Snowdonia Mountains And Coast 2015

Eryri | Snowdonia Mynyddoedd a Môr Mountains and Coast

Cambrian Coastline | LlYˆn Peninsula | Snowdonia National Park

2015

LOOK HERE

Snowdon

You’re quite keen on searching for short breaks and holidays, aren’t you?

And activities and attractions. Analysis of your favourite key words and pages when you browse the web tells us this.

So all we can say is that you’ve come to the right place.

Just think about it. Snowdonia Mountains and Coast is just a few hours from much of the UK. So that’s your holiday and short break sorted out, then. You’ll be surrounded by uplifting mountain scenery and have sand between your toes on Blue Flag beaches in no time.

Activities? Where do we begin? We’re recognised as the UK’s number-one activity destination, with everything from abseiling to zorbing on offer.

In between, you’ll find all the usual suspects – walking, mountain biking, watersports, golf to name but a few – plus some big surprises.

We’ve recently become Europe’s largest, most innovative zip line centre – with even more rides in the pipeline. On the water, 2015 sees Published by: Tourism, Marketing and Customer Care Service, Economy and Community Department, Cyngor Gwynedd Council, County Offices, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 1SH. Copyright © 2015.

01286 679217, tourism@gwynedd.gov.uk Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy County Borough Council.

Editorial written by Writerog Ltd (Roger Thomas Freelance Services).

the opening of Surf Snowdonia, Europe’s first inland surfing lagoon. No wonder we’ve coined the phrase ‘One Big Adventure’ to describe it all.

It’s the same when it comes to attractions – castles, narrowgauge railways, family fun parks, underground adventures, art and craft studios. So it’s no surprise to discover that we’re popular not just for short breaks but also those full-on holidays of a week or two.

Join the conversation and keep in touch Keep up to date with what’s happening and what’s new by joining us on our social networks. Don’t forget, it’s a twoway process. Let us know what you think, and share your thoughts, images and videos with others.

Roger T homas Editor

www.facebook.com/visitingsnowdonia www.twitter.com/visit_snowdonia www.youtube.com/VisitSnowdonia www.flickr.com/visit_snowdonia www.visitsnowdonia.wordpress.com www.pinterest.com/visitsnowdonia Or if you prefer you can call or email our Tourist Information Centres.

www.visitsnowdonia.info

See back cover for contact details

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Printed by Ricoh UK Ltd Photographs: Alan Dop Photography; © Conwy County Borough Council; © Crown Copyright (2014) Visit Wales; © Cyngor Gwynedd Council; © Evan Dobson; © Kiran Ridley Photography; © Malcolm Hanks Photography; © National Trust / Arnhel de Serra; © Panorama; © PM Photography; © Princes of Gwynedd Project; © Visit Britain.

Cover: Portmeirion and the Dwyryd Estuary with Porthmadog in the background

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in this publication, the publishers can accept no liability whatsoever for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions, or for any matter in any way connected with or arising out of the publication of the information. Please check all prices and facilities before making your booking.

When you’ve finished with the guide please forward to a friend or place in a suitable recycling container.

Inside Information

1

Inside Information: 02 What’s new?

14 Activities and things to do 48 Accommodation listing

Quite a lot actually. We list 20 new and exciting things to see and do.

We’re part of ‘One Big Adventure’. Find out why.

04 Snowdonia National Park Mountains and lakes, coast and country in Wales’s most dramatic and diverse National Park.

06 Resorts, beaches and coastline

You’ll find harbours and sandy havens, resorts and wooded estuaries all along our 200-mile coastline.

08 Culture and heritage

Princes and poets, saints and Roman soldiers… our heritage lets you follow in their footsteps.

10 Food and local produce Tasty restaurants and fresh local produce, shops and farmers’ markets – they’re all on the menu.

12 Shopping and crafts

Shopping here is a real pleasure – it’s all about individuality, personal service and arty, crafty products inspired by their surroundings.

16 Cycling and mountain biking

Let our roads take you on super-scenic tours. Or go off-road in our world-class forests. Families and downhill heroes are equally welcome.

18 Walking

It’s the same when it comes to walking. We have everything from serious mountain hikes to gentle strolls around the lake – and fabulous walking on the Wales Coast Path.

20 Attractions and places to visit

Family fun parks, little railways, castles, underground adventures and boat trips.

34 Festivals and events

A full year-round programme that includes food fairs, folk festivals and sporting events.

(*see below ‘Splitting Snowdonia Mountains and Coast into six’)

71 Wales’s holiday areas A brief guide to other parts of Wales.

73 Travel information

We’re easy to get to – and easy to explore when you arrive.

74 Snowdonia Mountains and Coast map

Pinpoint the places that interest you.

75 Making the grade

A guide to accommodation quality assurance.

Back cover Tourist Information Centres For local information on places to visit, events, travel and accommodation booking.

36 Towns and villages

Where to go and what to see in our six areas. (*see below ‘Splitting Snowdonia Mountains and Coast into six’)

Splitting Snowdonia Mountains 48 Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and the Villages of Snowdonia and Coast into six To help pinpoint the place you’re interested in we’ve split our region into six areas. In Around and About (pages 36–47) we describe each area separately. This is followed by the Accommodation Listing (pages 48–70), presented as follows:

You’ll find your perfect place to stay here.

In the listings, each area has been colour coded and each advertisement has a grid reference which locates it on the map on page 74. The pull-out section at the back of this publication will assist you with your selection process.

52 Llyˆn Peninsula 56 Cardigan Bay 59 Southern Snowdonia 61 Conwy Valley and Hiraethog 65 Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniogwww.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

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Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

20 THINGS… Have we got news for you – rip-roaring new attractions above and below ground, the world’s first inland surfing lagoon, and developments at old favourites that make them more appealing than ever.

Here are some of our new and special experiences in 2015.

Zipping along. When Zip World Velocity opened at Bethesda half the planet’s TV stations covered the story. It’s the closest you’ll get to flying as you reach speeds of up to 100mph 500ft/150m above ground.

It’s contagious. We’ve caught the zip bug good and proper. Zip World Titan at Blaenau Ffestiniog’s Llechwedd Slate Caverns is the latest. And scheduled to open in late spring is Zip Below, the world’s first underground zip ride.

Underground adventures. More news from Llechwedd. There’s a new underground Victorian Mine Tour too. And one of the caverns – believe it or not – now houses Bounce Below, the ultimate in subterranean trampolining.

Let’s get digital. Go walking on Llyˆn with a new app which guides you around routes at Nefyn, Pwllheli, Llanbedrog, Rhiw and Aberdaron. More details on pages 18–19.

Boots and bikes. Find out more about the National Trust’s walks in southern Snowdonia and cycle routes on the tip of Llyˆn (see pages 16–19). The walks take in everything from waterfalls to Welsh gold. And from Aberdaron there are three stunning bike rides.

World-class outdoor adventures.

That’s what our £4m Centres of Excellence project – better known perhaps as ‘One Big Adventure’ – is all about. It focuses on four key sites – mountain biking at Blaenau Ffestiniog and the Coed y Brenin Forest Park, and the lakes at Trawsfynydd and Bala.

Traws Lake. That’s shorthand for Llyn Trawsfynydd, which is attracting more and more visitors thanks to its role in our ‘One Big Adventure’ project. You’ll be surprised by what you can get up to here – everything from cycling to fishing, canoeing to wildlife watching.

Zip World Velocity, Bethesda The Plas that’s making a splash.

Summer 2015 sees the opening of Plas Heli, the brand-new Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre. Located at Pwllheli, it further enhances the Llyˆn Peninsula’s reputation as one of the UK’s top sailing venues.

An exceedingly hospitable hostel. It’s a familiar landmark with Snowdon’s walkers.

But did you know that the YHA’s famous Pen-y-Pass hostel is currently undergoing a £1.3m makeover to provide a state-of-theart mountain base? The weather may be iffy outside – after all, you’re a 1000ft/300m high – but it’s very comfy inside.

Pontio performs. Pontio, Bangor’s innovative new arts centre, is scheduled to open in 2015. It will stage a wide range of performances – drama, concerts, circuses, children’s shows, jazz, ballet, world music, pantomimes, opera, dance, comedy and gigs.

Shiver me timbers. Llyˆn’s renovated Maritime Museum at Nefyn reopened last summer. It’s a unique collection of around 400 artefacts celebrating Llyˆn’s links with the sea, including paintings, pictures, model ships, anchors, flags, items from shipwrecks and shipbuilding tools.

20 Things…

Bodnant Garden

3

Parc Glynllifon

Nant Gwrtheyrn Tops with TripAdvisor. GreenWood Forest Park near Caernarfon has been rated one of the top 10 best amusement parks in the UK in TripAdvisor’s prestigious Travellers’ Choice TM awards. Not only that, it was also named as the best-value park for a family trip last summer among the top 10 finalists.

News from Nant. Nant Gwrtheyrn is a magical place. This former quarry village, in a remarkable location on Llyˆn’s north coast, has been transformed into a Welsh language and cultural centre. And the work goes on. 2015 see’s the completion of a new accommodation block for groups of walkers etc. There’s also a café extension that makes the most of those breathtaking sea views.

Green spaces. Just a few miles from Caernarfon you can get lost – in the nicest possible way – in the green spaces of Parc Glynllifon, ‘where history, art and landscape come together’. It’s an unexpected, unusual parkland with wild gardens, woodland walks, follies and a craft centre.

Surf’s up in Snowdonia. No, you didn’t read that incorrectly. The really big watersports news for 2015 is the opening of Surf Snowdonia in the Conwy Valley, the world’s first inland surfing lagoon, with its revolutionary ‘Wavegarden’ .

Bounce Below Welcome to the castle. Its massive twintowered gatehouse is as impregnable as ever, but from March 2015 visitors will gain entry into Harlech Castle via a brand-new centre with state-of-the-art interpretation facilities.

Harlech Bear necessities. Want to learn how to build a survival shelter, forage for wild food and light a fire without matches? Then take part in a Bear Grylls Survival Academy Adventure Day on the Llyˆn Peninsula, run by Dragon Raiders.

Past times, present technology. Find out more about how our major heritage and history project, Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage, is using the latest technology to bring alive the heritage of Snowdonia Mountains and Coast. See pages 8–9 for more details.

The Himalayas in Snowdonia. The Yew Dell, part of the National Trust’s famous Bodnant Garden, opened for the first time in 140 years last spring. This atmospheric, previously hidden garden, full of old, rare rhododendrons, is reminiscent of a lush Himalayan glade.

Star quality. Go stargazing. We’re sparsely populated with no major cities and lots of unlit roads – which means minimal light pollution and maximum clarity in our inky, starry night skies.

Mary’s story. It has gone down in legend.

In 1800, 15-year-old Mary Jones walked alone for 26 miles across the mountains to Bala to purchase a Welsh Bible. The new Mary Jones World at Llanycil, Bala, tells this inspiring tale through engaging interactive displays.

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

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Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

WE’VE GOT ALTITUDE At 1056m (3560ft in old money) Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales and England. It seems even higher thanks to the way its summit soars above sheer rockfaces and precipitous ridges.

Snowdon

Highs and lows

Cwm Idwal Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh) is part of a close-knit family of jagged peaks – 14 in all above 3000ft/915m – that give the Snowdonia National Park its macho mountain character. It’s Wales’s first – and best known – National Park, created in 1951. Britain’s third-largest National Park covers a whopping 823 square miles, much of which can be explored on around 1500 miles of designated paths. And it attracts millions of visitors each year, dwarfing its 26,000 permanent inhabitants.

But it’s not all about the numbers game.

The Park has a powerful emotional pull.

Painters, poets, botanists and geologists flocked here in the 19th century, attracted by its remarkable character and compelling landscapes. Then came the first visitors and climbers, most famously the team that trained here before conquering Mount Everest.

The other thing that strikes you about the National Park – at least when you get to know it – is its surprising variety. Yes, those mountains can’t help but dominate.

But they’re just half the story. The Park also contains sheltered valleys, ancient woodlands, lakes and waterfalls and – most intriguing of all – a Cambrian Coastline of dunes and estuaries, big beaches and pretty harbours, and a real one-off in the shape of Shell Island (guess what it’s famous for?).

For more on the coast see overleaf.

Shell Island

We’ve Got Altitude

5

THE LOWDOWN Cwm here. The new Canolfan Ogwen

Visitor Centre couldn’t be in a more dramatic location. Perched at the northern gateway to the Nant Ffrancon Pass, it’s the kick-off point for Cwm Idwal National Nature Reserve. Watch displays and exhibitions and then see the real thing by following the path up to the mountain lake of Llyn Idwal, scooped out by ice and surrounded by an elemental landscape of shattered rock, crags and dark ridges.

Cader Idris

Compass points

The Snowdon massif occupies a relatively small area in the north-west of the Park.

Cross a glacial valley or two and you’ll come to the Carneddau, another dramatic mountain range, while down south, looming above Dolgellau, there’s Cader Idris, the legendary ‘Chair of Idris’, where after spending a night you awake either a madman or poet.

But the call of the wild is just as strong away from these familiar places, which inevitably attract the lion’s share of attention in outdoor publications. If you really want to be alone then head for the Rhinogydd sandwiched between Snowdon and Cader Idris, an untrodden, unexplored dome of heath, rock and moor that’s southern Britain’s last true wilderness (top tip: approach it from the strange ‘Roman Steps’ inland from Harlech).

If you like bagging lonely mountains also take a look at the Arans, Arenigs and Berwyns around Bala, solitary outposts at the eastern gateway to the Park.

‘The cwm is just 20 minutes from the main road but you’re in compete wilderness.

It’s like going back in time – the cwm was formed 400 million years ago. Late February to June are the best times to see the very special arctic-alpine plants growing here in the crags, including the Snowdon lily.’

Walk this way. And that way. And the

Guto Roberts, the Cwm Idwal Partnership Officer

• Lôn Gwyrfai. It’s just 4½ miles from Beddgelert to Rhyd Ddu on this relatively new path, but it’s fabulously scenic every step of the way (cyclists and horse riders are welcome too).

. Ditch the car and go green.

The hop-on, hop-off Snowdon Sherpa bus service runs on a properly joinedup network tailor-made for walkers and sightseers. They can also take the scenic Cambrian Coast line. Get off at one of the many Cambrian Trailways along the way for a self-guided walk. See the Cambrian Lines website for more details.

other way. There’s a lot of walking to do in this part of the world. Here are a few footnotes to start you off.

• Precipice Walk, near Dolgellau. The name is no exaggeration. Sections of this exciting three-mile walk cling to a steepsided valley with sensational views over Cader Idris and the Mawddach Estuary.

Green ways

• Snowdon (of course). It’s a must-do.

There are at least six ways up of varying degrees of toughness. But if you want it easy, then take the train. Clear-day views from the summit and the Hafod Eryri Visitor Centre (the ‘window on the world’) are stunning.

Llyn Tegid

For more walks – hard, moderate, easy, archaeological, family and others – go to: www.eryri-npa.gov.uk

Our lake district

Bala’s 4½-mile long Llyn Tegid is the largest natural lake in Wales. It’s the focus for all kinds of sporty things to do on the water.

And the town and surrounding countryside is an increasingly popular destination for walkers and cyclists. Other lakes include Llyn Gwynant, a gorgeous stretch of water beneath Snowdon that attracts canoeists and kayakers as well as those who just stop and stare.

Stay safe.

Mountains are great to look at, but they can be dangerous places. For safety advice go to: www.mountainsafe.co.uk @safesnowdonia

Precipice Walk, near Dolgellau

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

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Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

JUST BEACHY Snowdonia = mountains. Right? Actually, you’re wrong.

Aficionados of the kind of understated but alluring seaside that sometimes slips below the radar are big fans of our coastline.

Unlike Snowdon, a mountain superstar, places like sandy Shell Island, the sands at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr, the Llyˆn Peninsula’s ‘Whistling Sands’ and Black Rock Sands near Porthmadog are – if not closely guarded secrets – known only to those who take the time to seek them out. So it may come as a surprise to discover that we have around 200 miles of coastline and over 35 beaches.

Beauty beside the sea

The Snowdonia National Park includes the Cambrian Coastline at the top end of Cardigan Bay. Mountains meet the sea along a 37-mile coast studded with gems like the Mawddach Estuary, Harlech Castle and beach and the unique Italianate village of Portmeirion. The Llyˆn Peninsula, ‘Snowdon’s Arm, is a protected ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ on the strength of its wild splendour and special personality. You really should get to know it better. Those that do can’t get enough of its 90-odd miles of cliffs, secluded bays and charming little resorts. Llyˆn is the ‘mother lode of secret beaches’ with Porth Iago as the favourite, says The Sunday Times in its recent ‘best beaches’ guide.

Porth Oer

Coasting along from north to south

• Penmaenmawr – long, sandy and gently sloping beach popular with families and sailors.

• Llanfairfechan – another big sandy beach at this small, family-friendly seaside resort.

• Dinas Dinlle, near Caernarfon – vast beach with vast views, good for walking, windsurfing and power kiting.

• Nefyn – two miles of beach strung out on a pair of horseshoe curves. It’s idyllic, especially the village of Porthdinllaen owned by the National Trust.

Dinas Dinlle

• Porth Oer, near Aberdaron – perhaps better known as ‘Whistling Sands’. The granules really do squeak underfoot.

•A berdaron – furthest point west, an ideal base for exploring the Llyˆn Coastal Path.

•A bersoch – a fashionable little resort and watersports centre. Great for families – and for shopping, people-watching and eating out.

•P wllheli South Beach (Marian-y-De) – south facing, sandy and almost three miles long, backed by dunes. orfa Bychan (Black Rock Sands) – •M spacious beach popular with families and watersports enthusiasts.

Black Rock Sands, Morfa Bychan

Just Beachy

7

THE LOWDOWN On the beach Penmaenmawr

Aberdyfi

Penmaenmawr Llanfairfechan

Dinas Dinlle Snowdon

Caernarfon Bay

The Coast Path isn’t just aimed at walkers.

Its website is full of information on beaches, family activities and wildlife too. Download the free app from www.walescoastpath. gov.uk. It’s also available from Keep Wales Tidy at www.welshbeaches.org. This website is a great source of information on all things beachy in Wales, including the Blue Flag, Green Coast and Seaside Awards (see the beach chart on these pages).

Petiquette. Dogs are allowed access to walk along the majority of our beaches.

Sections of certain beaches have Dog Exclusion Zones to manage their use and keep them clean and safe. For the latest information please contact Tourist Information Centres (see back cover).

Apps and maps. Visit our website (www.visitsnowdonia.info) to download the latest apps, maps and details of circular walks. Books and guides are also available from our Tourist Information Centres (see back cover for details).

You’re on the right path. The Wales Coast Path, a world’s first, has been hailed as a great achievement. It runs for 870 miles and we’re proud to say that our coastline accounts for almost a quarter of it. Around 90 miles, for example, follows the ins and outs of the lovely Llyˆn Peninsula. And if you want a Lawrence of Arabia moment

S, D, E

Abererch

S, D

Abersoch

S, D

Barmouth

S, E

Bennar

S, D

Black Rock Sands

S, D

Cricieth

S, P, RP

Dinas Dinlle

P, S

Fairbourne

P, S

Harlech

S, D

• Barmouth/Abermaw – one of our most popular resorts perched on the edge of mountains and the scenic Mawddach Estuary. ‘ Wales’s best family beach,’ says The Sunday Times.

Hell’s Mouth

P, S, C

Llanbedrog

S

Llandanwg

P, S, D

Llanfairfechan

RP, S, P

Nefyn

S, C, RP

Penmaenmawr

RP, S, P

• Tywyn – big, west-facing sandy beach and promenade with spectacular views.

Porthdinllaen

S

Pwllheli

S, D, P

Trefor

P, S

Tywyn

P, S

Whistling Sands

S, RP, C

Aberdyfi

• Harlech – make sandcastles on the big beach in the shadow of the real thing, medieval Harlech Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Shell Island, Llanbedr – sand, dunes and, of course, shells.

• Aberdyfi – gorgeous beach in a gorgeous setting on the mouth of the Dyfi Estuary.

‘A dramatic location for a spot of windsurfing or kitesurfing,’ says The Sunday Times.

6

Green Coast Award

1

Seaside Award

a

l

Ë

Blue Flag

4

Dog Restrictions

ß

Disabled Access

w d s Q Í

n

}

Drinking Water

Ö

Craft Exclusion Zone

Aberdyfi

Tywyn

R

First Aid (*seasonal)

P, S, C

5

Camp Site

Type

Aberdaron

Public Transport

Beach

Shop

Cardigan Bay

g

Barmouth/Abermaw

Toilets

On the beach

n

Harlech

E

Abersoch Aberdaron Shell Island

Parking

Pwllheli

d Emergency Phone

Morfa Bychan

Slipway

Porth Oer

Slip sliding away. For information on slipways, boat launching and marinas contact the Gwynedd Maritime Unit on 01758 704066. For harbours and maritime information in the Conwy area call 01492 596253.

Surfing

Nefyn

then get lost on Harlech’s massive beach (actually, you’re probably following in the great man’s footsteps – he was born at nearby Tremadog).

Beach-type key: RP – Rock Pools E – Estuary S – Sandy D – Dunes P – Pebble Beach C – Cliffs www.blueflag.org / www.keepwalestidy.org

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

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Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

SHARING OUR STORY

That’s what Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage is all about. The project has been inspired by our rich heritage, history and culture. And it invites you to share them in many new and dynamic ways, through a website, downloadable itineraries, audio trails and videos as well as 3500 BC the more conventional guidebook and exhibitions. > Origins North-west Wales’s story has never been told like this before. And what a story we have to tell. We’ve seen it all, from ancient stone monoliths revered by our prehistoric ancestors to the slate that roofed the world during the Industrial Revolution.

Our story is yours too. It’s part of a bigger picture that makes us what we are today.

Here are a few highlights:

Dyffryn Ardudwy

Segontium

AD 43

It’s strange to think that our wild landscapes, scattered with stone tombs, circles and hillforts, were inhabited thousands of years ago. Is the burial chamber at Dyffryn Ardudwy, built around 3500 BC, Britain’s oldest stone structure?

Many people think so.

Veni, vidi, vici

‘I came, I saw, I conquered,’ said the Romans of their invasion of Britain in AD 43. It didn’t quite apply to all of wild Wales.

But they were here, sure enough – visit their impressive fort of Segontium in Caernarfon, built a thousand years before the famous castle, or their upland stronghold of Tomen y Mur near Trawsfynydd.

Inspiring and sacred

> King-sized

King Edward I built some of the most expensive and extraordinary castles the world has ever seen. We have three – Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech, all World Heritage Sites.

Conwy Castle

Our landscapes have inspired pilgrims and poets, Celtic saints and cultural leaders.

Follow the North Wales Pilgrim’s Trail to Ynys Enlli, Barsdsey Island, home of ’20,000 Saints’, visiting holy wells, shrines and churches along the way. Or visit the home – now a museum – of David Lloyd George, the ‘cottage-bred boy’ who rose to become Prime Minister during World War One and helped found the welfare state.

Bardsey Island

Sharing Our Story

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THE LOWDOWN The National Museums of Wales and National Trust. Llanberis’s

National Slate Museum brings to life an industry that was the equivalent of coalmining in South Wales. The National Trust cares for mansions and historic houses large and small – everything from Bangor’s neo-baronial Penrhyn Castle to humble Tyˆ Mawr Wybrnant, Penmachno, home of Bishop William Morgan, who first translated the Bible into Welsh.

Dolwyddelan Castle

Wales’s very own royalty

The medieval Princes of Gwynedd were hugely influential as patrons of the arts as well as political and military leaders.

Their legacy is everywhere. Go to their mountain strongholds of Castell y Bere and Dolwyddelan, touch the dark, damp stones and travel back in time.

Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage.

Go to the website – and visit interactive information hubs at:

Bangor – Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery, Caerhun (south of Conwy) – St Mary’s Church, Caernarfon TIC, Clynnog Fawr – St Beuno’s Church, Dolgellau TIC, Dyffryn Ardudwy Neolithic Burial Chamber, Llangybi – St Cybi’s Well, Penmaenmawr – New York Cottages, Trawsfynydd – Tomen-y-Mur Fort. www.snowdoniaheritage.info

Princes of Gwynedd.

You’ll find the information hubs at:

Work stations

The Industrial Revolution has a monumental impact in these parts.

Blaenau Ffestiniog became the world’s ‘slate capital’ – go underground at Llechwedd to see how the slate was mined. Above ground, the fascinating workshops at the National Slate Museum, Llanberis look just like they did when the workers clocked off for the day. To see an operational slateworks go to Inigo Jones near Penygroes, where you can take a workshop tour and buy craft products.

The company recently had the honour of providing the trophies for the prestigious Best in Wales Apprenticeship Awards.

Beddgelert TIC, Betwsy-Coed TIC, Caernarfon TIC, Conwy TIC, Craflwyn (National Trust property near Beddgelert), Cricieth Castle Visitor Centre.

Penrhyn Castle

Words and music. The Welsh

language is part of the fabric of life here.

You can easily share in it too. Visit Nant Gwrtheryrn Welsh Language and Heritage Centre tucked away below cliffs on Llyˆn to experience the spiritual tug of place and culture. This lyrical language of ours is music to the ears. And for the written word there’s Tyˆ Newydd, the National Writers’ Centre for Wales, at Llanystumdwy.

For more details see the free booklet and website: www.princesofgwynedd.info

Cadw. Meaning ‘to

keep’, it’s the name of the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, responsible for many historic sites including major castles like Caernarfon and Conwy. Download the Cadw app for iPhone and Android phones and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter.

Llanystumdwy

Open Doors. It’s free

entry time at heritage attractions each September when Open Doors takes place at historic sites, museums, churches and shrines throughout the region.

National Slate Museum, Llanberis

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

10 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE

There was a time when anywhere outside London was regarded as a gastronomic desert. Look at us now. Food, and all things foodie, have inspired a taste revolution throughout the UK. It’s all about provenance and freshness, slow food and seasonality, and a new breed of chefs and cooks that bring skill, inventiveness and passion to the kitchen.

Here in Snowdonia Mountains and Coast we were ahead of the game. Why? The ‘field to fork’ movement might well have been invented for us. Our food miles are minuscule. Sheep and cattle (including prized Welsh Black beef) graze on our green, green grass. Our shores provide us with abundant supplies of fish, shellfish and – in the case of Conwy – succulent mussels.

Good food We’re well represented in the 2015 edition of the best-selling Waitrose Good Food Guide.

Abersoch: Porth Tocyn Hotel. In

the guide ‘for nigh on six decades’, it ‘cuts it as a bolt-hole for those appreciating capable cooking in relaxed “dinner party” surroundings.’ The view is pretty good too.

Bangor: Blue Sky Café. ‘The mood

is relaxed – think roaring wood-burner, slouchy leather sofas, bare wooden floor, plain tables – prices are reasonable and the commitment to local and organic food is important.’

Barmouth: Bistro Bermo. ‘Emma

and Paul Ryder’s pint-sized restaurant runs along merrily … Provenance and seasonality are to the fore on the approachable menus and the food is accomplished without being pretentious.’

Plas Bodegroes, Pwllheli

Betws-y-Coed: Bistro Betws-yCoed. ‘Chef Gerwyn Williams has recently

taken over this bistro … where he conjures up fairly extensive menus of simple dishes based on locally sourced raw materials.’ Go for his ‘trio of local lamb’.

Conwy: Dawsons at the Castle Hotel. The Castle ‘has been a source of

hospitality in the town for a long while and continues today with a touch of 21st-century boutique glamour. (The) menu takes a broad approach to satisfy the modern customer.’

Dolgellau: Bwyty Mawddach. ‘Ifan

Dunn’s decision to return to the family farm and open a restaurant has created a venue that feels entirely rooted in its landscape … That said, Dunn cooks with a modern European/Med focus.’

Stepping up to the Plate

Penmaenpool, near Dolgellau: Penmaenuchaf Hall. ‘Concise, daily

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THE LOWDOWN

changing menus are what to expect, the culinary style of simple, modern food underpinned by well-sourced ingredients.’

Pwllheli: Plas Bodegroes.

Penmaenuchaf Hall, Penmaenpool

‘(It) has a serious foodie reputation. Chris (Chown) applies years of experience to a larder loaded with Welsh ingredients, delivering intelligent, sharply executed and flavoursome dishes with orthodox leanings.’

Award-winners all Here’s just a sample of our many awardwinning food producers: Castle Cottage, Harlech

Dolgellau: Dylanwad Da.

‘(It) covers all the gastronomic bases, serving the community as café, bar, restaurant and wine shop. Dylan Rowlands has been on hand here for more than 25 years and his establishment has become part of Dolgellau’s DNA.’

Harlech: Castle Cottage.

‘Readers continue to sing the praises of the Roberts’s long-established restaurant-with-rooms. It’s a polished set-up.’

Llanberis: Bwyty’r Copa/ The Peak. ‘This homely place, with no

airs or graces, has a kitchen showing the experienced chef/patron at work. Welsh produce shines through in dishes that cross international borders.’

Pennal, near Aberdyfi: Glan yr Afon. This amenable country pub and

hotel ‘has nailed its colours to the foodie mast, but a pint of real ale in the bar is still on the cards: positively encouraged, in fact.’

It’s a scoop. Delicious home-made Glasu dairy ice cream is made to a traditional recipe down on the family farm at Edern on the Llyˆn Peninsula. Happy cows, green pastures, great ice cream.

I’ll drink to that.

You can’t get any more local than Cwrw Llyˆn. The beer comes from a community-based brewery at Nefyn founded by local enthusiasts. Each pint has a good head, and soft mountain water adds to a unique taste.

Meaty treats. We’re famous for our

local butchers. Call into DG Davies at Penrhyndeudraeth, for example. Traditional and family-run, it only sells quality locally sourced produce. They’re especially proud of their tender, moist saltmarsh lamb (it really does taste different, you know), which comes from a farm on the estuary down the road.

Cheese from the caverns. Adopted

from ancient methods used in France, South Caernarfon Creameries matures a new cheddar underground at Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Blaenau Ffestiniog. The process adds a unique character to the cheese, producing a firmer body and depth of flavour with a rich, savoury note.

Farmers’ Market, Dolgellau

Look, it’s local. Local produce markets are held at:

Conwy: Last Wednesday of every month except December when it’s the Wednesday before Christmas Day (9am–1.30pm) at the RSPB Nature Reserve.

Ogwen: Second Saturday of every month (9.30am–1.30pm) at Llys Dafydd, Bethesda; from November to March at Jerusalem Chapel, Bethesda.

Porthmadog: Last Saturday of every month (9.30am–2pm) at Y Ganolfan, Harbour.

Pop-up places: The Snowdonia Farmers’ Market will be visiting locations throughout the region in 2015. For more information go to www.facebook.com/ MarchnadEryriSnowdoniaMarket and follow them on Twitter @MarchnadEryri

Market forces. Shop locally. Meet the

people. Buy fresh from the field. Check out the provenance. It’s all on a plate at our farmers’ markets, farm shops, food festivals and fairs. For more on real food from real people go to www.fork2fork.org.uk or contact our Tourist Information Centres (see back page).

