Inspiration
Secret Mountains Series. Cnicht
Take on Cnicht – aka the Welsh Matterhorn – for breathtaking mountain scenery and one of Snowdonia’s best 360-degree summit panoramas
Fish Oil – How Much Does Your Body Really Need?
How much fish oil does your body need to supply sufficient amounts of Omega-3 essential fatty acids? The answer is that it depends on each individual, but most of us do not eat enough omega-3 rich food to supply enough.
Top 5 Garden Centres In North Wales
People love our garden centres in North Wales. A wide variety of plants, gift shops full of local crafts and award-winning restaurants offring home cooked food. Here are the Top 5 Garden Centres in North Wales.
Motor Race Tracks in North Wales
This might not be what you would expect from North Wales, but from international circuit days to fun afternoons with the kids, there are race tracks in and around the area that offer a great alternative day out. To give you more of an insight as to what is on offer, here are the motor race tracks in North Wales that you might be interested in visiting.
Seafood Foraging in Snowdonia | Year Of The Sea
I had the absolute pleasure of spending an afternoon with our local wildlife expert Brian MacDonald. He is a bit of local legend in these parts showing us the wonders of the wildlife we have on our doorstep. He has now shared his knowledge in his recently published book; Wildlife Diary. To carry on celebrating Welsh waters, here is a low down on seafood foraging in Snowdonia | Year of the sea…
Watersports Snowdonia Style
With its miles of stunning coastline, beautiful lakes and rivers, there is plenty of opportunity in North Wales to take part in some of the best water sports the UK has to offer. As Wales is celebrating its incredible waters this year with The Year Of The Sea, we thought we would introduce you as to what is available when it comes to Watersports Snowdonia Style…
Top 10 Things To Do This Easter In North Wales
Easter weekend is upon us and to help you make the most of what is on offer in the area, here is a list of the top 10 things to do this Easter in North Wales:
TOP 5 RIVERS TO EXPLORE IN NORTH WALES
Here in North Wales our mountains and lakes are known throughout the world but it is the rivers that might be new to many. To give you an idea of what’s on offer, here are the Top 5 Rivers To Explore In North Wales… AFON GLASLYN The Glaslyn river flows through the village of Beddgelert, one of the most beautiful villages in Snowdonia. The walk along the river is truly stunning, taking you past Gelerts Grave and into the village itself where you will find traditional craft shops, cafes and of course the famous Glaslyn Ices where they offer some of the best ice-cream in Snowdonia. A mile south of Beddgelert in Nantmor is the Aberglaslyn Pass, a narrow gorge in the river known for its outstanding beauty. AFON TYWERWYN The National Whitewater Centre is based on the River Tywerwyn. As the rapids are damn controlled, you can be ensured of having consistent water…
10 THINGS TO DO THIS HALF TERM IN NORTH WALES
If you are coming to Snowdonia for February half term, we have lots of great things on offer for all age groups. To give you a bit of inspiration, here are 10 things to do this half term: GO BELOW Go below is the ultimate underground experience. It’s a journey through the Snowdonia mountains where you zip line through caverns, climb vertical shafts, boat across an underground lake, traverse over an abyss, scale a waterfall and abseil down to the deepest point in the UK. ZIP WORLD Fforest Coaster (an alpine coaster that runs through the forest at exhilarating speeds) opened last year to a great response at the Zip World Betws-Y-Coed location. A total of 5 activities are located here including Zip Safari (a series of 23 zip lines through the trees), Plummet (jump from a 100ft tower), Skyride (Europe’s highest 5 seater swing), Treetop Nets (nets suspended in trees 60ft above the…
Christmas Gin Cocktail Recipes Snowdonia Style
So gin is the drink of choice for 2018 and nothing pleases us more than to spread the word that Snowdonia is indeed home to three distilleries producing Welsh artisan gins that travel the world. If, like everyone else this year you’re stocking up the drinks cupboard with gin, then you might want some Christmas gin cocktail recipes Snowdonia style… to help you get into the swing of things, the creators of these local gins have each given us a cocktail recipe to spice things up this Christmas! FORAGERS GIN | SNOWDONIA DISTILLERY Using the finest ingredients and artisan craft distilling methods, the Snowdonia Distillery produce a limited amount of exceptional quality spirits. There are three gins in the portfolio; the Yellow Label, Black Label and a Mountain Strength Black Label which is for the more discerning gin drinker… THE CRANBERRY COLLINS A twist on the iconic Tom Collins and perfect to have as a…
