19c Mostly Cloudy
Barmouth Viaduct at Sunset 
Llanberis from Penllyn 
Morfa Bychan beach near Porthmadog 
JACOB, aged three and a half, took off his coat and put it in the Bakehouse oven. "There, now it's cooking," he said, delighted with his new found culinary skills. Fortunately the oven was not in operation - and had not been for several centuries at a guess.
But imagination feeds a million tales to tempt children and adults into a magical world of adventure and intrigue. At Conwy Castle, with its darkly intriguing towers and winding stairways, those tales are more enticing than ever.
It's a place where children can learn with effortless ease about Wales' rich and fascinating past. The memories of a visit here will surely stick with them for years to come.
But all ages delight in the well preserved ruins of the monumental edifice built by King Edward I after he gained control of Conwy Valley in 1283.
Turn right on entering the main body of the giant mediaeval fortress and you'll find the Bakehouse, directly opposite the Stockhouse, both in magnificent round towers.
Set into a hollow in the thick walls of the Bakehouse is the stone-clad oven where enough loaves to sustain a warrior army were produced. As Jacob's coat began to "cook", it was not difficult to replace the red anorak in the mind's eye with a feast fit for a royal banquet in the nearby King's Hall.
Even today the castle's original interior layout is easy to make out. Wander round the ramparts and narrow footways along high walls, enjoy the view from look-out turrets, ponder the ominous gloom of the prison dungeons, negotiate circuitous stone steps, upwards and downwards, to discover yet another cellar, panoramic view-point or arrow loop window through which 13th century soldiers once shot arrows at attackers. In the 21st century the only shooting is by tourists eager to take an array of arty photographs.
Hundreds of years have passed but the castle remains alive as wildflowers thrive in crevices, birds nest or roost in the stonework and visitors and school parties daily explore the grounds, inner chambers and atmospheric chapel where kings and queens once prayed or held private meetings.
The chapel tower houses an illuminating exhibition, colourfully illustrated plans of how castle rooms might have looked in Edward's reign.
It was besieged during the rebellion of Madog ap Llywelyn in 1295. Though food ran low, the walls - extending three quarters of a mile around Conwy with 21 towers and three original gateways - stood firm.
Today there's no shortage of food outlets to satisfy appetites of visitors having walked their length.
Venture to the many restaurants and bistros in Conwy centre or enjoy a bite at one of two well patronised eateries next to the castle souvenir shop.
Try a scrumptiously filled baked potato at the Castle Gallery tea rooms and ice cream parlour on Rose Hill Street, or warming Welsh lamb meatballs in spicy tomato sauce with ribbon pasta, £9.95, at the next door Press Room.