Market days.

Barmouth: Thursday and Sunday (summer only). Blaenau Ffestiniog: Tuesday. Caernarfon: Saturday (all year) and Monday (May–September). Llanrwst: Tuesday. Porthmadog: Friday. Pwllheli: Wednesday. Tywyn: Monday (summer only).

The French talk up their regional dishes, but in my view we seriously talk ours down. A well-cooked Lancashire hotpot or Welsh cawl (broth) is every bit the equal of a French cassoulet or a poule au pot.’

Bwyty’r Copa, Llanberis

Rick Stein

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

12 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

COUNTER CULTURE

Corris Craft Centre

You’ll love our shops. They’re mostly small and specialist, personable and friendly, the kind of places where customer care comes naturally.

Buy that pair of new walking boots you’ve been promising yourself at one of Betws-y-Coed’s many outdoor gear shops. Pick up some pottery in Portmeirion. Take a shine to Welsh gold – and lots of other Celtic goodies – at Caernarfon’s Celtica. Taste the difference by shopping for farm-fresh produce at Bodnant Welsh Food Centre.

We have our High Streets too, of course – Bangor’s is the longest in Wales, where the modern Deiniol and Menai shopping centres attract big crowds. But it’s fair to say that shopping, Snowdonia Mountains and Coaststyle, is a little bit different to the ‘one-sizefits-all’ superstore experience.

Your shopping list Here are just a few of our many great little places to shop.

Going the extra iard

Iard, pronounced ‘yard’, is a collective of artists with a shop in Caernarfon that showcases their talents in jewellery, slate art and sculpture. They also share a passion for passing on that talent by running art and craft courses at nearby Parc Glynllifon (home, incidentally, to Adra, another stylish craft shop and gallery).

Hand-made in Llanberis

Bangor

Odyn Copr sells unique items in enamel and wood hand-made on the premises – you can even watch each piece being created, and demonstrations taking place most afternoons. So now you know where to go

Llanberis for your own personal Welsh lovespoon.

Fframia specialises in limited-edition prints – many of which feature local scenes – by well-known artists. Llanberis is wrapped in memories of the slate industry. Slate has now become a work of art at Crefft Elidir, where slate products – clocks, coasters, house names – are hand-crafted to your specification.

Art works

JMW Turner, whose turbulent canvases captured the light and shade of Snowdonia’s mountains, wasn’t the only one to be inspired by our dramatic landscapes. Artists and craftspeople throughout the region create works of art in paint and slate,

Counter Culture

13

Betws-y-Coed

Pwllheli

Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw, Llanbedrog

Trefriw Woollen Mills

Llanrwst ceramics and jewellery. Small workshops are scattered everywhere, often in the most unlikely of places – so keep your eyes open.

At Corris you’ll find a complete craft village made up of individual workshops. And for those distinctively patterned Welsh weaves and tapestries go to working woollen mills at Bryncir (near Porthmadog) and Trefriw.

You’ll find the very best in art at Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Llanbedrog, and the Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy, two of Wales’s leading galleries. In Bangor, look out for the varied exhibitions of painting, photography and sculpture at Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery.

Art can take surprising forms. When you visit Blaenau Ffestiniog, the ‘town of slate’, you’ll see how it has been used to create features that enhance the townscape.

Open all hours

You might think that Betws-y-Coed goes to sleep in winter. Think again. It’s a buzzy, busy place throughout the year, popular with shoppers as well as walkers. Betws’s unique collection of independent shops and galleries includes places selling outdoor gear, crafts and gifts. Where better to buy that new weatherproof jacket or climbing equipment?

Town and country

Take your time, enjoy the experience and shop like the locals do in places like Dolgellau, Bala, Pwllheli and Llanrwst where shopping is a real pleasure in friendly, family-run stores that have served their communities for decades.

THE LOWDOWN www.creativegwynedd.com is

your one-stop shop for all arts-related news plus a comprehensive directory of arts associations, centres and individuals. For details of the Helfa Gelf Arts Trail to studios and workshops throughout North-west Wales go to www.helfagelf.co.uk

One-off shopping

With such a wide choice of characterful independent shops it’s difficult to pinpoint stand-out places. If pushed, we’d have to recommend a visit to Porthmadog for at least two reasons. Kerfoots, complete with its glass dome and spiral staircase, is a fabulous, small-scale department store selling quality homeware, clothing and luxury items. It’s North Wales’s answer to Harrods or John Lewis. And if you’re a fan of the late, great John Peel you’ll want to make a pilgrimage to Cob Records, the legendary shop known to collectors of vinyl the world over.

Actually, make that three reasons. The magical village Portmeirion is close by – it’s a true one-off with a charming choice of shops, including, of course, a Portmeirion Pottery outlet.

Tourist Information Centres.

They’re not just places that tell you about local events, attractions and activities, or for booking quality accommodation. They’re also handy for a spot of shopping, selling a wide range of books, gifts, souvenirs and local produce. See the back cover for location details.

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

14 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

ONE BIG ADVENTURE

Llanberis Pass

We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. Ioan Doyle, renowned rock climber, dry stone waller and sheep farmer (how’s that for multi-tasking?) has been around a bit. To lots of the world’s best outdoor destinations, in fact. Here’s what he thinks of us.

‘I am now able to satisfyingly declare that the Snowdonia Mountains and Coast region is the only place in the world where all you could ever desire from the outdoors is within a 20mile radius. From coast to mountain, this area is definitely the beating heart of outdoor adventure and activities in the UK.’ If you need convincing just look at a map.

Snowdonia’s peaks are surrounded by lakes and forests, valleys and moors, and fringed by a coastline of harbours, marinas, bays and big waves. Add into the mix a multitude of activity and adventure companies and outdoorsy attractions that run on adrenaline and you have, well, One Awfully Big Adventure.

Making a splash

With around 200 miles of coastline, watersports fans have all kinds of excuses to get wet, wet, wet. Wakeboarding is a speciality in Abersoch, while serious surfing dudes head to places like Porth Neigwl (its alternative name, Hell’s Mouth, might give you an idea of what to expect). Stand-up paddleboarding is popular in a number of venues, including Dinas Dinlle. Sailors with saltwater in their veins can head for the open seas or sheltered Menai Strait

from havens all along the coast. Pwllheli, with its swish 400-berth marina and new Plas Heli Welsh National Sailing Academy (opening summer 2015), is world class.

Your centre for adventure

See what’s on offer all under one roof, so to speak. We’re talking about our all-in-one multi-adventure centres, where you sample a whole host of activities – everything from climbing to canyoning, raft making to wild lake swimming. They’re plentiful in these parts, run by experienced enthusiasts. Two of the best known are the Plas Menai National Watersports Centre near Caernarfon, and Plas y Brenin National Mountain Centre at Capel Curig.

Plas Menai

One Big Adventure

Llyn Padarn

Head up, up and away into the trees, Tarzanstyle, for more aerial adrenaline. For high ropes experiences go to Bala, Betws-y-Coed or Llanberis. And we’ve become the zip line capital of the world, with amazing new rides at Penrhyn Quarry (near Bethesda) and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Aerial activity and adventure happens underground too. Giant trampolines have been installed in Blaenau Ffestiniog’s old slate caverns (plus a zip line planned for 2015). Near Betws-y-Coed, there are waterfalls to climb and a zip line over water to negotiate on guided tours of an abandoned mine. And there’s a similar underground experience at Corris.

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THE LOWDOWN

One Big Adventure. That’s the title

of our comprehensive activities guidebook.

Download a free copy now from our website. Or if you prefer we’ll pop one in the post.

Bala on YouTube.

Bala and district has produced a series of short videos on a range of activities – the outdoors, watersports, walking and off-road driving. Watch them on YouTube or www.visitbala.org

Online

National White Water Centre

Lakes and lagoons

Inland, our lakes and rivers also overflow with aquatic action. Bala’s Llyn Tegid, the largest natural lake in Wales, is a major watersports centre. It’s close to the River Tryweryn, a torrent that guarantees white water and white-knuckle rafting thrills at the National White Water Centre, where anyone who doesn’t mind getting wet can have a go. There’s even – would you believe? – inland surfing. Surf Snowdonia, the world’s first inland surfing lagoon, opens in the Conwy Valley in 2015.

Go sea angling from our shores or deepsea boats (charters are available almost everywhere). Game fishermen head for our lakes and rivers (for superb brown trout fishing you can’t beat Llyn Myngul in the mountains near Abergynolwyn). There’s good coarse fishing too at locations like Llyn Trawsfynydd – it has excellent facilities for anglers, including a new visitor centre and jetty. For more information see our free Fishing guide available on our website or by post.

Golf as it should be

It’s the special brand of Welsh golf, played on friendly, accessible courses. We have around 20, including three of the UK’s finest

– Royal St David’s at Harlech, the classic links at Aberdyfi, and iconic Nefyn, perched on cliffs along the Llyˆn Peninsula. Legendary course designer James Braid did some of his best work in North Wales – as you’ll discover when you follow the James Braid Golf Trail, which links 10 of his courses (see our website for details).

Saddle up

We have horses for courses. Everyone from absolute beginners to experts are catered for at our riding and trekking centres. The terrain is pretty varied too. Explore the wooded bridlepaths of the lovely Vale of Ffestiniog or gallop along the beach on the sandy southern shores of the Llyˆn Peninsula.

Try kayaking on beautiful Llyn Gwynant near Beddgelert or Llyn Padarn at Llanberis. Other watersports lakes include Llyn Geirionydd hidden away in the Gwydyr Forest, Llynnau Mymbyr near Capel Curig, Llyn Trawsfynydd and Llyn Brenig near Cerrigydrudion. Llyn Brenig, home to the UK’s highest sailing club, has wind that’s perfect for learning the ropes or competitive sailing.

High altitude

Climb a cliff or two. You’ll be in good company. Sir Edmund Hillary’s Everestconquering team trained here, while legendary climbers like Joe Brown cut their teeth on Llanberis Pass’s slabs and crags. Nowadays, you needn’t worry about the weather. We have challenging indoor climbing centres too, at places like Caernarfon and Harlech.

Royal St David’s at Harlech

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

16 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

THE CIRCLE GAME Bicycles are back in fashion, big time. The UK has gone cycle-crazy.

Bike shops are booming, Brits are winning the Tour de France, MAMILS (‘Middle Aged Men in Lycra’) are huffing and puffing up hills, while off-road adrenaline addicts are whizzing down them.

Tour de Bwlch

If you’re a Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome or Brailsford kind of cyclist (Sir Dave, incidentally, comes from these parts) then you’ll find testing climbs that are actually steeper than the Alps. See if you can conquer Bwlch y Groes between Dinas Mawddwy and Bala, the highest mountain pass in Wales at 1791ft/546m

We’ve gone full circle… and then some more. Bikes, originally one-type-fits-all, now come in all shapes and sizes. There are super lightweight road bikes and bombproof downhill monsters, bikes for family-friendly riding and sophisticated cross-country mountain bikes.

And there are all kinds of cycling experiences on offer in Snowdonia Mountains and Coast, for super-fit enthusiasts and weekend cyclists, families and fearless mountain bikers. Here’s a snapshot:

Bwlch y Groes

Antur ’Stiniog

Mawddach gold

Is there a lovelier family bike ride than this one? The Mawddach Trail from Dolgellau follows an old railway line (which means it’s almost flat and traffic-free) along the southern shores of the gorgeous Mawddach Estuary.

It’s pure Welsh gold – quite literally. As well as the scenery and wildlife, this seductive stretch of land, sand, wood and water is known for its gold-bearing rocks.

The Mawddach Trail

The Circle Game

17

THE LOWDOWN

© National Trust

Trust

© National Trust

TE OU

IO BR FEIC LLWY DARONR ABER MAW MYNYDDE ROUTE CYCL

2

UTE RO

LLwYBR •

Rock ’n’ roll in the forest. The Penmachno Forest’s existing mountain biking trails have recently been enhanced by the addition of two new sections of singletrack filled with features – rollers, berms and jumps – that riders love.

Coast to country. With the completion of the latest section of Lôn Las Ogwen you can now ride, traffic-free, all the way from Porth Penrhyn, Bangor to Bethesda in the foothills of Snowdonia. It’s along an old railway line, so gradients are gentle.

More muddy wheels. As well as Coed

Lôn Las Peris

y Brenin, Antur Stiniog and Penmachno there’s exciting mountain biking in the Beddgelert, Dyfi and Gwydyr forests. And for purists who prefer natural terrain there’s off-road gold on the grassy tracks, rocky trails and ancient paths that lattice our hills and mountains.

The long and the short of it. There’s a good choice of bike routes based around Bala too, ranging from easy (four miles) to difficult (28 miles) – again, you’ll find details on our website. For other long-distance challenges ride sections of the North to South Wales Lôn Las Cymru route, or the 22-mile Lôn Ardudwy from Porthmadog to Barmouth, with spectacular coastal scenery to keep you company all the way.

Penmachno

Competition time.

If you do want to try to keep up with Cav you can test your fitness on cycling events like Etape Eryri (www.alwaysaimhighevents.com).

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

3

© National Trust

c views from Rhiw, and the Rhiw, the 17th Century manor den and orchard.

uTE Ro

of the three routes, with a total e very steep hills! A long steady o Mynydd Rhiw is followed by a yn Rhiw, and a steep climb ( with k up to Rhiw village.

PLAS YN RHIW CYCLE ROUTE

LLWYBR FEICIO ABERDARON

Three of the best.

LLwybr feicio AberdAron The National Trust has PLAs yn rhiw cycLe roUTe 3 put together three cycle routes from Aberdaron.

These well-chosen routes to Mynydd Mawr headland, the ‘Whistling Sands’ of Porth Oer and the delightful miniature manor house of Plas yn Rhiw make the most of Llyˆn’s spectacular surroundings.

by the Keating sisters in 1938 s to restore the derelict building bequeathed the property to the ntinued to live there until 1981 ied. Recent developments at , which has 32 different varieties

3

UTE • RO

LLWYBR FEICIO ABERDARON PORTHOR CYCLE ROUTE

Downhill enthusiasts are flocking to Blaenau Ffestiniog’s new Antur ’Stiniog bike park.

‘An awesome trail centre’ and ‘A brilliant addition to the North Wales MTB scene’ are typical comments from breathless bikers.

© National

Coed y Brenin can claim to be the daddy of them all. In the 1990s it pioneered the fledgling sport of mountain biking in the UK. But it doesn’t rest on its laurels.

It has developed into a truly world-class centre with an amazing maze of trails for all-comers, from challenging long-distance loops to smooth, short routes suitable for all ages and levels of experience, including complete beginners. Oh, and there’s a fabulous modern visitor centre, bike shop and café too.

1

It’s a case of ‘the muddier/ steeper/rockier the better’ with some mountain bikers. That’s what brings them to Coed y Brenin Forest Park near Dolgellau or Antur Stiniog, the new kid on the block at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

© National Trust

Mud, sweat and gears (and a nice cup of tea afterwards)

outh

Dolgellau

al buildings can be restored ing their character whilst f modern day living.

Easy riding.

Take a look at our purposebuilt network of Recreational Routes.

Designed to provide mostly easy riding on traffic-free rural paths, they are ideal for families. Download full details of seven routes from the Cycling section of our website. To give you a taster, Lôn Las Peris meanders lazily along the shores of Llyn Padarn at Llanberis. It’s a lovely, gentle route, set against the stunning background of our highest peaks.

orth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth) ia in the distance is one of the la. Porth Neigwl is well known but previously it was notorious 2 known shipwrecks around the 0 years at least 30 occurred here

and the Llyˆn Peninsula are two of Wales’s dedicated locations. Take your pick from over 10 signposted low-traffic routes specially chosen for their access to some of the best cycling challenges in our rural landscapes.

LLWYBR • R

Cycle Breaks Centres. Dolgellau

Loop around the lake. You can now ride around Llyn Trawsfynydd on an eight-mile cyclepath, much of it completely trafficfree.

LLWYBR •

Coed y Brenin Forest Park

Making tracks.

We’re developing our cycling network all the time.

LLWYBR

Look out for this logo in our accommodation listings. The property will have special features such as secure lockable areas for bikes, drying facilities for wet clothes and so on.

© Gareth Jenkins

Cyclists Welcome.

18 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

TALKING WALKING

It goes with the territory. Snowdonia Mountains and Coast might well have been made for walking. The effects of fire and ice, volcanoes and glaciers, have left us with magnetic mountains that challenge and inspire outdoor enthusiasts. Walkers with less of a head for heights might prefer our green hills, burnished moors and wooded valleys, where things are a little less, well, macho. Then there are our lakes (lovely for strolling around) and riverbanks (relaxing for walking alongside). And, to complete the picture, there’s our coastline of sandy bays and cliffs, big beaches and intimate coves.

Talking walking? You bet. We’ve got a lot to say.

Coastal rambles

Easy going

Want a taste of the country but don’t fancy a serious hike? Don’t worry, we have plenty of choice – gentle, easy-to-follow forest walks suitable for all the family, loops around lakes, paths along the shore.

For something a bit more strenuous there’s exhilarating walking all the way along our shoreline. We’ve got just the thing for you if you’re a couple on a weekend break looking to blow away those cobwebs.

Snowdon Try this one. The Porthdinllaen Circular Walk is as spectacular as they get. It takes you around this exposed headland with sensational view of the Llyˆn Peninsula’s north coast towards Yr Eifl mountains. You can even take your own guide – it’s one of the new Llyˆn Downloadable Digital Trails (see ‘The Lowdown’ for more details).

Try this one. Llyn Brenig is a popular destination for family walking with many routes to choose from. Watch the wildlife, take a picnic, soak up the all-seeing views from this high mountain lake. You can even walk on water here (well, sort of) in a giant plastic zorbing ball.

Llyn Brenig

Trefor

Talking Walking

19

Mountain highs

And, of course, there are these – not just Snowdon and its surrounding peaks but Cader Idris, the Carneddau and the Arans, Arenigs and Berwyns around Bala.

Try this one. Six actually. You might well have walked this way before, but here’s a challenge. How many of the six routes up Snowdon have you ticked off?

They’re all around eight miles there and back, but for bragging rights the Watkin Path is the steepest overall – you’ll climb 3330ft/1015m. For more information see the walking section of our website.

Aran Mountains

THE LOWDOWN Llyˆn Digital Trails

. Five spectacular walks take in the best of the peninsula.

Download them free to your iPhone, iPad or Android from www.ahne-llyn-aonb.org

Watkin Path

Sshhh, it’s a secret. That’s the

great thing about walking. Armed with an inquisitive mind you can seek out all kind of secret, hidden places. We’ve all heard of Snowdon but what about the lovely, undiscovered landscapes around the traditional villages of Llanfrothen, Croesor and Rhyd in the foothills of the Moelwynion Mountains?

Try this one. On the themed Croesor ‘Literature and Slate’ Walk you’ll encounter the area’s mining heritage and the ‘crag with the frightful look’ according to Wild Wales, George Borrow’s classic 19th-century travel book (see ‘The Lowdown’ for more details).

Snowdonia National Park Walks. Are you a

weekend stroller or mountain man (or woman)? The Park’s website covers all bases, with walks ranging from ‘Hard Mountain’ to ‘Easy Leisure’ and ‘Family Walks’. www.eryri-npa.gov.uk

Off-the-beaten track

. For more details of those Llanfrothen, Croesor and Rhyd walks we mentioned earlier go to www.llanfrothenacroesor.org Walking in southern Snowdonia Mountains and Coast is just as enticing as it is in the more popular north – as you’ll discover on the following easy and moderate National Trust walks: • Rhaeadr Ddu and Coed Ganllwyd (waterfalls and oak woodland)

Wales Coast Path

. It’s a world’s first – at 870 miles long, the first and longest continuous coast path on the planet. We have around 200 of those miles here in Snowdonia, the Llyˆn Peninsula and Cambrian Coast, with all kinds of walking experiences – wild headlands, sheltered bays and sandy beaches. www.walescoastpath.gov.uk The Official Guide to the Llyˆn Peninsula section of the Wales Coast Path, published

by Northern Eye Books, recently won ‘Best Guidebook’ in the Awards for Excellence 2014 given by the Outdoor Writers’ Guild.

Best foot forward in Bala. Bala is

a ‘Walkers are Welcome’ kind of town. It’s got the lot – three mountain ranges, the largest natural lake in Wales, and friendly accommodation where you can put your feet up after a day exploring it all. Like the rest of Snowdonia Mountains and Coast, there’s a mix of tough hikes and easy, inviting family trails – treasure hunts for the kids, an all-ability lakeside path, scenic strolls and heritage trails taking in town and country. www.gobala.org

• Dinas Oleu, Barmouth (birthplace of the Trust in 1895) • Dolmelynllyn Estate (gold mines – and more waterfalls) • Ornamental Lake, Dolmelynllyn (wildlife, formal gardens) www.nationaltrust.org.uk/southsnowdonia/things-to-see-and-do

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

20 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

WHAT’S UP? An easy question that’s difficult to answer. That’s because we have even more attractions, activities and places to visit than mountain peaks – over 150 at the last count. To help you through the maze, on these next few pages we’ve bunched some of the very best into various categories – everything from ‘Little Railways’ to ‘Activities and Outdoors’. So off you go…

ACTIVITIES AND OUTDOORS

Beacon Climbing Centre, Caernarfon

of St Paul’s Cathedral. Then string giant trampolines and nets across it. Voilà – you have a unique, very topsy-turvy underground experience. Oh, and there’s an underground zip line on its way too.

Why go? This off-the-wall new attraction is a world’s first. Be the first kid (or adult) on your block to give it a go. www.bouncebelow.net

Coed y Brenin Forest Park, near Dolgellau

Antur ’Stiniog, Blaenau Ffestiniog

In a nutshell. If you haven’t been to Blaenau Ffestiniog for some time, you’re in for a big surprise. This former ‘slate capital of the world’ has reinvented itself as a dynamic outdoor activities centre, offering thrilling downhill mountain biking, walking, climbing, fishing, caving, kayaking and canoeing.

Why go? Just take a look at the well-presented website, which tells you more about the area’s ‘unforgettably bonkers experiences’. There’s accommodation information too. www.anturstiniog.com

In a nutshell. It’s a big indoor centre with all kinds of challenges, from a 17m-/56ft-high climbing wall to something that’s entirely off-the-wall – the UK’s first CrazyClimb, a wacky series of fun climbing routes (including one that’s like shinning up a drainpipe).

There’s also a bouldering area and café.

Why go? For a great climbing experience, whatever the weather.

There are taster sessions and tuition for beginners, while experienced climbers just have to register and up, up and away they go. Outdoor courses also available. www.beaconclimbing.com

Bounce Below, Blaenau Ffestiniog

In a nutshell. Hats off to whoever thought of this one. Take a vast slate cavern twice the size

In a nutshell. Coed y Brenin is the ultimate all-action forest. Walkers came first. Then – and this is what really put the forest on the map – mountain bikers arrived. It’s now a fully fledged activity destination with facilities and attractions for all abilities, including a visitor centre, café, bike shop, children’s play areas and geocaching – and miles and miles of biking and walking trails for everyone, from families to muddy MB enthusiasts. There’s also a new trail running centre – the UK’s first – with dedicated waymarked trails, events, footwear demo area and running shop.

Why go? If you’re into the outdoors you’d be daft not to.

There’s something to do for everyone. www.forestry.gov.uk/ coedybrenin

Go Below Underground Adventures, Conwy Falls, near Betws-y-Coed

In a nutshell. Exhilarating guided adventure trips into the spectacular subterranean world of an abandoned slate mine. Brave a series of fun challenges as you journey through cavernous chambers and across forgotten blue lakes. No experience necessary, equipment provided.

Why go? It’s mine exploring with attitude. You’ll be abseiling, zip-lining, scrambling, boating and climbing a waterfall – all beneath the surface. You can even experience the ultimate descent to the deepest point in the UK. Open in all weathers. www.go-below.co.uk

National White Water Centre, near Bala

In a nutshell. Welcome to the UK’s first commercial white water rafting centre. It’s also Britain’s favourite. The aquatic action takes place on the Tryweryn, a damreleased river, so the water is always white – and very wet – whatever time of year you come.

Why go? To ride the best natural year-round white water rapids in the UK, that’s why. For extreme action try the ‘Full Session’ or

What’s Up?

‘Taster’, for family fun sign up for the ‘Raft Safari’. Or go kayaking.

Or get equally wet and wild on a canyoning trip. Ask also about their weekend activity breaks that include high ropes adventures, quad biking and 4x4 off-road driving. www.ukrafting.co.uk

PaintballWales.com, Llanddeiniolen, near Llanberis

by exploring the stunning coastline by sea kayak or summiting Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.

Why go? The Hartleys’ mission is ‘to inspire others and to offer memorable adventures’.

Whatever you’re looking for, they will be able to tailor an activity for you. www.psyched-adventures.com

Snowdonia Riding Stables, Waunfawr, near Caernarfon

In a nutshell. A one-stop shop for all kinds of mountain experiences in North Wales – guided mountain walks, scrambling and climbing as well as courses in all aspects of mountaineering. Learn to rock climb and be taught about mountain safety with an experienced instructor.

Why go? Paintball Wales takes the game to a new, inventive level. And the tournament- and scenario-style games are very spectator-friendly too.

Wales Walking Holidays In a nutshell. Go riding and trekking in the foothills of Snowdonia through fabulous mountain and coastal scenery.

Complete beginners and competent riders are equally welcome, with a choice of everything from introductory sessions to full-day treks deep into the mountains.

www.paintballwales.com

Why go? Always wanted to explore the hills on horseback?

Now’s your chance, on rides guided by experienced trek leaders from this long-established centre. Please pre-book.

Psyched Adventures

www.snowdoniaridingstables. co.uk

Snowdonia Walking and Climbing, Bethesda In a nutshell. It’s an outdoor adventure company run by Sian and Giles Hartley, professionally qualified instructors with a wealth of experience. They will help make your time in Snowdonia and Anglesey a memorable one, either

Zip World, Bethesda and Blaenau Ffestiniog

Why go? The company is run by a fully qualified mountaineering instructor and Mount Everest climber, so you’re in good hands.

It offers mountain adventures and courses to suit all levels of experience, tailor made for you. www.snowdonia walkingandclimbing.co.uk

In a nutshell. It’s paintballing, but possibly not as you might know it. As well as the typical woodland-based game (which has been around for quite some time) the company offers ‘speed ball’ tournament-style paintballing and scenario-based games with themes like ‘Celtic Fort’ and ‘Haunted Graveyard’. New for 2015 is the ‘Outdoor Woodland Laser Tag’ game suitable for over five-year-olds.

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In a nutshell. You’ll be in the hands of local experts. They organise guided and self-guided tours for novices and experienced walkers (with luggage transfers), ranging from a few to 14 days.

Tours cover many parts of Wales, including Snowdonia and Offa’s Dyke, but the Isle of Anglesey is the company’s speciality.

Customised walking packages and cycle tours are also available.

In a nutshell. We’ve become, almost overnight, the zip line capital of the world thanks to two new attractions – Zip World Velocity at Bethesda and Zip World Titan at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

At the former you’ll fly (well, almost) at speeds up to 100mph on Europe’s longest zip wire. Titan is another record-breaker – the world’s largest zip zone, with over five miles of aerial rides.

Why go? What are you waiting for? What more do you want? Yet more aerial thrills? Then also look up Tree Top at Betws-y-Coed, a high-ropes adventure experience run by the same company. www.zipworld.co.uk www.ttadventure.co.uk

Why go? Anglesey’s 125-mile coastline is an official ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and no one knows it better, every mile of the way, than Wales Walking Holidays. And you can combine Anglesey with Snowdonia on a special walking and sightseeing tour. www.angleseywalkingholidays. com

For more attractions and activities see overleaf

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

22 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

ARTS, CRAFTS AND SHOPPING Bodnant Welsh Food, Conwy Valley

In a nutshell. The place to go for shopping and eating combo in the Conwy Valley. Bodnant showcases the very best Welsh artisan produce, from organic veg to cheeses, mountain lamb to tasty treats. The beautifully converted 18th-century Furnace Farm houses an award-winning farm shop, tearoom, restaurant, bakery, dairy, butchery, wine cellar, cookery school and beekeeping centre. Five-star onsite accommodation is also available.

Why go? It’s a foodie heaven for the whole family. Learn a new skill in the cookery school, visit demonstration hives to see bees and beekeepers at work, then sample some delicious food.

The views overlooking the River Conwy are pretty good too. www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk

Trefriw Woollen Mills

bedspreads, blankets, tweeds and travelling rugs from raw wool using vintage machinery. And it’s very green. The water-powered mill generates its own electricity from a hydro-electric turbine.

Why go? It’s a great place to buy presents and mementos from the well-stocked shop. You can also see the looms and turbine, visit the mill museum (April to October) and watch handspinning demonstrations (April to September). There’s also an online shop. www.t-w-m.co.uk

FAMILY FUN

Bendi-gedig, Barmouth

King Arthur’s Labyrinth, Corris

In a nutshell. Where to begin?

Think of an activity and there’s a good chance that you can do it here. Go karts, quad bikes, archery, fishing and ten-pin bowling are just some of the things on offer. There’s also a state-of-the-art wakeboarding and watersports park packed with exciting features.

In a nutshell. You’re in a cave.

On a boat. You float past tableaux and sound-and-light shows that bring Celtic Britain and Arthurian legend to life. There’s also the occasional dragon – not forgetting the underground waterfall.

Why go? It’s billed as ‘North Wales’s premier action and activity centre’. Enough said. Oh, and there’s an award-winning farm shop and café on site too. www.glasfryn.co.uk

GreenWood Forest Park, near Caernarfon In a nutshell. Bendigedig is a Welsh word that means fantastic, wondrous, brilliant, blessed. It’s a new indoor adventure play centre with café designed by two young mums for children of all ages up to 12 (a new teenager area is planned for 2015). Kids can run, jump, crawl, squeeze, slide and bounce their way through a maze of inventive play equipment.

Why go? Children (and adults) love it. It’s fun, safe, friendly and clean, with great-quality food that’s affordable and locally sourced. Check out their rave reviews on TripAdvisor. Free Wi-Fi too. www.bendi-gedig.com

In a nutshell. A well-known, long-established woollen mill that manufactures traditional Welsh

Glasfryn Parc, near Pwllheli

In a nutshell. This is one very green attraction, winner of many awards for its eco credentials. But most of all, it’s fun for families, with a mind-boggling range of experiences and rides including Tree-Top Towers, a Barefoot Trail, Crocodile Maze, Forest Theatre and the Green Dragon, the world’s first eco-friendly people-powered rollercoaster.

