Elizabeth Taylor, Moby Dick and Fishguard Bay Hotel

Liz Taylor, centre, Richard Burton, right. Photo from bar of Fishguard Bay hotel.

Fishguard Bay Hotel is up on the cliff above the end of the train line where passengers are brought by train to catch the ferry from Wales to Ireland.

The hotel overlooks the bay where Moby Dick was filmed.

Film stars who stayed at the hotel were Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole and entourage. Liz Taylor was also in the film of Under Milk Wood by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.

The framed report of their stay is in the hotel bar, which says that the magic bedrooms were number 123 and 124. I am in some doubt as to whether Liz Taylor stayed on the hotel.

Rooms 123 and 124 are suites, larger rooms. They were occupied when I was there. Next time I visit the hotel I shall take a photo for you to see.

Another place open to the public featuring the story is down in the town.

Above the end of the railway line is the clifftop hotel, with a view.

Regarding the hotel, it is old fashioned, the best of Britain as it used to be. Solid food, meat and two vegetables, usually including potatoes.

Dessert options on my three day stay included Banoffee (banana and toffee) pie, chocolate cake, apple tart and fruit salad. (Three choices per set meal.)

Cooked breakfast included baked beans, hash brownies (grated potato fried), brown or white bread, sachets of marmalade or strawberry or black currant jam. Vegetarian sausages on request.

Old fashioned in what way? Free-standing wardrobes.

The staff are lovely, can't do enough for you.


Fishguard Bay Hotel and the bay, Wales. Photo taken and edited by Angela Lansbury.

The View
You can see the sea from the terrace in front of the hotel, the windows of the bar and the window side of the restaurant, and the front bedrooms.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Author of Quick Quotations.
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Fishguard Bay - Setting For Under Milk Wood

A plaque on the little Harbour at Fishguard Bay tells you this was used as a setting for the film of Under Milk Wood, the poem written by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, in the film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. You can happily while away an afternoon walking around the bay. Or watching or participating in the kayaking. You might like to take the bus around the bay to the Fishguard Bay hotel, on the hillside opposite, actually in Goodwick, with a view over Fishguard Bay. This was where Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole stayed when making the film.

Back down on Fishguard Bay, The Cafe on the Quay is a cheerful place for tea, with a small gift area. Proceedings are presided over by jolly Jo, who will tell you about local events, boat competitions and music festivals, and people, such as the twins and the police.

The houses around the bay and throughout Fishguard are painted in contrasting colours, creams and greens, and blues and plums and pinks and rust red. The Town Hall is green, and that's where you find the tapestry about the ladies with their black hats and red shawls who helped head off an invasion by the French.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Your safety and the Lawrence Of Arabia trail in England -Lawrence week May 11-17 2015

Lawrence of Arabia Trail

Clouds Hill
Visit Clouds Hill, home of Lawrence. I visited years ago and wrote an article for a magazine called Arab in Britain. At the house I was impressed by the way Lawrence had a dining chair with arms under a skylight, with a tray across the arms on which he could read or write.

More recently, I was impressed by the fact that Lawrence was responsible for improving airline safety. According to a biography of Lawrence, he witnessed an airliner crashing and guessed that the commander riding passenger in the plane had instructed the pilot to make an unsafe move. Lawrence changed the rules which still apply, that the pilot's decision is final.

Ironically, Lawrence paid little regard for the safety of himself whilst riding his motorcycle around English road. An article in Motor Cycle News Wednesday April 29 2015 alerted me to the Lawrence week.

Clouds Hill is now a museum operated by the National Trust.
National Trust Lawrence week May 11-17 2015, marks the 80th anniversary of Lawrence's death.

nationaltrust/cloudshill
TE Lawrence Society
telsociety.org.uk

Moreton Tearooms
wwwmoretontearooms.co.uk

Film
Lawrence of Arabia starring Peter O'Toole (who died in 2013).

Booklist
Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T E Lawrence.
Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson.
Thunder on the Rocker Road by Steve Wilson to be published October 2015.

You can see more about Clouds Hill on TripAdvisor, Youtube and Wikipedia.

Angela Lansbury B A Hons is a travel writer, photojournalist and speaker.