Another Welsh Castle, this time quite the fortified beast, with a dungeon that surely brought despair to anyone unhappy enough to find themselves there. Much to enjoy in the gardens though with formal and more naturalistic planting and long views – and glad to have been able to take photographs of the interiors too. Read more about this medieval behemoth …
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chirk-castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chirk_Castle
https://www.chirk.com/castle.html
https://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/wales/item/chirk-castle-gardens.html
While in the area, I popped into the Derwen Garden Centre, where there are a series of show gardens and a superb collection of shrubs and trees. Not sure about the pink walls in the Fragrant Garden though … The last pictures take us deep into the hills and to Lake Vyrnwy. More lashing rain but a nice tea shop. An impressive dam though, 44m high and 33m deep at the base and supplying drinking water to Liverpool.