Inspiration


 
 

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…

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Harlech Cinema Is Now Open
 

Harlech Cinema Is Now Open

The Harlech cinema is now open and back in town! You’ll find it at Theatre Ardudwy and it’s a film experience with a difference. Due to local funding, the local theatre is now able to show digital screenings of up to date cinema releases and we couldn’t be more excited. For a start it saves a 1.5 hour drive to the local cinema chain, but more than that, it is another great addition to the local town where the castle, swimming pool, climbing wall, golf club, shops and fantastic restaurants and cafes offer offer both local residents and holiday makers plenty do when in Harlech. The cinema is based in the theatre and the tiered seating means no heads in the way when watching the films! Popcorn, sweets and drinks are available from the bar and the quality of the films is great. New releases will be showing throughout the summer including A Regular Little Houdini,…

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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…

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Top 5
 

Cottages for New Year Celebrations

I was told the other day that there are only 6 Saturdays left until Christmas and to be quite honest I was surprised….it doesn’t seem like much time at all especially when it concequently means that there are only 7 Saturdays left in 2015. It’s time to get your thinking caps on as to what to do for New Year. If you want to avoid the craziness of town centres over New Year, but still like the idea of being with as many friends and family as possible, then you might be interested in joining together and taking out one of our cottage groups. These are sets of cottages of all different sizes that are run by the same cottage owner and are situated either next door or very close to each other. They are great cottages for New Year celebrations as they give you the opportunity to be with a large group of people whilst…

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Top 5 Christmas Cottages
 

Top 5 Christmas Cottages

Christmas time is on its way and if you are looking to go away over the festive period, where better to go for that quintessential Christmas than Snowdonia; real log fires, lovely long walks in the mountains and by the sea followed by cosy afternoons either at a cafe or in a beautiful holiday cottage. We have lots of choice, so depending on whether you are looking to celebrate low key or with family and friends, Dioni has something to offer and here are our top 5 Christmas cottages: TY-NEWYDD SLEEPS 2 Ty Newydd is a romantic one bedroom holiday cottage in Bala North Wales. This simple yet elegant cottage provides self catering holiday accommodation for up to two people in a beautifully tranquil location. STABAL-IWRCH SLEEPS 4 This fantastic two bedroom barn conversion provides luxurious self catering accommodation on a welsh hill farm just outside Betws Y Coed in North Wales. The cottage is really…

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Come Fly With Fly Llanbedr
 

Come Fly With Fly Llanbedr

The landscape of Snowdonia is breathtaking by foot, but if you want to go one step further, taking to the skies and seeing it from above is something else. Tempted? Then look no further, it’s time to come fly with Fly Llanbedr! Ed is the man in charge and not only do you get to fly high above the mountains, lakes and sea, he also lets you take control of the plane so you can have the experience of flying an aircraft too if you want. Our trip started from Llanbedr airfield where we headed south over Shell Island. A quick detour inland took us over Dioni headquarters; Byrdir Farm where the pink rhino was a great reference point! Continuing south we enjoyed some breathtaking views over Barmouth and the Mawddach eastury. Once over Cader Idris (top picture), we banked left and headed north over Trawsfynydd and the Rhinog Mountains. A flyby the summit of Snowdon…

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Top 5 Cosy Holiday Cottages For Autumn Retreats
 

Top 5 Cosy Holiday Cottages For Autumn Retreats

It’s that lovely time of year; all the colours outside are changing, there is a chill in the air and when the evening comes in, its time to light the fire. A fireplace is part of the course here in Snowdonia and so if you want to enjoy the pleasure of one whilst on holiday, here are our top 5 cosy holiday cottages for Autumn retreats….   LLYS DERWIN Llys-Derwin is a magical character holiday cottage near Criccieth in North Wales. Built in the 16th century with the blood money of King Henry VIII in his effort to influence the nearby monastery the cottage is a fascinating combination of old world charm and modern comforts.   TY NEWYDD Ty Newydd is a romantic one bedroom holiday cottage in Bala North Wales. This simple yet elegant cottage provides self catering holiday accommodation for up to two people in a beautifully tranquil location.   NANT Nant, which means…

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Byrdir's New Self Catering Holiday Cottages
 

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 feelĀ usingĀ the quirky features of the original cowsheds alongside a high spec interior. Whilst Louise’s breakfasts will be sorely missed, theĀ 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 ā€˜grogloftā€™ 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…

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Bilberry Exchange Rate Is At An All Time High!
 

