





The more I walked the more paths in the gorse and heather seemed to produce and I began to realise this wasn’t just park that can be walked around in an hr or so, you could spend all day exploring. Before long I stumbled across the lake which I had been wondering about as it is featured in the park’s name – ‘Llyn’ being Welsh for ‘Lake’, surprisingly bigger than I had expected

After just as a dicey descent on the narrow, winding road I eventually ended back in Caergwrle where I parked up. Earlier, whilst looking at the map I had noticed that this small, welsh village has something a little different to most, this village has its own castle! For years I have driven through this village, totally unaware as to what was hidden behind a spread of trees just off the main road. Now I knew it was there I had to explore and have a look at this castle, now in ruins.



Even though it didn’t feel like we had been up a mountain due to no real ascent, Hope Mountain was a fantastic experience of views, wildlife, and fascinating hidden utopias. It was a long afternoon of fascinating exploration to other worlds and an area I can’t wait to get back to, especially for the bouldering! And who would have thought – a castle in Caergwrle!