Betws-y-coed – Last Visit July 2019
My wife remembered this village from our first visit several years ago and wanted to return and Its beautiful slate buildings remind me of the lake district. With its shops, cafes and a few restaurants, it's a very picturesque place to have a gentle stroll/look around and then find a nice cafe to stop and enjoy the sun, which we did at the platform side of the station. Definitely worth visiting and taking your time to look around.
My wife remembered this village from our first visit several years ago and wanted to return and Its beautiful slate buildings remind me of the lake district. With its shops, cafes and a few restaurants, it's a very picturesque place to have a gentle stroll/look around and then find a nice cafe to stop and enjoy the sun, which we did at the platform side of the station. Definitely worth visiting and taking your time to look around.
A498 & A4086 - July 2019
On our way from Betws-y-Coed to Beddgelert, we drove along the A4086 and down the A498 and there are some fantastic views, if you can it’s worth stopping in the layby’s, be aware some you have to pay to park in though. The best by far is the Snowdon viewpoint, there’s a small car park and a plaque to show you which mountain in the view is Snowdon. In the below picture slideshow, there is a map with the viewing points marked as best as I could.
On our way from Betws-y-Coed to Beddgelert, we drove along the A4086 and down the A498 and there are some fantastic views, if you can it’s worth stopping in the layby’s, be aware some you have to pay to park in though. The best by far is the Snowdon viewpoint, there’s a small car park and a plaque to show you which mountain in the view is Snowdon. In the below picture slideshow, there is a map with the viewing points marked as best as I could.
Beddgelert - Visited July 2019
I originally chose to come to this charming little village, having searched online for some walks in the area. We parked in the large car park signposted off the main street.
The walk took us from the car park, back up the main road past the tourist information and at the road bridge we turned right before it down the side of the river. Just after the public toilets you come to a bridge, you can go either way, it's a circular route, we chose to go through the gate on the right. The route is very straightforward, stick to the riverside, when you come to the wall there's a sign at the bottom pointing to Gelert's grave, follow the path along the side of the wall. You will come to an opening, with a tree up ahead, that's is Gelert's grave. After the tree there's an old building ruin, with a statue of Gelert. You can the follow the path on towards the left and back towards the river. At the river turn right and simply follow the path, you will eventually come to a pedestrian and railway bridge over the river. After you've crossed the bridge turn left and follow the path, eventually arriving back at the bridge leading you back across to the public toilets.
Walking back from our river walk, on the left we came across a lovely looking outdoor seating area for a cafe, it was for Caffi Colwyn, a nice refreshment stop. Although it's not a big place, we were glad we visited.
I originally chose to come to this charming little village, having searched online for some walks in the area. We parked in the large car park signposted off the main street.
The walk took us from the car park, back up the main road past the tourist information and at the road bridge we turned right before it down the side of the river. Just after the public toilets you come to a bridge, you can go either way, it's a circular route, we chose to go through the gate on the right. The route is very straightforward, stick to the riverside, when you come to the wall there's a sign at the bottom pointing to Gelert's grave, follow the path along the side of the wall. You will come to an opening, with a tree up ahead, that's is Gelert's grave. After the tree there's an old building ruin, with a statue of Gelert. You can the follow the path on towards the left and back towards the river. At the river turn right and simply follow the path, you will eventually come to a pedestrian and railway bridge over the river. After you've crossed the bridge turn left and follow the path, eventually arriving back at the bridge leading you back across to the public toilets.
Walking back from our river walk, on the left we came across a lovely looking outdoor seating area for a cafe, it was for Caffi Colwyn, a nice refreshment stop. Although it's not a big place, we were glad we visited.
Portmeirion - Visited 2012
It usually costs £10 per adult to enter the village, which we felt was a little expensive, although when you look around the village, you can see how the money goes towards maintaining this lovely place, but our visit was out of season and we had a voucher, which gave us entry for a bargain £1 each.
It usually costs £10 per adult to enter the village, which we felt was a little expensive, although when you look around the village, you can see how the money goes towards maintaining this lovely place, but our visit was out of season and we had a voucher, which gave us entry for a bargain £1 each.
The colourful buildings, palm trees and layout made me feel like I wasn’t in the UK and you can easily stay a few hours, with many benches to sit back, relax with an ice cream. There are also two walks, both approx 30-40mins that you do, we did the blue route, which takes you around the coast, it's very beautiful and peaceful, but I would recommend sensible footwear, as parts of the route were a little rough under foot. The red route took you around the woods and both routes are marked with posts that have a coloured band at the top, however we didn’t notice any, until we had got further along the route.
Criccieth - Visited 2012
There is a small street of shops, a nice long promenade, where you can park looking out to the sea, there was a café at the end, but this was closed when we were there, but there are no other shops on the beach front. As you enter from the North, you need to turn left, before the main shops and over the railway lines and then turn left again and you can follow the road right down to the front.
There is a small street of shops, a nice long promenade, where you can park looking out to the sea, there was a café at the end, but this was closed when we were there, but there are no other shops on the beach front. As you enter from the North, you need to turn left, before the main shops and over the railway lines and then turn left again and you can follow the road right down to the front.
Pwllheli - Visited 2012
This appeared to be a little bit bigger than some places we had visited and a more typical coastal place, with a long promenade. There was a big car park in the centre of town, but we was only there for about 30mins and we wasn’t that impressed, therefore we probably wouldn't visit again.
Llyn Ogwen Lake – Visited 2012
On our way home from Anglesey, we stopped here and I took some photos, it was very beautiful, with such still waters the reflection of the mountains in the lake were almost as clear as the mountains themselves. Not surprisingly, it was busy, with many walkers, exploring this fantastically beautiful mountainous area. There are a few small car parks/laybys to park in just off the main road.
On our way home from Anglesey, we stopped here and I took some photos, it was very beautiful, with such still waters the reflection of the mountains in the lake were almost as clear as the mountains themselves. Not surprisingly, it was busy, with many walkers, exploring this fantastically beautiful mountainous area. There are a few small car parks/laybys to park in just off the main road.
Llandudno