Inspiration
Cwmystradllyn, The Most Beautiful Valley in Wales?
Some people might try to persuade you that Cwm Pennat is the most beautiful valley in Wales. But we’d like to nominate her neighbour, Cwmystradllyn. Located in the Snowdonia National Park this picturesque valleys and place of serenity has not always been so quiet. In 1886, the Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) opened the Gorsedda Slate Quarry in the valley. The village of Treforys was built to house the quarrymen and consisted of 36 houses set in 3 streets. A sophisticated slate mill, Ynys Y Pandy, was also built to dress and finish the slate before being transported on a newly laid 3ft gauge tramway down to the harbour town of Porthmadog. But this flood of activity was short lived. After a short 20 years of excavation, the quarry was closed down as quality slate became more and more scarce. As the local paper reported, “everything that could facilitate the works was produced, nothing…
Byrdir Farm's New Self Catering Holiday Cottages
So Louise has finally hung up her oven gloves and the former Byrdir Farm B&B has now been renovated into 3 self-catering cottages. All three properties have been beautifully designed in line with the existing cottages on the farm; Nant and Moelfre offering a cosy, yet modern feel using the quirky features of the original cowsheds alongside a high spec interior. Whilst Louise’s breakfasts will be sorely missed, the stunning views across cardigan bay will certainly make up for it as will the fact that they are offering short breaks over the peak season. So lets see what Byrdir Farm’s New Self Catering Holiday Cottages have to offer…. TY-GWAIR-BYRDIR This open plan studio cottage has a double bed up in the ‘grogloft’ or eaves of the barn accessed via a fixed ladder. A lovely little kitchenette with fridge, combination oven and hob plus dishwasher is set against the back wall of the cottage. A luxurious leather sofa sits facing…
Nigel Mansell Opens Restaurant Near Barmouth
The 29th June 2015 saw the official opening of a brand new restaurant & bar, Nineteen.57 in Tal Y Bont, Barmouth. Having undergone a £700,000 refurb over the last 6 months the restaurant brings a fabulous fine dining experience to the area. A 40 cover restaurant offers a great bistro style menu and the bar light bites, a children’s menu & play park. To celebrate the opening, our headline ‘Nigel Mansell Opens Restaurant Near Barmouth’ gives the game away! Having been a regular visitor to the area for the last 58 years, he was more than happy to give his time for the opening. Guests included local residents and business owners who relaxed with a complimentary glass of prosecco and homemade canape’s whilst enjoying the sun and soaking up the atmosphere. If you want some pointers on the menu; its Mum’s homemade lasagne (Nigel’s favorite), the homemade slow roast shoulder of lamb and of course shepherds…
Bilberry Exchange Rate Is At An All Time High!
A bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a close relative to the blueberry but the difference being that the bilberry is smaller, more tart in flavour, has a red flesh and native to Europe whilst the blueberry is bigger, sweeter, has white flesh, and native to the America’s. They are delicious berries that make wonderful pies and tarts whilst also having great healing benefits for treating digestive and circulatory issues. Back in the day, they were a great source of income in the area for those who would head to the hills and pick bucket loads for market. Today, we still like to exchange our bilberry pickings, but instead of for money, we do it for ice cream….. Hufenfa’r Castell ice cream shop in Harlech make bilberry ice cream during the picking season and as it always sells out, they welcome fresh bilberries in exchange for ice cream. So once you’ve picked your punnet / bowl of bilberries,…
Snowdonia Gold Is Fit For A King
Since 1911, Welsh gold has been used to decorate the crowns and hands of the British Royal family. At the investiture of Edward 1 as Prince of Wales, his coronet, rod, ring, sword and robe all incorporated pure Welsh gold from North Wales. In 1923, the late Queen mother started another tradition by having her wedding bands crafted out of Welsh gold from the The Clogau Gold Mine in Bontddu. Some 88 years later, this tradition continues and this small village situated between Barmouth and Dolgellau in Snowdonia has been providing the gold for Royal wedding rings since including; Queen Elizabeth (1947), Princess Anne (1973), Princess Diana (1981), Prince Charles (1981 & 2005) and Camilla. More recently in 2011, from an ingot of gold given to the Queen on her 60th birthday from the Clogau mine, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding bands were made……you see Snowdonia gold is fit for a King! Sadly the…
Pick Your Own Mussels In Snowdonia!
