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Snowdonia (Wales) Reviews |
bunniepie
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| We visited last October. the weather is not very good and we couldn't take the train to the peak due to the bad weather. So we drove around the park and had some fantastic view. It's really very different from England where no big hills could be found. Some kind like New Zeland. the trees were colorful as it was autumn. Breathtaking indeed. We stop on the road somwehere and had a walk along the hill. raining a little bit but not too bad. the veiw is fantastic but quite windy though. a friend told me that the best time to visit is May and June when it's not raining so much. Well, I think it's worth a try next time.
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Pritch
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I've just come back from a week in Snowdonia with some friends and, as anyone who knows me would expect, my mountain bike. You see, right now North Wales is very much the in place to go for mountain biking, something to do with the fact that IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) have decided that Wales is on a par with the sport's birthplace of California in terms of places to go and have a bit of two wheeled fun. The main centre for all the fuss is Coed-y-Brenin, a forest about half way between Dolgellau and Porthmadog, which is where we decided to have our week of two wheeled fun.
We spent the week in a self catering log cabin in Trawsfynydd, only about three miles away from the trailhead at Coed-y-Brenin. The cabins are privately owned and are let out via Trawfynydd Holidays Ltd for quite reasonable sums of money. We paid £270 for a week in a six bed cabin, although the costs vary throughout the year. Being privately owned they are a little more homely than many self-catering places I've stayed, our cabin had a leather sofa and pictures on the walls. Not very nice pictures, but they were better than staring at a blank wall all week.
At the top of the holiday village is the local pub, the Rhiw Goch Inn, a very friendly place which welcomes families and serves food. There's also a shop and laundry facilities available at the centre of the village. Nearby Trawsfynydd has a selection of shops including a Spar which stays open late, but anybody needing beer had better avoid Thursdays when the village off-license closes early, as we found out to our cost. A wider range of services can be found a bit further afield in Dolgellau, including a largish Kwik Save and Co-op, plus an off-license that stays open on Thursdays!
So, apart from drinking beer, what else did we do? Well, there was that moutain biking that I mentioned in passing. Coed-y-Brenin (henceforth known as CYB) is a forest run by Forest Enterprise with a set of five trails of varying lengths maintained by a dedicated trail maintainance crew.
So, Monday we headed out to CYB with the intention of starting gently. The Red Bull route was looking inviting. It's only around eight miles long, although in that eight miles the trail builders have managed to pack in some really technically demanding tracks, some gut-busting climbs and some brilliant decents. We got through this one with no-one getting injured! Arriving back at the visitor centre, it was 5:!0pm. Oh no! The cafe had closed 10 minutes ago! It's at this point a friendly face popped out of the cafe, stared at the four panting mountain bikers and uttered the words "We've closed, but if you want anything cold then come in". How could we refuse? A drink and a Mars bar later we felt ready to do it again, but instead headed back to the cabin for more food and to dump our bikes on the way to the pub.
With Monday as a nice warm up, Tuesday loomed big on the horizon. Looming especially large at us on this particular Tuesday was a sign that said "Karrimor Trail". It's difficult to put a precise figure on the Karrimor, but sources say between 18.5 miles and 26 miles long, with 4000ft of climbing. It's probably around the 23 miles figure, and I'm certainly not disputing the claims for the climbing! The first part of the trail, as is the nature of mountain biking, is a huge climb. This takes you to the start of the Red Bull which you follow for a bit, before going on another huge climb followed by a technical decent and so on, until you run out of forrest. At this point, you're faced with the A470. Previously, cyclists had to find a way to cross the road avoiding almost certain death. Well, in a spending spree over the winter, they've gone and arranged an underpass to the other side of the road where you ride along some quiet country lanes for a short while before going on a massive climb along forest roads. By the time you've finished this climb, you'll feel pretty cheesed off, but just remember, once you've reached the top, Mother Nature will owe you about 1100ft. We decided to get the 1100ft back off Mother Nature (after lunch) and headed off down the hill and silly speeds, interrupted only by the RAF flying past the side of the moutain at more or less eye level. You start on forest track, then drop onto manufactured singledtrack which has been designed to tax most riders with tight turns and sharp decents over rocks and roots. Over one such drop I became the first casualty of the week, with a bruised hip. I was doing so well, too. After several tiring hours we drifted back to the cafe to indulge in some of their absolutely wonderful cakes, then back to the cabin for well needed rest.
