We left Watson’s Bistro still feeling the warm glow from our good fortune in recovering my lost wallet. A second glass of Sauvignon blanc contributed to the effect, and with some energy left in our legs after our short bike ride we decided it was the best time to finally walk the town walls.
It was a sublime experience for us. The walls are still completely intact and form a semicircle around the town that ends at the riverfront/sea on both sides. There’s a walkway along the top for most of its length, ending only when you come to the point where the train line passes beneath them at the foot of the castle. It’s something like a mile-long walk, perfect for an early evening stroll.
A project of Edward I, Conwy Castle and it’s walls were built over seven centuries ago, between 1283 and 1287. It’s remarkable that they were built in the space of only four years. It’s a dramatic walk as you pass through one tower after another, enjoying dramatic views across the town and countryside. It makes us think of the other great wall walks we’ve experienced in Europe - Carcassonne, Aigue Morte, Marvao, Dubrovnik.
On top of Conwy’s 13th century walls. There’s a comforting hand railing the whole way so it feels safe enough as long as you don’t look straight down.
The country has done an admirable job of preserving the walls through the various infrastructural upgrades. You can’t walk across this section, and I’m not sure if that’s because the walkway doesn’t exist here or for safety reasons.
The other impressive attraction here is the suspension bridge crossing the mouth of the River Conwy. One end of it is anchored into the walls of the castle.
Designed by Thomas Telford, the suspension bridge was built between 1822 and 1826, replacing the previous ferry service. It was one of the first road suspension bridges in the world.
