Inspiration
THE YEAR OF LEGEND 2017
Vist Wales have chosen 2017 to be the Year of Legend. Wales is steeped in legends, both past and present and none show this more than the tales on the Mabinogion… The tales of the Mabinogion are over 1000 years old, they are the first reference to King Arthur and the earliest recorded British prose. It wasn’t until the 14th century that they were penned to paper; the origins being based upon story telling. They not only told tales of love, betrayal, mythology, politics and magical fantasies, but they promoted friendship and a code of moral conduct passed down from generation to generation. The 11 original tales have been compiled into 4 sections known as branches named: Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan and Math. Whilst the stories are bizzare, psychedelic and complicated, the key parts for each branch go something like this… PWYLL, PRINCE OF DYFED Pwyll, whilst sitting on a mound which he has been told…
10 REASONS YOU SHOULD HOLIDAY IN SNOWDONIA | NORTH WALES
If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing Snowdonia, then you are missing out as it’s a little bit of heaven on Earth. For those of you who haven’t been and as a little reminder for those who have, here are our 10 reasons you should holiday in Snowdonia, North Wales in 2017… 1 | LONELY PLANET GUIDE It was listed in the Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Best In Travel for 2017. North Wales is the only place in the UK included in Best in Travel 2017, and according to Lonely Planet ‘earned its place as a must-see destination for 2017 thanks to the region’s reinvention‘ 2 | LAKES For swimming in, walking around or having a picnic by, the lakes in Snowdonia are simply stunning with back drops of mountains and beautiful views. Nothing beats a bit of wild swimming or waterfall jumping which is all on the doorstep. 3 | BEACHES…
CREATING HAPPINESS SNOWDONIA STYLE
Uncharacteristically, I have moved away from a goal setting, focus driven, ‘deprivation’ in some capacity approach to the New Year and looked at what makes us happy. They say that all those things you ‘strive’ to achieve tend to fall into place when you are happier and so rather than beat myself up for missing a training day or failing at juicing on a freezing cold January day (these things do not make me happy), I looked at the alternatives at creating happiness Snowdonia Style… SLEEP: Most of us are sleep deprived. 2-3 nights of good sleep can totally transform you, so imagine what a regular routine of good sleep will do. One thing you’ll notice as soon as you land in Snowdonia is the quietness and, less obviously, the darkness at night…. not many street lights in the fields! Throw in fresh air and homemade food readily availible in the area and you can…
NADOLIG LLAWEN A BLWYDDYN NEWYDD DDA | MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
We can’t believe the end of 2016 is drawing to a close. We have had another fantastic year here at Dioni and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone we work with…. our wonderful guests that come to the area, the cottage owners who provide us with such fabulous cottages and the local businesses that make Snowdonia what it is. Thank you. If you are with us over the Chritmas week, we hope Snowdonia gives you a magical Christmas (We’ve heard it’s going to be a white one this year – fingers crossed!) and if not, we hope wherever you are in the world, have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and we hope to see you during 2017. Best Wishes, Gwion, Louise and the ‘Dioni Girls’ (Sarah, Clare, Linda and Emma)
WINTER LAKE WALKS IN SNOWDONIA
The lakes in Snowdonia are an incredibly beautiful part of the area’s landscape and at this time of year, they come into their own. Walking around the lakes all wrapped up with the crisp cold air and if you’re lucky, the sun shining is incredible. Here are our best winter lake walks… LLYN TEGID | BALA To make your way around Llyn Tegid will take in the region of 8 hours. However, there are lots of different routes ranging from 1-8 hours; some part walking, part steam train or certain sections that are known for their beauty. For a breakdown of the walks, this is a great information source: Bala Lake Walking Trails. LLYN PADARN | LLANBERIS A couple of hours allows for a great walk which will include a bit of forest, a bit of industrial archeology an old quarry hospital, not to mention the incredible views of the lake and the…
HOT CHRISTMAS DRINKS SNOWDONIA STYLE
You know the festive season has begun when the mulled wine starts putting in an appearance! If you like your winter warmer drinks, there are some great alternatives you might want to try using Snowdonia’s great drinks brands. If you want some inspiration for the forthcoming party season, here are my favourite hot Christmas drinks Snowdoina Style (a mulled wine included of course!)… HOT SPICED RUM CIDER PANT DU CIDER INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons mulling spices 250ml Pant Du apple cider 750ml water 180ml dark rum 4 cinnamon sticks Serves 4 METHOD: Put the mulling spices in a spice ball. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the apple cider and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the spice ball and gently simmer for 20 minutes. Pour 45 ml rum into each of 4 warmed mugs. Top each with 250 ml spiced cider and add a cinnamon stick.…
SHOP LOCAL CHRISTMAS 2016 | SNOWDONIA
