Near the Castle Hotel, in a side street, stands Plas Mawe, the “Great House,” a rich example of domestic Elizabethan architecture, built in 1585 by Robert Wynn of Gwydir.  The rooms contain much oak panelling and carving.  A charge of 6d. is made for admission to the house.

Conway has a station of its own within the walls of the town, but the visitor will do well to get out at Llandudno Junction, where a walk of a few hundred yards leads to the famous Suspension Bridge, designed by Telford in 1826.

The charge for admission to the castle is 3d.

[Illustration:  Photochrom Co., Ltd.

CONWAY CASTLE.

It is one of the finest of the ruined castles England possesses.  The suspension bridge was designed by Telford in 1826.]

THE DOONE VALLEY, EXMOOR

ASSOCIATED WITH “LORNA DOONE”

=How to get there.=—­Train from Waterloo via Barnstaple.  L. and
  S.W.  Railway.
=Nearest Station.=—­Lynton (about 6 miles distant). =Distance from London.=—­225 miles. =Average Time.=—­7 hours.

                     1st 2nd 3rd
=Fares.=—­Single 37s. 10d. 24s. 0d. 18s. 10-1/2d. 
          Return 65s. 6d. 42s. 0d. 37s. 9d.

=Accommodation Obtainable.=—­Lynton—­“The Tors Hotel,” “Valley
  of Rocks,” “Royal Castle,” “Kensington,” “Crown,” “Globe,”
  etc.  Minehead—­“Metropole,” “Beach,” “Plume of Feathers,”
  etc.  Porlock—­“The Ship,” “The Castle,” etc.
=Alternative Route.=—­Train from Paddington to Minehead, Great
  Western Rly.  By coach from Minehead via Porlock, 12 miles.

Every one who has read the late Mr. R.D.  Blackmore’s Lorna Doone has a keen interest in what is frequently called the Doone Country.  This comprises the north-west corner of Exmoor, bordering on the boundaries of Devonshire.  But those who visit the little village of Oare and Badgworthy Water must not expect to see all that the novelist’s imagination conjured up.  Nevertheless, though some have been disappointed, there is much to be seen which is of interest.  The church at Oare, for instance, is closely associated with John Ridd and Lorna, and the Snowe family, mentioned by the novelist, are commemorated in the church.  Then, too, the feats of a “Great John Ridd” are obscurely traditional in the district.

The Doone valley, with Badgworthy (pronounced Badgery) Water running through it, is about half-an-hour’s walk from Malmsmead Bridge, which is close to the village of Oare.  Keeping up the course of the stream one reaches a wood of oaks, and near it one finds a tributary of the brook falling down a series of miniature cascades.  This is the “water slide” up which Blackmore took his hero on the occasion of his first meeting with Lorna Doone.  If one crosses a bridge near this the path will be found to continue for about a mile.  At this distance one turns to the right by another stream, and enters a combe containing the ruins of the Doone Houses as they are called.  A lonely cottage looks down upon all that is to be seen of the famous stronghold of the Doones.  The narrow approach to the place never existed outside the pages of the romance.  The scenery of this portion of Exmoor is exceedingly wild.