Inspiration
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…
Top 5 Snowdonia Seafood Dining Experiences
Being so close to the coast, we do seafood very well in Snowdonia and I’m not talking fish and chips. I’m talking about hidden gems of restaurants that offer incredible seafood in fantastic locations… here are our top 5 Snowdonia seafood dining experiences: TWNTI SEAFOOD, PWLLHELI Based in-between Pwllheli and Abersoch, this converted barn, off the beaten track really does have a reputation for excellent seafood. It has been running for over 26 years and is a real favourite with those who know of it. DYLANS, CRICCIETH Following on from its success in Menai Bridge, Dylans opened up their second location in the Maes-Y Mor on the beach fronton Criccieth. A fabulous environment with an extensive fish menu alongside pizza, burgers and pasta. They have a separate bar there too if you just fancy a drink overlooking the sea. MARRAM GRASS, ANGLESEY Having received great reviews in the national press and Julia Bradbury…
Snowdonia Style Adventure | Canyoning
As its not a run of the mill activity, the sport of canyoning is a mystery to some. For those not in the know, it is when you work your way down natural gorges / canyons (areas of water erosion between 2 mountains) using walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling (rappelling) and swimming. The Snowdonia landscape is perfect for this sport due to the number of canyons that have been created over the years. Don’t worry, you won’t be tackling anything in the relms of The Grand Canyon, but you will be challenged, have a lot of fun and introduced to some of the most beautiful areas of Snowdonia that can’t be accessed just by foot. So what to expect? Once you are suited and booted it’s really a case of finding an entry point and making your way down the river using a combination of the skills mentioned above. There will be jumps ranging from 5ft…
Best Beach Bar in the World | Ty - Coch Inn
Some of the best places to visit are those off the beaten track and The Ty-Coch Inn in the tiny fishing village of Porthdinllaen on the Llyn Peninsula is no exception. To get there you either have to arrive by water on boat or jet ski or walk for 20 minutes down from the golf course or across from Nefyn beach….is it the best beach bar in the world? When you get to Porthdinllaen you know you are somewhere special; the village is set in a hidden cove on the beach and the Ty Coch Inn is at the heart of it all. The pub is uber relaxed and you almost feel overdressed by even wearing shoes. It’s a popular place during the summer and they cater for that; lots of outside table space and pergolas and of course the famous wall on which you can sit and enjoy the view. The food is good pub…
Top 5 Unique Snowdonia Shopping Experiences
Mooching around the shops of small towns and villages is very much part of a holiday. For one, you have the time to enjoy a bit of leisurely retail therapy and secondly, it is a rare chance to see a high street of independent shops. In Snowdonia of course, we like to do things a little differently and that goes for our shopping experiences too; some are off the beaten track, some are treasure troves you didn’t know existed and some are, well in the cattle market….. here are our top 5 unique Snowdonia shopping experiences…. CAE DU DESIGNS | HARLECH This is one of the best treasure troves you will ever find and once you’ve been introduced, you will be back time and time again. People come here year on year to stock up on material for home furnishings. There is a lovely cafe next door to deposit your ‘other half’ giving you plenty…
Swimming Snowdonia | Wild Swimming At Its Best
There has been a lot of coverage about wild swimming in the Snowdonia mountains of late, and the film Blue Hue produced by Natasha Brooks has certainly helped. The film was winner of the Women in Mountain Adventure film competition 2015, the Spirit Of Adventure film award 2015 and gained international recognition when selected for the Banff Mountain Film Festival tour 2016. We are very lucky here with so many beautiful swimming spots to choose from. Accomplishing a wild swim is invigorating, satisfying as well as peaceful and calming; I have never met a person yet who wishes they hadn’t done one! If entering into the realms of wild swimming peaks your interest, here are 5 top spots that will certainly give you a taster of wild swimming at its best: WATKINS PATH WATERFALL An extended series of pools and falls starting close to the Snowdon Watkins path. It’s used a lot by walkers coming…
Niki Pilkington | An Artists Profile
Niki Pilkington is an Welsh born illustrator currently living in New York. Her work is described as highly charged, trend inspired fashion portraits which has gained her a client list which includes TOPSHOP, Ted Baker, Sir Paul McCartney & MTV. Using her mother tongue, Welsh in her work, she is well known for combining her love of phrases, idioms and beautiful quotes into her pieces – it’s great to see the welsh language incorporated into a high fashion, modern environment – and even more so on an international stage. Her original works tend to be found on the walls of private collectors homes, but the good new is that prints are also sold through galleries and on line including the gallery at Plas Glyn y Weddw . Being a local girl to the area from Morfa Nefyn, we asked her where was her favourite place to visit and favorite place to eat in Snowdonia. Beddgelert was…
Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen - The Welsh Valentines Day
Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen (pronounced Doo-In-Wen) is the Welsh Valentines day and celebrated on the 25th January. Santes Dwynen is the Welsh saint of love and her story is steeped in Celtic folklore… She was the daughter of the king Brychan Brycheiniog and one of 24 siblings all of whom were blessed with beauty; Dwynen however was the most beautiful. During a banquet at court, Dwynwen and a young prince, Maelon Drafodrill, met and fell in love. The following day Maelon rushed to ask Brychan for his daughters hand in marriage, but alas she was betrothed to another. Maelon left the court distraught without even saying goodbye to Dwynwen. Heartbroken, Dwynwen fled to the forest where she prayed to God, asking him to rid her of her love for Maelon. When she eventually fell asleep, Dwynwen had the strangest dream. Maelon was walking towards her through the trees when an angel, sent by God, came down from…
The Mabinogion Tales Made Easy....