Why go? It comes well recommended. In the latest TripAdvisor awards it was rated amongst the top ten amusement parks in the UK and the best value of the lot. www.greenwoodforestpark.co.uk

Why go? Below ground is just the half of it. Back on the surface there’s more legendary storytelling together with intriguing characters in Lost Legends of the Stone Circle, plus shopping at Corris Craft Centre.

And you can go underground for the second time with Corris Mine Explorers. www.kingarthurslabyrinth.co.uk

Yr Hwylfan/The Fun Centre, Caernarfon

In a nutshell. The name says it all – well almost. It’s North-west Wales’s biggest indoor adventure play centre, with a huge range of attractions and activities all under one roof.

Why go? For the giant drop slides, ball pools, maze, tubes, climbing nets, play areas, mini electric go karts, laser game arena… is that enough? And adults can escape for a bit of peace and quiet to the licensed restaurant with patio area. www.thefuncentre.co.uk

What’s Up?

ON THE WATER Anglesey Boat Trips

LITTLE RAILWAYS Fairbourne Miniature Railway

Why go? Scenery and steam. Put the two railways together with the Conwy Valley line and other public services for a memorable circular tour of Snowdonia. www.festrail.co.uk

Llanberis Lake Railway In a nutshell. Scenic, spectacular trips in six- and eight-person RIB powerboats with fully qualified, experienced pilots, departing from Dinorwic Marina (Y Felinheli), Beaumaris Pier, Menai Bridge Pier and Plas Newydd. Go for an exciting ‘Blast’ ride down the Menai Strait or take a more leisurely trip. Private charters also available.

Why go? They’re great fun as you whiz along the Menai Strait to places like Beaumaris Castle, Puffin Island and Llanddwyn Island. www.angleseyboattrips.com

RibRide Adventure Boat Tours

In a nutshell. It’s the smallest of Wales’s narrow-gauge railways, with a track width of only 12¼ins.

So it’s lilliputian, it’s sweet – but it takes you on a railway ride through the dunes to some pretty big views of the Mawddach Estuary and mountains beyond.

Why go? The ride in itself is enough. But there’s more. It connects with the ferry across the Mawddach to Barmouth. www.fairbournerailway.com

In a nutshell. This lovely little line runs alongside Llyn Padarn in the Padarn Country Park for a there-and-back journey of five miles. Stop off for a lakeside picnic at Cei Llydan, or visit the National Slate Museum at Gilfach Ddu.

go? You won’t need a head Ffestiniog and Welsh Why for heights to enjoy great views Highland Railways, of Snowdon. The highest peak in and England spears into the Porthmadog, Blaenau Wales skyline along the way.

Ffestiniog and www.lake-railway.co.uk Caernarfon The Narrow Gauge

Why go? The adrenaline rush, the North Wales coast’s stunning scenery, local information you’ll get en route and the professionalism of a multi-award-winning company.

It’s the top rated activity in North Wales, guaranteed to put a smile on your face. www.ribride.co.uk

In a nutshell. Two separate railways, little in gauge, large in appeal. The 13½-mile Ffestiniog from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog, one of Wales’s best-loved Great Little Trains, was originally built to carry slate. The Welsh Highland from Caernarfon to Porthmadog travels through breathtaking mountain scenery and the show-stopping Aberglaslyn Pass – a whopping 25 miles from start to finish, making it Britain’s longest heritage railway.

museum also tells the story of local slate haulage, and the national impact of narrow-gauge lines throughout Britain.

Why go? It’s a full-on narrowgauge experience. Visit the museum, then hop on the Talyllyn Railway to Abergynolwyn. www.ngrm.org.uk

Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, Porthmadog

Railway Museum, Tywyn In a nutshell. You’ll ride a state-of-the-art RIB along the Menai Strait and across to Anglesey with pick-up points at Caernarfon, Menai Bridge, Beaumaris and Holyhead. The boats are quiet but powerful – expect to hit speeds of 50mph, but in comfort. Ask about the new Bear Grylls adventure boat tours.

Private charters also available.

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In a nutshell. A short narrowgauge rail ride from Porthmadog takes you to a Heritage Centre and Engine Sheds, packed with exhibits and displays on the area’s railway and industrial heritage. There’s also a second rail ride – this time on a miniature railway with a tiny seven-inch gauge.

Why go? It’s a charming little railway, run by passionate volunteers. The Heritage Centre has won awards for its child-friendly hands-on approach – climb into engine cabs, sit at the controls, watch a video that shows you what it’s like at 600 degrees inside a boiler. www.whr.co.uk

In a nutshell. Locomotives, signalling equipment, old tickets, wagons… and wagon loads of other railway memorabilia, over 1000 artefacts in total. You name it, you’ll find it at this unique museum located at the Talyllyn Railway’s Wharf Station. The

For more attractions and activities see overleaf

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

24 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

HERITAGE, TRADITIONS AND GREEN SNOWDONIA

Electric Mountain, Llanberis

Why go? Highlights include a unique Roman sword, the ‘Welsh Not’ (punishment once used in schools to discourage the speaking of Welsh), the King of Bardsey’s crown, Queen Victoria’s dress, a rare coin hoard and much more.

In a nutshell. You won’t want to miss this indoor attraction with a difference. Elidir Mountain above the lake is hollow, hiding the largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Europe.

Take an underground tour of an awesome space that generates green, clean power.

www.electricmountain.co.uk

Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery, Bangor

In a nutshell. Learn more about this fiery, controversial politician, who led Britain during World War One and helped establish the welfare state. The museum, based at David Lloyd George’s childhood home on the Llyˆn Peninsula, is furnished as it was when he lived here between 1864 and 1880.

In a nutshell. An unexpected gem! You’ll find extensive historic gardens – Grade I listed, no less – with woodland walks, follies and sculptures.

Why go? From our age of monochrome politicians, step back to the time of this colourful energetic statesman, the ‘third greatest British Prime Minister of the 20th century’.

Why go? Not just for the parkland but also for the craft shop and gallery – and ask about the art and craft courses held at the park. www.gwynedd.gov.uk

Plas yn Rhiw, Aberdaron

www.gwynedd.gov.uk/ museums In a nutshell. They’ve been making slate products here for over 150 years, starting with school writing tablets. Today’s large product range includes items for the home and garden made from 500-million-year-old local slate, the best in the world.

Why go? It’s still a proper workshop, not a museum. You can explore the workshop at your own pace on a self-guided tour and try your hand at slate calligraphy.

Afterwards, browse in the attractive, well-stocked shop. www.inigojones.co.uk

In a nutshell. As you’d expect from the title, this regional museum has a broad reach, encompassing everything from Roman finds to traditional costumes, domestic furnishings to art. In autumn 2015 it’s scheduled to move to a new home at Bangor’s former Bishop’s Palace.

Parc Glynllifon, Llanwnda, Caernarfon

www.gwynedd.gov.uk/ museums

Inigo Jones Slate Works, Y Groeslon, near Caernarfon

Why go? It’s like a film-set for a James Bond movie, vast chambers and tunnels so big you can drive a bus through them. Which is a good job, since you’ll be on it.

Lloyd George Museum, Llanystumdwy

Padarn Country Park, Llanberis In a nutshell. It’s a small, perfectly formed Tudor/Georgian manor house in the care of the National Trust, dating from the early 17th century.

In a nutshell. The description ‘Country Park’ doesn’t really do this place justice. Ranged around the lake of Llyn Padarn, there’s everything here from watersports to walking, wildlife to industrial heritage, woodlands to inspiring mountain views.

Why go? Everyone – well, almost everyone – visits Llanberis, the gateway to Snowdon. So it’s little wonder that Padarn Country Park is so popular. www.visitsnowdonia.info

Why go? For the surroundings as much as the house. Plas yn Rhiw stands in a truly spectacular spot on the tip of the Llyˆn Peninsula, with far-reaching views from Porth Neigwl across Cardigan Bay (Porth Neigwl’s English name, Hell’s Mouth, might give you a clue to its savage beauty). Even closer to home, Plas yn Rhiw’s delightful ornamental garden contains many flowering trees and shrubs, with beds framed by box hedges and grass paths. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ plas-yn-rhiw

What’s Up?

Porthmadog Maritime Museum

Why go? The name almost says it all. Porth y Swnt means ‘Gateway to the Sound’, referring to the stretch of water that separates Aberdaron from Ynys Enlli, Bardsey Island, the ‘Isle of 20,000 Saints’. It’s an echo of the way in which the centre reveals the story of Llyˆn – its natural and human history, its secret places and how this most Welsh of areas attracted pilgrims from far and wide.

Sygun Copper Mine, near Beddgelert

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attractive range of local crafts, gifts and produce and well as National Trust items. There’s local information too. www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Tyˆ Mawr Wybrnant, near Penmachno

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ henfaes-centre In a nutshell. Porthmadog’s bustling harbour was even busier 150 years ago. Discover the reason at this museum, which tells the story of the port’s shipbuilding and slate exporting heyday.

Appropriately enough, it’s housed in the quayside’s last remaining slate shed.

Why go? Seafaring and the sea runs through Porthmadog’s salty veins. The museum tells you why the port’s Western Ocean Yachts were renowned for their combination of elegance and seaworthiness. Round everything off by hopping on board the narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway to trace the journey of slate from mine to port. www.porthmadog maritimemuseum.org.uk

Porth y Swnt, Aberdaron

In a nutshell. It’s the National Trust’s new ground-breaking interpretation centre on the tip of the Llyˆn Peninsula. Simply designed and taking its inspiration from Aberdaron’s architecture and maritime past, it acts as a gateway to Llyˆn’s many unique features and rich cultural heritage.

Sir Henry Jones Museum, Llangernyw

In a nutshell. This fascinating museum of Welsh rural life celebrates the remarkable life of Henry Jones, born in Llangernyw in 1852. The son of a shoemaker, he left school aged 12 to work with his father, but continued his studies at night, winning a scholarship. A brilliant philosopher and teacher, he eventually became Professor of Moral Philosophy. He never forgot his humble origins and worked hard to improve education in Wales.

Why go? The museum, at Henry’s childhood home, is an inspiring experience. You can still visit the shoemaker’s workshop, and see the tiny kitchen and bedroom where Henry and his family worked and lived in this remote upland village. www.sirhenryjonesmuseum. co.uk

In a nutshell. A remarkable underground experience.

Abandoned in 1903 but now reopened to visitors, Sygun tells the story of Victorian miners.

Nowadays, it’s hard to believe that such gritty industrial heritage exists amongst so much natural beauty.

Why go? Take a self-guided tour of the old workings. See audio-visual presentations and stalactites and stalagmites as well as copper ore veins containing traces of silver and gold.

Children’s adventure playground, museum and panning for gold above ground. www.syguncoppermine.co.uk

Tyˆ Isaf, Beddgelert

In a nutshell. The National Trust isn’t just concerned with grand stately homes. It cares for all kinds of significant buildings – and they don’t come much more significant than this humble 16th-century farmstead, birthplace of Bishop William Morgan, who first translated the Bible into Welsh, thus securing the future of the language.

Why go? This modest dwelling is authentic, atmospheric and evocative – and it’s in a lovely, secluded spot deep in the hills.

You won’t regret seeking it out. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ ty-mawr-wybrnant

In a nutshell. A charming little cottage, low of beam and dark of stone, in the heart of Beddgelert.

It’s owned by the National Trust, so you’d expect it to be historic – and it certainly is. Grade II listed and dating back to the 17th century, it’s reputedly the oldest building in the village.

Why go? Not just to have a quick look inside but also because it has returned to one of its early roles as a shop – though now it sells an

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

26 To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling.

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Open all year Weekdays 10am-10pm Weekends 10am-8pm P. 01286 677 322 W. www.beaconclimbing.com E. info@beaconclimbing.com Beacon Climbing Centre | Cibyn Estate | Caernarfon | LL55 2BD

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See the weaving (Monday – Friday, mid February – mid December), and the water driven turbine (shop hours). Visit our shop for Welsh tapestry bedspreads, tweeds and travelling rugs woven on site. Additional vintage machinery and the weaver's garden can be viewed April – October (Monday – Friday).

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Main Road, Trefriw, Conwy Valley LL27 0NQ T: 01492 640462 info@t-w-m.co.uk www.t-w-m.co.uk

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Trefriw Woollen Mills

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GreenWood Forest Park, Y Felinheli, Gwynedd. SAT NAV- LL55 3AD

24hrs info line: 01248 670 076 Open Daily Mid - March – End October 10am-5:30pm For winter opening and more info visit the website

Months open: 2–12; Days open: Weaving: Mon–Fri 10am–1pm and 2pm–5pm; Hours open: Shop open all year Mon–Sat 10am–5pm (and Sundays Apr–Oct) Admission: Free (regret no school parties) } k ß Z * ß

Anglesey Boat Trips

www.greenwoodforestpark.co.uk 3D

Plas yn Rhiw

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Plasdy bychan o’r 17eg ganrif ac ystafell de, mewn gardd addurniadol hardd, gyda golygfeydd gwych dros Borth Neigwl a Bae Ceredigion.

Am ragor o wybodaeth / for more info: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/plas-yn-rhiw 40 High Street, Menai Bridge LL59 5EF T: 01248 716335 info@seawake.co.uk www.angleseyboattrips.com Come and explore the beautiful coastline of Anglesey and the Menai Strait on one of our rib rides. We depart every day from Bangor and Beaumaris Piers. 1 hour trips are £20 per person. Book now on 01248 716335. www.angleseyboattrips.com

Months open:1–12; Days open: Mon–Sun; Hours open: 10am–6pm

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Small 17th century manor house and tearoom nestled in a delightful ornamental garden, with spectacular views over Hell’s Mouth and Cardigan Bay. Llun / Image © NT Images / Joe Cornish

Porth y Swnt Yn goleuo diwylliant, treftadaeth ac amgylchedd unigryw Llŷn.

Dewch i gael eich ysbrydoli ac i archwilio mwy… pwy a ŵyr lle fydd y siwrne’n mynd a chi?

Am ragor o wybodaeth / for more info: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/porth-y-swnt

Shining a light on Llŷn’s unique culture, heritage and environment.

Be inspired to explore… who knows where the journey will take you?

Llun / Image © NT Images / Tom Simone

To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling. 27 43257 v10.qxp_Layout 1 10/11/2014

Tyˆ Mawr Wybrnant Tucked away in the Wyrbnant valley, near Penmachno, you'll find this 16th century farmhouse, the birthplace of Bishop William Morgan - translator of the Bible into Welsh. Come find out his story.

Yn cuddio yng nghwm Wybrnant, ger Penmachno, mae ffermdy o'r 16eg ganrif, man geni yr Esgob William Morgan. Dewch i ddarganfod hanes cyfieithydd y Beibl i'r Gymraeg.

Llun / Image ©National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ty-mawr-wybrnant

Inigo Jones Slate Works

Llun / Image © NT Images

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Self guided tour of works includes geological historical calligraphy and letter cutting exhibitions.

Opportunity to try calligraphy and cutting on a piece of slate that you get to keep as a souvenir.

Quality slate products and other Welsh gifts available. Cafe on site and plenty of free parking.

Months open:1–12; Days open: Mon–Sun; Hours open: 9am–5pm; Adults £5.50; Children & Concessions £5; Family (2 adults + 2 children) £19.00

The fun centre, 1400 sq ft of family fun all under one roof. Including 25ft high drop slides, ball pools, bridges, nets, tumble towers, spinning steps, dark maze and much more... separate under 5s play area. Laser Space Sport area.

Mini Go-Carts. Licensed family friendly restaurant, museum and outside patio area.

Months open: 1–12; Days open: Mon–Sun; Hours open: Variable

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paintballwales.com

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Warrior Woods, Llanddeiniolen, Gwynedd LL57 4EE T: 01248 340000 M: 07557 340000 info@PaintballWales.com www.PaintballWales.com Top venue in North Wales for birthdays, stag do’s and outdoor family fun!

Excitement, adrenaline, adventure.

Paintball & Laser-Tag Park. Best game zones, equipment and prices!

Play VIP style!.. without the VIP price tag!!

Follow us on facebook.com/paintballwales.

Book on 0333 1234 303 2D

Wales Walking Holidays

4E SYGUN COPPER MINE Beddgelert, Gwynedd, LL55 4NE Tel: 01766 890595 sygunmine@hotmail.com www.syguncoppermine.co.uk

3 Penrallt, Porthaethwy, LL59 5LP T: 01248 713611 info@waleswalkingholidays.com www.waleswalkingholidays.com Award-winning company offering walking holidays on the Wales Coast Path (Conwy, Bangor, Anglesey, Caernarfon and Cardigan Bay). Included: Accommodation, luggage transfer, routes and maps. Walking packages in Snowdonia also available.

3D Bangor Street, Caernarfon LL55 1AR T: 01286 671911 info@thefuncentre.co.uk www.thefuncentre.co.uk

Sail through the magical underground waterfall into a time of myth and legend.

T: 01654 761584 www.kingarthurslabyrinth.co.uk

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RIBRIDE from Menai Bridge all year

Y Groeslon, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL54 7UE T: 01286 830242 F: 01286 831247 slate@inigojones.co.uk www.inigojones.co.uk

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Antur Stiniog Cyf, Y Siop Uned 1 a 2 Stryd Fawr Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3ES T: 01766 832214 siop@anturstiniog.com www.anturstiniog.com Downhill MTB Centre and Cafe – LL41 3NB Outdoor Clothing and Equipment Shop, Info Centre and Electric Bike Hire – LL41 3ES Lake Centre, Cafe, Shop, MTB, Kayak and Canoe Hire – LL41 4DT

Bear Grylls RIBRIDE from Holyhead Spring 2015

Visit our unique shop at the heart of Beddgelert, a quaint 17th century cottage brimming with character and beautiful local crafts.

Am ragor o wybodaeth / for more info: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/snowdonia

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www.ribride.co.uk

Siop Tŷ Isaf Shop Dewch i ymweld ag ein siop unigryw yn ganol Beddgelert, bwthyn hen ffasiwn o’r 17eg ganrif llawn cymeriad a chrefftau lleol prydferth.

Antur Stiniog Cyf

Open: 10th Feb – 10th Nov; 27th Dec – 2nd Jan. 9.30am – 5pm British summer time, 10am – 4pm British winter time. Prices: Family 2+2 £28, Family 2+3 £34, Adults £8.95, Senior/ Student £7.95, Child £6.95. } C k Z h

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Talbot Square, King Edward Street Barmouth LL42 1AD T: 01341 281 523 www.bendi-gedig.com info@bendi-gedig.com Bendi-gedig! A fun filled children's indoor adventure centre, catering for ages 0–12 years. Family friendly café boasting an affordable tasty menu, packed with local Welsh produce. Enjoyable for all!

Open all year; 7 days a week; Hours open: Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sunday 10am–4pm Admission: Varies – see website }% k ú ßZ ß

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

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28 To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling.

Porthmadog Maritime Museum Slate to the Sea

The fascinating story of the ships and seafaring tradition of the area.

Find us at the harbour in Porthmadog.

(Velocity) Penrhyn Quarry LL57 4YG (Titan) Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3NB T: 01248 601 444 (option 1 Velocity, 2 Titan) info@zipworld.co.uk

Zip Word offers unique and first class experiences, with two sites to choose from, families, adventure seekers and everyone in between can experience an exhilarating adventure in the zip line capital of the world.

Reach speeds up to 100mph or fly down 8km of zip lines in unison of 4.

Months open:1–12; Days open: Mon–Sun; Hours open: 9am–5pm (extended hours during peak season)

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Activities for children Open Daily (not Mondays and Fridays out of season) 12 noon to 4pm For details visit our website

www.porthmadogmaritimemuseum.org.uk Follow us on Facebook

zipworlduk

Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3NB T: 01248 601 444 (option 2) Bouncebelow@zipworld.co.uk www.bouncebelow.net

The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Wharf Station, Neptune Road, Tywyn LL36 9EY T: 01654 710472 curator@ngrm.org.uk www.ngrm.org.uk

The sureal experience of Bounce Below is set within a historic disused slate cavern. Installed with massive bouncy nets to jump around in. Unlike anything seen before. Huge trampoline like nets are hung within two vast chambers together by walkways and slides.

BounceBelowUK bouncebelowuk

Months open:1–12; Days open: Mon–Sun; Hours open: 9am–5pm; Admission: £20pp

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Explore the world of the narrow gauge from industrial steam locomotives to the charm of the Irish rural railways. Learn about the Reverend Awdry and his railway stories for children.

Should you wish you can take a ride on the World’s First Preserved Railway which runs from our front door.

See webite for Railway Museum opening times. Admission: Free

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To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling. 29

Our two narrow-gauge railways run through the very heart of the Snowdonia National Park and provide the perfect way to relax and enjoy the scenery during a car-free, care-free journey in comfortable, family-friendly carriages - with on-train toilets and an 'at-your-seat' buffet service.

The FFESTINIOG RAILWAY climbs for 13½ miles from Porthmadog The WELSH HIGHLAND from Porthmadog to Caernarfon, 25 miles winding past picturesque farms, ancient oak woods, waterfalls, lakes 'coast to coast', climbs across mountain slopes and through deep and mountain moors to Blaenau Ffestiniog with its famous slate caverns. valleys with views of an unspoilt landscape often inaccessible by road.

There is always plenty to entertain and enjoy, both on and around the railways - you can ride the trains all day, take a shorter trip to one of our many stations to explore the local villages and countryside at your leisure, or visit us for one of our popular family-friendly special events.

Welsh Highland Heritage Railway

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The Station, Tremadog Road, Porthmadog LL49 9HT T: 01766 513402 info@whr.co.uk www.whr.co.uk Award-winning family orientated all weather attraction packed with things to do and see for children and adults alike. Ride on a historic narrow gauge and miniature railway or go to the interactive heritage centre where you can climb on railway engines! Gift shop and period tea room.

Tickets valid all day.

Months open: April – October; Days open: Daily 7 days a week; Hours open: 9.30am – 5pm; See website for timetable; Adult £8.50, Child £4.25, Concession £7.50, Family £19.50

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Llanberis Lake Railway / Rheilffordd Llyn Padarn

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Gilfach Ddu LL55 4TY T: 01286 870549 sales@lake-railway.co.uk www.lake-railway.co.uk Our vintage Narrow Gauge Steam Trains take you on a five mile return journey along the shores of lake Padarn, following the route of the old slate railway. Passengers are treated to spectacular views of Snowdon and nearby mountains.

The main station is adjacent to The Welsh Slate Museum.

Months open: 2–12; Days open: Send for timetable or check website; Hours open: Please phone or check website; Prices: Adults £8.20 (£4.50 Child); Family (2 Adults & 2 Children) £20.80. Reduced rates for groups.

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30 To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling.

Hanes cudd Eryri Snowdonia’s hidden history

Melin Lechi Ynys Pandy, Cwmystradllyn / Ynys Pandy Slate Mill, Cwmystradllyn © Ein Treftadaeth/Our Heritage

Darganfyddwch hanes unigryw Eryri

Discover Snowdonia’s unique history

Gyda’n cymysgedd arbennig o safleoedd hanesyddol

Peppered with a special mix of historic sites – from World

– caerau a chestyll Treftadaeth y Byd i chwareli a

Heritage sites and fortresses to quarries and spiritual shrines,

chysegrfeydd sanctaidd, mae gan ein tirlun bopeth –

our landscape has it all – from industrial to inspirational.

o’r diwydiannol i’r ysbrydoledig.

Dyma beth sy’n ein gwneud yn wahanol.

Beth am ddarganfod hanes cudd Eryri dros eich hunain? www.treftadaetheryri.info

It’s what makes us different.

Why not discover Snowdonia’s hidden history for yourself? www.snowdoniaheritage.info

To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling. 31

Enjoy the Welsh food experience, FARMSHOP

Visit the UK’s No.1 destination Farm Shop*

at Bodnant Welsh Food

Electric Mountain Visitor Centre

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Llanberis, Gwynedd LL55 4UR T: 01286 870636 F:01286 873002 info@electricmountain.co.uk www.electricmountain.co.uk Tours of the Dinorwig Power Station make for a fascinating experience. An underground tour inside Elidir Mountain is like a film set for a James Bond movie. The vast chambers and tunnels so big you can drive a bus through them, which is a good job, since you’ll be on it!

HAYLOFT RESTAURANT

Months open:1–12; Days open: Visitor centre open all year round. Tours operate Easter–End of October daily. All other times select days only; Hours open: Jan– May & Sept–Dec 10am–4.30pm; Jul–Aug & main school holidays 9.30am–5.30pm.

Charges for tour only. } k ] g ßZ _i Enjoy a beautiful lunch or dinner in the Hayloft Restaurant (listed in the Good Food Guide 2015)

WINE CELLAR

TEA ROOM

COOKERY SCHOOL

Find your perfect wine to match your food choice in the Wine Cellar

Enjoy a freshly prepared light lunch and homemade cakes in the Furnace Tearoom

Cookery demonstrations and experiences

Bodnant Welsh Food, Tal y Cafn, Conwy, LL28 5RP. Tel: 01492 651100. www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk Only 4 miles from A55 J19 / A470. Free parking and ample free coach parking. *(BBC Good Food magazine)

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Snowdonia Riding Stables Weirglodd Fawr, Waunfawr, Caernarfon LL55 4PQ T: 01286 650342 snowdonia.riding@btconnect.com www.snowdoniaridingstables.co.uk Renee Z Thomas See Snowdonia from the saddle, it's a different world! Treat yourself to superb riding in magnificent mountain scenery. Graded rides to suit complete beginners to competent riders.

Established over 35 years, with a wealth of experience. We are approved by the British Horse Society and the Pony Club.

Parc Coedwig

Coed y Brenin Forest Park

// Caffi yn defnyddio cynnyrch lleol, gyda golygfeydd o’r goedwig // Llogi a phrynu beiciau // Maes chwarae antur // Mynediad, llwybrau a chyfleusterau pob gallu // Cyfleusterau Cynadleddau // 8 milltir i’r gogledd o Ddolgellau // Forest view café using local produce // Bike hire and retail // Adventure playground // All ability access, walks & facilities // Conference facilities // 8 miles north of Dolgellau Canolfan Llwybrau Rhedeg gyntaf y DU

The UK’s first Trail Running Centre

/CoedyBreninForestPark www.cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Months open: 1–12; Days open: Mon–Sun; Hours open: 10am–5pm

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RAFT KAYAK CANYON

The UK’s best rafting at the National White Water Centre

01678 521083 www.ukrafting.co.uk

NWWC, Frongoch, Bala, LL23 7NU

#snowdoniaadventure

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

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313131 Toavoid avoid disappointment please check opening times direct with theattraction attraction activity provider before travelling.

32

TYWYSOGION GWYNEDD PRINCES OF GWYNEDD

Hanes Hanes Hanes cudd cudd cudd Eryri Eryri Eryri Snowdonia’s Snowdonia’s Snowdonia’s hidden hidden hidden history history history Mae diwylliant a threftadaeth Cymru yn dod yn fyw drwy brosiect dehongli Tywysogion Gwynedd. Y tywysogion oedd teulu brenhinol Cymru, llinach ganoloesol bwerus a llwyddiannus o ryfelwyr, gwleidyddion a noddwyr y celfyddydau. Maent wedi gadael eu hôl mewn sawl ffordd ac wedi llunio’r Gymru sy'n adnabyddus i ni heddiw.

Wales’s culture and heritage come to life through the Princes of Gwynedd interpretation project. The princes were Wales’s very own royal family, a powerful and successful medieval dynasty of warriors, politicians and patrons of the arts. They left their mark in many ways, shaping the Wales of today.

Castell Dolwyddelan Dolwyddelan Castle © Partneriaeth Prosiect Tywysogion Gwynedd / © Princes of Gwynedd Project Partners

Castell Dolbadarn, Llanberis Dolbadarn Castle, Llanberis © Partneriaeth Prosiect Tywysogion Gwynedd / © Princes of Gwynedd Project Partners

Mae bellach yn haws nag erioed i olrhain eu dylanwad trwy bum arddangosfa, arweinlyfr sy’n rhad ac am ddim, teithiau i ymwelwyr a theithiau sain y gellir eu lawrlwytho a grëwyd fel rhan o brosiect Tywysogion Gwynedd.

Darganfyddwch Darganfyddwch Darganfyddwch hanes hanes hanes unigryw unigryw unigryw Eryri Eryri Eryri Ewch i’r wefan:

Melin Melin Melin Lechi Lechi Ynys Lechi Ynys Pandy, Ynys Pandy, Pandy, Cwmystradllyn Cwmystradllyn Cwmystradllyn / / / Ynys Ynys Pandy Ynys Pandy Pandy Slate Slate Mill, Slate Mill, Cwmystradllyn Mill, Cwmystradllyn Cwmystradllyn It’s now easier than ever their influence through © Ein © to Ein Treftadaeth/Our ©trace Ein Treftadaeth/Our Treftadaeth/Our Heritage Heritage Heritage

five exhibitions, a free guidebook, visitor itineraries and downloadable audio tours created as part of the Princes of Gwynedd project.

Discover Discover Discover Snowdonia’s Snowdonia’s Snowdonia’s unique unique unique history history history Visit the website:

Gyda’n Gyda’n Gyda’n cymysgedd cymysgedd cymysgedd arbennig arbennig arbennig o safleoedd o safleoedd o safleoedd hanesyddol hanesyddol hanesyddol Peppered Peppered with with awith special a special a special mix mix of mix of historic historic of historic sites sites sites – from – from – from World World treftadaetheryri.info/tywysogion – dyma eich porth at Peppered snowdoniaheritage.info/princes - It’s your gateway toWorld aTreftadaeth llwybrau sain gellir eu lawrlwytho – caerau – caerau – caerau aganllawiau chestyll a chestyll a chestyll Treftadaeth Treftadaeth y Byd y yByd y i Byd chwareli i chwareli i chwareli a a a sy’n

free,sites downloadable guides trails.

You canshrines, also Heritage Heritage Heritage sites sites and and fortresses and fortresses fortresses to and to quarries quarries toaudio quarries and and spiritual and spiritual spiritual shrines, shrines, rhad ac am ddim. Gallwch hefyd ymweld â'n harddangosfa visit our flagship exhibition on the princes at Conwy chysegrfeydd chysegrfeydd chysegrfeydd sanctaidd, sanctaidd, sanctaidd, mae mae gan mae gan ein gan ein tirlun ein tirlun tirlun bopeth bopeth bopeth – – – ourour landscape our landscape landscape hashas ithas all it all –itfrom all – from – from industrial industrial industrial to to inspirational. inspirational. to inspirational. blaenllaw ar y tywysogion yng Nghanolfan Groeso Conwy.

Tourist Information Centre.

o’ro’r diwydiannol o’r diwydiannol diwydiannol i’r i’r ysbrydoledig. ysbrydoledig. i’r ysbrydoledig.