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,…

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Pick Your Own Mussels In Snowdonia!
 

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…

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ROCK ARDUDWY
 

ROCK ARDUDWY | Harlech's Mini Music Festival

June 13th sees the Harlech and Ardudwy leisure centre play host to Rock Ardudwy | Harlech’s mini music festival no less! Local bands including: Jambyls, Ratz Alley, Old Steel Spurs, Session, Swnami and Strapless will be playing everything from good old rock n roll, ballards, a bit of blues and the all important covers that really get you singing and dancing along. So come on, the summer is here, grab your bandana and make your way to Harlech. It starts at 2pm and runs until midnight – there will be food stalls and a bar so make a day out of it and really let your hair down! WHEN: Saturday 13th June WHERE: Harlech and Ardudwy Leisure Centre TIME: 2pm – Midnight TICKETS: Adults Ā£20, Children 11-15 Ā£15, 10 and under go free.

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Halloween 2015...
 

Halloween Snowdonia Style .......

If you’re lucky enough to be staying in one of our cottages this half term with children in tow, you’ll be pleased to know that Halloween Snowdonia Style does not 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…… The Ffestiniog Railway offers 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 Ā£11.60 for children and Ā£17.50 for adults. Penryhn Castle just outside Bangor offers a range of activities from day time Halloween trails to the very popular Twilight Tours where…

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Two Bedroom Seaside Holiday Cottage | Cornel-Glyd

“We were over the moon with our stay at Cornel Glyd. The cottage was beautifully presented, well equipped, and although in a group setting we felt secluded and not overlooked. The short distance to the beach was perfect for our dogs, who enjoyed their holiday as much as we did. We hope as dog owners we gave a good account of ourselves also, and that we would be welcome to return to this holiday venue in the future.” ā€“ Karen Anderson, Elan Valley We came here with our two teenage boys last year and we are on the verge of booking again. We had such a nice time; we thought it was only fair that we share our experience you and some of the activities we got up to that made our stay so special. We were looking for somewhere to stay over the summer that was really close to nature and with this cottage being…

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Farm Stay
 

Farm Stay, Group Accommodation

I’ve added some more categories to the list to try and group similar cottages together. I’m hoping this will help our guests to browse through cottages that fit what their looking for. ‘Farm Stay’ includes cottages based on working farms. ‘Group Accommodation’ has been included to help people that are organising a break for a large group of people. Finally I’ve included a list of locations such as Tal Y Bont or Harlech which naturally group cottages in that area. The full list should be visable on the right hand side of this page.

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Top Christmas holiday cottages with real fire
 

Family Fun this Christmas

Here are five suggestions for family-friendly activities and events taking place in Meirionnydd during the 2011 Christmas holidays. 1. See a pantomime Pantomime is a lovely Christmas tradition that can be enjoyed by all members of the family, from tots to grandparents. The pantomime at the Dragon Theatre in Barmouth this year, on 28th and 29th December, is Sleeping Beauty. The performance comes courtesy of the Ardudwy Youth and Community Theatre, and tickets – which are available at the door, though it’s advisable to call the theatre to check performance times if the weather is especially bad – cost just Ā£5 for adults, Ā£4 concessions and Ā£15 for a family ticket, which covers two adults and two children. 2. Full steam ahead It may not be quite the Polar Express – you won’t see waiters cartwheeling down the aisles, at any rate – but a trip aboard one of the Talyllyn Railway’s steam trains at Christmas…

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