Inspiration
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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!