Mae prosiect Mae prosiect Mae Tywysogion prosiect Mae Tywysogion prosiect Gwynedd Tywysogion Gwynedd Tywysogion ynGwynedd un oynhaenau Gwynedd un yn o haenau un Cynllun oynhaenau un Cynllun Dehongli o haenau Cynllun Dehongli Treftadaeth Cynllun Dehongli Treftadaeth Dehongli Cymru Treftadaeth Cymru Treftadaeth Gyfan, Cymru Gyfan, Cymru Gyfan,Gyfan, The Princes The Princes of The Gwynedd Princes of The Gwynedd Princes of project Gwynedd of project isGwynedd oneproject of is one theproject isstrands ofone theof isstrands of one the the of strands Pan-Wales of the the strands of Pan-Wales theHeritage of Pan-Wales theHeritage Pan-Wales Interpretation Heritage Interpretation Heritage Interpretation Plan,Interpretation Plan, Plan, Plan, sef menter sef menter Llywodraeth sef menter Llywodraeth sef menter Llywodraeth CymruLlywodraeth Cymru dan arweiniad Cymru dan arweiniad Cymru dan Cadw. arweiniad dan Cadw.

Arweinir arweiniad Cadw.

Arweinir y prosiect Cadw.

Arweinir y prosiect Arweinir gan y prosiect Gyngor gan y prosiect Gyngor Bwrdeistref gan Gyngor Bwrdeistref gan Gyngor Bwrdeistref Bwrdeistref a Welsha Government Welsh a Welsh Government a Welsh Government Initiative Government Initiative led Initiative

by Cadw. led Initiative byled Cadw.

Thebyproject led Cadw.

Thebyproject is Cadw.

The ledproject by isThe Conwy ledproject by is led Conwy County by is led Conwy County Borough

by Conwy County Borough Council County Borough Council inBorough Council in Council in in Sirol Conwy Sirol Conwy Sirol ar y cyd Conwy Sirol arâyChyngor cyd Conwy ar ây Chyngor cyd ar Gwynedd, âyChyngor cydGwynedd, â Chyngor Awdurdod Gwynedd, Awdurdod Gwynedd, Parc Awdurdod Cenedlaethol Parc Awdurdod Cenedlaethol Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri Parc Cenedlaethol a’rEryri Ymddiriedolaeth a’r Eryri Ymddiriedolaeth a’r Eryri Ymddiriedolaeth a’r Ymddiriedolaeth partnership partnership with partnership Gwynedd with partnership Gwynedd with Council, Gwynedd with Council, Snowdonia Gwynedd Council, Snowdonia Council, National Snowdonia National Snowdonia ParkNational Authority ParkNational Authority Park and Authority Park theand National Authority the and National the Trust, and National the and Trust, National is Trust, and is and Trust, is and is Genedlaethol, Genedlaethol, Genedlaethol, ac fe’i Genedlaethol, hariennir ac fe’i ac hariennir fe’i ganhariennir acmwyaf fe’i ganhariennir mwyaf gan ganLywodraeth mwyaf gan ganLywodraeth mwyaf gan Cymru Lywodraeth gan Cymru Lywodraeth a Chronfeydd Cymru a Chronfeydd Cymru a Cydgyfeirio’r Chronfeydd a Chronfeydd Cydgyfeirio’r Cydgyfeirio’r UE. Cydgyfeirio’r UE. UE.largely UE. largely funded largely funded by the largely funded by Welsh the funded by Government Welsh the by Welsh Government the Welsh Government and from Government andEU from and Convergence EU from and Convergence EU from Convergence Funds.

EU Convergence Funds.Funds.Funds.

Ionawr/January 2014

Ionawr/January 2014

Ionawr/January 2014

www.treftadaetheryri.info www.treftadaetheryri.info www.treftadaetheryri.info

Ionawr/January 2014

what It’s what what makes makes makes us us different. us different. different.

Rhan o Brosiect Twristiaeth Treftadaeth CADW gwerth £19 miliwn syddIt’sIt’s Part of Cadw’s £19m Heritage Tourism Project, and part-funded through wedi’i led-ariannu gan Gronfa Datblygu Rhanbarthol Ewrop. Mae prosiect the European Regional Development Fund, the Princes of Gwynedd Dyma Dyma Dyma beth beth beth sy’n sy’n ein sy’n ein gwneud ein gwneud gwneud ynyn wahanol. yn wahanol. wahanol.

Tywysogion Gwynedd wedi’i sefydlu gan gonsortiwm dan arweiniad Why project is a discover consortium led

by Conwy County Borough Council in Why not Why not discover not discover Snowdonia’s Snowdonia’s Snowdonia’s hidden hidden hidden history history history forfor yourself? for yourself? yourself?

Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy mewn partneriaeth â Chyngor Gwynedd, partnership with Gwynedd Council, Snowdonia National Park Authority Awdurdod Parc hanes Cenedlaethol Eryri a'r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol. and the National Trust.

Beth Beth Beth amam ddarganfod am ddarganfod ddarganfod hanes hanes cudd cudd cudd Eryri Eryri Eryri dros dros eich dros eich hunain? eich hunain? hunain? www.snowdoniaheritage.info www.snowdoniaheritage.info www.snowdoniaheritage.info

www.ymweldageryri.info www.ymweldageryri.info www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

To avoid disappointment please check all opening times direct with the attraction or activity provider before travelling. 33

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

34 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

MAKE A DATE

6–7: Mawddach Paddlesports Festival, Barmouth & Penmaenpool www.paddlewales.com

Here’s a run-down of some of the festivals and events taking place in Snowdonia Mountains and Coast in 2015. For more details and an updated events list visit our website or contact local Tourist Information Centres (see back cover).

Please note: This list was compiled November 2014 and details may have changed, so please check dates and times if you’re planning to attend an event.

February 21: St David’s Day Concert, Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli www.gwynedd.gov.uk/neuadd-dwfor 28: St David’s Day Celebration, Bala www.visitbala.org

March 1: St David’s Day Celebrations (food, local produce market, music & dance), Caernarfon 01286 672232 4–8: Bangor New Music Festival www.bnmf.co.uk 6–8: LLAMFF Llanberis Film Festival www.llamff.co.uk 19–22: Sci-Fi Weekender, Pwllheli www.scifiweekender.com 26: Conwy Seed Fair www.conwybeekeepers.org.uk 29: Triathlon & Duathlon, Harlech www.harlechtriathlon.org.uk

April

2–4: Celtic Fayre, Electric Mountain, Llanberis www.celticfayres.co.uk

7: Middle Distance Triathlon, Bala www.wrecsamtri.org.uk 13: Dysynni Trail Fest Challenge, Tywyn www.wats-on-events.com 13: Pig Ultra Duathlon, Dolgellau www.thebrutal.co.uk 13–21: Cricieth Festival www.cricciethfestival.co.uk 15: Abersoch Sprint Triathlon 01758 710011

4: Sioe Nefyn Show www.sioenefynshow.com

20: Trail Marathon Wales, Coed y Brenin, Dolgellau www.trailmarathonwales.com

8–10: All Wales Boat Show, Pwllheli www.allwalesboatshow.com

20–21: Pirate Festival, Conwy www.conwypirates.co.uk

9: Bala Challenge Charity Walk www.balachallenge.org.uk

21: Etape Eryri – The Snowdonia Sportive, Caernarfon www.etapeeryri.com

15–17: Trefriw Walking Festival www.trefriwwalkingfestival.co.uk 15–17: Welsh Highland Railway, Caernarfon/Porthmadog – Cwrw ar y Cledrau/Rail Ale 11th Anniversary Beer Festival www.festrail.co.uk 16–17: Snowdonia Slateman Triathlon, Llanberis www.snowdoniaslateman.com

24: Great Strait Raft Run, Y Felinheli www.greatstraitraftrun.co.uk 26: Snowdon Night Race, Llanberis www.snowdonrace.co.uk 27: Three Peaks Yacht Race, Barmouth www.threepeaksyachtrace.co.uk

July

18: The Snowdonian, Caernarfon/ Porthmadog/Blaenau Ffestiniog round-trip on the Welsh Highland & Ffestiniog Railways www.festrail.co.uk

1–8: Conwy Summer Walks 01492 576012

23–27: Celtic Fayre, Conwy Harbour www.celticfayres.co.uk

4: North Wales Agricultural Show, Caernarfon www.caernarfonshow.com

2–5: 27th North Wales Bluegrass Music Festival, Conwy www.northwalesbluegrass.co.uk

6: Tywyn Fair 01654 767321

24–25: Fairbourne Miniature Railway ‘Little to Large Gala’ www.fairbournerailway.com

18: Mawddach Gold Rush Trail Race, Coed y Brenin, Dolgellau www.mawddachgoldrush.com

29–31: Celtic Fayre, Electric Mountain, Llanberis www.celticfayres.co.uk

18: Ras y Moelwyn/The Moelwyn Race, Blaenau Ffestiniog www.anturstiniog.com

30: Fairline Abersoch 10k Race & 3k Abersoch Holiday Homes Beach Race www.abersoch10k.com

11–12: Drum House Ffest, Blaenau Ffestiniog www.anturstiniog.com

26: Gran Fondo Conwy Cycle Sportive www.alwaysaimhighevents.com

31: Snowdonia Half Marathon, Llanrwst www.runwales.com

11–24: Optimist European Sailing Championships, Pwllheli www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk

June

16–19: Gw ˆ yl Arall Festival, Caernarfon 01286 674631

3–6: Three Castles Welsh Classic Trial (various locations) www.three-castles.co.uk

18: 40th Anniversary of the International Snowdon Race, Llanberis www.snowdonrace.co.uk

6: Charity Swim – 750m & 1500m, Bala www.wrecsamtri.org.uk

19–25: Conwy Classical Music Festival www.conwyclassicalmusic.co.uk

May 1–4: Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog – ‘Passengers through the Ages Celebrating 150 Years of Passengers Services’ www.festrail.co.uk

4–5: Barmouth Country & Western Festival www.barmouthcountrymusicfestival.co.uk 11–12: Barmouth Kite Festival www.barrikiteflyers.com

Make a Date

25–31: Dinghy Week, Abersoch www.scyc.co.uk

29: Pennal Show 01341 280787

25–31: Optimist National Sailing Championships, Pwllheli www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk

29: Sioe Dinas Mawddwy Show 01341 280787

26: Scott Snowdonia Trail Marathon, Llanberis www.snowdoniatrailmarathon.com

30: Big Brutal Swim, Llanberis www.brutalevents.co.uk 30: Wild Wales Challenge, Bala www.wildwaleschallenge.com

35

17: Cambrian Rally, Llandudno & the Conwy Valley www.cambrianrally.co.uk 24: Marathon Eryri, Llanberis www.snowdoniamarathon.co.uk 24–25: Gwledd Conwy Feast www.gwleddconwyfeast.com

29–2 August: Celtic Fayre, Conwy Harbour www.celticfayres.co.uk

31: Arthog Carnival 01341 280787

29–1 November: Celtic Fayre, Conwy Harbour www.celticfayres.co.uk

31: Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog – Jazz Train Evening with BBQ www.festrail.co.uk

September

29, 30 & 31: Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog – Halloween Trains www.festrail.co.uk

August 6, 13, 20 & 27: Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog – Jazz Train Evening with BBQ www.festrail.co.uk 7–14: International 29er World Championships, Pwllheli www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk 8: Abersoch Regatta www.scyc.co.uk 8: Eglwysbach Show www.eglwysbachshow.co.uk 10: Crab Catching Competition, Abersoch www.scyc.co.uk

3–6: Festival No: 6, Portmeirion www.festivalnumber6.com 5: Charity Swim, 750m & 1500m, Bala www.wrecsamtri.org.uk 6: Bala Distance Triathlon www.wrecsamtri.org.uk 6: Open Water Swim, Abersoch www.abersoch.co.uk/events.php 11–13: Welsh Highland Railway (based around Dinas Station) – Super Power Steam Enthusiast Event www.festrail.co.uk 12–20: World Mountain Running Championships 2015, Betws-y-Coed www.wmrcwales.org 12–21: Barmouth Walking Festival www.barmouthwalkingfestival.co.uk

11: Raft Race, Abersoch www.scyc.co.uk

18–19: Llanbedr Beer Festival 01341 280787

12: Sandcastle Competition, Abersoch www.scyc.co.uk

19: Brutal Triathlon, Llanberis www.thebrutal.co.uk

12–16: Glass Butter Beach, Abersoch & Llanbedrog www.glassbutterbeach.com

19: Chaparral Abersoch Half Marathon 01758 710011

15: Race the Train, Tywyn www.racethetrain.com 15: Sioe Wledig Llanrwst Rural Show www.sioe-llanrwst-show.com 16–22: Conwy River Festival www.conwyriverfestival.org 17–28: Fireball Worlds Sailing, Pwllheli www.hafanpwllheli.co.uk 21–23: IRC Welsh National Championships, Pwllheli www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk 26: Meirionnydd County Show, Bala www.sioesir.co.uk 27–31: Celtic Fayre, Conwy Harbour www.celticfayres.co.uk 29: Arthog Show 01341 280787 29: Beddgelert Dog Show 01766 512981

24–27: Celtic Fayre, Conwy Harbour www.celticfayres.co.uk 26–27: Snowman Triathlon, Capel Curig www.snowmantri.com 27–28: British Downhill Mountain Bike Series, Blaenau Ffestiniog www.anturstiniog.com

October 2–4: Snowdon Challenge, Llanberis www.snowdonchallenge.co.uk

31: Welsh Highland Railway, Caernarfon/Porthmadog – Halloween Train www.festrail.co.uk 31–2 November (provisional date): Barmouth Motocross Weekend www.wildenmxc.co.uk

November 7: Betws-y-Coed Trail Challenge www.trailbetws.com 12–15: Wales Rally GB (various venues in North Wales) www.walesrallygb.com 27–29: Abersoch Christmas Festival Weekend 07816 886535

December 5: Medieval Christmas Event, Conwy www.conwymedievalchristmas.co.uk 5–6: Portmeirion Food and Craft Festival 01766 770000 5–6: Nadolig Betws-y-Coed Christmas www.nadoligbetws.co.uk 12, 13, 19 & 20: Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, Porthmadog/ Caernarfon – Victorian Santa Trains www.festrail.co.uk 12, 13, 19 & 20: Welsh Highland Railway, Caernarfon/Porthmadog – Santa Trains www.festrail.co.uk

9–11: Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog – Vintage Weekend (with historic carriages, unusual trains, costumes, stalls) www.festrail.co.uk 17: Bangor 10k & Half Marathon www.runwales.com

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36 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

Around and about

To link in with the way we’ve organised the accommodation adverts starting on page 48 we’ve split Snowdonia Mountains and Coast into six areas. Here’s an introduction to each.

BANGOR, CAERNARFON, LLANBERIS AND THE VILLAGES OF SNOWDONIA

Mister Big in these parts is – guess? – Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and England. But it’s by no means the only attraction.

There are mountain lakes and wooded valleys too, and a coastline of big beaches and sheltered straits. Man-made places also make it into the big league, especially world-famous Caernarfon Castle.

Abergwyngregyn

Otherwise known simply as ‘Aber’. Scenic village at approach to a beautiful wooded valley and Aber Falls, the highest natural waterfall in Wales. Traeth Lafan Coastal Nature Reserve nearby.

Bangor

Small but lively city and university town.

Bangor Cathedral has ancient roots – this religious site can be traced back to the 6th century. Art and local artefacts on display at Gwynedd Museum and Gallery, along with an information hub for Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage. The former Bishop’s Palace is currently being refurbished as the new home for the museum and gallery, scheduled for completion in autumn 2015.

Bangor has lots of leisure facilities including pool, Play Centre and pier, where you can

enjoy a favourite local treat of tea and fresh scones. A good shopping scene too along what’s reputed to be Wales’s longest High Street, boosted by the modern Deiniol and Menai centres. Look out for news of the iconic new Pontio centre (due to be completed in 2015), a venue for theatre productions, film, music, circus, dance and other innovative performing arts. And don’t miss dramatic Penrhyn Castle, the National Trust mansion set in beautiful grounds on the outskirts of town, and nearby GreenWood Forest Park, a popular family attraction.

Beddgelert

Everyone loves Beddgelert and its enviable location. The picturesque stone-built village is the ideal base for exploring all the classic sights and beauty spots – Aberglaslyn Pass

Caernarfon to the south, Nant Gwynant to the east, Snowdon to the north. Historic cottage of Tyˆ Isaf is now a National Trust shop selling local crafts and produce. Nearby Rhyd Ddu, connected by a walking/cycling path, is a great starting point for a walk to the summit of Snowdon. Or go underground at the Sygun Copper Mine, also close by. It’s a popular family attraction with aboveground facilities too, including a children’s adventure playground and new bouncy castle. National Trust’s Craflwyn Estate (an activity, special interest and conference centre) is opposite Sygun on the road to Nant Gwynant. Both Craflwyn and the local tourist information centre have exhibitions on the Princes of Gwynedd. The village is one of the stop-off points on the Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon to Porthmadog.

Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis a Phentrefi Eryri 3

37

Abergwyngregyn

Bangor Bethesda

1 Caernarfon Llanberis

5 Dinas Dinlle

4 Snowdon

2

Beddgelert

Aber Falls

Bethesda

Former slate quarrying village on doorstep of the dramatic Nant Ffrancon Pass, Ogwen Falls and some of North Wales’s wildest mountain scenery. A new trafficfree section on the Lôn Las Ogwen cycle and walking path now links Bethesda with Porth Penrhyn on the coast – look out for the display boards en route that interpret the area’s local heritage. Exciting new Zip World attraction in Penrhyn Quarry has attracted a huge amount of interest.

Another recent development is the new gateway visitor centre at Nant Ffrancon to Cwm Idwal and the Ogwen Valley, with interactive interpretation, information and refreshments. Caban near Gerlan is a hostel catering for outdoor enthusiasts.

Caernarfon

Gwynedd’s county town, home to Wales’s most famous castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mighty Caernarfon Castle commands the lion’s share of attention, but the town’s narrow streets and stylishly redeveloped waterfront also merit a visit.

The castle, built in the 13th century by Edward I as a royal palace and military fortress, was at the core of a medieval walled town. The Romans left their mark too – 1000 years earlier they constructed their fort of Segontium on the hill above (its foundations still exist). The story of the town is told in an exhibition at Oriel Pendeitsh, part of the Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage project (there’s also a Princes of Gwynedd information hub). Other attractions include Welsh Highland Railway (which runs for 25 miles to Porthmadog), Hwylfan Fun Centre, Redline Indoor Karting, scenic Lôn Eifion recreational cycle route and RIB rides along Menai Strait.

Waterside Doc Fictoria is home to Galeri (contemporary arts complex with theatre and cinema) and Celtica (art and crafts centre). The Caernarfon Record Office has archives of Gwynedd (documents, images, maps and newspapers) stretching back 400 years. Cae’r Gors at nearby Rhosgadfan was home of Kate Roberts, one of Wales’s most celebrated writers.

Dinas Dinlle

Seaside village with vast, sandy, awardwinning beach and views that seem to go on forever. Attractive promenade and play areas. Home of Airworld Aviation Museum and Caernarfon Airport and Helicentre. Big, beautiful Parc Glynllifon close by.

Llanberis

Where to start? Llanberis is packed with enough attractions to keep visitors busy for weeks. But first, there’s the lakeside location at the foot of Snowdon. When you’re tired of walking beside the water – which you won’t be – take a ride on two narrow-gauge lines, the Llanberis Lake Railway and Snowdon Mountain Railway.

The latter climbs almost to the doorstep of the stunning Hafod Eryri Visitor Centre. Lots to see and do in lakeside Padarn Country Park. The National Slate Museum recalls Snowdonia’s rich industrial heritage. Visit the new exhibition at the Quarry Hospital on its history and the role it played within the local industry. Electric Mountain invites you into its awesome high-tech underground world, while Dolbadarn Castle takes you back a thousand years to the time of the native Welsh princes. If that isn’t enough there are craft shops and watersports too, though most outdoor fans come for the walking.

Editor’s choice – five top attractions (there are lots more) 1 Fly by wire. Overdose on

adrenaline at Zip World, Bethesda.

Ride the longest zip wire in Europe 500ft/150m above Penrhyn Quarry.

If you dare.

2 S nowdon’s summit. We know it’s an obvious choice, but it’s a mustdo. Either walk to the top or take the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

3 P romenade along Bangor Pier. (bet you didn’t know it had one).

It’s a delightful Victorian period piece, recently honoured as one of six subjects for special Royal Mail stamps celebrating Britain’s piers and seaside architecture.

4 See slate. And the way in which it was turned into roofing materials at the National Slate Museum, Llanberis. The historic workshops here look just like they did when the last shift clocked off.

5 Caernarfon Castle. Another predictable choice, but never boring. It’s the ultimate medieval fortress with all you’ll ever want of a castle – soaring towers, narrow passageways, massive walls and battlements.

You’ve read all about it – now take a look at and book your accommodation (see pages 48–51).

Link up www.beddgelerttourism.com www.visitcaernarfon.com www.llanberis.org For Tourist Information Centres please see back cover

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

38 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

LLYˆN PENINSULA It’s ‘Snowdon’s arm’, a wildly beautiful peninsula that wraps you in just as strong an embrace as the peak of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon itself. Llyˆn’s mixture of culture and heritage, traditional farmsteads and little ports, bays, beaches and sea-cliffs is quite unlike anything else you’ll find in Wales – or elsewhere, for that matter. Little wonder, then, that the coast is a protected ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. Walk along parts of the all-Wales Coast Path, and look out for the local events that celebrate Llyˆn’s tasty food scene, unique maritime heritage and culture.

Aberdaron

Aberdaron

Land’s end at its most idyllic. This fishing village was the last stop for pilgrims on the way to Ynys Enlli, the ‘Isle of 20,000 Saints’ otherwise known as Bardsey Island, now a National Nature Reserve renowned internationally for its birdlife. Celebrated poet RS Thomas lived in a cottage within the beautiful grounds of Plas yn Rhiw, a small National Trust manor house. Call into

Porthdinllaen the National Trust’s new interpretation centre, Porth y Swnt, for an insight into Llyˆn’s special landscapes, seascapes and rich cultural heritage. And be prepared to get blown away by the awesome coastal views from Mynydd Mawr headland.

Abersoch

A popular – and very fashionable – seaside resort and sailing/watersports centre, with fine beaches, sheltered harbour and busy programme of sailing events. Busy bistro life too, plus a good choice of accommodation and attractions including pony trekking, boat trips and crafts centre. Abersoch is also a base for six circular walks ranging from under a mile to over nine miles. For further details visit the local Tourist Information Centre managed by volunteers.

Pen Llyˆn

39

Caernarfon Bay Llithfaen

Porthdinllaen

3

Nefyn Pwllheli

5 1

2

4

Llanbedrog Abersoch

Aberdaron Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island

Abersoch

Llanbedrog

Charming little seaside village with superb beach and possibly the most famous – certainly the most photogenic – line of beach huts in Wales. Home to Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, a leading arts centre and gallery. Look out for its exciting programme of exhibitions, theatrical and musical performances and workshops planned for 2015. Well located for walking – one local favourite is the path to the headland for a close-up view of the strange ‘Tin Man’ figurehead. Shooting school, golf club and driving range nearby.

peninsula’s often stormy relationship with the sea. Nefyn’s famous (and fearsome) headland golf course is not for the faint hearted – it’s like playing off the deck of an aircraft carrier. For walkers, the village is an ideal base midway along Llyˆn’s north coast path.

Porthdinllaen

How perfect can you get? Not much more than Porthdinllaen, a much-photographed coastal hamlet with quaint houses and waterfront inn set above a beautiful half-moon of sands. Village and beach are owned by the National Trust – access on foot only. A pint at the Tyˆ Coch Inn (the ‘third best beach bar in the world’ according to one survey) is a must.

Pwllheli

Oriel Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, Llanbedrog

Llithfaen

Village set in a landscape full of interest.

On the Yr Eifl mountains there’s Tre’r Ceiri, an astonishingly well-preserved Neolithic village occupied until about 2000 years ago. Another, very different village is Nant Gwrtheyrn, in a spectacular setting beneath steep sea-cliffs. The former quarry village now has a new lease of life as a Welsh Language and Heritage Centre.

Nefyn

An attractive north coast seaside village with harbour, museum and graceful crescent of sand leading to picturesque Porthdinllaen. The recently reopened Llyˆn Maritime Museum tells the story of the

Llyˆn’s ‘capital’ fills many roles – seaside resort with fine beach, busy market town with art galleries and very popular sailing and watersports centre with one of the best modern marinas in the UK. Hafan Pwllheli gives access to the inviting sailing waters of Cardigan Bay and the Irish Sea. Pwllheli’s nautical credentials will be further strengthened in 2015 with the opening of Plas Heli, the new Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre. See the wildlife – seals, seabirds and dolphins – on coastal cruises. Neuadd Dwyfor stages a wide range of entertainments including films, touring company productions, opera, drama and ballet. Good shopping with an interesting range of smaller shops.

Excellent leisure centre to keep the kids entertained, along with activity-packed Glasfryn Parc. Scenic, challenging golf – a mix of parkland and links – at one of North Wales’s top courses. Penarth Fawr medieval house nearby.

Editor’s choice – five top attractions (there are lots more) 1 Call into Porth y Swnt. This new

National Trust Visitor Centre at Aberdaron, with its ground-breaking displays and interpretation, is your gateway to the beauty, heritage and culture of the Llyˆn Peninsula.

2 What’s happening at Oriel

Plas Glyn-y-Weddw? Quite a lot.

This leading art gallery, located in Llanbedrog, will also be staging theatrical and musical events in 2015.

3 Generation games. You can’t

beat Glasfryn Parc for family fun – it’s packed with activities and entertainment.

4 Take a boat trip from Pwllheli.

The appeal of this major sailing centre is set to become even stronger in 2015 with the opening of Plas Heli, the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre.

5 Walk the coast path. Anywhere

really – you choose, it’s all good. If it’s Porth Oer you might get squeaky feet – the beach is otherwise known as ‘Whistling Sands’.

You’ve read all about it – now take a look at and book your accommodation (see pages 52–55).

Link up www.abersochandllyn.co.uk www.aberdaronlink.co.uk www.pwllheli.org.uk For Tourist Information Centres please see back cover

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

40 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

CARDIGAN BAY Along with the Llyˆn Peninsula, Cardigan Bay puts the ‘coast’ into Snowdonia Mountains and Coast. Mountains meet the sea all along this lovely shoreline – but most memorably at two outstandingly beautiful estuaries, Mawddach and Dyfi. There are other highlights aplenty – Harlech Castle, picturesque Aberdyfi and little railways at Fairbourne and Tywyn.

Aberdyfi

There are many compelling reasons to visit.

It’s surely one of Britain’s prettiest little seaside resorts. Located where the River Dyfi meets the waters of Cardigan Bay, it’s also a popular sailing and watersports venue (The Sunday Times recently listed it as one of the best beaches in Britain ‘for a spot of windsurfing or kitesurfing’). Pastel-coloured terraces front the large sandy beach and quaint old harbour. Golf is also popular here: Aberdyfi’s famous links course is one of the UK’s finest. Local museum is dedicated to the port’s shipbuilding past.

Abergynolwyn

Aberdyfi

Pretty, mountain-locked former slate village at one end of the scenic narrow-gauge Talyllyn Railway. Spectacular walking country – Cader Idris is close by, along with the hamlet of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant made famous by Mary Jones who walked barefoot

Mawddach Estuary from here to Bala in 1800 to collect a Welsh Bible. There are gentle lakeside walks too, along nearby Llyn Myngul. Just beyond the lake visit Ystradgwyn Chapel Heritage Centre (open twice weekly in summer).

Cyclists can follow the Lôn Dysynni cycle route. In the mountains explore Bird Rock and the moody ruins of Castell y Bere.

Barmouth/Abermaw

A popular resort on the entrance to the beautiful Mawddach Estuary. Pretty harbour is overlooked by the headland of Dinas Oleu, birthplace of the National Trust. Lots to see and do – traditional seaside fun on the promenade and in the small fairground, two miles of superb sandy beach, indoor adventure play area, good choice of accommodation. Take a walk up into the hills for panoramic views of sea and mountains, or follow the Mawddach Trail along the idyllic old rail route to Dolgellau. There’s much to see in the town itself, including the Sailors’ Institute located around the harbour along with Tyˆ Gwyn’s ‘shipwreck museum’ and Tyˆ Crwn Round House. There’s also a Lifeboat Museum. Discover it all on the town heritage trail (leaflet available from the Tourist Information Centre or go to www.barmouthheritagetrail.org).

Bae Ceredigion 3

41

Harlech Llanbedr Dyffryn Ardudwy

4

Barmouth Cardigan Bay Llwyngwril

Fairbourne Abergynolwyn

5 1

Tywyn

2

Talyllyn Railway, Tywyn

Dyffryn Ardudwy

A traditional village well located for coast and country. Its prehistoric burial chamber an important local site (it’s also an Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage information hub). Inland, visit remote Llyn Cwm Bychan and the mysterious Roman Steps that climb up into the remote Rhinogydd mountains.

Fairbourne

A seaside village with big sandy beach on opposite side of the Mawddach Estuary to Barmouth. Take a ride on the Fairbourne Miniature Railway, the smallest of Wales’s narrow-gauge railways (with ferry link across the estuary).

Harlech

A ‘must see’ little town, not just for the views across the dunes but also for its clifftop medieval castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recent developments here include a stunning new visitor centre, scheduled to open March 2015, with stateof-the-art interpretation facilities. Royal St David’s is one of Wales’s top golf courses.

Attractions include Theatr Harlech, craft shops and excellent leisure centre with indoor pool, café and climbing wall over 30ft/9m high, the most exciting in southern Snowdonia. Taste Hufenfa Castell’s delicious artisan ice cream. Visit Y Lasynys Fawr (just off the B4573 north of Harlech), a historic house dating from the 16th century and home to 17th-/18th-century author Ellis Wynne (for visiting details contact 01766 781395 beforehand).

Llanbedr

A quaint village on the doorstep of Shell Island (so-called for the variety of its shells).

Inland, explore the Rhinogydd, the last true

mountain wilderness left in Wales. Visit the nearby Chwarel Hên Llanfair Slate Caverns for a glimpse into the area’s industrial past.

Llwyngwril

Scenery and history come together here – ancient standing stones and remains of an Iron Age hillfort can be seen in the slopes above, and the village has a fascinating Quaker past, with two sites on the Dolgellau Quaker Trail. More religious heritage at nearby Llangelynnin at the medieval Church of St Celynnin overlooking the sea. Good local amenities with sheltered beach, shop, pub with restaurant and railway station.

Close to beautiful Dysynni Valley, Bird Rock and the mysterious ‘Blue Lake’. A great spot for walking, cycling, horse riding, fishing, surfing, relaxing, and touring many nearby attractions.

Tywyn

A seaside resort and good touring base.