A recent study showed that if every adult living in the Snowdonia area spent £5 a week in a local shop as opposed to the big chain stores, the local economy would benefit by approx £26 million every year. What better way to support the community than to buy local this Christmas. To give you some inspiration as to what’s on offer, here’s our guide to SHOP LOCAL CHRISTMAS 2016 | SNOWDONIA… HAMPERS There are so many lovely local food and drinks brands and they make for really great presents, especially those who are difficult to buy for. BODNANT WELSH FOOD | CONWY – have a good selection of wine, cheese and condiment hampers using all locally sourced produce. RHUG ESTATE | CORWEN – offer incredible meat hampers; everything you could want for Christmas. KERFOOTS | PORTHMADOG – they have a good selection of ready made hampers or you can create your own if you…
Christmas Markets In North Wales | 2016
It’s hard to believe that we are only 6 weekends away from Christmas making it time to start putting things in the diary. In my experience, there is nothing better than a Christmas Market to get you into the spirit of things – with all that great food, mulled wine, local crafts and music, you cannot fail to get into the festive swing. Here are my Top Christmas Markets in North Wales | 2016: LLANDUDNO CHRISTMAS FAYRE 17TH – 20TH NOVEMBER With 165 stalls, this is one of the bigger markets . A Dickensian theme runs throughout the 4-day event held in this quintessential Victorian seaside town. Lots of local crafts, food and drink. ABERSOCH CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL 25th – 26th NOVEMBER This fair takes place throughout the village of Abersoch and has become quite a big event in the calendar. A very family orientated weekend makes this a really great event. PORTMEIRION FOOD…
ART GALLERIES IN NORTH WALES
There are some great art galleries in the area and so if art is your ‘thing’, you won’t be disappointed, but likewise, as the winter months settle in, you might just want some inspiration to do something that doesn’t involve the great outdoors. Here are our favorite art galleries in North Wales… PLAS GYLN Y WEDDW | LLANBEDROG This impressive grade II Gothic Victorian Mansion is the perfect place to view some of Wales’ best art. The gallery was originally established in 1896 to showcase the art collection of the Jones-Parry family of the Mandryn estate. There are now over 80 artists exhibited at the gallery. MOSTYN | LLANDUDNO Wales’ leading gallery of contemporary art. The turn of the century galleries at MOSTYN are integrated alongside recently expanded new spaces, in a stunning design by architect Dominic Williams. Six galleries showcase the best of contemporary art, displaying a wide range of…
Top 10 | Things To Do This Half Term In Snowdonia
With the choice of things to do in the area, sometimes is hard to know what to do. To help you make the most of your half term, here are our Top 10 | Things To Do This Half Term In Snowdonia: 1. VISIT A SPOOKY CASTLE As Halloween falls over this half term, you can rest assured that the Castles will be putting on lots of spooky entertainment. For a guide as to what’s happening at those closest; Harlech, Criccieth, Caernarfon, and Conwy, check out the CADW website for more details. 2. COED Y BRENIN If you want to get te kids out in the fresh air, COED Y BRENIN is perfect. Mountain biking trails catering for all ages and abilities makes this, in my opinion, one of the best activities the area has to offer. If you don’t have your bikes with you, you can hire on site. There is a…
Top 5 | Holiday Cottages for Half Term
Half term is nearly upon us and if you haven’t made plans yet, you just might want to consider coming to Snowdonia. There is so much to do here from adventure activities like canyoning, gorge walking, surfing, zip lines and climbing to visiting the castles, panning for gold, and learning about King Arthur and Merlin. Last but not least, our beautiful beaches, lakes, and mountains offer days out that will provide you with memories for life. To tempt you a little more, here are our Top 5 | Holiday Cottages for Half Term… NANT SLEEPS 3 | FARM STAY | WIFI | NEAR BEACH | NEAR PUB | REAL FIRE Nant, which means brook or spring in welsh and refers to the small brook that runs past this cottage, is a two bedroom self-catering barn conversion in Dyffryn Ardudwy. Perfect if you are a small group and ideally located to make of the most of…
Historic Houses of Snowdonia
Snowdonia is home to some beautiful houses. Ambling around, taking in the incredible interiors, stunning gardens and histories are always a great way to while away an afternoon and the tales of romance, bribery and smuggling of contraband are just an added bonus! If you are looking for something different to do while you are here or the weather is getting in the way of your outdoor activities, why not take a day out and visit some of these beautiful homes. Here are four of our favourite historic houses of Snowdonia… PENRYN CASTLE | BANGOR Home to Dawkins – Pennant’s, this mock castle in Norman style is so impressive with its abundance of intricate plaster and stone carving; especially the stone staircase which is breathtaking. Queen Victoria is one of the more notable guests and the slate bed which was commissioned for her stay in 1859 is still in situ. A walled garden, extensive formal…
Barmouth Walking Festival 2016
From 17th – 26th September, The Barmouth Walking Festival 2016 is back in town. Always very popular with nearly 40 walks to choose from and a good selection of evening entertainment, this year looks set to be as good as ever… Set on the coast of Snowdonia, Barmouth is 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 and knowledgable 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. There are varying options available; 1 walk costs £8.50, but if you want to fully immerse yourself into the week, there are various packages available. A number of evening events put on are a great way to meet other walkers and locals who are always keen to tell…
