St. Deniol's Library

In the heart of a small village in Northern Wales, William Gladstone—book enthusiast and prime minister in the 19th century—built a library to house his huge collection of books. It is now a library, bed and breakfast, and destination for people wanting to study a number of subjects.

I feel so blessed to have stayed at St. Deniol’s for a week. Since it is more of a study center, we had classes in the mornings and some really inspiring discussions about literature. The afternoons were spent reading Wuthering Heights and drinking afternoon tea, or going on long walks through the lanes and fields of Hawarden. The days there seemed to last forever, and the building felt like home. Spending time there inspired me to read and write and just enjoy quiet time.

It wasn’t all rest and relaxation. Our group climbed Mount Snowdon, the tallest peak in Wales, which was one of the more physically demanding things I’ve done in my life. There were high winds, pelting rain, and steep rocky inclines that seemed to go on forever. But with the fellowship of a few friends, we conquered the mountain and made it to the summit … only to see white mist. Although there was no view, it was still satisfying to do something so challenging. There was a nice station at the top to get hot drinks and rest before the trek back down.

The library itself we found to be slightly haunted, and it inspired our imaginations
One of my favorite parts of the stay at St. Deniol’s was spending time in the library. They have these moveable stacks full of literature that I spent hours perusing and wishing I could stay forever to read them all. Maybe I’ll go back some day…