Wednesday I stayed behind with a non-cycling related illness whilst the others went off and rode the Red Bull again. This time, confidence had pumped the lads up and one of the other riders in the group came a cropper and came away with some rather nice gravel rash.
Thursday, with one of the others deciding he needed a rest, we tackled the MBR trail (so called because of sponsorship from Moutain Bike Rider magazine). This one is probably around the 18 mile mark, taking in some bits of the Karrimor, but with more technical bits and (slightly) less hallucination-inducing climbs. The week we were there much of the MBR was closed off due to bridges being washed away in winter floods, but work was being carried out to restore the bridges and the trail to it's former glory. It's on the MBR we met one of the friendliest people we'd met all week. We didn't get his name, but he was 65 years old and was with us on most of the downhills. Age had taken it's toll in the respect that he wasn't able to climb as well as the rest of us, but fair play to the man, if I'm still riding like him when I'm his age, I'll be well chuffed. Riding along towards the end of the trail with our new friend he pointed out the final bit of singletrack to us. "They call this bit the flightpath" he said to us and we headed off at great speed. The adrenaline was flowing, as was the blood of one of my mates by the time we'd reached the end. I tried to claim that I'd actually got first blood of the trip, not him but was out-voted on the grounds that a shaving cut didn't count. So, back to the cafe (notice a theme here?) and as we sat there drinking our tea and eating our cakes, we noticed a rather large hole in our companion's leg. Refusing to be panicked, I finished my tea and drove to Dolgellau casualty where the nurses greeted us with "If you're mountain bikers, get lost." We're fairly sure they were joking, anyway. Apparently Dolgellau casualty was threatened with closure at one point, but CYB is doing a very good job of ensuring it's continued existance.
Friday we'd ridden all the mountain bike trails at CYB, so we decided to head North to Betws-y-Coed, about 20 miles away from our cabin. There's a few more trails here, maintained by the same people who look after CYB. Unfortunately, we'd not done our homework, and a couple of hours driving around resulted in us getting fed up, and riding the Red Bull. Again. With more tea and cakes.
Saturday morning we had to vacate the cabin by 10am, which resulted in a packing/sweeping/hoovering/washing frenzy before one last blast around the Red Bull for old time's sake, and then more tea and cakes at the cafe.
If the routes I've described seem a bit tortuous, there's some other routes that we didn't ride there too. These are mainly forest roads and are suitable for moderately fit riders. The area is also riddle with cycle paths and footpaths.
During our time there we had each put in at least 60 miles of off-road riding, countless cups of tea, loads of chocolate flap jacks and far too much alcohol. Not only that, but we'd met some really friendly people. Bike snobbery isn't really something that you get much. You get the occasional people who bought a £2000 bike because they thought it would look good on top of their car, take the mick out of everyone else's bikes then put in a very poor ride, but they are a minority and can be ignored. Everybody else is out for a good time and we spent large chunks of our week talking to complete strangers.
We've not really considered the cost of our week, but our only expenses were the cost of the cabin (£270), food (which we cooked ourselves), petrol and beer. And tea and cakes at the CYB cafe. Did I mention there's a cafe there?
If you go to Coed-y-Brenin, here's a few things to try and remember:
DON'T fall off.
DO laugh and grin in a manic way constantly, especially if you've just fallen off.
DON'T be miserable.
DO admire the view from the top of the Karrimor trail.
DO talk complete rubbish to friendly strangers.
DO eat lots of cake.
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Suse
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Our recent (last year) holiday in the Snowdonia national park turned out to be one of the best we've ever had. The other half and I were both still students, stressed out before finals and in need of a budget getaway before plunging in to the depths of revision in May. After a little bit of research on the internet to look for campsites, we piled our gear into the back of our A reg VW and headed for the hills of Wales.