If you have ever fancied trying your hand at collecting and cooking mussels, then a trip to Llandanwg beach just outside Harlech is where you need to go. Even if you do it just once in your life, it’s one of those things you wont forget. So come on, get involved and pick your own mussels in Snowdonia! YOU WILL NEED: A bucket 2 blunt knives A grill to put over the open fire A large pot to cook in An onion Garlic White Wine Cream (single or double) Wooden spoon firewood WHAT TO DO: COLLECTING Check the tide times. You need to collect mussels at low tide. Go to the furthest left hand side of Llandanwg beach where you will see lots of rocks. You need to make your way down to the waters edge to the rocks covered in black seaweed. The mussels hide under this black seaweed; both on the rocks and…
Whitewater Rafting In Snowdonia
Whitewater rafting comes up on many a bucket list and many of us think that in order to do experience it properly, we have to go far flung places across the world. Not the case. The National White Water Centre, located here in Snowdonia, is the only commercially rafted stretch of water in the UK. A mix of natural resources and dam controlled rapids, make it one of the best places in the world to enjoy the sport. Depending on what you are looking for in your whitewater experience, its all covered here…. the Tryweryn river mixes the intensity of an Olympic-grade whitewater course with a gentle journey through the Snowdonia National Park. The grade 3-4 rapids on the upper Tryweryn will offer you the full thrill of whitewater, but if admiring the beauty of the area is more you’re thing, you might be tempted by the grade 2-3 rapids on the lower part. However, if…
Dylans Restaurant Opens in Criccieth
North Wales’ top fish restaurant, Dylans opened the doors to its second establishment in May and it hasn’t disappointed. It is set in the stunning beach front Morannedd building, an art deco style building designed by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis; the visionary of Portmeirion Village. It’s a really beautiful experience; wonderfully cooked and presented fresh fish, incredible views through the surrounding floor to ceiling windows all bought together with a modern, rustic yet traditional interior – we love the menu’s! So what did we have…The Ffrwythau’ R MOR (welsh for Fruit De Mer) was out of this world, the whitebait was the best I’ve ever had, the crab cakes were a real hit and the oysters were so fresh they definitely deserve a mention. The Samphire is amazing – if you haven’t tried it before, this will be a good place to give it a go. All bread is baked daily on the premises and needless to…
How To Be Happy | The Answer Might Be in Snowdonia
50% of happiness is determined by our genes, 10% is from our circumstances, job, house, status etc, leaving the remaining 40% down to us to manage. Whats the secret? The chemical in our bodies that promotes happiness is dopamine and from our teenage years onwards, if we do not actively try to create it in our bodies, it will naturally decrease and not be reproduced. If you don’t use it, you loose it. How do we create it? There are 4 recognised ways in which to increase dopamine levels: Close Network. Having a close and supportive network of family and friends. Spending time with them is important and those that do tend to me much happier and fulfilled. New Experiences. Changing the way you do things or going on adventures is a high dopamine releaser. It could be as simple as a different running route every morning or the big adventure. But either way, variety being…
New Quadcopter Footage Shows Snowdonia At its Very Best
We’ve all heard that Snowdonia is a stunning part of the world, but its not until you actually see it can you believe how mesmerisingly beautiful the area is…. So Gwion has been out making use of his quadcopter to show some of our properties in all their glory. Where photos simply cannot capture the true beauty of the sweeping mountains and landscape, it is now possible to see the real Snowdonia with the use of Gwion’s new toy! New Quadcopter Footage Shows Snowdonia At its Very Best…enjoy! https://youtu.be/fhbW_suMfkM
Geocaching Snowdonia Style
An any day, any time adventure. Geocaching is a great way to explore new places. ‘Hidden treasures’ that have been concealed throughout the world (2 million in fact) have their locations and GPS coordinates logged onto a central geocaching website. Anyone can go onto the website, get the GPS locations and go hunting for treasure. All for free. So if you are trying to entice the kids out for a walk or looking for something to do when on holiday, geocahing is a great way to add a bit of adventure to the trip. Needless to say, there are lots of Geocache treasures here in North Wales. So if you want to give it a go, what better way to start than geocaching Snowdonia style!
5 Family Walks For The Easter Holidays
Walking in Snowdonia is a must when visiting, but not all of us are up for the full mountain experience, especially with children in tow. So we have put together 5 family walks for the Easter holidays that offer beautiful views along with a mix of terrain suitable for all ages and abilities….. BARMOUTH The Panorama Walk: This Barmouth classic that boasts 3 different walks; short (1.7Km), medium (7.1Km) and long (10.2Km). The views are totally breath taking when you look down the Mawddach Estuary from the gardens. You might want to take a picnic to sit and eat here as there is a bench for the adults and great stones that look like chairs for the kids! DOLGELLAU The Precipice Walk A 3 mile walk through the Nannau estate offers great views down the Mawddach Estuary and the principal mountain ranges of Snowdonia; there is not much climbing or descending involved and it is an…
Top 10 Things a Kid should do before they are 11
So the National Trust launched a campaign last Autumn to encourage our ‘cotton wool’ kids out into the great outdoors by listing 50 things a child should do before they are 11 – all back to basics, simple fun with not an electronic gadget in sight – we LOVE this! EVERYTHING on the list can be done in Snowdonia, so if your coming to stay with us this year with younger ones in tow, make the most of it and get them ticking things off the list. To get you started, here are our top 10 things a kid should do before they are 11 that we think are unique to Snowdonia and can be done in that extra special way, creating those memories for life: 1 – SKIM A STONE – whether its by the sea or on the lakes, its so satisfying when you finally get the stone to jump (for adults too!). 2…
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda | Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all of your support during 2014 – we hope you all enjoyed your holidays with us here in Snowdonia. With so many new and exciting things opening in the area for 2015, we are set for another great year here in the mountains, on the beach and by the rivers – we’ll keep you posted. But for now, get your Christmas jumper on and enjoy the festive season! From the Llwyd family.