Attractions include large sandy beach and narrow-gauge Talyllyn Railway that travels deep into the hills (there’s a fascinating railway museum here too). 2015 is a very special year for the much-loved Talyllyn – it celebrates its 150th anniversary. Many local beauty spots – Ynysmaengwyn Park, Dolgoch Falls, Bird Rock, Llyn Myngul and Castell y Bere, atmospheric stronghold of the Welsh princes. Magic Lantern Cinema, a charming 19th-century building that retains its historic splendour, puts on an interesting show – in addition to mainstream and other films there’s music, comedy and poetry. The town’s quirky claims to fame also include its mighty ‘Tywyn Wurlitzer’ and ‘Race the Train’, an annual fun event featured on Countryfile.

Aberdyfi

Editor’s choice – five top attractions (there are lots more) 1 Help celebrate a big

anniversary. In 2015 the narrowgauge Talyllyn Railway is 150 years old. You’re guaranteed a big welcome too – satisfied customers have given the railway a 99.8% friendliness rating.

2 Play

golf at Aberdyfi. It’s one of Wales’s – and the UK’s – finest links courses. ‘It is the course that my soul loves best of all in the world,’ said the great golfing writer Bernard Darwin.

3 Harlech’s

new experience.

Harlech Castle’s ambitious new state-of-the art visitor centre is scheduled to open in early 2015.

4 Go shell spotting. Where?

At Shell Island, of course.

5 A night at the movies. Tywyn’s legendary Magic Lantern, kitted out with the latest high-tech equipment, is one of the UK’s top independent cinemas.

You’ve read all about it – now take a look at and book your accommodation (see pages 56–58).

Link up www.aberdyfi.org www.barmouth-wales.co.uk www.secretsnowdonia.co.uk www.visit-tywyn.co.uk For Tourist Information Centres please see back cover

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

42 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

SOUTHERN SNOWDONIA

Snowdonia Mountains and Coast has its own north/south divide. The south still has mountains – lots of them – but they are greener and rounder than the north’s rocky, craggy highlands. Cader Idris dominates the scene, rearing its misty head above Dolgellau, while further east the Aran, Arenigs and Berwyns rise above Bala and Llyn Tegid, Wales’s largest natural lake. There are forests too – most famously, the Coed y Brenin Forest Park, known far and wide for its world-class mountain biking.

Dolgellau

Bala

A small town in the ‘lake district’ of southern Snowdonia that’s a big outdoor centre, famous internationally for events like white-water canoeing, swimming, cycling and triathlons. But you don’t need to be an ironman to appreciate Bala. Its outdoors scene has a broad appeal, with a good choice of gentle as well as adventurous activities. Much of the action is centred on 4½-mile-long Llyn Tegid. Nearby River Tryweryn is another major aquatic asset, providing reliable white water, even during the summer when many rivers are

low. Bala is one of the few Welsh towns with ‘Walkers are Welcome’ accreditation (www.walkersarewelcome.org). Paths include heritage and town trails and a walk around the lake (you can also ride along its southern shore on the narrow-gauge Bala Lake Railway). There’s great cycling too, with waymarked bike routes. Bala is steeped in Welsh culture and history – the recently opened Mary Jones World at nearby Llanycil tells the inspirational story of 15-year-old Mary Jones who walked 26 miles across the mountains to Bala in 1800 to collect a Welsh Bible from the religious leader Rev

Mary Jones World, Bala Thomas Charles. Such links continue: the activity centre for the Urdd Welsh League of Youth is located at nearby Glan-llyn (where family groups can also stay).

Deheudir Eryri 5 2

1

43 Bala

Llanuwchllyn

Dolgellau Dinas Mawddwy

3

Corris

4 Machynlleth

Editor’s choice – five top attractions (there are lots more) Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth

1 Brenin by bike. Discover why mountain bikers and family cyclists from all over Britain now flock to the Coed y Brenin Forest Park.

2 Follow in the footsteps of Mary Jones. Be inspired by her mountainous journey to collect a Welsh Bible from Bala at the new Mary Jones World.

Glan-llyn

Dolgellau Corris Mine Explorers

Corris

A former slate village with a quaint, unconventional beauty set within the Dyfi Forest. Boasts a surprisingly rich vein of local attractions, including the Centre for Alternative Technology, King Arthur’s Labyrinth, Lost Legends of the Stone Circle and Corris Craft Centre, along with the narrow-gauge Corris Railway and Museum.

Underground tours with Corris Mine Explorers, thrilling mountain biking in the forest, excellent fishing at Llyn Myngul, challenging walking on Cader Idris.

Dinas Mawddwy

A village in an Alpine-style setting amongst steep, forested hillsides. Large craft centre in former woollen mill is a popular attraction.

The little village is an ideal touring centre close to two famous mountain passes – Bwlch yr Oerddrws to the north-west, and the even more spectacular Bwlch y Groes, the highest pass in Wales, to the north-east.

It’s also a good base for walking, fishing and mountain biking, with challenging trails in the nearby Dyfi Forest.

A town that’s going places. Its go-ahead attitude is reflected in an ever-improving range of local events and festivals, outdoor activities and places to stay and eat. But Dolgellau’s natural resources remain its number-one asset. The handsome, darkstoned market town is set beneath Cader Idris, the legendary ‘Chair of Idris’, on the approach to the beautiful Mawddach Estuary. Call into the Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage information hub located in the Tourist Information Centre. Dolgellau is one of the handiest bases for exploring all of Snowdonia Mountains and Coast – but don’t overlook the many local beauty spots such as the aptly named Precipice Walk and Mawddach Trail along the waterside for 9½ miles to Barmouth (there’s a longer, more mountainous Mawddach Way too).

Cycling and horse riding are also popular locally – Dolgellau is a specially chosen ‘Cycle Breaks’ centre with a fine range of road and off-road routes. The Coed y Brenin Forest Park is nearby, with mountain biking trails for all abilities plus a host of other outdoor attractions and facilities, including downloadable MP3 audio trails. Back in town, look out for performances held at Tyˆ Siamas.

3 C limb Cader Idris. There are a few ways up the mighty ‘Chair of Idris’. Don’t hang about on the summit for too long. Legend says you’ll awake a madman or poet if you spend the night here.

4 C all into Corris. Give yourself plenty of time – there’s a surprising range of places to visit here, including a craft village, underground attraction and the very green Centre for Alternative Technology.

5 Tumble down the Tryweryn Ride the river’s thrilling whitewater course. Get wet, get high on adrenaline.

You’ve read all about it – now take a look at and book your accommodation (see pages 59–60).

Link up www.discoverdolgellau.com www.gobala.org (activities and outdoor trails) www.visitbala.org (accommodation and more information) For Tourist Information Centres please see back cover

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

44 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015 2013

CONWY VALLEY AND HIRAETHOG

What a difference a few miles can make. The green, fertile Conwy Valley is flanked on the west by thick forests and to the east by the heather moors of Hiraethog (otherwise known as the Denbigh Moors), a huge expanse of unexplored upland. All in all, it’s an area of great variety, with the mountain village of Capel Curig at one end and the historic walled town of Conwy at the other.

Betws-y-Coed

It’s one of those places that never closes, even on a Sunday in deep and dark December. How could it? There’s too much demand. This bustling mountain resort is the official ‘gateway village to Snowdonia’.

In a beautiful location amongst woods and riverbanks on the edge of the Gwydyr Forest Park, it has been consistently popular since Victorian times and the coming of the railway. Many attractions, including railway museum, golf course, high ropes adventure, waymarked walks and famous Swallow Falls. Close by there’s Tyˆ Hyll, better known perhaps as ‘The Ugly House’. Built of misshapen boulders, this strange dwelling is now a cosy tearoom and honeybee centre. The town has an excellent, recently refurbished Snowdonia National Park Information Centre with Princes of Gwynedd exhibition and one room that recreates the experience of standing on the summit of Snowdon. The centre is part of an attractively renovated stables complex that’s also the base for electric bike hire.

Betws is also known for its outstanding range of shops selling quality crafts, clothing and outdoor gear. There’s a host of activities too, including climbing, mountain biking, horse riding and fishing.

Capel Curig

Village close to all of the Snowdonia National Park’s classic high country, familiar to every self-respecting climber and mountain walker. Local shops sell mountaineering and outdoor wear. Home of Plas y Brenin National Mountain Centre, which offers courses and tuition in outdoor activities for all abilities.

Cerrigydrudion

Village on the A5 at the southern gateway to Hiraethog, with 2½-acre fly fishing lake and Wales’s largest go karting centre.

Nearby Llyn Brenig and the smaller Llyn Alwen are reservoirs with plentiful leisure facilities, including walking, cycling, fishing and sailing – you can even go zorbing on the water in a giant inflatable ball. Go first to Brenig’s visitor centre to get your bearings.

For more cycling and walking (plus horse riding) head for the Clocaenog Forest. Along with the nearby village of Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, Cerrigydrudion is a good touring base for all of North Wales.

Betws-y-Coed

Conwy

The walled town of Conwy and its darkstoned castle evoke an authentic medieval atmosphere. Spectacular views from the fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and town walls down into the narrow streets and across the estuary. There’s history at almost every turn – Elizabethan Plas Mawr, Aberconwy House, Thomas Telford’s castellated suspension bridge, quirky ‘smallest house’. Conwy’s Tourist Information Centre has a flagship exhibition that tells the story of the Princes of Gwynedd with imaginative interactive displays. Other attractions include river cruises, art gallery and RSPB nature reserve with visitor centre. Bodnant Garden, the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre and the start of the Cambrian Way long-distance path all nearby.

Dolwyddelan

Mountain village set amongst craggy landscapes close to Betws-y-Coed.

Dolwyddelan Castle, on the ridge above, was a fortress of the native Princes of Gwynedd.

Dyffryn Conwy a Hiraethog

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1 Conwy Rowen

4 Trefriw

3

Capel Curig

5 Plas y Brenin

Penmachno

Llanfairfechan

Mountain-backed seaside resort with a good stretch of sandy beach. Activities include windsurfing, golf, angling and croquet.

Birdwatching at Traeth Lafan Nature Reserve. Good walking base, reflected in its ‘Walkers are Welcome’ accreditation.

Llanrwst

Handsome ‘capital’ and historic market town for the Vale of Conwy. Gwydir Chapel in beautiful St Grwst’s Church is on the Princes of Gwynedd Trail. It contains the elaborately carved coffin of Welsh medieval leader Llywelyn the Great, who died at Aberconwy Abbey in 1240. Nearby Gwydir Castle and Gwydir Uchaf Chapel reveal more of the area’s eventful past. Llanrwst is bordered by the popular Gwydyr Forest Park, a lovely area latticed with numerous trails for all abilities. These waymarked paths take in everything from hidden mountain lakes to industrial heritage, scenic viewpoints to local history and the legend of Dafydd ap Siencyn, the forest’s own ‘Robin Hood’ (for details go to the Llanrwst Digital Tourist Information Point outside Glasdir on Station Road).

Penmachno

Mountain village beautifully located amongst open countryside and forested hills. Fascinating National Trust site nearby – Tyˆ Mawr Wybrnant was the birthplace of Bishop William Morgan whose translation of the Bible into Welsh ensured the survival of the language (an original Bible, printed in 1588, is on display here). Penmachno Forest’s network of mountain biking routes is now even better thanks to recent trail enhancements. Go Below Underground Adventures based in Conwy Falls Café offer exciting trips into an abandoned mine.

Pentrefoelas

Stagecoaches use to stop here on the main route into North Wales, at a village well located for exploring the Vale of Conwy and Hiraethog. Today’s travellers – especially chocoholics – stop off at the Riverside Chocolate House and Tearoom for delicious hand-made goodies. Go north of the village to see a copy of the Levelinus Stone, a tall monument inscribed in Welsh and Latin and given to the medieval Welsh leader Llywelyn the Great by the Cistercian monks of Aberconwy Abbey (the original is now housed in the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff).

Rowen

One of the prettiest little villages in Wales.

Attractive walks into the hills following the Roman Road. Conwy Water Gardens (otters, fishery, aquatic centre and reptile house) nearby.

Trefriw

The village’s long-established woollen mill produces distinctive Welsh tapestries and tweeds. Llyn Crafnant, a fishing lake, and Llyn Geirionydd, popular for watersports, hide themselves away in the forested hills above. Trefriw is an excellent base for exploring the Great Outdoors. It enjoys ‘Walkers are Welcome’ status and you can discover the village’s idyllic surroundings by following some of the Trefriw Trails. Exciting new Surf Snowdonia located nearby.

Scheduled to open in summer 2015, it’s the world’s first inland surfing lagoon.

Betws-y-Coed 2 Penmachno

Penmaenmawr

Holiday resort with attractive promenade looking out across Conwy Bay to Anglesey.

Sandy beach, paddling pool, children’s playground. Small museum recalls Penmaenmawr’s quarrying past (it’s also an information hub for Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage). Good coast and country walking locally, including the waymarked ‘quarryman’s walk’ and scenic North Wales Path.

Llanrwst

Editor’s choice – five top attractions (there are lots more) 1 Little and large. Visit Conwy’s

dinky ‘Smallest House’ then get to grips with the size and strength of Conwy Castle.

2 Ride, walk, sail or fish. Llyn

Brenig has an excellent range of leisure facilities. No wonder it’s so popular.

3 Go Christmas shopping in

Betws-y-Coed. Actually, make that shopping at any time of the year. Betws is a thriving shopping as well as walking centre (you can buy everything from Welsh tapestries to walking boots).

4 Become a beach boy (or girl).

No, that doesn’t mean surfing in the sea. Look out for more news on the opening of Surf Snowdonia, the world’s first inland surfing lagoon.

5 Walk in the woods. There are

some lovely walking trails in the Gwydyr Forest Park – access them from Llanrwst or Betws-y-Coed.

You’ve read all about it – now take a look at and book your accommodation (see pages 61–64).

Link up www.betws-y-coed.co.uk www.visitconwy.org.uk www.hiraethog.org.uk For Tourist Information Centres please see back cover

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46 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

CRICIETH, PORTHMADOG AND THE VALE OF FFESTINIOG

Porthmadog

There’s coast – the southern shores of the Llyˆn Peninsula and the hauntingly beautiful Dwyryd Estuary. And there’s country – lots of it, including chunks of Snowdonia and the wooded Vale of Ffestiniog. So you’re not short of scenery. It’s the same when it comes to attractions and places to visit – this part of Wales is especially rich in history, heritage and culture.

Blaenau Ffestiniog

It’s changing fast. The former ‘slate capital of the world’ has, in the last few years, become one of North Wales’s most innovative activity centres. Those screes of broken slate that tumble down steepsided mountains are now the province of mountain bikers and zip line riders, while underground the historic caverns are home to the world’s largest subterranean trampoline and yet more zip line action.

But first things first. To get a historical perspective on things take a guided Victorian Mine Tour into the Llechwedd

quarrying terms and local poetry have been inscribed into the streetscape – see the excellent interpretive booklet available locally or online at www.blaenauffestiniog. org/poetry (you can also download a sound file to your smartphone). Make a day of it and travel here by the narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway from Porthmadog.

Borth-y-Gest Slate Caverns to learn more about the industry that ‘roofed the world’, an underground experience that has recently been revised and enhanced. The Antur ’Stiniog downhill mountain biking trails have been a big success, as has the recent opening of Zip World Titan, the world’s largest zip zone, and Bounce Below, massive bouncy nets hung within vast chambers at Llechwedd. It doesn’t stop there. Zip Below, the world’s first underground zip ride, is scheduled to open here in spring 2015.

Town centre improvements have revitalised the shopping area, and words, sayings,

A small, picturesque harbour village, the seaside arm of nearby Porthmadog.

Beautiful estuary and mountain views – it’s an enticing introduction to the Llyˆn Peninsula. Morfa Bychan and Black Rock Sands nearby.

Cricieth

Victorian charm comes to the seaside – with a medieval castle thrown in for good measure. Cricieth’s two beaches are separated by a headland fortress with a fascinating, forceful history. The resort is full of Victorian character – and flowers.

Cricieth, Porthmadog a Dyffryn Ffestiniog

Numerous restaurants and quality hotels, many with dreamy views across Cardigan Bay. Perfect spot for exploring Snowdonia’s mountains and the Llyˆn Peninsula. Excellent coarse fishing nearby at Bron Eifion’s sixacre lake. Princes of Gwynedd exhibition in the castle.

Llanystumdwy

This small village near Cricieth was the boyhood home of David Lloyd George.

Village has a museum dedicated to one of the greatest statesmen of the 20th century – Lloyd George introduced the old-age pension, led the country as Prime Minister during World War One, and gave women the vote. Also home to Tyˆ Newydd National Writers’ Centre for Wales. Dwyfor Ranch Rabbit Farm/Animal Park and Dragon Raiders Activity Park with the new Bear Grylls Survival Academy both close by.

Porthmadog

A busy harbour town with a good range of shops and attractions, including nearby Portmeirion. You can’t keep narrow-gauge railway enthusiasts away. Porthmadog is a major hub, with no less than three lines – the Ffestiniog (running to Blaenau Ffestiniog), the shorter Welsh Highland Heritage (with its excellent hands-on railway museum) and the similarly named but separate Welsh Highland (running all the way to Caernarfon). Actually, there are four, for the Welsh Highland Heritage also has a tiny miniature line which uses coal from its bigger brother broken down into smaller lumps! Trains were not the only mode of transport in Porthmadog’s history as an important hub based on the slate industry. The town’s Maritime Museum tells the story of the town’s rapid 19th-century growth into a thriving slate exporting and shipbuilding port for handsome threemasted schooners known as Western Ocean

Yachts. Porthmadog’s best-loved landmark is The Cob, a mile-long embankment across the estuary that shaped the destiny of the town. Porthmadog is a good base for walkers and cyclists – follow the Llyˆn Coastal Path and Lôn Ardudwy bike route.

The town itself is an attractive place to explore on foot, especially since a bypass has taken much of the traffic away from the centre. The nearby Italianate village of Portmeirion is a ‘must visit’, not just for its otherworldly architecture and ambience but also for its speciality shopping.

Trawsfynydd

Another well-located walking and cycling base close to mountains and the trails in the Coed y Brenin Forest Park. It’s making waves in its own right thanks to developments at Llyn Trawsfynydd – known also as Traws Lake – inspired by the Snowdonia One Big Adventure/Centres of Excellence project. The lake is fast becoming a popular activity and adventure spot with excellent fishing for trout and game species, walking, birdwatching, canoeing, kayaking, and a new cycle loop, boat jetty and visitor centre with café. Visit Llys Ednowain Hostel and Heritage Centre which gives a glimpse into local culture and the Trawsfynydd of old. Tomen-y-Mur Roman Fort has an Ein Treftadaeth – Our Heritage information hub.

Yr Ysgwrn, farmhouse home of poet Hedd Wyn who died in World War One, open by appointment (contact Snowdonia National Park on 01766 770274 or yrysgwrn@eryri-npa.gov.uk).

Tremadog

Architecturally pleasing village with elegant, spacious town square, created by 19thcentury entrepreneur William Madocks (who also built The Cob at Porthmadog).

Birthplace of TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). Good choice of places to eat locally.

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Snowdon

3

Blaenau Ffestiniog

Tremadog 4 Cricieth Porthmadog 5 Borth-y-Gest 2 Llanystumdwy

1

Trawsfynydd

Editor’s choice – five top attractions (there are lots more) 1 G o big in Blaenau. You’ll have a lot on your plate. How does the world’s largest zip zone, downhill mountain biking and underground trampolining sound?

2 Traws Lake. Llyn Trawsfynydd

is our new outdoor activities and adventure centre – go fishing, canoeing, cycling, walking or wildlife watching.

3 S ecret places. Seek out the secluded villages of Llanfrothen, Croesor and Rhyd in the hills northeast of Porthmadog. Download walks from the website below.

4 Catch the train. You’re spoilt for

choice. Three narrow-gauge lines run from Porthmadog. And don’t forget the scenic Cambrian Coast mainline service.

5 Head for the beach. Plenty of

choice here, including Cricieth and vast Black Rock Sands.

You’ve read all about it – now take a look at and book your accommodation (see pages 65–70).

Link up www.anturstiniog.com www.blaenauffestiniog.org www.icriccieth.co.uk www.llanfrothenacroesor.org www.llanystumdwy.com www.porthmadog.co.uk www.trawslake.com

Llys Ednowain, Trawsfynydd

Tomen-y-Mur Roman Fort

For Tourist Information Centres please see back cover

>

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48

Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and the Villages of Snowdonia 3D

Bron Menai Guest House

A unique destination...

North Road, Caernarfon LL55 1BA T: 01286 675589 enquiries@bronmenai.co.uk www.bronmenai.co.uk Mrs V Ashcroft

BANGOR

Five minutes walk to town centre, harbour and castle. Ten minutes to Welsh Highland Railway positioned idealy for touring North Wales by car or bus. Many activities available in the area. The beautiful Snowdonia region. Castles. National Trust.

Homes. Bodnant garden. Plas Cadnant hidden garden. Various Bistro’s, pubs and restaurants.

UNIVERSITY

★★★★ Guest Accommodation

r10; A10; Open 1–12; B&B pp £30–£50; 2 night B&B pp: £50–£70 f } C z(A% k] ú ß* I _

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Brynhyfryd St Davids Road, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 1EL T: 01286 673840 M: 07775 627299 eroyle369@btinternet.com Mrs Eunice Diana Royle

01248 388088 conferences@bangor.ac.uk

A tastefully furnished Victorian town house with views over the Menai Straits. Bright and pleasant en-suite bedrooms, one with private roof garden. Close to castle and town centre.

Ideal location for mountains, lakes and beaches.

A warm welcome awaits you in this family run guest house. Alarmed storage for motorbikes and cycles.

Campus Accommodation

01248 365900 info@themanagementcentre.co.uk

★★★★ Guest House

r2; A2; Open 1–12; B&B pp £30–£32.50

Guest Accommodation

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Garden Hotel

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Celtic Royal Hotel

4E

Bangor Street, Caernarfon LL55 1AY T: 01286 674477 F: 01286 674139 reservations@celtic-royal.co.uk www.celtic-royal.co.uk

3D

1 High Street, Bangor LL57 1DQ T: 01248 362189 F: 01248 371328 reception@gardenhotel.co.uk www.gardenhotel.co.uk Mr Andrew Lui The Hotel is situated on the High Street, close to Bangor railway station, with 10 en-suite bedrooms and delicious freshly-prepared food and fine wines served every day in a warm welcoming atmosphere. Saint Deiniol's Cathedral, University and Penrhyn Castle all within walking distance makes us an ideal place to stay. ★★★ Guest Accommodation

r11; A10; Open 1–12; B&B pp £39.50–£45 }C Œ(A% k]ú ß*I h-

Tanronnen Inn Beddgelert LL55 4YB T: 01766 890347 F: 01766 890606 tanbedd@12freeukisp.co.uk www.tanronnen.co.uk Mr A Hughes

Located in the centre of the village, which is situated at the head of the magnificent Glaslyn Pass in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park.

All rooms furbished to the highest standard.

Family rooms available, TV in bedrooms.

Mastercard, Visa, Eurocheque, Switch, Delta accepted. Robinsons traditional draught beers.

Welsh Castles, gardens, golf courses and beaches. Easy access to Bangor Station, Holyhead Ferry Port and Manchester and Liverpool Airports. Special overnight packages available.

★★★

★★★★

Hotel

Inn

r110; A110; Open 1–12; B&B pp £67.50–£85;

r7; A7; Open 1–12; B&B pp £50–£55;

2 night D B&B pp: £94–£190; Weekly: D B&B pp £325–£665

2 night B&B pp: £100–£120; Weekly: B&B pp £330–£500

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This deluxe hotel offers 110 luxurious en-suite bedrooms, fine dining, art deco bar, stylish conference facilities hosting 300 delegates. 1600 sq feet dance floor, leisure club with 16 mtr pool. Situated in the historical town of Caernarfon by the Snowdonia National Park, near

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Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and the Villages of Snowdonia Tyˆ Mawr Farm

3D

The Royal Victoria Hotel

49 3D

Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfon LL55 3AD T: 01248 670147 jane@tymawrfarm.co.uk www.tymawrfarm.co.uk Jane Llewelyn Pierce Comfortable well appointed farmhouse with uninterrupted views of Snowdon. Centrally situated between Caernarfon and the mountain range.

Fully centrally heated with log fires in two lounges, a separate panelled dining room ideal for that relaxing holiday. Evening meals optional. All rooms en-suite and very spacious with beverage tray and freeview TV. Brochure available on request.

Free Wi-Fi available.

★★★★ Farmhouse

r2; A2; Open 1–12; B&B pp £35–£40; 2 night B&B pp: £70-£80

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Erw Fair High Street, Llanberis LL55 4HA T: 01286 872400 erwfair@fsmail.net www.erwfair.com Martin Ross

Lovely, elegant 19th century Welsh stone house. Comfortable, friendly, informal relaxation for families, couples and groups. Excellent breakfast, packed lunches, free parking. Lounge and drying facilities. Colour TV, tea & coffee facilities in all rooms. A splendid centrally located venue for all wanting to enjoy the beautiful Snowdonia mountain scenery, whether touring, walking, climbing or cycling. Free Wi-Fi.

★★★ Guest House

Llanberis, Gwynedd LL55 4TY T: 01286 870253 F: 01286 870149 enquiries@theroyalvictoria.co.uk www.theroyalvictoria.co.uk Mr Steve Lee The hotel is set in 30 acres of gardens and woodland, cradled between lakes Padarn and Peris, and dwarfed by mount Snowdon. The location is simply breathtaking, with two restaurants, two bars and comfortable en-suite rooms.

An ideal base for exploring North Wales. Five minutes walk to Llanberis village.

★★★ Hotel

r8; A5; Open 1–12; B&B pp £28–£35

r106; A106; Open 1–12; B&B pp £35–£79; Short Break: 2 night D B&B: £78–£219

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Glyn Afon Guest House 72 High Street, Llanberis LL55 4HA T: 01286 872528 info@glyn-afon.co.uk www.glyn-afon.co.uk Barry and Sue Kendrick

Graded Bed & Breakfast accommodation in Llanberis, “the gateway to Snowdonia”. Ten minutes walk to the base of mount Snowdon, the Welsh Slate Museum and scuba diving in Vivian Quarry.Llyn Padarn and Padarn Country Park 100 metres from the door. Anglesey and the Llyˆn Peninsula, thirty minutes drive. ★★★ Guest House

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Ty’n Rhos Country House Seion, Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfon LL55 3AE T: 01248 670489 F: 01248 671772 enquiries@tynrhos.co.uk www.tynrhos.co.uk Stephen and Hilary Murphy

Beautiful Country House set in idyllic gardens and stunning scenery. Close to Snowdon mountain.

Superb cuisine and select wine list. Individually styled bedrooms with luxury bedding, towels and robes. Relaxing/romantic breaks. Exclusive use and select groups also welcome. Open for afternoon teas, lunch and dinner by prior booking. ★★★★★ Guest Accommodation

r19; A19; Open 1–12; B&B pp £59.50. Short Break 2 night B&B pp: £59.50– £85; 2 night D B&B pppn: £95–£120. Prices based on two people sharing.

Bangor Cathedral

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Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and the Villages of Snowdonia 4E

Bron Meirion Cottage

3D

Tˆy Mawr Farm Cottages

Bron Meirion, Nantmor, Beddgelert LL55 4YG T: 01248 450690 tony@hirst-hafod.co.uk www.hirst-hafod.co.uk Tony Hirst Charming spacious cottage in picturesque hamlet of Nantmor above Glaslyn Valley. Close to Welsh Highland Railway. Walk Snowdonia hills from doorstep. Beddgelert 1.5 miles, Porthmadog 7 miles, beach 9 miles. Pine kitchen with rayburn, dishwasher, washer/dryer, microwave. Lounge and study with beamed ceilings, woodburner. Bedlinen and towels provided. ★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 6; Weekly: per unit £250–£645; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: from £200–£350 } C ( ] ß * h - z y ÇI

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4E Nant Gwynant, Beddgelert, Caernarfon LL55 4NW T: 01299 832077 info@snowdoniaholidays.com www.snowdoniaholidays.com Mr & Mrs R. Gready Cosy detatched ancient longhouse by river, looking straight at Snowdon south ridge, beautiful surrounding mountains, spectacular waterfalls. Explore numerous local attractions; enjoy wonderful walking straight from cottage.

Fuel, bedding, towels included. Two comfortable bedrooms. Large garden. Parking. Children and pets welcome. Cot, washing machine, drier, dishwasher, microwave. Many games, books, CDs, DVDs, Wi-Fi.

★★★★ Self-Catering

Tˆy Mawr Farm, Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfon LL55 3AD T: 01248 670147 M: 07989 621987 jane@tymawrfarm.co.uk www.tymawrfarm.co.uk Jane Llewelyn Pierce A choice of 4 charming spacious cottages set in a private courtyard on a working farm 4 miles from Snowdon. Ample parking. Caernarfon, Anglesey and Snowdonia only 5 miles away.

Homemade cakes on arrival. All cottages with wood-burners and central heating. 100 acres to walk about. Reduction for couples. Brochure available upon request. Free Wi-Fi available. ★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–4 + cot; Weekly: per unit £295–£595; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £190–£255

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–4; Weekly: per unit £250–£750; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £150–£400

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Coed Gelert Holiday Cottages

Cae Berllan Cottages

Coed Gelert, Beddgelert, Caernarfon LL55 4YQ T: 01766 890880 glaslyn.leisure@ukgateway.net www.snowdonia-cottages.net

Situated 3 miles from Caernarfon, 3 cottages close to Snowdonia and local beaches with ample off road parking, own garden/patio area.

Communal garden for small children with 2 acre area for older children. Ideal for any family including those with poor mobility.

No hidden costs.

★★★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

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Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–14; Weekly: per unit £220–£650; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £130–£190

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Glan-y-Bala Holidays

3D

★★★★

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3D Llanrug, Caernarfon LL55 4RE T/F: 01286 870210 holidays@brynbrascastle.co.uk www.brynbrascastle.co.uk Mrs Marita Gray-Parry Distinctively appointed, comfortable apartments, for 2 persons, within unique Grade II* Listed Regency Castle. Extensive garden/grounds with views midst magnificient Snowdonian countryside.

Centrally located. Truly relaxing tranquility – ideal for couples. No children. Good restaurants/pubs nearby. Open all year, flexible start/depart days, as preferred, for weeks/short breaks.

Breathtaking views! Two quality self-catering accommodations in victorian country house plus beamed cottage with slate fireplace. 7 acres of private woodland. Bed linen, towels, electricity, central heating included. Beautiful terraces, barbecues, laundry, drying room, cycle store, ample free parking.