The first campsite we stayed at, in Waunfawr, near Caernarfon, turned out to be brilliant once we located it. For £4 we could have as big a pitch as we liked (in May, campsites are very quiet!) and best of all, we were allowed to have a proper campfire. Toilets, showers, hot water and fridge space were all included in the price.
From the campsite we went off on day trips. Our ascent of Snowdon coincided with some particularly dull and drizzly weather, despite our having put it off until the last possible day to try and get a good view from the top. Still, the climb was not too bad (up the Pyg Track), and the descent down the Miners' Path included some rather hairy scree-running which impressed the other half no end but left me rather shaken. Hot chocolate at the cafe on our return to the car park made me feel much better.
I really recommend seeing more of Llanberis (small town at foot of Snowdon) when you go to climb the beast. The tourist information place is very helpful. There is a slate museum at the edge of the lake, powered by a huge working water mill, where you can get some idea of the scale of an industry that has declined hugely since its heyday. You can ride the steam train around the edge of the lake and back, and there is a nature reserve half-way along where you can climb up into the woods.
All around the scenery is fantastic, and even in the dull and wet the hills have a kind of brooding majesty. We frequently stopped on our way to places to just look out at the landscape – lakes, hills, mountains. All this is on your doorstep - no need to leave the country!
We also spent an afternoon in Caernarfon, a pleasant coastal town dominated by the huge castle where Charles was crowned Prince of Wales. In the evening we went on a 'ghost tour' with a local history enthusiast, which took us to see underground tunnels leading from the castle into the town, the old town jail and various haunted public houses. Watching the sun set across the water with a pint was a great way to finish the day.
After a week in Snowdonia we got back in the car and headed for Anglesey. The whole week cost us about £50 each, including food and petrol. We mostly took packed lunches as we were on a budget, but there are masses of places to eat and drink. In May all the attractions and campsites are quiet (some are cheaper), and it is entirely possible to camp and have a good time despite the rain! You probably do need your own transport to get around, although it can restrict you too - for example, we couldn't really choose from the various routes up Snowdon as we had to ascend from and return to a spot with a car park. All in all it was a great, cheap holiday, and I would recommend it to anyone.
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NICOLA21
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Snowdonia.
Whether you are just driving through or climbing to the top of Snowdon, you cannot deny the fact that this is one of the most breathtaking areas of natural beauty in Britain on par with the Scottish Highlands.
It is really something you have to experience for yourself as it is difficult to find words to describe such a place. Photographs cannot even do justice to the spectacular panoramic views of undamaged wilderness in this secluded area of North Wales.
Even the air is different here. There is a real sense of what Britain's green and pleasant lands used to look like before urbanisation. Obviously, not mountains, but rolling fields, woodlands, animals and birds in a natural environment.
Snowdonia is perfect for escaping chaos and recovering the soul. If you enjoy hustle, bustle and plenty of action though, you are bound to be disappointed as peace and traquility are the only things on the menu here.
Visitors are encouraged to climb Mount Snowdon and the information centre and gift shop at the base provide maps of different trails with average times for ascent and descent, and the effort required to climb at different inclinations around the mountain. At the summit, although only open in season, is a cafe, shop and other necessary facilities such as toilets. If you go out of season, I'm afraid that you'll have to pop behind some rocks to relieve yourself! But the effort whenever you go in the year is definitely worth it.
For those who do not want to walk, or are not able to walk, there is the Snowdon Mountain railway which for a small charge, will take you up and down the mountain in their old-fashioned steam train, along the track used by miners and when thay built the facilities at the summit. For my grandmother's 80th birthday, we took her to the summit by train, so anyone can enjoy Snowdon at any age. There is the option to take the train up and walk back down or vice versa if you choose, although there is much more satisfaction in having climbed up yourself!
