NORTH WALES - England 2012 and the Best of Wales - page 735

The White Eagle GASTROPUB Amid blissful seclusion in the southeastern
corner of Holy Island, this landmark gastropub was completely redeveloped in 2007.
Diners can choose between cozy, drawing room seating; a light-drenched, bustling
modern bar area; or a glorious sundeck. The kitchen delivers gastropub fare with a
flourish, including classics like a steaming bowl of Menai mussels served Flemish
style with fries and crusty bread. There's a fine Anglesey and Welsh cheese menu to
finish, and also usually six beers on tap, including offerings from the Conwy Valley's
Great Orme brewery.
Rhoscolyn LL65 2NJ (off the B4545, 5 miles southeast of Holyhead). & 01407/860267. www.
white-eagle.co.uk. No reservations. Main courses £10-£16. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm and 6-9pm; Sat-Sun
noon-9pm.
Ye Olde Bull's Head Inn & Townhouse This historic coaching inn has
been the best address in Beaumaris for some time; it has welcomed such notables as
Dr. (Samuel) Johnson and Charles Dickens. The well-decorated, characterful bed-
rooms come in an array of types and sizes, including traditional four-poster rooms. To
match a different mood, units in the adjacent, contrasting Townhouse are sharp and
contemporary.
You'll find Anglesey's most creative contemporary cooking in exclusive surround-
ings at the Loft Restaurant, under the eaves of the old inn. Expect the likes of crab
and scallop lasagna followed by loin of Welsh lamb with creamed leek porridge and
harissa spiced broad beans. It's open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner only. A
three-course dinner costs £39.50. There's also a Brasserie, open daily for lunch and
dinner, that features well-crafted, international bistro favorites like blackened Cajun
spiced salmon. Main courses range from £9 to £14.
Castle St., Beaumaris, Anglesey LL58 8AP. www.bullsheadinn.co.uk. & 01248/810329. 26 units.
£100-£160 double. Rates include Welsh breakfast. AE, MC, V. Limited free parking. Amenities: 2 restau-
rants; bar; room service. In room: A/C (in Townhouse), TV, hair dryer, MP3 docking station (in Town-
house), Wi-Fi (free).

19

CONWY
241 miles NW of London; 37 miles E of Holyhead; 22 miles NE of Caernarfon
Pint-size and atmospheric, the market town of Conwy has a historical importance
that punches well above the weight of its population of 15,000. The castle, town
walls, and enclosed street-plan were laid down by English King Edward I in the
1200s, when Conwy was a crucial garrison town. Later history almost forgot this little
trading port, until the Victorian era, when Telford's Conwy Suspension Bridge and
Stephenson's Tubular Railroad Bridge spanned the estuary, bringing roads and the
railway to its ancient town gates.
Essentials
GETTING THERE Trains run between Conwy and Chester, Bangor, northwest
England, and London. Buses from Bangor heading for Llandudno pass through
Conwy every 15 minutes during the day Monday to Saturday, and hourly on
Sunday.
Motorists from England should head west along the main coastal route, the A55.
VISITOR INFORMATION Conwy Castle Visitor Centre, Castle Street
( & 01492/592248 ), dispenses information about the town and region, and is open
the same hours as the castle (see below). A move is scheduled for 2012.