5 Favourite Star Gazing Spots In North Wales
The wonder of the night sky has inspired countless generations, poets, scientists and dreamers. Today this natural resource is threatened by the careless use of artificial light and so the International Dark-Sky Association works to protect and preserve the night sky for future generations. Much of Mid and North Wales is prime dark sky territory and with this in mind, Snowdonia is currently bidding for Dark Skies Status with the which would further protect its beautiful landscape offering some of the worlds best stargazing. If you are here over the winter period, you will have plenty of opportunity to see the night skies in all their glory; with less day light hours in an area with little light pollution, it’s a great opportunity to get to know the dark side – see the milky way, ponder Orion’s belt and of course make a wish upon a shooting star. So wrap up warm, fill the flask with…
Foodie Gifts From North Wales....
Its no secret that being a foodie these days is up there in the cool stakes…….garlic mayonnaise is now commonly referred to as aoli, chilli jam goes with everything and salad creme is definitely something you eat in secret! North Wales is home to many small, artisan food brands that are fast becoming popular and we love them not only because they put us on that ‘cool’ foodie map, but they also taste delicious! So if you’re looking to give your friends and family something different for Christmas that also tick the useful box, look no further as here is a list of the best foodie gifts from North Wales …. The Snowdonia Cheese Company: With names like the Little Black Bomber, Green Thunder and Red Devil , the cheese board has gone up a few notches from a simple offering of cheddar and red leicester. Beautifully packaged in colourful waxes, these cheeses will be a…
Pieces for Places | Retail Therapy In Barmouth Just Hit The ‘Jack’pot!
Pieces For Places is a new furniture come lifestyle store that has just opened on Barmouth High Street. Off the back of seeing lots of people proudly clutching their ‘Pieces for Places’ brown bags this week, I thought I must go and visit. It is the brainchild of Jack Brooks, who when you walk into the shop, clearly has an innate sense of interior design. With his brother Fred, the two have bought the old Caersalem Chapel back to life and installed 3 floors which now house a fabulous eclectic mix of furniture and homewares. The product offering is great and everything is covered, the idea being that you can kit a full house out from this one shop. From sofas, beds and beautiful chests of drawers to the smaller bits like candles, photo frames and vases, there is a lot on offer and everything has clearly been chosen carefully, including a bijou gardening collection! It…
What To Do With All The Blackberries....
If you are lucky enough to be with us in sunny Snowdonia this September, you will find it hard to miss all the blackberries – the crop is good and there’s plenty for everyone. So what to do with all the blackberries? You could go all nouveau cuisine and spend hours boiling and reducing for some fan dangled jus or if you’re on holiday, a good old traditional Welsh blackberry pie or a Welsh blackberry pudding could be your preferred option – they are simple, quick and absolutely delicious. Welsh Blackberry Pie: Take an oven proof plate and roll enough short crust pastry to cover to the edges. Put 400g of your freshly picked blackberries over the pastry and sprinkle 200g of granulated sugar over the berries. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the blackberries, using a fork to crimp the edges of the pastry together, trimming the edges as you go along. Prick the…
Wild Swimming Snowdonia Style….
Wild Swimming Snowdonia Style, not only enriches the soul and pushes you out of your comfort zone, but quite honestly its really good fun! It always amazes me how many people visit Snowdonia without experiencing it. Snowdonia is full of waterfalls (Rheadar in Welsh) and rivers and its such a unique part of the area that if you come to visit, you really should jump into at least one waterfall pool. Its exciting, its fun, its an adventure, its a challenge and…. its free… There are many ways to enjoy the pleasures of wild swimming; be it getting suited and booted for a 1 mile lake swim with a group, or, like me, grab your kids, the dog and a towel and go forth looking for the waterfalls and river pools for a quick dunk or a swim around if the temperature allows! Yes, it is usually a cold affair jumping into the pools, but that’s…
PORTMEIRION FESTIVAL NO 6
Portmeirion Festival No 6 is coming to Snowdonia for the third year running and is set to be the best yet. The festival has made the Daily Mail’s the top 10 UK Festivals as well as being voted Best New Festival and Best Small Festival. It is magical – hard not to be when the location is Portmeirion Village in North Wales. Clough Williams-Ellis created this little piece of the ‘Italian riviera’ in wales during the earlier part of the 1900 – a true visionary. A visit here transports you to a fantasy world of beautiful buildings and gardens. So what is it all about? They say its an intimate, bespoke weekend of music, arts and culture….it doesn’t disappoint. This year sees the likes of the Pet Shop Boys, Kellis, Beck and Nineh Cherry take to centre stage and the DJ line up is pretty good too with legendary Laurent Garnier, nordic disco king Todd Terje,…