Betws-y-coed
If you choose to stay in the area there is a lovely little village a few miles east of Snowdon called Betws-y-coed just off of the A5. There are quite a few pleasant guest-houses there with friendly owners. From my own experience, I would recommend a B&B called Bod Hyfred in Betws-y-coed. The owners are a lovely, warm and friendly couple, the rooms are comfortable and the food is excellent.
Swallow Falls
There is a large river running through this small country village, and if you follow this river a mile up the road, you come to a small attraction called Swallow Falls. It is a breathtaking, natural waterfall set amongst woodland. For a charge of £1 (which pays for the upkeep of the area), you can go right in and see the falls at close range. Steps and a viewing area have been cut into the bank of the river right next to the fall and you can sit and dream for as long as you want. Natural features are always the most stunning, and this is the perfect place to say goodbye to the area if you are leaving.
Snowdonia and its' surroundings is an incredible place that really has to be seen to be appreciated to the full extent of its beauty. I wouldn't recommend this place to families with very young children unless the little ones are docile and somewhat interested in looking at scenery and mountains. It will leave you with the most incredible memories, and to most people I have met who have been there, it is a little piece of perfection that you'll hold in the sentimental side of you, and definitely want to visit again.
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QUEEN ELF
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Let me take you on a tour through a part of my homeland, the land of the Celts, Wales, I want you to see through my eyes the majestic mountains and gentle valleys, the mountain streams cascading into waterfalls, the spectacular passes with their rugged beauty, heather-clad rolling hills, towering forests and secluded villages all with their own particular charm. Hear through my ears this land of song, the gentle lilting voices that harmonise together with rising crescendo sending shivers down the spine.
Put the cares of everyday living aside and stand in silence hearing only the babble of water over stones while overhead a lone bird calls to its mate. Lie down on soft grass listening to the swish of the reeds and the whisper of the wind in the trees.
Now come with me to the mountains where the wind howls constantly sending tiny pebbles bouncing down the sides to the valley below. Fill your lungs with the clear air, let the sun and wind brighten your cheeks with a rosy glow, lift you eyes to heaven for surely this is as near to heaven as you will ever feel.
This is North Wales and in particular the Snowdonia National park, which totals 823 square miles of the wildest land you will see anyway in the world. A mere 26,000 people live and work in this area of unspoilt beauty some making a bare living from the land others practising crafts handed down through generations. Millions of people visit North Wales every year but the National park stays unchanged by time.
Looking at the geology its hard to imagine the sheer age of this area, from pre-Cambrian to Cambrian, Ordovician and Silurian ages spanning over 400 million years, it makes a person feel like a tiny speck in time. The last Ice age lingered a long while here which still shows in the rocks and crag abundant throughout the land and the formation of rocky gorges through which waterfalls abound. Snowden or Yr Wydffa is the highest mountain at 3,560 feet above sea level, second highest to Ben Nevis in the UK. Not far from here are the three peaks Yr Tryfan, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach a sombre foreground to the majesty of Snowdon.
Yet there are far more than just mountains to see and plenty of things to do with about 100 lakes and seventeen nature reserves to castles, beaches, mountain railways, mines, slate quarries, historic houses and gardens, tiny villages, larger towns and working craft centres.
For the walker, mountain climber or pothole enthusiast choose from beginner to expert with so many places to offer. For families there are seaside resorts, visitor centres and railways to keep the children happy and also to learn a bit about historical sites. Try your hand at etching on slate, pottery throwing, working a loom at the many woollen mills, it’s fun, its reasonably inexpensive and leaves you with a sense of achievement. Anglers’ will be in seventh heaven and mums and children can look around the trout fisheries and feed the fish while the men (or women) are occupied with landing that whooper of a fish.
The first thing to do is to choose what type of accommodation you need to suit your budget and happily there is so much choice in and around Snowdonia. Caravan and camping sites offer the best value for money and a place to use as a touring base. Choose from Prestatyn or Rhyl, Colwyn Bay or Llandudno and drive along the coast road passing under the tunnel near Colwyn Bay with the road hugging the coastline. Although this is outside of the National Park its near to the main roads to travel into the park. Visit Conway Castle and the Mountain Zoo, cross the Menai straits into Anglesey.