CHRISTMAS MARKETS 2017 | NORTH WALES
There is nothing like a good Christmas market to get you into the swing of things for the festive season. Showcasing local arts and crafts they are always great places to pick up some out of the ordinary Christmas presents whilst sipping one or two mulled wines and eating mince pies! Here are the Christmas Markets 2017 not to be missed… LLANDUDNO CHRISTMAS FAYRE 16 – 19 NOVEMBER 2017 Heralded as the ‘Queen of Welsh resorts’ Llandudno is the biggest Christmas market with over 165 stalls lining the town centre. It’s a Dickensian themed market which adds to the charm of the event and this year the World Bara Brith Championships will be held here! PORTMIERION FOOD AND CRAFT FAIR 1 – 3 DECEMBER 2017 My personal favourite, set in the stunning Italianate village. Portmeirion hosts a range of exhibitors specialising in local produce, music and cooking demonstrations that will inspire your Christmas feast.…
TOP 5 | THINGS TO DO ON A RAINY DAY IN SNOWDONIA
Never let the rain stop you in Snowdonia. It’s part of the furniture and there are lots of things to do even when it pours down. So if the rain decides to visit when you are staying, here are the top 5 | things to do on a rainy day in Snowdonia. 1 – WATER SPORTS It’s wet anyway so take advantage of all the watersports we have on offer. From canyoning, gorge walking, white water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and Sup’ing, it’s all available on the many stunning lakes in the area. Snowdonia Adventure Activities, Adrenalin Addicts and Bala Watersports are some of the providers. Surf Snowdonia should also be on your to-do list in the rain. 2 – STEAM TRAINS The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highlands is a steam train that runs from Caernarfon to Blaenau Ffestiniog over the Snowdonia mountains and around the lakes. Expect stunning scenery in what is a spectacular trip. There…
Things to pack for a winter break in Snowdonia
According to Arthur Wainwright, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”. As one of the most well-respected fell walkers in the UK and taking his advice on board, here is our list of Things to Pack For a Winter Break In Snowdonia… 1 | WALKING BOOTS AND WATERPROOFS Let’s get the boring and obvious ones out of the way first. A winter break in Snowdonia will involve some rain, that is pretty much guaranteed! So make sure you have suitable waterproofs and shoes so that you are never caught short and ready to enjoy whatever the weather throws at you. 2 | LAYERS Great for when you are walking up mountains or just mooching around. There is a lot of moving from the cold outside to the warm inside and so having a number of layers that you can put on and take off will be much more comfortable than having…
BARMOUTH WALKING FESTIVAL 2017
It’s that time of year again and we are on count down to the Barmouth Walking Festival 2017. This year, it runs for 10 days from Saturday 16th – 25th September. With nearly 40 walks to choose from, the festival is set on the coastal town of Barmouth in Snowdonia. Perfectly placed to experience the Mawddach Estuary, Rhinog Mountains and the Cadr Idris range, the festival was set up to help those wanting to explore the area in the company of experienced guides. Walks are graded depending on their difficulty, varying between A++ for experienced walkers, A-Hard, B-Moderate and C easier, ensuring there is something for everyone. This year sees the introduction of eleven new walks, including two ‘super walks’ which involve a 21 miles trip along both sides of the mawddach estuary and an 18 mile trip round mawddach. You pay per walk; 1 walk costs £8.50, but if you want to make a week…
TOP 10 THINGS A CHILD SHOULD DO IN SNOWDONIA