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 and whilst the stories are bizzare, psychedelic and complicated, the key parts for each branch go something like this. Here are The Mabinogion Tales Made Easy: PWYLL, PRINCE OF DYFED Pwyll, whilst sitting on a mound which he has been told will either wound him or bring him something wonderful, sees Rhiannon riding over the hill on a white horse. Rhiannon has chosen for him…
The 14 Peaks of Snowdonia
There are 14 peaks in Wales over 3000 feet that can be visited in one single journey; a 24 mile stretch from Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) to Foel Fras which along the way takes you through some of the most incredible and beautiful landscapes the world has to offer and known as the 14 peaks of Snowdonia. There are numerous ways in which to attempt the 14 peaks; from the 24 hour Welsh 3000 challenge where all 14 peaks are covered within a 24 hour time frame to completing the route a little more leisurely over 3 days, wild camping or staying at youth hostels along the way. The world record is an astonishing 4 hours 20 minutes. That said, most attempts are made northwards from Snowdon to Foel Fras and a popular starting point is from Pen Y Pass early in the morning with an ascent of the Miners’ or PYG track to the summit of…
Welsh Christmas And New Year Traditions
There are some great Welsh Christmas and New Year traditions. The ‘Mari Llwyd’ involves walking around the village with a horse’s skull on your head chanting rhymes. Another ancient custom, holming, ensured that the last one out of bed on Boxing Day was beaten with the prickles of a holly branch. A bit too ‘off the wall’ for our family if I’m honest. But here are some gentler traditions that you might want to adopt in your home this Christmas. NOSON GYFLAITH / TOFFE NIGHT In days gone by, Christmas Eve was known to many as Noson Gyflaith or toffee evening. Friends and family would gather for a celebratory meal, followed by singing, games and the making of the Christmas taffy (toffee). The base of all toffee follows a simple recipe of boiled sugar, water and butter but it’s the pulling of the toffee into long strands that makes taffy chewier and creamier than its English…
Halloween 2015...
If you’re lucky enough to be staying in one of our cottages over Halloween 2015, you’ll be pleased to know that Halloween Snowdonia Style does not have to involve standing around getting cold and wet watching your kids collect sweets! This is a place steeped in legend and myth so there is lots on offer – we have whittled it down to our top 5 which make for unique and exciting experiences you just won’t get anywhere else…… On the 29th, 30th and 31st October, The Ffestiniog Railway is running twilight railway trips where you board the train in fancy dress at 6pm and are taken into the mountains where you stop off in the dark woods for some fireworks and a little something to eat in the creepy cafe. Prices start from £11.60 for children and £17.50 for adults. Penryhn Castle just outside Bangor offers a range of activities including; The Penrhyn Castle Halloween Experience,…
Pant Du Cider
Autumn is on its way; there is morning dew on the slopes, crispness in the air, leaves changing colour and… apples falling off the trees left, right and centre! So the question is what to do with them all and from the ideas I’ve heard so far, making cider is one of the best! But if you’re not up for the challenge of making your own, you’ll be pleased to know that Snowdonia has its own brand of cider….Pant Du Cider. Based on the slopes of the Nantlle Valley, Snowdonia, the Pant Du Orchard was started in 2007. Of the 2900 trees planted, 2000 are traditional cider making apples and the remaining trees are made up of native Welsh varieties including Bardsey apples which have been planted in support of developing and securing the future of this near extinct variety from the Llyn Peninsula. There are 4 types of cider to choose from; decide on whether…
Caffi Castell Harlech Opens its doors!
The August bank holiday saw Caffi Castell Harlech open its doors to a great reception! The cafe is part of the fantastic new information center directly opposite Harlech Castle. With lots of glass and metal, this modern take on the old hotel works really well and has given Harlech a great injection of life. The cafe has been taken on by my good friend Freya. But this article isn’t biased, honest! It really is brilliant. Ask anyone. 😉 So what to expect from a visit to the new establishment? Firstly the views are quite simply breathtaking. Not only are you up close to an incredible view of the castle, but the surrounding Snowdonia landscape is stunning. The food is all based on good, wholesome home-cooked fare which, where possible, is all made from locally sourced produce. The star of the menu has to be the fish platter which is a delicious mix of shell on prawns,…
Festival No 6 Countdown...
“Welcome to a festival like no other, a bespoke banquet of music, arts and culture in the most stunning festival setting in the world.” It’s in the Daily Mail’s top 10 UK Festivals as well as being voted Best Festival and Most Unique Festival Site in 2014 and its 4th year is set to be better than the last. Portmierion is a very magical place in its own right, but with Festival No 6 in town that magic goes to another level. Belle and Sebastian, James Bay and Grace Jones are included in a lineup of over 500 music artists. Festival goers can also enjoy a ‘conversation with Steve Coogan’ or a Q&A session with award winning director Asif Kapadia and producer Mark Ronson following a screening of their award winning film ‘Amy’. Illuminated bands, parades and carnivals fill this most inspiring of venues with life and colour. Secret raves, pop up parties, foraging expeditions, children’s storytelling and stand up paddle boarding means…
Things To Do In Snowdonia When It Rains....
Before we start, it’s only fair to point out that it doesn’t actually rain in Wales as much as you might think. The west coast of Snowdonia in particular, fairs better weather wise, than most of the UK. Met office statistics show that the number of ‘wet days’ during the summer months is less than in England and when comparing ‘hours of sunshine’ the western coast of wales again, tends towards the top of the UK table. But you’re right of course, this isn’t Spain, and yes it might rain. So here is our line up of things to do in Snowdonia when the weather is less than perfect… Underground Adventures Like the treasures of London during the Blitz, you might want to seek refuge in some of the slate caverns of Blaenau Ffestiniog. In 1940, on the orders of Winston Churchill, Manod Quarry was used to store all the pictures from the National and Tate…