Try Caernarfon a busy town with its own castle as another base there are plenty of caravan/camping sites around here. Or choose Porthmadog with its many cottages, terraced houses and waterfront flats to stay in. If you can afford a hotel or a B&B Betws-y-Coed is a magical place to stay and the best place to be in the heart of Snowdonia, more later.
As the mountains dominate the landscape, so the roads have to go through the valleys or the mountain passes so the choice of where to stay or what trips to make are important from the start of your stay. Many places offer discounts on main attractions so it’s worth looking these up. National trust passes are ideal for the many castles or you can buy railway passes as well if you love trains as much as I do this represents a hefty saving. Most caravan sites and hotels will offer savings or will arrange coach excursions for those that don’t want to drive. A car is still the best form of transport if you want to take in most of the sights. There are only about five major roads leading into the mountains so planning is vital to get the most out of the day. These are my own favourite routes. -
1) From Prestatyn follow the coast road stopping at the picturesque bays on route to Conway Castle. The sea-life centre at Rhyl is well worth a visit and with the castle will take up one day.
2) From Porthmadog visit the village of Portmeirion overlooking the Borth-y-Gest bay, it’s here that the famous village was made as a setting for an old TV programme, hands up all who remember it? If you have any time left take one of the many railways running from Porthmadog the Ffestiniog Railway will take you into Blaenau Ffestininog where you can see the slate mines which have been producing slate roofs for many centuries now.
3). From Caernarfon take the route to Llanberis visit the ancient Welsh castle Dolbardon built by the Welsh princes to protect the pass of Llanberis from the English kings. From here the famous Snowden Mountain Railway winds through the mountains eventually reaching the peak of Snowden. Lets stop here a while and discover what makes this so special.
Built in 1896 this is the only railway in Britain, which uses the rack and pinion system featured mostly in the Alps. It’s a steep climb rising to within 66feet of the summit, which you can walk to on a good day. At times it feels like you are clinging to the mountainside as the old Victorian steam engine chugs slowly to the top. The trip takes up to an hour so check the timetable carefully or end up being exposed to the elements. It’s not cheap (around £12 per person last time I went) but it’s a unique experience not to be missed. On a clear day you see as far as the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland. Sadly the summit building is in dire need of restoration and all contributions are welcome.
Still following the Llanberis pass by car once you reach the top of the pass you can park here and attempt various walks to Snowden something I have never done myself but you really do need to be a seasoned walker to attempt this climb. There is a climbing centre and a Youth Hostel here for the brave (or foolhardy) who wish to attempt the climb.
4). From the small town of Betwys- y-Coed take the road leading towards Capel Curig stopping on the way to visit the spectacular display of the Swallow falls just out of the town. There is a charge but its reasonable and standing at one of the many viewpoints expect to use up half a roll of film it’s so beautiful and an experience that’s hard to describe. Stop at Capel Curig in one of the little cafes here for a proper Welsh breakfast or a snack by now your appetite will be ravenous so buy some real Welsh cakes to nibble on as you get back in the car and go on to take one of two routes. The first will take you to the top of the Llanberis pass and through magnificent scenery down to the little village of Bethesda and into Bangor with its large shopping centre. Or turn onto the route that takes you through Llanwrst and through the vale of Conwy back to the sea road.
Betws-y-Coed is worth spending a half day to look around the shops buy hiking boots and woollen goods or just sit on the rocks by the river and drink in the peace and quiet. I stayed here once in an old coaching inn dating back to the 17th century. The choice of rooms were only limited by my budget so I never did get to sleep in a four-poster bed with it’s own spa bath and low-beamed ceilings instead I went for the cheaper but still luxurious room built on an extension at the back but awoke each morning to sound of the river and drawing back the curtains saw a forest of trees as far as the eye could see. Surrounded by mountains there was no TV reception which suited me fine, the cuisine was mouth-watering and late night guests could take a drink from the small bar and use an “honesty “ box, now that’s what I call a welcome.