Open 1–12; Peris apt. sleeps 2–3; Padarn apt. sleeps up to 10 Coach House Cottage sleeps 4–6. Weekly: per unit £322–£1210; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £176–£828

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Bryn Bras Castle

Glan-y-Bala, Llanberis, Caernarfon LL55 4TY T: 01286 871097 enquiries@glanybala.com www.glanybala.com Mrs S. Handler

Self-Catering

3C Cae Berllan, Tyn Lon, Llandwrog, Caernarfon LL54 5SN T: 01286 830818 anncaeberllan@aol.com www.caeberllan.co.uk Ann Marie Owen

Five high quality, modern cottages in village centre with private parking. Fully equipped, including dishwasher, en-suite facilities, utility/drying room and garden with patio. Gas central heating, electricity, bed linen and towels included. Cottages command views of Glaslyn Valley and surrounding mountains. Ideal for active or relaxing breaks with friends or family.

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–6; Weekly: per unit £400–£940; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £260–£610

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★★★★ Self-Catering

Fully inclusive rents (inc. breakfast cereals and much more...) Weekly from £600.

Special romantic breaks. Short breaks e.g. 2 people for 2 nights from £250.

Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and the Villages of Snowdonia 3D

Hafoty Farm Cottages

4C

Caernarfon Bay Holiday Park Dinas Dinlle, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL54 5TW T: 01286 830492 info@caernarfonbay.com www.caernarfonbay.com Chloe Ellis

Rhostryfan, Caernarfon LL54 7PH T: 01286 830144 info@hafoty.com www.hafoty.com Elaine Moss Nestled in a peaceful rural location between the spectacular Snowdonia National Park and the tranquil Caernarfon Bay, with glorious views from our cottages, along with a wealth of beaches, mountains and history to explore. Our six picturesque cottages range from characterful, traditional cottages to stylish, modern barn conversions. ★★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Holiday Park

The perfect peaceful holiday retreat with panoramic views and unspoilt countryside.

Caernarfon Bay is the ideal base for you.

50 yards from blue flag award winning beach.

A small, quiet park offering top quality 2-3 bedroom holiday bungalows and caravans with gardens and parking. Shop & café on site.

80% of our visitors return. Pets welcome.

Open 3–1; Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £225–£462; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £146–£300

Open 1–12; Statics: 17; Statics for hire: 4; Static Daily: £45–£70; Static Weekly: £170–£450; Short breaks available min 3 nights.

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Beddgelert Cottages

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Plas-y-Bryn Chalet Park

Snowdonia Tourist Services, Porthmadog LL49 9PG T: 01766 513829 F:01766 513837 office@sts-holidays.co.uk www.sts-holidays.co.uk

Bontnewydd, Caernarfon LL54 7YE T: 01286 672811 philplasybryn@aol.com www.plasybryn.co.uk Mr and Mrs Livingston

We have a selection of riverside cottages in Beddgelert and surrounding villages. Accommodate 2–8 persons and pets. All have been inspected by the Visit Wales inspector. Some have fishing rights.

Visit our website for full descriptions, photos, virtual tours, access statements and customer feedback.

This small park is situated two miles from the historic town of Caernarfon. Set into a walled garden it offers safety, seclusion and beautiful views of Snowdonia. Village pub and shops nearby. Choice of caravans or pine lodge availiable for hire or purchase with two or three bedrooms available.

1★ – 5★ Self-Catering

★★★★

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–8; Weekly: per unit £252– £992; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £204–£780

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Open 3–12; Statics:18; Statics for hire:9; Static Daily: £50; Static Weekly: £225–£850; Short Breaks: 3 nights £135–£450

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52

Llyˆn Peninsula

Gwesty Ty Newydd

6A

The Old Rectory

5B

Aberdaron, Pwllheli LL53 8BE T: 01758 760207 gwestytynewydd@btconnect.com www.gwesty-tynewydd.co.uk Iain Roberts

The Old Rectory, Boduan, Pwllheli LL53 6DT T: 01758 721519 theashcrofts@theoldrectory.net www.theoldrectory.net Gary & Lindsay Ashcroft

Four star Inn situated on the shores of Aberdaron Bay. Fantastic views and a guaranteed warm welcome all year round. En-suite rooms with sea views. Disabled room available with a lift to all floors. Dine in the restaurant, enjoying meals cooked with fresh locally produced ingredients.

A beautiful Georgian house set in three acres of grounds. Centrally situated between Pwllheli and Nefyn with great access to all areas of the Peninsula. Close to marina, beaches, golf courses and pubs/restaurants. Ample parking. Locally sourced food. All tasteful en-suite rooms feature fine linens, toiletries, tea tray, TV. Self-catering cottage also available. Dog kennel and run for visiting dogs.

★★★★ Inn

★★★★★ Bed & Breakfast

r11; A11; Open 1–12; B&B pp £65–£70 single occupancy;

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£100–£125 based on 2 people per room

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5B Morfa Nefyn, Pwllheli LL53 6YQ T: 01758 720455 M: 07711 540999 Jan@graeanfrynfarm.co.uk www.graeanfrynfarm.co.uk Jan Harrison All bedrooms are luxuriously appointed with quality bedlinen. Hospitality tray. Hairdryer. Free Wi-Fi. Guests own lounge with TV/DVD and kitchenette.

Fabulous breakfast with locally sourced products and the freshest of eggs from the resident ducks and chickens. Special dietary needs. Garden patio with chess and croquet. Friendly comfortable and welcoming.

★★★★★

Open 1–12; B&B pp £37.50–£55 inclusive of full English breakfast.

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5C

★★★★ Bed & Breakfast

5C

Broom Hall Road, Abererch, Pwllheli LL53 6PN T: 01758 612805 barrie@gorwel.info www.gorwel.info B. Grayson Attractive stone cottage. Stunning elevated sea views. Very comfortable. Modern kitchen. Luxury bathroom. Four bedrooms one en-suite. Large car park, 2 patios, large garden. Electricity & linen included.

Heating, TV & DVD

Enjoy freedom from traffic and stunning mountain views with our Llyˆn Peninsula and Dolgellau cycle breaks packs.

★★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–8; Weekly: per unit £700–£1200; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £425–£475 4 nights per unit: £500–£550 f } z ( A] *I h- yI

Farmhouse

r1,A1 (shower room); r3, 1 separate bathroom;

Hendre Barns

Gorwel Holiday Cottage

Hendre Penprys, Pentre Uchaf, Pwllheli LL53 8EZ T: 01758 750505 enquiries@hendre-barns.co.uk www.hendre-barns.co.uk Contact name: Emma Centrally located on the Ll yˆn Peninsula with views of Yr Eifl and Snowdonia. Our luxury rooms have private entrances and level access throughout. Facilities include whirlpool baths, walk-in showers, Egyptian cotton bedding, Freeview TV/DVD, free Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, tea and coffee facilities. Near Portmeirion, steam railways, coastal walking and beaches.

6B

Tyddyn Difyr Llanengan, Abersoch, Pwllheli LL53 7LG T: 01286 831184 enq@tyndon.co.uk www.tyddyndifyr.co.uk Elisabeth Evans

Spacious, well-equipped cottage overlooking Porth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth Bay). Beach 300 yards with private access. Sitting room opening onto patio and large lawn. Three bedrooms, sleeps five.

Beautiful coastal walks on doorstep. Surfing, cycling routes, golfing, bird watching. Abersoch 2 miles. Cleanliness guaranteed. Short breaks.

No pets. No smoking. Croeso. ★★★★ Self-Catering

Stay 3 nights or more to receive a 10% discount.

Open 3–10; Sleeps 2–5; Weekly: per unit £250–£650; Short Break: 3 nights from: £150

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Nant Gwrtheyrn

5B

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Y Bwthyn

Llithfaen, Pwllheli LL53 6NL T: 01758 750334 F: 01758 750335 post@nantgwrtheyrn.org www.nantgwrtheyrn.org Mair Saunders

★★★★

★★★★★ ★★★★

r31; A31; Open 1–12; B&B pp £55–£66; Self Catering: Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £300–£995; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £225–£580. Welsh Language & Heritage Centre and gift shop; Open: Jan–Dec, 7 days (9am–5pm) Free entry.

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5B Pen-y-Bryn, Goleu, Llanbedrog, Pwllheli, Gwynedd LL53 7RE T: 01758 740741 brookes28@btinternet.com www.abersoch.co.uk/ybwthyn Mrs P J Brookes

Large multi-purpose function room for up to 300.

4★ cottages accommodation. Contact us for information on: • Welsh courses • Weddings • Conferences • Meetings • Events • Heritage Centre • Exhibitions • Guided Tours • Café Self-Catering Group Accommodation

www.visitsnowdonia.info

Graeanfryn Farm

Beautiful location, excellent views to sea, beach and Snowdonia. Convenient for all areas. 19th century converted stone cottage with low beams.

Extremely comfortable and cosy. One double bedroom and one twin bedded room. Fully fitted kitchen and bathroom. Brochure on request. Short breaks available out of season. Parking for 2 cars.

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–4; Weekly: per unit £300–£500; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £200–£300

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Llyˆn Peninsula 6B

Llyˆn Peninsula Farm Holidays

5B

Garreg Lwyd Farm

Llyˆn Peninsula Farm Holidays gwynedd@llawrdref.co.uk www.happyhols.com

Morfa Nefyn, Pwllheli LL53 8UR T: 01758 720684 or 07771 677449 www.garreglwydfarm.co.uk

For free colour brochure contact: Annie gwynedd@llawrdref.co.uk T: 01758 712570

Enjoy a peaceful, relaxing holiday in our renovated farmhouse near beautiful Llyˆn coast.

Ideally situated for mountain, coastal and country walks. 5 minutes by car from beaches, shops, golf, riding and fishing. Extremely comfortable & well-equipped comprising: 3 bedrooms; bathroom; lounge; kitchen/dining. Large garden and parking space. Central heating optional.

Owner booking cuts cost.

Come stay with us on the beautiful Llyˆn Peninsula, area of outstanding natural beauty. Enjoy: • panoramic views • boat trips • walking • golfing • surfing • pony trekking Yes! all pastimes are catered for on the Lleyn. ★★★★

★★★★ Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–5; Weekly: per unit from £230 Short Break: 3 nights per unit: from £140 ß * jI h-z y ÇJ } C z (

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Carrog Farm Cottages

★★★★★

5B

3D

Hafoty Farm Cottages

Carrog, Llangwnadl, Pwllheli LL53 8NL T/F: 01758 730670 carolgwilym@gmail.com www.carrogfarm.co.uk Mrs Carol Thomas

Bron Rûg, Mynytho LL53 7PS T: 01286 830144 info@hafoty.com www.hafoty.com Elaine Moss

Three beautiful converted barns in a peaceful location with sea and countryside views. Only 2 miles from Penllech beach and the coastal path.

Ideal for a family holiday, romantic short break, a walking holiday with friends or a celebration.

Well-equipped kitchens, underfloor heating, Nintendo Wii, patio areas and a large garden.

Free towels. Pets welcome. Relax! Relax! Relax!

Bron Rûg is a lovely traditional farmhouse conversion in a peaceful, rural setting. The cottage is set in enclosed lawned gardens with a fabulous patio and large barbecue, enjoying pleasant country views. The charming village of Abersoch, just a short drive away, offers magnificent beaches, gorgeous restaurants and superb shopping.

Self-Catering

★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–18; Weekly: per unit £280–£870; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £170–£525

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Open 3–1; Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £357–£462; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £232–£300

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Tre’r Ceiri, Llithfaen

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

54

Llyˆn Peninsula

Gwyliau Fferm Crugeran Farm Holidays

6B

5C

Gwynfryn Farm Holidays Ltd

Crugeran, Sarn Meyllteyrn, Pwllheli LL53 8DT T: 01758 730375 post@crugeran.com www.crugeran.com Rhian Parry Deri Lleyn & Gadlas are exceptional cottages sleeping 10 and 14 with saunas, steam-showers, granite worktops high-spec kitchens and more.

Less than a mile from our other 3 cottages sleeping 7, 5 and 4. Centrally located in glorious countryside. Enjoy quality time with friends or family. Come for that feel-good factor and warm welcome. Our guests return. ★★★★★ ★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–24; Weekly: per unit £240–£1850; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £160–£1100

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Brynhyfryd

5C Gwynfryn Farm, Pwllheli, Gwynedd LL53 5UF T: 01758 612536 gwynfrynfarm@btconnect.com www.gwynfrynfarm.co.uk Sharon Rees Ellis Gwynfryn is an organic dairy farm on the outskirts of Pwllheli in the heart of the Lleyn Peninsula. Old farm buildings have been converted into cosy quality cottages sleeping between 2–8. All the comforts of home with Wi-Fi connection in each unit. For those rainy days we have a heated indoor pool, sauna,

jacuzzi, fitness room, and for the more energetic a tennis court, indoor/outdoor play area, trampoline and tractors. From May until the end of August a weekly BBQ is arranged – giving mum a well deserved night off. Don't book a holiday, book an experience, much more than self-catering!

3★ – 5★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–8; Weekly: per unit £225–£1335; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £180–£480

f} Cz ( A k] Caernarfon Road, Pwllheli LL53 5LG T: 01758 613501 rand@myphone.coop www.brynhyfryd.org.uk

We welcome guests into Bwthyn (two bedrooms) a cottage within our grounds

6A Rhoshirwaun, Pwllheli LL53 8HY T: 01758 780 318 meillionyddbach@btconnect.com www.meillionydd.co.uk Mrs Lowri Thomas A tastefully semi-detached 4 star barn conversion for 2 (plus 1 child). 3 miles from the picturesque village of Aberdaron. Cosy, comfortable and warm.

Open plan with a mix of modern and antique furnishings. Log burner for those cosy nights in after a special day of walking the coastal path. Explore the sandy beaches and the countryside and have a restful night in the king size bed. Croeso cynnes.

and Brynbach (one bedroom) a selfcontained garden flat within our house.

Within our grounds we provide table tennis, badminton, croquet, a barbecue grill and garden furniture.

★★★★ ★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 4–10; Sleeps 2–8; Weekly: per unit £250–£495

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Bwthyn Meillionydd Bach

Brynhyfryd, built by William Jones, a successful shipbuilder, in c1842, stands in well-kept grounds over looking the harbour and marina, with views over Cardigan Bay to the mountains of mid-Wales. Shops, pubs, beaches and the sailing club are within ten minutes walk.

★★★★

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Sea Front Holiday Flats

5C

4 West End Parade, Pwllheli LL53 5PN T: 01614 454218 M: 07780 703235 info@seafrontflats.co.uk www.seafrontflats.co.uk Mrs C. Woski Seafront holiday flats overlooking beautiful beach. 50 yards from beach. Well equipped.

Spacious. All flats with fantastic sea view. Studio and 3 bedrooms flats. Close to golf course, marina & leisure centre. 10 minutes walk to town. Ideal for sailing, fishing and walking.

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–2; Weekly: per unit £280–£390

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Keep up to date with events, what’s new and information on special offers by joining us on our social networks.

★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–5; Weekly: per unit £180–£485; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: from £130 f}C z (A] ß* I z y ÇI

www.visitsnowdonia.info

Glasfryn Wakeparc, Y Ffôr

Llyˆn Peninsula Meillionydd Bach

6A

Relax, unwind in a tastefully furnished accommodation. Near the picturesque village of Aberdaron. Ideally situated for coastal and country walks. Numerous sandy beaches to explore.

Oil CH and electricity inclusive. Free linen, towels.

Log burner for those cosy nights in. Special rates for 1–2 persons. Also barn conversion sleeping 2.

Croeso cynnes. ★★★★

Lon Garmon, Abersoch, Pwllheli LL53 7UL T: 01758 712328 info@tyn-y-mur.co.uk www.tyn-y-mur.co.uk The nearest Camping and Touring Park to the renowned village of Abersoch, a short stroll away, with its beautiful beaches. Elevated park with excellent panoramic views of Snowdonia, Cambrian Mountains, Hells Mouth and Bardsey Island. The nearest shop is just 5 minutes walk away in the tiny picturesque village of Llangian.

View from the park ★★★★ Touring & Camping Park

Self-Catering

Open 1 Mar – 31 Oct; Pitches: Touring 40, Tents 40; Touring Daily £18 – £25 We accept seasonal tourers.

Open 2–10; Sleeps 1–5; Weekly: per unit £280–£490

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6B

Tyn-y-Mur Touring & Camping Park

Rhoshirwaun, Pwllheli LL53 8HY T: 01758 780 318 meillionyddbach@btconnect.com www.meillionydd.co.uk Mrs Lowri Thomas

55

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Graeanfryn Farm

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5B

Morfa Nefyn, Pwllheli LL53 6YQ T: 01758 720455 M: 07711 540999 Jan@campingnorthwales.co.uk www.campingnorthwales.co.uk Jan Harrison Outstanding country views. Level grass, BBQ, picnic area, playpark. Sandy beaches. 1 mile golf. Pub with food 500 yds. Shop ½ mile. Fresh eggs.

Friendly family site. Book early by telephone or email.

Wi-Fi

am ddim free

★★★ Touring & Camping Park

Cottages in the best locations across Wales 01686 628200

www.walescottageholidays.co.uk

★★–★★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 3–10; Statics:1; Statics for hire:1; Pitches: Touring 12, Tents 28; Touring Daily £15–£24; Static Weekly: £350–£425 Cß5 Ç =

Available at our TICs, see back cover for details.

Nefyn & District Golf Club

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

56

Cardigan Bay

www.barmouth-wales.co.uk

HOTEL ABERDOVEY WHERE THE MOUNTAINS MEET THE SEA

So much more than a beach.....

Historic 'Old Town' and harbour, heritage trail, shops and restaurants, walking and cycling, stunning scenery.

Ideal base for exploring Snowdonia.

Spectacular Coastal Location Indoor Pool • Sea View Dining www.trefwales.com info@trefwales.com

Bryn Melyn Guest House

7E Panorama Road, Barmouth LL42 1DQ T: 01341 280556 info@brynmelyn.co.uk www.brynmelyn.co.uk David and Heather Brown Relaxing 4-star graded guest house. Spectacular setting above the Mawddach Estuary in the popular seaside town of Barmouth. Eight en-suite rooms, stunning views. Dogs welcome in some rooms.

Comfortable lounge/bar, fully licensed. Evening meals by arrangement. Car-park and sun terrace.

Highly rated on Tripadvisor.

Einion House B&B

★★★★

Guest House

7E

Llanaber, Barmouth LL421RR T: 01341 280144 intouch@llwyndu-farmhouse.co.uk www.llwyndu-farmhouse.co.uk Paula Thompson Rustic boutique hotel in Snowdonia, stunning views, charming ensuite rooms, imaginative food and fine wines amongst inglenooks, oak and great character. Come and relax away from it all. Peter and Paula. ★★★★ Guest Accommodation

r7; A7; Open 1–12; B&B pp £52–£66; 2 night D B&Bpp: £160–£178

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Morwendon House

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6E

Morwendon House, Llanaber, Barmouth LL42 1RR T: 01341 280566 M: 07092 197785 enquiries@morwendon-house.co.uk www.morwendon-house.co.uk Geoff and Teresa Challenor Quality accommodation in beautifully maintained house overlooking Cardigan Bay. Evening meals available, AA awards for dinner and breakfast. Off road private car parking. No children under 12 years, no pets. All rooms en-suite. Ideally situated for exploring Snowdonia and the Mawddach Estuary. Railway halt 200 yards.

8D

Plas Edwards, Tywyn, Gwynedd LL36 0DA T: 01844 343418 M: 0787 9867 463 keith.sweetman@tesco.net www.beachsidehouse.co.uk Mr Keith Sweetman Beach-side house. Direct access to sandy beach. Unobstructed views of Cardigan Bay. Dolphins seen from house.

Quiet, comfortable two bedroom house.

Central heating so ideal for winter walking.

Short breaks available. ★★★★

r5; A5; Open 1–12; B&B pp £33.75–£40; 2 night B&Bpp: £70– £72.50; Weekly: B&B pp £236.25.

r8; A8; Open 1–12; B&B pp; £43.75–£52.50; 3 night B&B pp: £116.25–£142.50; Weekly: B&B pp £232.50–£285

Llwyndu Farmhouse

Golwg-y-Mor

Guest House

★★★★

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7E

Friog, Fairbourne LL38 2NX T: 01341 250644 stay@einionhouse.co.uk www.einionhouse.co.uk Alvin Pereira Near Barmouth and Dolgellau. Sea views, beach five minutes. Walks – Blue Lake, Wales Coastal Path, Mawddach Trail, Barmouth Bridge, Cader Idris, steam railways, pony trekking, cycling, castles, wildlife. See website.

Relax, unwind, re-charge...

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01654 767 213

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–4; Weekly: per unit £195–£640; Short Break: per unit: £180–£270 } z(] ß * I y ÇI

Pandy

6E Talybont, Barmouth LL43 2AD T: 01341 242626 holidays@rowenpark.com www.rowenpark.com/pandy Mr & Mrs J.L.Williams A former fulling mill, Pandy has been completely renovated and refurbished to a very high standard.

Finished and furnished throughout in oak.

Four bedrooms, all en-suite, lounge containing woodburner, fully fitted kitchen, double oven, double fridge, dishwasher etc. Central heated throughout. Washing machine, tumble dryer and freezer in utility room. ★★★★★ Self-Catering

r6; A6; Open 1–12; B&B pp £39–£55; Weekly £246–£347

Open 3–11; Sleeps 2–7; Weekly: per unit £647–£1173

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Cardigan Bay Graig Wen

7E Arthog, Dolgellau LL39 1YP T: 01341 250482 hello@graigwen.co.uk www.graigwen.co.uk Sarah and John

★★★★

Clyd Fan is in the centre of Harlech within walking distance to restaurants and shops.

There is a bus stop outside bungalow that can take you to the Railway Station/Royal St Davids Golf Course and beaches.

Large enclosed rear garden benefits from full sunshine.

7E Fairbourne T: 01341 514136 or 0844 5897891 enquiry@fairbournebungalows.co.uk www.fairbournebungalows.co.uk Bungalow in Fairbourne, close to beach.

Sleeps four adults and two children. Fairbourne is a small seaside village with a long sandy beach, mountain views, golf course and narrow gauge steam railway. Ideal for seaside and mountain walking holidays. Located in beautiful Southern Snowdonia. TV's "Railway Walks" Mawddach trail nearby.

★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 4 adults and 2 children; Weekly: per unit £395–£635; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £225 (Low Season only)

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Pensarn Farm Cottage

6D

3 Riverside Bungalow, Llanbedr LL45 2NW T: 07871 196280 chris-garbett@live.co.uk www.holidaycottagellanbedr.co.uk Chris Garbett Within earshot of the River Artro in the village of Llanbedr. Snowdonia National Park and Cambrian Coast are on the doorstep. The rugged Rhinogydd Mountains are also close by.

★★★

★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 4; Weekly: per unit £265-£555; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £195–£340 f}Œ(%]ß*I- yÇI

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Riverside Bungalow

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 6/7; Weekly: per unit £350–£850

Self-Catering

Open 1–12 (except November); Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £250–£750; Short Break: 2 nights per unit: £150–£200

Fairlawns Bungalow

5D

3 Bron-y-Graig, Harlech LL46 2SR T: 01619 240181 celial@btinternet.com Celia L Stewart

Converted Victorian slate cutting mill in exceptional location overlooking Mawddach Estuary in Snowdonia National Park. Direct access to waterside cycle/footpath linking Barmouth and Dolgellau. Walks to pubs, waterfalls and mountains from door. Four spacious 2 bedroom houses plus yurts. Sandy beaches, family attractions, shops within 5 minutes drive.

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6D

Pensarn Farm, Llanbedr LL45 2HS T: 01341 241285 www.pensarncottage.co.uk Beti W. Jones Modernised farm cottage with open views, within easy reach of beach, mountains, country walks, cycling paths and golf course. Near buses and trains.

Full central heating. Private garden.

Warm welcome.

Plas Gwynfryn

6D

Llanbedr, Gwynedd LL45 2NY T: 01341 241363 plasgwynfryn@btinternet.com www.plasgwynfryn.co.uk Caroline Evans Large country house rental. Unique mountain and sea setting. Sculptured gardens and luxurious guest bedrooms.

Catering available. Pub walking distance.

Licensed: wedding ceremonies and receptions.

★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–5; Weekly: per unit £230–£400; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £130–£160 f } C z ( A ] ß* j -

Keep up to date with events, what’s new and information on special offers by joining us on our social networks.

Open 1–12; Sleeps 14; Weekly: per unit £1550–£3500; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £1300–£3100; } C C z A k ]ú ß* h-yI

Gwerniago Camping Site

8E

Gwerniago Pennal, Machynlleth SY20 9JX T: 01654 791227 contact@gwerniago.co.uk www.gwerniago.co.uk Mair Jones Ideal base for the coast, Snowdonia and Mid Wales. Near RSPB Ynyshir and Dovey Osprey Project. Fantastic views, interesting wildlife. Free modern facilities.

Parking by tent and campfires permitted. ★★★ Touring & Camping Park

Open 3–10; Statics:1; Statics for hire:1; Pitches: Touring 12, Tents 20; Static Daily: £50–£60; Touring Daily £15–£19; Static Weekly: £300–£360; Touring Weekly £105–£133

www.visitsnowdonia.info

Aberdyfi Golf Club

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Castell y Bere

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

58

Cardigan Bay

Bryn Arfor

7E

Hendre Mynach Touring Caravan & Camping Park

Fford-y-Coleg, Llwyngwril LL37 2UZ T: 07715 611405 nicolamorrow2@gmail.com

Llanaber Road, Barmouth LL42 1YR T: 01341 280262 F: 01341 280586 info@hendremynach.co.uk www.hendremynach.co.uk Andrew Paganuzzi

Tastefully decorated, traditional Welsh stone cottage. Garden with distant sea views. Scenic walks from cottage; close to sandy beaches, Mawddach Trail, and Cadair Idris. Inglenook fireplace with log burner, logs included. Very comfortable beds. Complimentary bottle of wine.

Ideal for couples, families and friends. Short walk from station and beach.

Premier Park 100 metres from safe sandy beach, 25 mins walk along promenade to Barmouth centre. All modern amenities, with on-site shop and off-licence. Level sites, hard standings and grass pitches. Disabled room. Excellent base for walking, cycling. Public transport nearby. Special offers available spring and autumn. See our website or phone for details.

★★★★★ Touring & Camping Park

★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 3–1; Statics:1; Statics for hire:1; Pitches: Touring 60, Tents 180; Static Weekly: £250–£500; Touring Daily £10–£31; Short breaks; Special offers spring and autumn. }C z % k ß9 y 5 Ç ( =

Open 1–12; Sleeps 5; Weekly: £320–£520; Short Break: 3 nights: £180–£300

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Hendy Farm Holidays

Rowen Caravan Park

6E

Hendy Farm, Tywyn LL36 9RU T: 01654 710457 F: 01654 710457 jones@farmline.com www.hendyfarmholidays.co.uk Anne Lloyd-Jones

Talybont, Barmouth LL43 2AD T: 01341 242626 holidays@rowenpark.com www.rowenpark.com A small, quiet family park situated in a tree-lined meadow beside a small mountain stream. Path to the beach, and a short stroll to Talybont village.

Excellent, very well equipped 2 and 3 bedroomed caravans and lodges containing all the usual modern facilities. Shop and launderette on site.

Free brochure.

Relax on working farm peacefully situated between sea and mountains. Own halt for Talyllyn Railway. Enjoy one of our 5 star cottages which are available all year or B&B in the main house from Easter to October.

Half a mile from Tywyn. ★★★

★★★★★

Farmhouse

Self-Catering

★★★★★ Holiday Park

r3; A2; Open 4-10; B&B pp £35–£45; Short Break: 2 night B&B pp: £70–£90; Weekly B&B pp £210–£280 Self Catering: Open 1-12; Sleeps 2–6; Weekly per unit £210–£775; Short Break: 3 night per unit: £130–£375

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Open 4–11; Statics: 35; Statics for hire: 22 Static Weekly: £245–£755; Short Breaks: £122–£377

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7E

Trawsdir Touring Caravans and Camping Park

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★★★★★ Touring & Camping Park

5 star family park on the Mid Wales coast 2 ½ miles north of Barmouth, with magnificent views over Cardigan Bay and just a short walk from miles of beautiful sandy beach. Fully serviced pitches. Wi-Fi available. Family pods with TV. Seasonal pitches available. Special offers throughout year. Open Christmas & New Year.

★★★★

Tynllwyn is a small friendly family site offering a warm welcome. A paradise for walking, cycling, bird watching or just relaxing. Talyllyn Narrow Gauge Railway winding gently past the site, Rhydyronen station 50 yards away. Good clean facilities, play area, shop, laundry. Fleet of luxury static caravans for hire.

Holiday, Touring & Camping Park

Open 3-10; Statics: 56; Statics for hire:6; Pitches: Touring 18, Tents 50; Static Weekly: £330–£460; Touring Daily £15–£24; Short breaks are availiable in all our accomodation C z ( h - 9y 5 Ç I =

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Dinas Caravan Park Camping and Glamping

8E

Tynllwyn Caravan Park, Bryncrug, Tywyn, Gwynedd LL36 9RD T: 01654 710370 ppspsmc@aol.com www.tynllwyncaravanpark.co.uk Pam McEvoy

Open 3–1; Pitches: Touring 70, Tents 30; Family Pods 8; Touring Daily £12– £30; Touring Weekly £84–£210.

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Tynllwyn Caravan & Camping Park

Llanaber, Barmouth LL42 1RR T: 01341 280999 F: 01341 280740 enquiries@trawsdir.co.uk www.barmouthholidays.co.uk www.trawsdir.co.uk Matthew Harris & Rhian Williams

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6D

Ynysymaengwyn Caravan Park

8E

Dinas, Llanbedr LL45 2PH T: 01341 241585 einirpritchard@yahoo.co.uk www.hideaway-in-the-hills.com Einir Pritchard

The Lodge, Tywyn LL36 9RY T: 01654 710684 rita@ynysy.co.uk www.ynysy.co.uk Mrs Rita Blunden

Small, quiet park ideal for family, beach or activity holiday. Children love the tree swings and canoeing on our lake. Self catering caravans, camping with campfires or glamping bell tents available. Located between Harlech and Barmouth three miles from castle and beaches. Snowdon, Bounce Below and Zip World await you.

This Local Authority owned site is ideally located for tents, tourers, & static caravans. A relaxing atmosphere throughout. Even in busy months the community environment is refreshing. Ideal base for walkers, cyclists, fishing, surfing. The site is modern and fully equipped. Green Flag Award 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15.

★★★ Holiday & Camping Park

Open 1–12; Statics: 8; Statics for hire: 4; Pitches: Tents 30; Touring Daily £15; Static Weekly: £245–£499; Short Breaks: 2 people for 2 nights from £70 } z k I

Open 4–10; Statics:115; Pitches: Touring 20, Tents 60; Touring Daily £14–£28; Touring Weekly: £84–£168; Short Breaks: Out of season & not on Bank Holidays; Midweek break 3 nights for price of 2.

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Southern Snowdonia

59 6F

Heulwen Guest House Llanfachreth, Dolgellau, Gwynedd LL40 2EB T: 01341 423085 heulwenguesthouse@hotmail.com www.heulwen.co.uk Heulwen & Andy Watts

A warm welcome awaits you at Heulwen.

