Inspiration
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…
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 | SNOWDONIA LAKES TO SWIM IN
Snowdonia is one of the most beautiful places in the world to open water / wild swim. Gwion is due to take part in the Slateman Triathlon in 2 weeks and whilst he has been super dedicated to the running and cycling aspects of the training, the open water swimming wasn’t up there on the top of his check list… so to give him a bit of push to get out there before the big day, here are the Top 5 | Snowdonia Lakes To Swim In: LLYN GWYNANT My personal favourite. Easy to get to and simply beautiful. You can park by the side of the lake and get straight in. If you are up for it, swim to the otherside of the lake onto the rocks (known as Elephant Rock) and do the jumps. LLYN CAU This is a beautiful dark blue lake in the crater of Cadr Idris. A 350m ascent…
Top 5 Farm Shops & Delis | North Wales
It is hard not to enjoy a visit to a farm shop or deli. Just being in the presence of homegrown local produce, organic meat and pesticide free everything can make us feel very virtuous. Packed full with things like charcol salt along with delicious cheeses, salamis crackers and condiments galore, they are a great foodie shopping experience… here are our top 5 Farm Shops & Delis | North Wales. RHUG ESTATE Rhug Estate has is all. Alongside the farmshop, they have a cafe and restaurant and all sell the organic produce they rear and grow on the farm. Their organic meat is well known the world over. The shop come deli offers a great range of cheeses, olives and pies along with a wonderful selection of locally sourced condiments. The Bison Grill is an all day dining area while ‘On The Hoof’ Takeaway offer incredible burgers etc. BODNANT WELSH FOOD CENTRE With a…
A Day In Betws Y Coed By Bike
The gateway to Snowdonia, Betws-y-Coed is a wonderful town surrounded by woodland, mountains and cascading waterfalls. It is ideal for outdoor activity holidays including walking, cycling and water sports with a great selection of shops, restaurants and cafes and home to the famous Swallow Waterfalls… A friend and I decided to spend a day in Betws Y Coed by bike; with Swallow falls a 45 minute walk west of the town centre and Fairy Glen a 45 minute walk south, a bike was required! We parked out of town on Ffordd Craigian off the A470 and cycled along the back road into the town centre; this is a lovely bike ride down through a quiet road flanked by trees. Making a beeline for the Swallowfalls, we followed the road round once we got to the town centre and carried on up the A5 (it’s a little steep) straight to the falls. They are beautiful, mesmerising and…
TOP 10 TRIATHLONS & MARATHONS NORTH WALES 2017
If you’ve embraced the New Year on a high of getting fit, one of the best ways to keep you motivated is to focus on a goal and you cant beat the challenge of a half/full marathon or triathon to get you on that path. There are so many great races to take part in over North Wales and the incredible landscape lends itself to cater for all abilities. So without further ado, here are the Top 10 Triathlons & Marathons North Wales 2017: ANGLESY HALF MARATHON Sunday 5th March 2017 The route is undulating yet quick but most of all it is incredibly stunning. Starting on the iconic Menai Suspension Bridge and running in front of the gorgeous Snowdonia backdrop, this race is truly one of a kind. The race provides the perfect pre-London and Manchester marathon preparation. WAVES, MUD AND MOUNTAINS Sunday 26th March 2017 Surf Snowdonia are launching this competition for…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