5). Another good route is either from Llanrwst or Caernarfon heading towards Beddgelert a tiny village in the heart of Snowdonia. Legend has it that the one and only king of Wales, Llewellyn had his summer camp here deep in the forest and mountains near to Snowden. One morning he left his son in the care of his dog, Gelert while he was out hunting. On his return he found an empty cradle and his dog covered in blood and thinking that the dog had killed his child he slew the dog on the spot. The child was found unharmed but a wolf lay nearby slaughtered by the faithful dog and in a fit of remorse he buried the dog nearby. The grave of “Gelert” stands to this day, possibly just a fragment of imagination but enough to draw visitors to this lovely spot. The drive from Caernarfon is along winding roads following the course of the river along the pass of Aberglaslyn into the village. The famous illustrator of the Rupert Bear comic strips Mr Arthur E Bestall MBE lived here for over forty years drawing inspiration from the surrounding countryside. Beddgelert has been called the loveliest village in the country and I recommend a visit to this delightful place.
Nearby is the Sygun copper mines where copper was mined until 1903, now restored as a visitor centre the guide will lead you through the mines travelling high up into the mountainside where young children squeezed into the narrow passages where adults could not go. At one point in the tour the guide will extinguish all the lights leaving you to imagine what it must have been like for these youngsters.
6). For my final route I would choose Trawsfynydd a little further down the National park. I stayed here at a site with log cabins in landscaped gardens offering a lot of privacy. In the mornings my view was that of the distant mountains and the sunrise and sunsets were spectacular. There is a dry ski-slope here and mountain bikes to hire. The restaurant is situated in an old part of a mansion house with little niches to sit in and dine in style on venison, pork, chicken, rabbit, grouse and a good array of vegetarian meals. Just imagine dining here overlooking the mountains or retiring to your own log cabin to sit on the balcony with a takeaway and a bottle of good wine?
Near to the site is the Coed-y-Brenin Forest with 50 miles of forest trails and wildlife including buzzards, otters, polecats and deer. This is also the home of the welsh gold mines where you can look and drool over the pure welsh white gold bought for many a royal finger but out of my league. From here you can visit Harlech castle and on into Porthmadog or turn further south into Dolgellau to visit a very old town. A short run takes you into Bala with white-water rafting and canoeing. I stayed in Bala as well when I raised funds for Cancer Research totalling £100 for doing a group race down the falls (our whole group raised £1000).
To really get the most out of your holiday you need two weeks just to do the main sightseeing and still may feel you have only just touched the surface of this special place. It’s hard not to be sidetracked by the many other attractions, it seems like every route passes through an unspoilt village a mill, a stream, a nature reserve, a pottery, a larger town selling good souvenirs of your stay. Over the years I have visited North Wales about seven times and each time I find a new experience, another walk into the wild, another time to reflect on the brief nature of mankind when I sit by a stream, look at the mountains, soar with the eagles and see myself, a humble person in a land where nature is bigger than petty squabbles. I am proud to be one of the race called welsh and urge you to visit and feel some of this glory yourself.
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mr.shakers
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| Hallo greetings to one and all, last week i cellebrated my 40th birthday by visiting the beautiful region of snowdonia in north west wales.There wasn't any snow about as the place of the name suggested but all the same it was great fun and we both enjoyed ourselves.The host of the excellent b&b were extremely friendly and never imposed upon us but took an interest in us both and one chatted away for earlier part of the break.I visited with my wife the beautiful castle of harlech which is perched on a cliff and it takes a while to get around the steep road which is beneath it, but once you are in the carpark and enter the castle one cannot disguise the breathtaking beauty of the view over snowdonia and the surrounding countryside as well as the serenity of the sea and all it's charm.The beaches looked unspoilt too and not too populated though there was a stiff breeze which may have put people off visiting it.It is my third trip to wales in less than 12 months and i visit mainly because i am fascinated with the charm and history of this wonderful nation and especially the edwardian castles ironically built to keep the welsh out of their own towns by the then english king edward1.
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