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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
