Chester (Trip to Conway, Wales)
Ther. [Thermometer] FRI. [Friday] OCT. 1, 1909 [October 1, 1909] Wea. [Weather]
Dull.
Cloudy & cool with light breeze.
C. [Caroline Brewster], E.R.S. [Elizabeth R. Simmons], Miss Howard & I took the
10.10 A.M. train to Conway in N. Wales [North Wales]
where we saw the magnificent ruined
castle built in 13th century by Edward I
and the fine old Elizabethan houses in
almost perfect condition. The castle is
almost as beautiful as Raglan & even more
interesting because of its greater extent &
complexity. It was alive with Jackdaws
perching on the towers & with Robins singing
on the ivy-clad walls. From the train
where it skirted the shores for 8 or 10 miles I
saw in grassy pastures or on the sands 
Gulls by tens of thousands, Lapwings &
Starlings by thousands, Red shanks [redshanks] by
hundreds, smaller waders in myriads.
Never before have I seen so many good
sized birds anywhere except in Banana
Creek, Florida. One grassfield had more than
1000 Gulls, another fully 700 Lapwings. Got
[margin]back to Chester at 4.30. Reading aloud in C.'s room in evening.[/margin]

Chester.
Ther. [Thermometer] SAT. [Saturday] OCT. 2, 1909 [October 2, 1909] Wea. [Weather]
Fine.
  Clear, calm, warm. The most
summer-like day for two weeks past.
  Spent forenoon among the shops,
buying nothing except a few books,
several of them on birds. Visited the
Roman baths, very interesting with stone 
furnace intact; also a curious old house.
3d. [threepence] admission charge to both places.
  Game stalls in provision stores now
festooned with Grouse, Pheasants, Partridges,
Mallards, Hares & Rabbits. Only one 
wader, a Lapwing. Fruit stores very 
attractive looking but all English-grown
fruit expensive & incredibly poor,
apples & pears especially so.
  In P.M. (2.45-5.45) went with C. & E.R.S.
to Park Gate (13 mi. [miles]) to call on Mrs. Grenfell.
She showed us over the boys school, a 
model English one & gave us afternoon tea
at which her younger son's wife was present.