Top 10 Landscape Photography Locations in Eryri (Snowdonia)
If you want to get to grips with landscape photography, there is no better place than Eryri (Snowdonia). Top 10 Landscape Photography Locations In Eryri…
Snowdonia Giving... Giving Back To Snowdonia
With over 6 million visitors to Snowdonia National Park every year, it naturally takes its toll on the Snowdonia landscape, especially the foot paths, rivers and mountains. 350,000 people climb Snowdon every year alone. Snowdonia Giving is a new scheme set up to work with the local communities, organisations, businesses and individuals to protect the Snowdonia National Park both now and in the future – it is a way to easily donate a small amount of money to help save Snowdonia; every penny counts and used towards the following: Practical conservation which involves the clearing of litter, maintaining foot paths and improving habitats for wildlife. Campaigning to protect the cultural heritage and inappropriate development. Support for the young people of the area, promoting traditional skills. Here at Dioni, we are very supportive of Snowdonia Giving and have set up a facility for you to voluntarily donate £1 to Snowdonia Giving when you book a holiday cottage…
What To Do with a Moody Teenager This Summer In Snowdonia
Anyone with teenage children will know the gruelling performance one has to go through when entertaining a ‘teenager’ on holiday. Even though the days of your child enjoying or even wanting to do what you planned are a far distant memory, all is not lost… I am not suggesting the daily fight of getting them up and out will go, but from personal experience, this list of what to do with a moody teenager this summer in Snowdonia has been a life saver… CLIMB A MOUNTAIN This will be met with untold amount of complaining. However, just choose one of the bigger peaks so it’s a challenge and something they will remember with pride. After the first mile of moaning, they soon get into it and when you reach the more challenging aspects of the summits, they will come into their own. ZIPLINING Zip World have the fastest zip line in the world and…
What Happens To The Wool When The Sheep Are Sheared?!
I went to see a friend at the weekend and whilst having a cup of tea was entertained by the sheep being sheared in the ‘back garden’. It it did make me chuckle seeing a ‘mobile hairdressers’ set up in the field for the sheep and made me think about “what happens to the wool when the sheep are sheared?”… STAGE 1 | SHEARING Sheep shearing is an important and social time in the farming calendar. Here in Snowdonia, the farms still join forces to help one another to shear the flocks. When it comes to the art of shearing, it is preferable to get the fleece off all off in one piece. It makes for a much easier job when sorting at the mills as different parts of the fleece are used for different products e.g. clothing, carpets, blankets etc. STAGE 2 | SCOURING Scouring is the the technical term for…
Wine and Beer Tours Snowdonia Style
There are a number of really good home grown beers, wines and spirits here in Snowdonia. Many of the breweries, vineyards and distilleries do tour and tasting sessions. The tours are a great way to sample and enjoy these local drinks aswell as getting to see where and how they are made. So why not try the wine and beer tours Snowdonia Style….. BRAGDY BREWERY CONWY Launched 13 years ago, they are the first ever brewery in Conwy. Specialising in cask & bottle conditioned ales, they have a wide variety of beer including seasonal varieties like Beachcomber Blonde and Hoppy Christmas along with a new range which has take inspiration from the USA. You can be a brewer for the day by shadowing one of the team and see how its done or you can design your own beer; great for a group of people up to 8 – you get 6 cases of your…
Snowdonia Style Adventure | Sailing
Sailing in the North Wales doesn’t get as much of the lime light as other adventure activities, but with all of our beautiful coastline and the abundance of lakes it’s a pretty good place to learn and a great activity for the whole family to get involved in. Here are our top 5 places you can learn to sail. PLAS MENAI | CAERNARFON Located in-between Bangor and Caernarfon, Plas Menai is the National Outdoor Centre for Wales. They offer both beginner and intermediate sailing courses on the sheltered coastal waters of the Menai Strait. Under the guidance of their highly qualified instructors, all the courses are run to the guidelines of the RYA. BALA SAILING CLUB | BALA Situated at the Bala sailing club on Llyn Tegid and surrounded by the Snowdonia mountains, this is a stunning place to learn to sail. They offer both level 1 and 2 RYA courses which take place…
North Wales Mini Festivals
Though out the summer, North Wales plays host to a number of big music festivals. There are however, some smaller, lesser known ones that are just as much fun and definitely worth a visit. Here are some North Wales Mini Festivals that you might not have heard about taking place over the summer: ROCK ARDUDWY: 10 – 11th June This is the second year that Rock Ardudwy is happening and this time is taking place over 2 days. Starting on the Friday, the entertainment takes place in Harlech Castle itself with a folk inspired evening along with a couple of key local talents. Saturday sees the event move to downtown Harlech by the leisure centre and from 2pm-12pm, there will be local bands, food and drink stalls as well as entertainment for the children. CRICCIETH FESTIVAL: 18 – 25th June This week long festival is set throughout the beautiful seaside town of Criccieth; home…
