to find. I had been sort of avoiding the hill, because it looked like quite a climb. But I finally decided we would give it a go.

So of course he has the sun here on the end of the driveway. Then Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars the correct distance away. The rest of the planets are out along this path somewhere. We went through the gate, crossed the bridge of over the stile. Easy enough. Then we started up the hill. We found the first planet outside of the yard. But then the climb. Actually the going up was okay, tiring, but okay. The problem was that we were missing the planets and the secrets that he had out in the woods.

By the time we got to the top of the hill, I knew I did not want to go down that way. Zeb however was finished and just climbed back down the hill. The girls and I had not given up. Though it had been a while now since we had found one of Michael's hidden things. In fact I had decided to do this climb because the way home (by following his directions) was to go across the field and walk down the road. Even if the road had hills, I knew it would be an easier way back. We did make it, but wow, was it a long walk.

Once be got back we got ready to go to Montgomery Castle. The plan was to go to the aquaduct in the town before Montgomery. Then on to the castle and possibly the town to look around. We missed the turn to the aquaducts. But that is okay. These things do not show up on the GPS. So we just have to find them. Which I have found to be a challenge.

We drive into Montgomery, and find that it is as expected a town. Towns are hard to describe to someone who expects them to be flat and laid out with grid-like streets. Hills, curves, side streets that look like sidewalks, buildings so close together many are touching. This is a town here. Oh, and parking. I haven't exactly figured out parking just yet. It is either simply parking wherever you like – any side of the road or even half on the sidewalk, or little tiny lots I don't feel like my car can even fit into. So when I actually find a parking lot, I rejoice.

I found one. It was in the recycling center. I stopped the car, thrilled not to be driving anymore. As we tried to figure out where the castle ruins were. (Again, not on the GPS) There were two guys putting their recycling into the bins, so I went over and asked them. Everyone here is wonderfully nice. He verbally told me the way. But then said I could just follow him, he was going part way there. And when he turned right I would turn left. He said he would stop and point so I would be sure it was the right way.

That made it easy. Driving still scary, he had pointed me to a upward climbing winding road barely wide enough for my car and I knew that it was truly a two way road. Please do not meet anyone. Luckily I didn't. I also found myself at a parking area. Putting your car into one of these places is much easier than getting it out. I just parked, and prayed I would be able to get out when we were finished.

It was then a shortish walk to the castle. Ruins are always just a bit on the sad side, because you know what this place should be. The castle was first built in 1071. It was destroyed in the English Civil War (1640-1650ish). One of the people we spoke to at the castle said that after it was destroyed, the people from the town had gone up and used the stones from the castle to build their houses. This is why so much of it is gone.

I really enjoyed walking around and looking at the castle. It is so hard to believe that it has been there 900 years. Amazing.

After this we got back in the car and thought we would try the aquaducts. But I headed off on the wrong road, or just missed the corner. Anyway we found ourselves on the way to Welshpool. Which was fine with us. We saw the signs for Coed-y-dinas. This was on the list that Michael had for people. He calls it a garden center. When I hear that I think Menards. Which in some ways it is like that. We thought this was the garden center that had a bunch of actually little gardens set up and there for you to explore. We found out that it wasn't that one. But we did walk around and look at all of the stuff there.

Coed-y-dinas is near Morrisons, the grocery store. So being that close we thought we would go there and pick up a few things. Also the Powysland Museum is in or next to the Morrison's parking lot (a real parking lot). The other day when we tried to go to the museum it had been closed. We decided to check it out and see if it was open.

It was. So we headed inside. Interestingly enough, it was free entry all this week. So we saved ourselves a couple of pounds. It was a nice little museum about local history.