A comfortable and spacious house with panoramic views from all rooms and south facing patio.

Bedrooms have TV/DVD, clock/radio and beverage facilities. Ample off-road parking. Bike wash and storage. Ideally situated for exploring Snowdonia and mid Wales. Close to Coed-y-Brenin Mountain Bike centre.

★★★★ Guest House

r3; A2; Open 1–12; B&B pp £33–£36; Weekly: B&B pp £224–£238

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Bryniau Golau

5G

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Maes Mawr

6E

Llangower, Bala LL23 7BT T: 01678 521782 katrinalesaux@hotmail.co.uk www.bryniau-golau.co.uk Katrina Le Saux

Llanelltyd, Dolgellau LL40 2HF T: 01341 440762 sue@maes-mawr.co.uk www.maes-mawr.co.uk Sue Ashe & Chris Carswell

Award-winning B&B situated in Snowdonia National Park. Beautiful Victorian house with stunning views over Bala Lake. Luxurious accommodation; three rooms all en-suite. Two with four poster beds.

Fabulous food; home-baked bread and cakes, home produced honey, best marmalade in Wales!

Dinners Fridays and Sundays by arrangement, licenced premises.

Chris and Sue invite you to share their 17th century former farmhouse situated in 32 acres of outstanding natural beauty. Stunning location above the Mawddach River overlooking Cader Idris to explore Snowdonia. Fantastic views, large gardens, tasty home cooking, abundant wildlife, warm welcome. Our secret paradise, make it yours.

★★★★★

★★★★

Bed & Breafast

Bed & Breakfast

r2; A2; Open 4–10 approx; B&B pp £29; Weekly: B&B pp £185 } ( % ] úß* I

r3; A3; Open 2–11; B&B pp £55–£60 } C ( A% k] ú * I

5H

Palé Hall

Tyddynmawr Farmhouse

7F Tyddynmawr, Cader Road, Islawrdref, Dolgellau, Gwynedd LL40 1TL T: 01341 422331 olwynevans@btconnect.com www.wales-guesthouse.co.uk Olwen Evans

Palé Estate, Llandderfel, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7PS T: 01678 530285 enquiries@palehall.co.uk www.palehall.co.uk One of the finest buildings in Wales, stunning interiors and exquisite features include the boudoir with hand painted ceiling, magnificent entrance hall and galleried staircase. One of the most notable guests was Queen Victoria, her original bath and bed are still in use. Finest cuisine served, guests can sample life in the grand manner. Licensed for civil weddings. Ideal for conferences & house parties.

★★★★

★★★★★

Country House Hotel

Farmhouse

r16; A16; Open 1–12; B&B pp £62.50–£105; 2 night D B&Bpp: £177.50–£260; Weekly D B&B pp: £577.50–£875

r3; A3; Open 2–11; B&B pp £42–£43 f} ( % ] ú * jI

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8E 7F Coed-y-Fronallt, Talsarnau, Harlech Dolgellau LL47 6TSLL40 2YG T: 01766 01341 780742 422822 F: 01766 781199 deborah@gwrachynys.co.uk dwy_olwyn@hotmail.co.uk www.gwrachynys.co.uk www.dwyolwyn.co.uk Normaa peaceful Jones break in a glorious setting close to Enjoy

Pencefn Road, Dolgellau LL40 2YP T: 01341 423380 staylittlefarm@yahoo.co.uk www.staylittlefarm.co.uk Dawn Jones

Situated the mountains in an and acresea. of landscaped Excellent base gardens, for walking and touring boasting magnificent Snowdonia. views NearoftoCader Harlech Idris, Castle, in a Portmeirion, peaceful location Welsh– Highland yet only 10 Railway, minutes Royal walk St to David'sClose town.

Golf Club to all and amenities numerous and sandy numerous beaches. walks Warm Welsh within the Snowdonia welcome National awaits you.

Park.

ForCycle special lockup. offers visit Hearty breakfast our website. or vegetarian. Personal attention assured. Ample parking. TV and tea/coffee facilities in all bedrooms. Free Wi-Fi.

Farmhouse accommodation with views of Cader Idris range and five minutes walk downhill to Dolgellau. All rooms en-suite with TV/DVD, tea tray and Wi-Fi. Groundfloor bedroom in annex available on request.

★★★★★ Guest House ★★★

★★★★ Bed & Breakfast

r3; A3; Open 2–11; B&B pp £30; 2 night B&B pppn: £27.50; Weekly: B&B pppn £25.

Guest House

r3; A2; Open 1–12; B&B pp £26–£35

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Staylittle B&B

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Snowdonia Mountains and Coast DVD Call 01286 679217 to order a copy or view and download online.

www.visitsnowdonia.info/dvd

NameOlwyn of property Dwy View of Cader Idris from Dwy Olwyn

It’s paradise! Honestly! 18th century farmhouse.

5 star AA ‘Guest Accommodation of the Year 2014’ award winner. Offers superb mountain views, peace, tranquillity and seclusion. Explore the ‘Cader Idris’ mountain and its lakes. AA ‘Best Breakfast’ award winner. Celebrating 29 years of 5 star accommodation, run by Olwen the owner.

AA 2012 friendliest B&B finalist.

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

60

Southern Snowdonia

Pen Cefn Cottage Holidays

5G

Hen Hafod Nr Bala, Fedw’r Gog Nr Maerdy & Maesmor Bala

Sarnau, Bala LL23 7LG T: 01678 530481 M: 07768 506640 pencefncottages@hotmail.co.uk www.pencefn.com Gary Thomas

c/o Penisarmynydd, Maerdy, Corwen, Denbighshire LL21 0NP T: 01490 460448 ­M: 07890 225907 www.balacottages.co.uk G. Owen

Whether your preference is a leisurely or energetic holiday, our beautiful cottages set in five acres of magnificent countryside offer the perfect location. Each cottage is fully equipped, comfortable and clean with a secluded garden.

Join us and be sure of a warm welcome with all the comforts of home.

Hen Hafod is a 17th century detached farmhouse situated 1 mile from Bala. Fedw’r Gog cottage is only 2 miles from the main A5 road towards Betws-y-Coed. Idyllic properties full of charm and character. Maesmor is on the outskirts of Bala, the bedroom overlooks the lake. Pets welcome. Short breaks available.

★★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £215–£603; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £145–£185 (Winter season)

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–8; Weekly: per unit £150–£490; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £80–£200

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Or'Eira

6F

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Nant-y-Nodyn

7G

Llanfachreth, Dolgellau LL40 2DH T: 01384 370143 info@oreira.co.uk www.oreira.co.uk Chris Gladwin

Dinas Mawddwy, Machynlleth, Powys SY20 9AG T: 01650 531330 elwyn@nantynodyn.fsnet.co.uk www.nantynodyn.co.uk Elwyn & Megan Jones

Or'Eira is a spacious, comfortable house in beautiful countryside. Downstairs there is a big kitchen / breakfast room, sitting room and conservatory. Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms, 2 twin and 2 double with 2 en-suite and 1 family bathroom. Ideal for walking and cycling (close to Coed-y-Brenin). Easy access to the coast.

Even when clouds linger on the hills these cottages provide pure luxury and character with blazing fires and Welsh blankets on sumptuous beds. The sheltered gardens are perfect for relaxing following long walks on beaches or climbing the nearby mountains. Breathe in the air, then retire to your beautiful cottage.

★★★★★ Self-Catering

★★★ ★ Self-Catering

Open 3–10; Sleeps 2–8; Weekly: per unit £450–£850

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £300–£920; Short Break: 3 nights per unit from £240

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www.GoBala.org Teithiau i bawb boed ar droed, ar feic, ar y dŵr neu ar y lôn Trails for everyone, whether on foot, by bike, on water or by road

Conwy Valley and Hiraethog Craig-y-Dderwen The Riverside Hotel

61 4F

Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AS T: 01690 710293 F: 01690 710362 info@snowdoniahotel.com www.snowdoniahotel.com Built in Victorian times amidst the dramatic scenery of Snowdonia National Park, this elegant 4 star Country House Hotel makes the most of its tranquil position within 16 acres of grounds on the banks of the river Conwy. The hotel offers an award winning restaurant and 18 newly refurbished rooms and suites. ★★★★ Country House Hotel

r18; A18; Open 2–12; B&B pp £60–£115 f}CCŒz(A% skK ú Z*ßI h-_

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The Ferns Guesthouse Holyhead Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AN T: 01690 710587 ferns@betws-y-coed.co.uk www.ferns-guesthouse.co.uk Mark & Sarah Jones You'll find a warm welcome and friendly service here at The Ferns. We are ideally located within easy stroll of Betws-y-Coed’s restaurants, bars, shops, railway station and Snowdon Sherpa bus-stop. Delicious breakfasts, en-suite rooms, parking, free Wi-Fi. A great base for exploring Snowdonia and North Wales. ★★★★ Guest House

r7; A7; Open 1–12; B&B pp £35–£45 } ( % k ] ú ßI

3F

Bryn Bella Guest House

3F

Garth Dderwen

Lôn Muriau, Llanrwst Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0HD T: 01690 710627 welcome@bryn-bella.co.uk www.bryn-bella.co.uk

Vicarage Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AD T: 01690 710491 welcome@garth-dderwen.co.uk www.garth-dderwen.co.uk Mrs F. Morris

A warm welcome awaits you at award-winning, eco-friendly Bryn Bella. Enjoy spectacular views of Betws-y-Coed and the surrounding area. All rooms equipped to the highest standard for your comfort and pleasure. Highly commended by the AA, we are in the top 10% of places in Snowdonia.

A warm welcome awaits at our Victorian Guest House. Quiet village centre position 4 minutes from train station. Private parking, lounge, dryingroom, bike storage, WiFi, traditional/special diets.

Centrally situated for touring Snowdonia and North Wales. Walks/golf course 2 minutes from house.

Book online or give me a call. ★★★ Guest House

r5; A5; Open 1–12; B&B pp £40–£42.50

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4F

The Courthouse (Henllys)

Mount Garmon View Guest House

Old Church Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AL T: 01690 710534 M: 0791 7126988 welcome@guesthouse-snowdonia.co.uk www.guesthouse-snowdonia.co.uk Richard & Tanya Edwards

Holyhead Road, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy LL24 0AN T: 01690 710335 welcome@mount-garmon.co.uk www.mount-garmon.co.uk Petra Wing

Originally a Victorian Police Station and Courthouse now comfortable 4 star guest house in unique peaceful riverside location, 3 minutes walk to village centre. Individually appointed en-suite rooms. Garden, free parking, WiFi.

★★★★ Guest House

3F

★★★★

Elegant Victorian guest house in the centre of Betws-y-Coed. Ideal base for adventures or relaxing in the picturesque Snowdonia National Park. Rooms extremely clean and comfortable, with en-suite facilities. Wide choice of delicious breakfasts.

Private car park. Secure bike storage. Drying facilities. Free Wi-Fi. Fluent German spoken.

More information on website.

Guest House

r5; A5; Open 1–12; B&B pp £25–£47.50 f } ( % k ] ú ß* I -_

r6; A5; Open 1–12; B&B pp £35–£45 } ( % k ] ú ß * I

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

62

Conwy Valley and Hiraethog

Royal Oak Hotel

4F Holyhead Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AY T: 01690 710219 F: 01690 710603 royaloakmail@btopenworld.com www.royaloakhotel.net The gateway to Snowdonia is right on the doorstep of this former Victorian coaching inn, which nestles at the foot of wooded hillside in the heart of the picturesque village.

and all rooms have flat screen TVs. The award-winning Llugwy River Restaurant offers modern Welsh cooking using local seasonal produce.

Rooms have been designed to incorporate contemporary luxury with the heritage and historical feel of the hotel, with rich fabrics, local art and stylish furnishings. Deluxe rooms feature sleigh beds, or four posters.

Alternative dining options are the relaxed modern Grill Bar, serving the finest Welsh produce or the Stables Bar which has a rather special atmosphere with its regular music nights, plenty of cask ales and alfresco dining.

Guests benefit from complimentary membership of the nearby Stations Health & Beauty Complex with pool, gym, sauna, steam rooms and treatments suite. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel

The perfect base for exploring all of Snowdonia's wonders... look no further... it's all here!

★★★ Hotel

r27; A27; Open 1–12; B&B per room £95–£200; Short Break: 2 night D B&B per room, double or twin: £200–£400

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Swallow Falls Complex

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Stables Lodge

Holyhead Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 ODW T: 01690 710796 F: 01690 710191 swallowfall@btconnect.com www.swallowfallshotel.co.uk Peter Jones

★★★

Situated just outside Betws-y-Coed opposite Wales’ most beautiful waterfall, Swallow Falls Complex has a wide range of accommodation to suit all tastes. The hotel offers 19 en-suite bedrooms, a 76-bed hostel plus camp-site with shower block and toilets. Other facilities include bars, restaurant, coffee shop, landscaped gardens and children’s play area, 5-a-side football, basketball and table tennis.

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Walkers and cyclists welcome Walking and cycling enthusiasts should look out for this sign, which includes the ‘boot’ and ‘ wheel’ symbols. Some properties qualify for both symbols, others just the one.

The symbols are displayed by properties that have undertaken to provide features which walkers and cyclists always find welcome.

They include drying facilities for wet clothes and boots, secure lockable areas for bikes, adequate storage space for rucksacks and packed lunches.

Holyhead Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AY T: 01690 710011 F:01690 710603 royaloakmail@btopenworld.com www.stableslodge.net All rooms are decorated to a high standard and offer tea & coffee making facilities, colour remote TVs with over 50 Freeview channels and 25 radio stations, ipod/ MP3 docking stations, double glazing and central heating. All rooms are situated

on one floor with easy access lift. Other amenities include disabled facilities, bike storage, bike wash and drying room.

The Stables Bar next door offers a wide selection of meals and cask ales, alfresco dining and hosts regular music nights.

★★★★ Guest Accommodation

r18; A18; Open 1–12; Per room, per night: £75–£95.

Breakfast pre-book available at Royal Oak Hotel.

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Conwy Valley and Hiraethog 4F

Waterloo Hotel

3F

Trefriw Tourism Association Crafnant Lake – Trefriw

63

Trefriw – between Betws-y-Coed & Conwy Gateway to the North Wales Lakes Set in the glorious Snowdonia National Park, this friendly village is a world away from the crowds and commercialism of the larger resorts. It offers a wide choice of accommodation, places to eat and two real village pubs, but keeps its atmosphere of peace and tranquillity...a place to forget the pressures of modern life. Trefriw’s Woollen Mill is a popular place to visit. Just 21/2 miles from Surf Snowdonia, Dolgarrog, due to open July 2015.

Discover our wonderful scenic walks by visiting www.trefriwtrails.org.uk

For Trefriw village brochure T: 01492 640013 Or visit us at: www.4snowdoniaholidays.co.uk Holyhead Road, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0AR T: 01690 710411 F: 01690 710986 reservations@waterloo-hotel.info www.waterloo-hotel.info

Trefriw, Conwy LL27 0JH T: 01492 640809 crafnanthouse@btinternet.com www.trefriw.co.uk Jan and Mike Bertenshaw

Extensive menu dominated by locally sourced produce at the recently refurbished Bridge Restaurant. Guests enjoy full use of our leisure facilities – indoor heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and fully equipped gym. Free Wi-Fi is also available throughout.

The ideal base to explore and discover the breathtaking scenery of Snowdonia's beautiful countryside and coast. Situated on the grounds of the hotel our modern, spacious lodge style rooms come complete with own parking space and once inside offer tea/coffee making facilities, flat screen TV and safe.

Rooms also availiable in main hotel.

Whether you’ve discovered the mountain lakes which nestle above our village – conquered Snowdon or strolled around the stunning Conwy Valley­– then rest assured of the comfort and warm welcome of Crafnant House – beautifully appointed former Victorian farmhouse, an excellent central base, with traditional pubs and exceptional food on the doorstep.

★★★

★★★★

Hotel

Guest House

r33; A33; Open 1–12; B&B pp £46.50–£80

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The Groes Inn

3F

Crafnant Guest House

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2F

Tyn-Y-Groes, Conwy LL32 8TN T: 01492 650545 info@groesinn.co.uk www.groesinn.com A country-cosy inn with all the amenities you need for a fantastic stay. Blessed with far-reaching views, open fires, an award winning restaurant and handsome bedrooms.

3F

Princes Arms Hotel

Keep up to date with events, what’s new and information on special offers by joining us on our social networks.

★★★★★ Inn

r14; A14; Open 1–12; B&B pp £100–£175.

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www.visitsnowdonia.info 2F

Caerlyr Hall Conway Old Road, Dwygyfylchi Penmaenmawr, Conwy LL34 6SW T: 01492 623518 F: 01492 622070 www.caerlyrhall.co.uk Mr and Mrs Warner Charming country house set in natural amphitheatre with sea and mountain views. All rooms en-suite and centrally heated. Excellent cuisine, fine wines and characterful bar. Non Smoking. Ideal for walkers, golfers, and historic building enthusiasts. Children welcome. Pets by arrangement. Ample parking. ★★★ Guest Accommodation

Trefriw, Nr Betws-y-Coed, Conwy LL27 0JP T: 01492 640592 enquiries@princes-arms.co.uk www.princes-arms.co.uk Picturesque National Park location central to Snowdonia’s mountains and coast with beautiful lakes and forests around us.

Delightful en-suite bedrooms, king size beds with memory foam mattresses and Egyptian cotton sheets. Fantastic views across the river Conwy. All have colour TV, free Wi-Fi throughout hotel, tea/coffee, hairdryer.

Laundry facilities with drying room. Ample private hotel car parking. Our award-winning restaurant highlights our expertise in country cuisine with friendly attentive service complementing the dining experience. Log fires and cosy lounge bar to round off the perfect day in Snowdonia.

★★★ Hotel

r8; A7; Open 1–12; B&B pp £38–£43; Short Break: 2 night D B&B: £106–£116; Weekly: B&B pp £224–£259

r9; A9; Open 1–12; B&B pp £40–£50; Short Break: 2 night B&B pp £80–£100; 2 night D B&B pp £130–£180; Weekly: B&B pp £280–£350; D B&B pp £450–£550

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

64

Conwy Valley and Hiraethog 3F

Tyˆ Newydd Guest House Conwy Road, Trefriw LL27 0JH T: 01492 641210 tynewyddtrefriw@aol.com www.tynewyddtrefriw.co.uk Lillian Jones

Located in pretty village centre within Snowdonia National Park, 4 miles from A5 at Betws-y-Coed, 9 miles from A55 at Conwy. Nearby friendly pubs/ restaurants. Easy access to all attractions, lakes, walks, mountains, coastal towns, Bodnant Gardens, castles, golf, horse riding, surf park, mountain zoo, woollen mills and much more.

Lil and Allan welcome you.

★★★ Guest House

r4; A2; Open 1–12; B&B pp £30–£35; Weekly: B&B pp £190–£210

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Llannerch Goch Luxury Cottages

3F

Capel Garmon, Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, Snowdonia LL26 0RL T: 01690 710261 stay@betwsycoed.co.uk www.betwsycoed.co.uk 3 luxury cottages, 2 miles from picturesque Betws-y-Coed, Snowdonia National Park for Top 10 attractions of North Wales and National Trust properties. Kitchen/dining with American fridge freezer. King with roll-top/jacuzzi bath, Twin both en-suite. Wide range of Welsh cuisine nearby. Free Wi-Fi. Please visit website. ★★★★★ ★★★★ Self Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–4; Weekly: per unit £375–£795; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £235–£250 f}Cz ( A %] ß* h-y ÇI

Garreg Lwyd Cottage Conwy Town

2F

3 Erskine Terrace, Conwy Town LL32 8BS T: 07742 900367 tjmountain@yahoo.com www.stayconwy.com Tom Mountain Cosy two bedroom artisan cottage in a quiet cul-de-sac, inside the UNESCO World Heritage town of Conwy, with its 13th century castle and walls, nearby Snowdonia National Park.

This comfortable cottage is fully equipped and modernised, centrally heated, parking at front door. Full pictures and details on website.

3F

The Old Forge Pen y Graig, Llanbedr y Cennin, Conwy LL32 8JD T: 01492 660663 h.fudge@btinternet.com www.oldforge-cottage.co.uk Roberta Fudge

Cae Llwyd Holiday Cottage 3F Glanrafon, Maenan Llanrwst LL26 0UP T: 01492 641734 stay@holiday-cottage-wales.co.uk www.holiday-cottage-wales.co.uk Mrs Llinos Wyn Owen Newly refurbished luxury 5 star cottage in a stunning central location with uninterrupted views of Snowdonia beyond the hills. Away from it all but so near to so many attractions.

A comfortable, well-furnished, cosy cottage in the beautiful Conwy Valley.

Ideal for peaceful, relaxing breaks or for enjoying the glories and history of Snowdonia and the coast.

★★★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 4; Weekly: per unit £270–£530; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £210

Open 3–1; Sleeps 2; Weekly: per unit £280–£460; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £160–£190

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Bodnant Caravan Park

3F Nebo Road, Llanrwst, Conwy Valley LL26 0SD T: 01492 640248 info@bodnant-caravan-park.co.uk www.bodnant-caravan-park.co.uk Mrs Ermin Kerry-Jenkins Small select site for touring caravans, motorcaravans, tents and 2 holiday caravans, bordered by trees and a stream. Many years winner of “Wales in Bloom”, landscaped with shrubs, flower beds and old farm machinery. Set in our beautiful Conwy Valley, an ideal base for exploring the mountains, lakes and coast of North Wales.

Multi-service & hard standing/grass caravan pitches.

★★★★ Holiday, Touring & Camping Park

Open 1–10; Pitches: Touring 34, Tents 14; Statics for hire: 2; Touring daily £19.50– £20.50; Tent £15.50–£18.50; Self catering holiday caravans weekly £255–£365

Conwy Mountain

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Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog 5D

Royal Sportsman Hotel

131 High Street, Porthmadog LL49 9HB T: 01766 512015 F: 01766 512490 enquiries@royalsportsman.co.uk www.royalsportsman.co.uk Porthmadog’s Premier Hotel. One of top three AA 3star hotels in North Wales. 4 star overall quality rating. Traditional, dog friendly gastro bar with 2AA Rosettes for food, also served in 60 seat Restaurant.

2014 TripAdvisor award for Excellence. Included in AA’s Britain’s Best Hotel Guide. Centrally located, independently managed hotel with family atmosphere; babies and children of all ages welcome as are pets in designated rooms. 28 en-suite rooms refurbished in 2013, luxury toiletries, extensive hospitality tray, hairdryer, flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi and parking.

★★★ Hotel

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Manod, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 4BB T: 01766 830847 M: 07909 880994 info@caedu.co.uk www.caedu.co.uk Arfona Rowlands Price Arfona and Idris welcome you to their picturesque 16th century former farmhouse. Centrally located, magnificent mountain setting, stunning panoramic views, warm friendly atmosphere, mature garden and ponds. Ideal base for exploring the wonders of ‘our’ Snowdonia – or just simply relax.

★★★★

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Bron Rhiw Guest House

4E

Cae Du

Bed & Breakfast

r28; A28; Open 1–12; B&B pp £46–£53; Short Break: 2 night B&B: £46–£53; 2 night D B&B: £80–£320; Weekly B&B: £315–£364 D B&B: £567 f } C C

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5D

5E

Wenallt Guest House

Caernarfon Road, Criccieth LL52 0AP T: 01766 522257 info@bronrhiwhotel.co.uk www.bronrhiwhotel.co.uk Claire Woodhouse & Siân Williams

Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd LL48 6PW T/F: 01766 770321 i.hartill@btinternet.com www.wenalltguesthouse.co.uk Sarah & Ian Hartill

Beautiful Victorian guesthouse with en-suite rooms.

Outstanding breakfasts made with the finest produce. Only minutes away from Criccieth Castle, beaches and excellent restaurants. We are the ideal place to base yourself for the Llyn Peninsula and Snowdonia. Non-smoking, no pets, no children under 10. Free Wi-Fi. AA 4 Gold Star Award. ★★★★

★★★★

Guest Accommodation

Guest House

Welcoming B&B near Portmeirion and Ffestiniog steam railway (Penrhyn station short walk).

Spacious double, twin and single rooms are all en-suite with comfortable seating, TVs, tea/coffee, period features. Extensive menu of delicious traditional and vegetarian breakfasts. Views over Penrhyndeudraeth, estuary and mountains.

Ideal touring base. Quality accommodation at great value.

r4; A4; Open 1–12; B&B pp £30–£37; Short Break: 2 night B&B pp: £132; ­­Weekly: B&B pp £210

r9; A9; Open 4–10; B&B pp £37–£39; Weekly: B&B pp £259

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5D

Min Y Gaer Guest House

5D

The Abereistedd

Porthmadog Road, Criccieth LL52 OHP T: 01766 522151 info@minygaer.co.uk www.minygaer.co.uk Tim Davis

West Parade, Criccieth LL52 0EN T: 01766 522710 info@abereistedd.co.uk www.abereistedd.co.uk Brian Gifford Enjoy unrivalled sea and mountain views from our seafront position. Relax in the lounge with a drink from our well stocked bar, and hopefully spot a dolphin or two! Enjoy fine food and good company. Ideal location for country or coastal pursuits, or just relax in comfort. Private parking available, free Wi-Fi.

Friendly family run guest house. Many rooms with views of Cardigan Bay and Criccieth Castle. Two minutes from excellent local restaurants and beach.

An ideal base for touring Snowdonia. Well behaved pets welcome. All rooms have TV, DVD, tea and coffee making facilities. Private parking for up to 12 cars. ★★★★

★★★★

Guest House

Guest Accommodation

r10; A10; Open 3–10; B&B pp £40–£55; 2 night B&B pp: £75–£80; Weekly: B&B pp £260–£322

r12; A12; Open 4–10; B&B pp £35–£39; Short Break: 2 night D B&B: £110–£118; Weekly: D B&B pp £381.50–£409.50

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5D

Wenydd House

★★★★

5D Garndolbenmaen, Porthmadog LL51 9PJ T: 01766 530239 enquiries@cefnuchaf.co.uk www.cefnuchaf.com Malcolm & Kath Severn

Enjoy warm, friendly, award-winning hospitality in a modern house in attractive gardens close to Portmeirion and Ffestiniog Railway. Quiet location with mountain and estuary views. Comfortable, well-appointed, fully ensuite bedrooms. Secure private parking. Free Wi-Fi. Famous for superb, extensive menu breakfasts. Ring for more details and special offers.

A warm welcome awaits you at our family run guesthouse. Enjoy the quiet location and relaxed friendly atmosphere. Set in open countryside and ideally situated for exploring Snowdonia and the Llyˆn Peninsula. Comfortable en-suite rooms and guest lounge. Delicious breakfasts and home cooked evening meals using local produce.

r2; A2; Open 1–12; B&B pp £28–£32.50; Weekly: B&B pp £175–£195

Cefn Uchaf Guesthouse

Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, Nr Porthmadog LL48 6EF T/F: 01766 771542 wenyddbandb@btinternet.com Jean & Colin Rockingham

Bed & Breakfast

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65

★★★ Guest House

r8; A7; Open 1–12; B&B pp £35–£38; 2 night D B&B pp £104–£116 } z ( % k ] ú * I h-

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

66

Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog 5D

Porthmadog Road, Criccieth, Gwynedd LL52 0HP

Mrs Dorothy Pryce

david.pryce@btinternet.com

01766 522396 www.henfaes.com ★★★★★ Guest House

OPEN 4 –10 B&B: £39pp DB&B: £50pp WEEKLY DB&B: £305pp Plas Tan y Bwlch

r5; A5; } C ( A % ] ß Z *

E5 Plas Tan y Bwlch, Maentwrog, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3YU T: 01766 772600 plas@eryri-npa.gov.uk www.plastanybwlch.com Occupying a superb position overlooking the Vale of Ffestiniog, Plas Tan y Bwlch is the ideal place to relax, unwind, learn about the National Park or enjoy a stroll around the Gardens. The terrace tea room is open daily offering a selection of homemade cakes. Coach parties welcome.

★★★ Guest Accommodation

r35; A27; Open 1–12; B&B pp £33–£43. Also Victorian Gardens; Months open: 1–12; Days open: Mon-Sun; Hours open: 10am–Dusk.

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Llwyn Mafon Isaf

5D Criccieth LL52 0RE T: 01766 530618 M: 07503 192994 post@llwynmafonisaf.co.uk www.llwynmafonisaf.co.uk Ffion Angharad Jones A warm Welsh welcome awaits you on a 400 acre working farm. Excellent touring location for Snowdonia, Lleyn Peninsula and Caernarfon Anglesey. All rooms en-suite, TV, coffee/tea facilities. Good access.

★★★ Farmhouse

r3; A3; Open 4–10; B&B pp £30–£32; 2 night B&Bpp: £120-£128; Weekly: B&B pp £196

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Cricieth Golf Club

Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog Caerwylan Hotel

67 5D

Beach Bank, Criccieth LL52 0HW T: 01766 522547 F: 01248 800100 info@caerwylan.com www.caerwylan.com The Caerwylan Hotel is situated right on the east shore and probably enjoys some of the best coastal views in North Wales.

We are the ideal base to explore Snowdonia and the Llyn Peninsular.

There is a fantastic choice of sandy beaches and attractions from National Trust properties to one of the longest zip wires in Europe in this beautiful and relaxing corner of Wales.

For walkers The Caerwylan is situated on the Wales Coast Path.

From the exterior we might look like a traditional seaside hotel but the inside is fresh, modern, relaxing and comfortable.

Unwind in one of our contemporary en-suite bedrooms, all of our bathrooms

★★★ Hotel

r24; A24; Open 2–12; B&B pp £52–£73; Short Break: 2 night B&B pp: £103–£145; Weekly: B&B pp £337–£482 } C Œ z ( % sk ] g ú ßZ* I

Old Mill Farmhouse

5E

Borth-y-Gest, Porthmadog LL49 9TR Enquiries: Mrs E Everitt 5 Lower End, Swaffham Prior, Cambridge CB25 0HT T: 01638 742974

Comfortable, attractive, converted farm buildings set around a courtyard; each room en-suite with its own front door. Late arrivals no problem! Excellent garden railway in beautiful garden overlooking lake and mountains. Friendly llamas, free-ranging chickens. Great area for photographers, walkers, cyclists, tourists. Pet friendly. Close to Coed-yBrenin bike trails.

This pretty terrace cottage overlooks Borth-y-Gest’s quiet harbour, and enjoys wonderful open mountain views across the tidal estuary. The rooms are light and pleasantly furnished and there is a sunny garden. Ideal for sandy beaches, sailing and local walking as well as exploring Snowdonia and Llyˆn.

Café in village.