The National Trust launched a hugely popular campaign a few years ago listing the top 50 things a child should do before they were 11 and 3/4. It took them away from their screens and encouraged parents to get their children to embrace the great outdoors. Everything on that list can be done in Snowdonia and if you’re here for a couple of weeks, it would be a great thing to do. However, if you just want tick a few things off, here are the top 10 things a child should do in Snowdonia… CLIMB A HUGE HILL You could do a mountain, but if you are looking for a more gentle ascent, the Roman Steps up by Cwm Buchan or Molfre in Dyffryn Ardudwy could be a good choice. GO ON A REALLY LONG BIKE RIDE The Mawddach trail is perfect. A 7 mile flat stretch running from Barmouth to Dolgeallau with a pub at…
EXPLORING THE SLATE INDUSTRY IN NORTH WALES
Stretching back as far as the Roman times, slate mining has been a core part of the region for so many years. Its hey day saw a workforce of 17000 working the quarries and mines and the biggest mine in the world was located here in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Along with great anecdotes of The National Gallery in London re-locating all of its 2000 works of art to the mines during WW11 for protection, the history of these places is fascintaing. If exploring the slate industry in North Wales is something of interest, then you’ll want to visit these places: THE NATIONAL SLATE MUSEUM | LLANBERIS The most notible place to visit when it comes to the slate industry. Set in the original quarry workshops, the museum re-creates the slate industry showing how the community lived and worked; ‘…it is as though the quarrymen and engineers put down their tools and left the courtyard for home just…
WALKING THE WALES COAST PATH
The Wales Coast Path is 870 miles in length, running from Chepstow in South Wales to Queensferry in the North. It is split into 8 geographical sections that run along the entire coastline, passing through areas of national importance and outstanding natural beauty. If you are not up for doing the whole 870 miles, there are some beautiful sections on the Llyn Peninsula and down towards Barmouth and Fairborne, taking you through small fishing villages, along estuaries and miles of sandy beaches… NEFYN TO PORTH DINLLAEN4.5km / 2.75 miles From the rocky promontory of Porth Dinllaen you can admire views to the east and west along the Llŷn Peninsula’s northern coast. You have a good chance of seeing seals close to shore. PORTH OER (WHISTLING SANDS) TO ABERDARON15km / 9.25miles As you walk toward Aberdaron you will see Bardsey Island, once a destination for pilgrims. According to legend three visits to Bardsey was equivalent to one…
WOOD BURNING HOT TUB AT MELIN BYRDIR
Our guests love the joys of a hot tub when on holiday in beautiful Snowdonia. Gwion and Louise have just installed a wood burning hot tub at Melin Byrdir and we love it!
TOP 5 CASTLES TO VISIT IN NORTH WALES
There are over 600 castles in Wales and we are said to have more castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Up in the North, we have some really special ones. Here are the top 5 castles to visit in North Wales: CAERNARFON CASTLE | CAERNARFON Built in the 1280 by Edward I, Caernarfon is the largest castle in the area and does not disappoint. Having included all the mod cons for its day like toilets, running water and glass in the windows, this vast building is spectatuclar. CONWY CASTLE | CONWY Conwy Castle entrance is truly impressive with two fortified gateways and made up of eight enormous towers. The great hall, private chambers and kitchen can still be seen on visiting which gives you a real sense of what it would have been like back in the day. HARLECH CASTLE | HARLECH Harlech castle is built on what is…
Top 5 | Things To Do With Children Of All Ages In Snowdonia
One of the challenges of planning a trip with children that range in age is finding things that keep everyone happy and interested. With this in mind, here are my Top 5 | Things To Do With Children Of All Ages In Snowdonia: WALKING Climbing Snowdon or Cadr Idris are my personal favorites, the sense of achievement is second to none and the views are incredible. If you have much smaller ones in tow, the walks around Swallow Falls and upto Fairy Glen in Betws-Y-Coed are fantastic. ADVENTURE The Fforest Coaster is the most recent attraction under the Zip World umbrella that has recently opened to great response. Zip World has lots on offer, covering all ages; they really do provide something unique. ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN From an educational point of view, Electric Mountain is one of a kind. It is a hydroelectric power plant built inside a mountain; the tours of its history and how it…