★★★

★★

Farmhouse

Self-Catering

Open 3–10; Sleeps 2–6; Weekly: per unit £280–£550

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Snowdonia on a budget

Trawsfynydd Lake

5D

The Bobbing Boats

Fron Oleu Farm, Trawsfynydd LL41 4UN T: 01766 540397 stay@oldmillfarmhouse.co.uk www.oldmillfarmhouse.co.uk

r7; A7; Open 1–12; B&B pp £29–£41; Weekly: B&B pp £193–£263 f } C ( % k] ß* I h_

have strong power showers and ladies the electrical sockets are in the perfect places!

Our sea facing Executive Bedrooms offer space and luxury, making them perfect for that special occasion.

After a day of exploring chill out in our sea facing bar and lounge where we serve a range of local beers plus the traditional lagers, spirits and a varied selection of wines.

Treat yourself to a break at the Caerwylan in 2015. See www.caerwylan.com for more information and on-line booking.

TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award 2012, 2013 & 2014

For information on special offers, places to visit, free attractions and things to do contact our Tourist Information Centres (see back cover for details).

Pump Cottage, 8 Glyn Terrace, Borth-y-Gest

5D

Borth-y-Gest, Porthmadog LL49 9UD T: 01619 284961 M: 07748 446058 Enquiries: Anne Keating, Borthwen, 14 Sunny Bank Road, Bowdon, Cheshire WA14 3PW noel.keating@hotmail.co.uk Good centre for Snowdonia. Ideal for walking and sailing. Near harbour and beach. Full central heating, microwave and patio. Well equipped. Open fire. ★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 4; Weekly: from £260–£520; Short Breaks: 4 nights min: £55–£65 per night }Czß*I zÇ(

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

68

Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog

7 Mersey Street

5D

Borth-y-Gest, Nr Porthmadog LL49 9UB T: 01952 462177 M: 07971 955614 kind286@btinternet.com www.cottage-borth-y-gest.com Contact: Patricia Kind, Holly Cottage, Church Lane, Sheriffhales, Shropshire TF11 8RD Cosy Cottage, near harbour, beach and restaurants. Ideal for walking, sailing and golfing. Central for touring Snowdonia.

Full central heating, all modern amenities.

Regret no pets.

Ty Newydd Holiday Flats 5D

Gaerwen, Ynys, Criccieth LL52 0NU T: 01766 810324 gaerwen@btopenworld.com www.gaerwenfarmcottages.co.uk Mrs Mary Williams

30 Dublin Street, Tremadog, Porthmadog LL49 9RH T: 01766 512553 johnjulieo@aol.com www.tynewydd-accommodation.co.uk John and Julie Otty Two flats in the village of Tremadog, one mile from Porthmadog. A good base for exploring the area by car or bus.

The village has two good pubs for food.

A warm welcome awaits you at our traditional Welsh farmhouse or modernised cottage. Clean, well equipped and comfortably furnished providing a homely atmosphere. Centrally located to explore beaches, mountains and lakes, or relax in the garden enjoying stunning views of Snowdonia, unwinding in the tranquillity of rural life. Brochure available.

★★★ ★★★

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 4; Weekly: from £220–£500; Short Breaks: 3 nights min, £50 per night. } z ( ß * I y Ç J (

★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 4–9; Sleeps 4; Weekly: per unit £280–£320

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–13; Weekly: per unit £150–£480; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £120–£180 } Cz ( A %K * jI h- z y Ç I

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5D

Lavender Cottage

5D

Fferm Gaerwen Farm

Rhosgyll Fawr Cottages

2 London Road, Garndolbenmaen LL51 9NZ T: 01766 522257 info@lavendercottagesnowdonia.co.uk www.lavendercottagesnowdonia.co.uk Claire Woodhouse & Siân Williams

5C Rhosgyll Fawr, Chwilog, Pwllheli LL53 6TQ T: 01766 810832 stay@rhosgyllfawr.co.uk www.rhosgyllfawr.co.uk Two cosy cottages, each with private garden, nestled around courtyard alongside owners home.

Tranquil private 25 acre lake and woodland nature reserve setting. Between majestic mountains of Snowdonia and safe, sandy beaches of Llyˆ n Peninsula. Country walks, leafy lanes and cycle network from door. Wonderful place to unwind.

A superior five star non-smoking cottage.

It is the perfect place to stay in total comfort. Bed linen, towels and electricity included. Inglenook fireplace with wood burner. Sit in the beautiful garden with a glass of wine and watch the superb sunsets. No pets or children under ten.

AA 5 star accommodation. ★★★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 3; Weekly: per unit £390–£465; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £210

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–4; Weekly: per unit £280–£550; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £180–£340

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Morfa Bychan

Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog

69

Delightful hideaway cottages in a good location for exploring Snowdonia and the Lleyn Peninsula. www.rhos-cottages.co.uk

RHOS

cottages@rhos.freeserve.co.uk

~ Country ~ Cottages

0776 986 4642 or 01758 720047 OPEN ALL YEAR Sleep 1-7 (+ cot) Weekly from £320 - £1200 Off Season / Winter Breaks from £70 nightly

CRICCIETH

5D

Melin Llecheiddior Garndolbenmaen LL51 9EZ T: 01766 530 635 elen@whevans.freeserve.co.uk www.cottages-in-snowdonia.co.uk Mrs E. Evans

Situated near the river Dwyfach; within easy reach of sea and mountains. One double room and one twin-bedded room. Sun lounge, bathroom with shower, toilet upstairs and downstairs. Lounge with colour TV, kitchen fully equipped, microwave.

Children welcome. Cot and highchair available.

Pets welcome on request. Pub and restaurant within walking distance.

★★★ Self-Catering

Open 5–11; Sleeps 4; Weekly: per unit £200–£450; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £105–£120

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5E

Gellilydan Cottage

3 Gellilydan Terrace, Gellilydan, Nr Maentwrog LL41 4EE T: 01773 746480 M: 07769 838483 judith.osborne@w3z.co.uk www.gellilydan-cottage.webs.com Beautiful Grade II listed, beamed, character cottage. Pretty, quiet village. Sunny garden, private parking. Carefully renovated and furnished.

Between sea and mountains. Central for Harlech, Portmadog, Portmeirion, sandy beaches. Wonderful for walking and wildlife enthusiasts, all from the doorstep. Please ring for colour brochure and guests comments 01773 746480 or 07769 838483. ★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 4; Weekly: per unit £255–£425;

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Dwyfach Cottages

5D

Pen-Y-Bryn, Chwilog, Pwllheli LL53 6SX T: 01766 810208 info@dwyfach.co.uk www.dwyfach.co.uk Mrs S. Edwards Have a relaxing breakfast in Bwthyn's Conservatory. Spectacular views. Enclosed Garden. Idyllic location. Ensuite bedrooms.

Also fantastic house in Criccieth near beach and Coastal Path. Sleeps 6.

Price to £850.

Plas Blaenddol

5E

Plas Blaenddol, Llan Ffestiniog LL41 4PH T: 01766 762406 bookings@plasblaenddol.co.uk www.plasblaenddol.co.uk Diane Lea Stunning manor house with beautiful gardens and woodlands in the centre of Snowdonia National Park. Stay in the West Wing (Old Bell House) and/or the South Wing (Lake House).

★★★★★

★★★★

Self-Catering

Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–4; Weekly: per unit £195–£525; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £110–£250

Open 1–12; Sleeps 2–15; Weekly: per unit £525–£1440; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £368–£840

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Mur Clwt Lloer

5C Chwilog, Pwllheli LL53 6NQ T: 01766 810236 mur@talk21.com www.mur-clwt-lloer-farm.co.uk Mrs Siân T. Hughes Get away from it all at our working dairy farm.

The recently refurbished farmhouse wing is clean, comfortable and well equipped. It's centrally located for touring beaches in Llyˆn Peninsula or the mountains in Snowdonia. Affording panoramic views of Cardigan Bay and Snowdonia. Walled garden has provision for outdoor entertainment.

★★★★ Self-Catering

Open 1–12; Sleeps 1–5; Weekly: per unit £225–£550; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £120–£180

Llyn y Manod, Blaenau Ffestiniog

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www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

70

Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog

Own your own holiday home in North Wales

With two parks to pick from nestled in the mountains of Snowdonia you’ll find everything you need for the perfect family get away.

Greenacres Holiday Park Set on the beach at Black Rock Sands and with breathtaking views of the mountains Greenacres gives you the best of Wales.

As an owner you’ll get to use all the on park facilities and exclusive privileges such as: • Private Owners’ Lounge • Exclusive Owners’ swimming pool and outdoor decking area • Owners’ gym • 15% discount around the park • Free owner events and experience days

For more information contact 0800 107 3636 or visit greenacresholidaypark.co.uk

Brand new

pitches for caravans and lodges available for 2015

Hafan y Môr Holiday Park Owning a holiday home at Hafan Y Môr is more than owning your little place by the sea. There is a mix of exciting recreations to keep all the family entertained.

You may want to spend your time off learning to climb a craggy rockface or just want to flop in a deckchair.

The choice is yours.

And as an owner you’ll get the added benefits of: • Owners’ 9-hole golf course • Owners’ lounge • Owners’ private fishing lake • 15% discount around the park • Free owner events and experience days

For more information contact 0800 917 3267

or visit hafan-y-mor.co.uk

Terms and conditions: 15% discount: terms and condition apply. Please enquire at park for full details. Parks cannot be used as a permanent residence. Bourne Leisure is registered in England and Wales, no 04011660. Registered office 1 Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. 70287

Take your Pick...

71

Take your pick... Introducing Wales’s Holiday Areas For FREE copies of any THREE brochures please tick the appropriate boxes and send to: Visit Wales, Dept T04, PO Box 1, Cardiff CF24 2XN

Snowdonia Mountains and Coast is one of the Holiday Areas within Wales. Each area has its own distinct character.

The Isle of Anglesey Anglesey offers unparalleled beauty, amazing adventures, serious solitude and a warm welcome. Easily accessible; this unique island, with its coastline, varied beaches and historical towns, is a superb base for all the family. Those that have visited need not be told. They just return…

T. +44 (0)1248 713177 e. tourism@anglesey.gov.uk www.visitanglesey.co.uk www.facebook.com/visitanglesey Llandudno and Colwyn Bay Vibrant Llandudno, the Victorian seaside gem with a history that goes back to the Bronze Age. World Heritage Conwy with its rich maritime past. Waterfront adventure in Colwyn Bay. Year-round breaks, filled with family fun, good food, great walking, world-class theatre and a full calendar of exciting events. All within easy reach of Snowdonia.

T. +44 (0)1492 577577 e. llandudnotic@conwy.gov.uk www.visitllandudno.org.uk www.facebook.com/visitingllandudno twitter.com/visit_llandudno North-East Wales Less than 20 minutes from Chester, we’re just a short journey from the North West and the West Midlands.

From the bustling shops and cultural events of Wrexham to the culinary delights of the Mold Food and Drink Festival to the world-famous Llangollen International Eisteddfod. The area includes Rhyl, one of the best recognised British seaside resorts and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We even have an 11-mile long World Heritage Site – the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal – and you can also walk the ancient Offa’s Dyke path running through Chirk out to the coast at Prestatyn.

T. +44 (0)1978 292015 e. tourism@wrexham.gov.uk T. +44 (0)1745 355068 e. rhyltic@denbighshire.gov.uk www.northeastwales.co.uk Mid Wales My Way Featuring the Brecon Beacons National Park, Dyfi Biosphere, Cambrian Mountains, Lake Vrynwy and the Berwyns and Offa’s Country. Magnificent walks – two national trails, waterfalls and many other breathtaking walks besides. Muddy wheels – cycling on- and off-road.

A great track record – four years with the Tour of Britain, home to Dyfi Enduro and Beacons Beast. Family traffic-free routes to extreme mountain biking await.

Year-round events – from Hay Literary to Machynlleth Comedy, from Green Man to the Royal Welsh and Winter Shows, celebrating our agricultural heritage. Stay in magnificent mansions or wacky wigwams. All topped off with mouth-watering cuisine, local whiskies and marvellous wines. That’s Mid Wales My Way! T. +44 (0)1874 622485 e. tourism@powys.gov.uk www.midwalesmyway.com

Llandudno & Colwyn Bay

The Valleys – Heart & Soul of Wales

North-East Wales

The Glamorgan Heritage Coast & Countryside

Ceredigion – Cardigan Bay & the Cambrian

Wales Golf

Mountains

NB. Isle of Anglesey, Mid Wales, Swansea Bay,

Pembrokeshire – Britain’s Only Coastal

Cardiff and the Wye Valley/Vale of Usk do not

National Park

produce brochures – please see websites.

Carmarthenshire – Carmarthen Bay

Name (please print): Address (please print):

Post Code:

Ceredigion – Cardigan Bay and the Cambrian Mountains Discover the villages and harbours that inspired Dylan Thomas and the expansive landscapes, myths and legends depicted in the gripping TV thriller Hinterland/ Y Gwyll. Delve into Wales’s history at Cardigan Castle.

Walk gentle or challenging sections of Ceredigion’s coast path from promenade strolls at Aberystwyth to hill fort climbs at Llangrannog. Spot bottlenose dolphins and enjoy family fun at award-winning beaches.

T. +44 (0)1970 612125 e. brochure@ceredigion.gov.uk www.discoverceredigion.co.uk www.facebook.com/discoverceredigion Twitter: @visitceredigion Pembrokeshire – Britain’s Only Coastal National Park Rated by National Geographic magazine experts as the second-best coastline in the world. With 186 miles (299km) of magnificent and varied coastline and over 50 beaches, there’s plenty of space for everyone. Choose between lively Tenby and Saundersfoot or peaceful St David’s and Newport. Perfect for outdoor activities or just relaxing. To find out more about Pembrokeshire: www.visitpembrokeshire.com Carmarthenshire – Carmarthen Bay Carmarthenshire stretches from Carmarthen Bay in the south to the western Beacons and the Cambrian Mountains in the north. Wondrous gardens, awe-inspiring castles and Wales’s longest beach, market towns brimming with local produce and chic shopping.

T. +44 (0)1267 231557 e. marketing@carmarthenshire.gov.uk www.discovercarmarthenshire.com Swansea Bay – Swansea, Mumbles and Gower Discover Dylan Thomas in Wales’s Waterfront City, birthplace of our poetic hero and playwright. Spend some time in the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Gower Peninsula. Unwind on award-winning beaches and explore unspoilt countryside. Bring your board, bike and boots and enjoy watersports, cycling and walking.

T. +44 (0)1792 468321 e. tourism@swansea.gov.uk www.visitswanseabay.com

The Valleys – Heart and Soul of Wales World-class mountain biking and other activities on, over and under landscapes that are never short on drama. Proud communities bursting to tell you their stories about Wales’s largest castle, a World Heritage Site, craft beers and ciders and an intriguing cast of heroes from the mythological past to the contemporary music scene. You haven’t visited Wales until you’ve been to the Valleys – the Heart and Soul of Wales.

T. +44 (0)29 2088 0011 e. contactus@thevalleys.co.uk www.thevalleys.co.uk Cardiff, Capital of Wales The capital of Wales has unique attractions, top-class entertainment, a wide range of accommodation to suit all needs and quality shopping with a difference. Cardiff Castle, the Millennium Stadium, National Museum Cardiff, the Wales Millennium Centre and famous Doctor Who Experience combined with Cardiff Bay offer indoor and outdoor entertainment for everyone all year round.

T. +44 (0)29 2087 3573 e. visitor@cardiff.gov.uk www.visitcardiff.com The Glamorgan Heritage Coast and Countryside The dramatic Heritage Coast and popular resorts of Barry Island and Porthcawl are fringed by lovely Vale and Bridgend countryside and green hills. Discover the special character of an area steeped in history – and it’s close to Cardiff, Wales’s cosmopolitan capital.

T. +44 (0)1446 704867 T. +44 (0)1656 815338 e. tourism@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk e. tourism@bridgend.gov.uk www.visitthevale.com www.bridgendbites.com The Wye Valley and Vale of Usk Fantastic scenery and high-quality food and drink from the Brecon Beacons National Park to the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Explore castles, Roman towns and beautiful gardens; then take in award-winning vineyards, bustling market towns and great local pubs. With the renowned Newport and Abergavenny Food Festivals, celebrated restaurants and artisan producers, discover why we’re the Food Capital of Wales.

T. +44 (0)1291 623772 e. tourism@monmouthshire.gov.uk www.visitmonmouthshire.com Wales Golf The secret’s out! More and more players are discovering and thoroughly enjoying ‘Golf as it should be’ in Wales. www.golfasitshouldbe.com

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

72 Eryri Mynyddoedd a Môr | Snowdonia Mountains and Coast 2015

Rheilffordd Dyffryn Conwy Conwy Valley Line

Llandudno Deganwy

Llandudno Junction

A55

Conwy Llanfairfechan

Penmaenmawr

A55

Llansanffraid Glan Conwy

A55

Dolgarrog

d n Ge irionyd

raf nC

Trefriw

Mae’r trên ar lein Dyffryn Conwy’n mynd â chi o dref hardd Llandudno ar daith 30 milltir o hyd trwy dirwedd amrywiol ddyffrynnoedd Conwy a Lledr lle cewch weld y tir yn newid yn raddol o fwynder y bryniau glas i fynyddoedd creigiog a garw Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri. Bydd y trên yn dringo 790 troedfedd uwchlaw lefel y môr ac yn gwau ei ffordd trwy’r mynyddoedd i gyrraedd tref y llechan las ym Mlaenau Ffestiniog.

North Llanrwst

Llanrwst

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Lly

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ly

ow

na

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Llyn Eigiau

alley Conwy V y | Dyffryn Conw

R Conwy

Tal-y-Cafn

Betws-y-Coed Pont-y-Pant

Dolwyddelan

Blaenau Ffestiniog

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Llyn Conwy

R

Roman Bridge

Co

The Conwy Valley line train takes you from the beautiful town of Llandudno on a 30 mile journey of contrasts along the Conwy and Lledr Valleys with the scenery changing from gentle rolling pastures to the rugged mountains and splendour of the Snowdonia National Park. The train climbs 790 feet above sea level and passes through the mountains to arrive at the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Beth am brofi harddwch Dyffryn Conwy dros eich hunain?

Why not experience the beauty of the Conwy Valley for yourself? www.conwy.gov.uk/cvr · www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/conwyvalley

Travel Information

73

Travel information Access couldn’t be easier. Snowdonia Mountains and Coast is only a few hours away from most of the UK’s main population centres, with excellent road, rail and coach links. Airport delays, red-eyed flight times and those pile-’em-in packages have well and truly taken the shine off international travel.

There are no such worries here – we’re so close you’ll arrive before you know it.

By train Direct train services take you to the popular North Wales coastal destinations from most parts of Britain, with inland connections via the Conwy Valley Line (www.conwy.gov.uk/cvr) which runs through the Snowdonia National Park to Betws-yCoed and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Services from the Midlands through Shrewsbury and Machynlleth link up with the Cambrian Coast Railway. T: 08457 484950, www.thecambrianline.co.uk Train tickets are available from Barmouth Tourist Information Centre. Other useful websites include: www.thetrainline.com www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk www.virgintrains.co.uk www.nationalrail.co.uk www.traveline-cymru.info

By coach National Express services run to Llandudno, Bangor, Caernarfon and Pwllheli from London and Manchester. Express Motors and Lloyd’s Coaches operate the service from Mid Wales to Dolgellau, Porthmadog, Caernarfon and Bangor as part of the TrawsCymru network.

By car There’s quick, straightforward access from the North West along the M56 and A55.

Motorway links with the Midlands are good too, and the same roads – the M6, M5 and M1 – also bring North Wales within easy reach of the South of England. For a scenic option from the Midlands, take the A5 through the heart of Snowdonia.

free routes give good access from the surrounding area and further afield. www.nationalcyclenetwork.org.uk

Snowdonia Mountains and Coast

By sea

Swansea

Irish Ferries and Stena Line operate regular and high-speed services to Holyhead from Dublin and Dun Laoghaire. For southern Snowdonia, ferry services into Fishguard and Pembroke Dock are a handy alternative.

Irish Ferries T. 08717 300400 www.irishferries.com Stena Line T. 08447 707070 www.stenaline.co.uk

By air Transfers from the international gateways of Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham take less than two hours.

Anglesey Airport T. 01407 878056 Caernarfon Airport T. 01286 830800 Manchester Airport T. 08712 710711 www.manchesterairport.co.uk Liverpool John Lennon Airport T. 0871 521 8484 www.liverpoolairport.com Birmingham Airport T. 0871 222 0072 www.bhx.co.uk

The Snowdonia Green Key initiative helps people enjoy the National Park in a sustainable way. Green Key is making it easier to see Snowdonia without a car by promoting the sensible management of car parking, with convenient interchanges with public transport at places like Betws-y-Coed, Llanberis, Nant Peris and Capel Curig. www.snowdoniagreenkey.co.uk The Explore Wales Pass is just what it says – one ticket that gives you unlimited access to all of Wales’s mainline train services and almost every bus service.

T. 0 33 33 211 201 www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/ ExploreWalesPass North Wales Rover tickets allow travel for one day on buses and trains. For details of zones and prices: T. 0870 608 2618

Travel details

Local services The Snowdon Sherpa is the superconvenient bus service for Snowdonia and its attractions. Whether you are walking or sightseeing, take the green option, leave your car behind, sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery. www.gwynedd.gov.uk

For more information go to: www.traveline-cymru.info T. 0871 200 2233 www.gwynedd.gov.uk/publictransport

Set yourself free... take 'the Cambrian'

By bike It’s easy to use pedal power to come to beautiful, bike-friendly Snowdonia Mountains and Coast by following the National Cycle Network. Quiet, traffic-calmed and traffic-

Special offers and more at

Www.thecambrianline.co.uk

Thundering waves along a sheer cliff edge IdylLic harbour villages Bustling market towns golden sandy beaches majestic castles (AND THAT'S JUST THE TRAIN RIDE...)

From birmingham via shrewsbury to a little piece of paradise – every 2 hours The Cambrian Railways Partnership

74 I Conwy Morfa

Tal-y-cafn

Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr Nantmor

Llangwm

Cricieth Llandderfel

Porthmadog Morfa Bychan

Llaniestyn Porth Iago Porth Oer/ Whistling Sands

Park

Snowdonia Eryri

Llyn Myngul

Talyl -

This map splits Snowdonia into six colour-coded areas, corresponding with the way we have divided the list of advertisers: Bangor, Caernarfon, Llanberis and the Villages of Snowdonia 48–51

LLYˆN Peninsula 52–55

Symbols key Car parking facilities ÿ Ground floor bedroom C Liquor/table licence, licensed club/bar Pets accepted by arrangement Œ May be booked through Travel Agent V Weekend/Midweek/Short breaks available t TV in bedroom/unit ¨ En-suite ± Tea/coffee s Telephone in room/unit Ò Credit cards accepted - Cot available

h Highchair available

Cardigan Bay 56–58

Southern Snowdonia 59–60

K Baby sitting/listening service ] Totally non smoking establishment Areas provided for smokers

ú Special diets catered for « Lift Welsh spoken ß Public transport nearby Z Café/restaurant on site Í Foodshop/mobile foodshop on site p Swimming pool on site — Garden j Working farm ß Coach parties welcome WiFi access

Conwy Valley and Hiraethog 61–64

Cricieth, Porthmadog and the Vale of Ffestiniog 65–70

I Accommodation bookable through Tourist Information Centre

‡ Charge for fuel/gas ` Washing machine on site é Electric points for touring caravans Ç Showers s Bed linen available t Bed linen available for hire ” Gas available = Chemical toilet

_

Access improved for mobility impaired people

v Access improved for visually impaired people i Access improved for hearing impaired people

Making the Grade – a Guide to Quality Assurance

Making the Grade – a Guide to Quality Assurance All the accommodation featured in this publication has been independently assessed so you can make your choice in confidence, knowing that each place to stay has been given a rating according to the quality and facilities on offer. These ratings mean that you can be sure of standards and choose the accommodation that’s just right for you.

Visit Wales/AA are the only checking agents in Wales, checking out over 5000 places.

What do our star ratings mean?

Visit Wales STARS are evidence of quality.

They range from one to five stars and are a reliable indication of the services and facilities you can expect in accommodation that includes hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfast, farm accommodation, hostel/hosteltype accommodation, self-catering cottages and apartments, caravan holiday home and touring/camping parks.

Alternative accommodation such as yurts, tipis and tree houses are also checked to ensure that they meet minimum standards.

Cleanliness is the most crucial element of any assessment and minimum standards, particularly at the higher star ratings, reflect consumer expectations.

All accommodation grades are based on a set of common quality standards agreed by Visit Wales, Visit England, Visit Scotland, Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the AA.

Does a lower star rating equal less quality?

Many lower star-rated accommodations may still offer high quality but do not meet all of the facility and service expectations for the

Serviced accommodation Establishment name (Colour header panel indicates the type of accommodation) Serviced The number of rooms and how many are en-suite Self-catering How many people the property can sleep Caravan and camping parks How many caravans on site and for hire and how many pitches available for touring caravans and tents

★★★★★ Guest House

Number of bedrooms and en-suite, months open, prices and short breaks information Facilities symbols. A full explanation of these symbols is on page 74

The advice is always to check with an establishment before booking to confirm that the accommodation offers the services and facilities that meet your needs – they will only be too pleased to help.

Also look out for that extra-special property that has been awarded Visit Wales’s Gold Award, given for exceptional standards of hospitality, comfort and food in serviced accommodation.

Occasionally, it has not been possible to visit the accommodation prior to publication. In these instances, the property is marked as ‘Awaiting Grading’.

Some accommodation operators have chosen not to be star rated, but they have been checked out to ensure that they provide an acceptable level of services and facilities appropriate to their type of business.

They are identified as either ‘Verified’ or ‘Listed’.

A warm Welsh welcome Watch out for this sign as these places have achieved a Croeso Award in recognition of their exceptional warm Welsh welcome.

Visitor attractions Quality assured

Look out for the Visit Wales Quality marque. This is only awarded to attractions

Self-catering accommodation 4F Penmachno, Betws-y-Coed LL24 0PU T: 01690 760410 F: 01690 760410 stay@penmachnohall.co.uk www.penmachnohall.co.uk Lauraine and Simon Awdry AA Award 2010/11: 5-star Highly Commended guest accommodation, with separate luxury 2-bedroomed self-catering cottage. Originally a Victorian rectory, Penmachno Hall offers panoramic views, en-suites with roll-top baths, award-winning food, fine wines and winter open fires. The interiordesigned coach house has jacuzzi bath, power shower, free-sat and internet. Virtual tours at www.penmachnohall.co.uk

r3; A3; Open 1–12; B&B pp £40–£47.50 (based on 2 night stay) 2 nights; Evening meals: Welsh suppers, Tue–Fri, £15–£17.50 pp; 5-course dinners Sat only: £35–£37.50; Self-Catering: Sleeps 2–4; Weekly: per unit £350–£650; Short Break: 3 nights per unit: £262.50–£337.50

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that have been independently assessed against the national standards of the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme to ensure that all areas important to your visit are of the best standard.

higher star ratings. Is it particularly important not to compare Guest Accommodation ratings against Hotel ratings as different criteria are used when assessing.

Penmachno Hall

ß* I y I s

75

Accommodating visitors with disabilities All Visit Wales graded properties have an Access Statement. This statement tells visitors in a clear, accurate and honest way how the property can meet their particular needs.

Three symbols have been introduced to help visitors with physical impairments find the Access Statements of most relevance to them.

Accommodation providers have selected the one symbol which best describes the improvements that they have made to their properties. So look out for these symbols:

_ Access improved for mobility impaired people v Access improved for visually impaired people i Access improved for hearing impaired people The advice is always to check with an establishment before booking to confirm that the accommodation offers the services and facilities that meet your needs.

Please note All gradings and awards were correct at the time of going to press. Grading assessments are on-going and improvements made by establishments may have resulted in a revision since publication. Please check when booking.

Further information on gradings and awards is available from Visit Wales, Welsh Assembly Government, Rhodfa Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3UR T. 0845 010 8020 e. quality.tourism@wales.gsi.gov.uk www.wales.gov.uk/tourism Any problems?

In the unfortunate event that you do encounter problems with your chosen accommodation, please refer to www.wales.gov.uk/tourism for further guidance.

Caravan and camping Map reference Establishment address

This descriptive text is supplied by the owners of the property and may include facilities on offer both at the accommodation and the surrounding area Visit Wales grading

Symbols that appear here are for awards gained by the accommodation or extra facilities on offer

The prices given here depend on the type of accommodation and will give an indication of the minimum and maximum prices you will be expected to pay – these should always be checked with the owners at time of booking Serviced accommodation: All prices are per person, based on 2 people sharing a double or twin room Daily rate with B&B Short break – B&B 2 nights with B&B DB&B – 2 Nights with Dinner, B&B Per week B&B – 7 nights with B&B DB&B 7 nights with Dinner, B&B Self-catering accommodation: Per week – 7 nights, per unit (not per person) Short break – 3 nights, per unit (not per person) Caravan and camping park accommodation: Daily rate, per unit or pitch Per week – 7 nights, per unit or pitch Short breaks – will be indicated in the adverts descriptive text

www.ymweldageryri.info | www.visitsnowdonia.info

Tourist Information Centres Canolfannau Croeso

Make the most of your stay by using our Tourist Information Centre network and free Wi-Fi at some locations. Staff will be delighted to assist you with: • booking accommodation in advance or whilst here • providing details of places to visit, things to see and do • places to eat • routes and itinerary planning • purchasing train tickets (at Barmouth TIC only) • National Express tickets • information and tickets for local and national events, activities and boat trips Maps, guides, books and local produce are also for sale at the TICs. Barmouth/Abermaw Station Road, Barmouth LL42 1LU T. 01341 280787 • Free Wi-Fi barmouth.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk Caernarfon Oriel Pendeitsh, Castle Street, Caernarfon LL55 1SE T. 01286 672232 • Free Wi-Fi caernarfon.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk

Llanberis* Electric Mountain, Llanberis LL55 4UR T. 01286 870765 • Free Wi-Fi llanberis.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk Llandudno Library Building, Mostyn Street, Llandudno LL30 2RP T. 01492 577577 llandudnotic@conwy.gov.uk Porthmadog High Street, Porthmadog LL49 9LP T. 01766 512981 • Free Wi-Fi porthmadog.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk Pwllheli* Neuadd Dwyfor, Penlan Street, Pwllheli LL53 5DE T. 01758 613000 pwllheli.tic@gwynedd.gov.uk

Snowdonia National Park Aberdyfi** T. 01654 767321 Beddgelert T. 01766 890615 Betws-y-Coed T. 01690 710426 Dolgellau T. 01341 422888 * open seasonally (April–September)

Conwy Muriau Buildings, Rose Hill Street, Conwy LL32 8LD T. 01492 577566 conwytic@conwy.gov.uk

www.visitsnowdonia.info tourism@gwynedd.gov.uk T. 01341 281485 (24 hour messaging service)

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