Wonderful Wales
The Meek Family
Forum Participant Posts: 336
We love Wales. We often used to travel over to Wales from Nottingham, particularly the northern coast. It is such a beautiful country and there is SO much to do and see in every nook and cranny! After leaving Gladfest in early September, we headed further into Wales towards the popular Snowdonia area. The site that we were staying, Coed-Y-Llwyn was on the southern border with the National Park and within easy access of the coast so offered various locations to visit.
Coed-Y-Llwyn Caravan Club site was particularly popular at this time; the site was full (or as near as) throughout the few days we were there. There are various areas to pitch in and most pitches are hard-standing, although there are a few grass pitches at the higher level near reception. Our pitch was suitably located near the playground, a sloped grassy area with a good selection of equipment, which neighbours the dog walk. The dog walk was a small, circular, gravel path in the woodland that borders the site.
So, what is there to do in the area? Well, what isn't there to do! We're in Wales after all. The vast range of activities should suit most tastes from walkers, cyclists and adventure seekers to train enthusiasts and shoppers. Whether you want a relaxing day on the beach or a strenuous trek in the mountains, the site is near to both.
The site boasts a couple of local walks and information can be collected from reception (for a donation to the RNLI). There is also a cycle track not far from the site encircles Lake Trawsfyndd and more extreme downhill trails at Blaenau Ffestiniog. On our first day we chose a short walk from the site that leads to a Rhaedr Ddu Waterfall. The walk is only about 2 miles long and takes in some of the surrounding countryside. It was a hot day when we ventured out and we rewarded ourselves with a short dip in the plunge pool to cool off. The water was very cold but it certainly refreshed us before our walk back to the site.
Porthmadog and Portmeirion
These two quaint seaside towns are within easy reach of the site. During our visit access to Portmeirion was limited after heavy rainfall had trapped many cars in the car park (field) of the Festival Number 6. Even one of the tractors attempting to remove the cars got stuck! Traffic in and out of town was busy but at other times of the year it isn't an issue and they are well worth visiting.
Llyn peninsular
This large piece of land that juts out south of Anglesey and west of Snowdonia offers a selection of places to visit, including beaches. We drove the Criccieth on one of the sunnier days and wandered along the beach. The castle, perched on the cliff top separates beaches on either side, one is more pebbly and the other more popular sandy beach with cafes and nearby ice cream stalls.
The wardens and a friend of ours, recommended visiting the Ty Coch Inn, a pub on a beach on the northern coast of the peninsular. It is about an hour drive away because it is quite remote but particularly popular on sunny days as people take their glasses outside on the beach to appreciate the location. Definitely somewhere we'll think about visiting on a future trip.
Adventure in the area
Northern Wales has been named the Adventure Capital of Wales and there certainly is a lot to tickle those adventure taste buds. In Bethesda, there is Zipworld, where you can take the longest zipline in Europe and fastest in the world. It is picturesque as well as exhilarating as it travels over the aqua marine quarry lake below. The company also offer Bounce Below- a series of trampolines under ground.
Another possible adventure thrill is the newly opened SurfSnowdonia where visitors can attempt to surf a wave at the world's first inland surfing lagoon.
Snowdonia
The site is located to the south of Snowdon and the National Park but they are both accessible. Walking up Snowdon is of course a popular attraction when visiting this area and there are various routes that you can take: the Miners track or Pyg trail from Pen-Y-Pass, the LLanberis route from Llanberis and the longer, more challenging Watkin path from the south.
Welsh History
After reading the Welsh legend of Beddgelert we decided to pay the site a visit. It is a very moving tale and one that had a great impact on Ella (she wrote the blogpost in the link). Beddgelert is a very picturesque village in the National Park and attracts many visitors all year round. To accommodate the visiting tourists, the streets are lined with cafes, ice cream stalls, shops and pubs. A short walk along the river takes you to the grave of Gelert, the dog in the tale and statue stands in the ruins of nearby building.
After visiting Beddgelert we drove further along the road to Bethania car park where we left the motorhome and started to walk the Watkin Path. We had no intention of walking the eight mile to Snowdon peak; our aim was to walk up to Gladstone rock. Having been at Gladstone library for Gladfest and learnt about who William Gladstone was, it only seemed right that we visit the stone on which the former Prime Minister, aged 83, had stood to deliver a speech to over 2000 people. We walked up the path, emerging from woodland into the beautiful mountainous landscape, Snowdon hidden amongst a cloud of mist ahead of us. It was a short, gentle walk to the 12ft boulder which is identifiable by its plaque. The girls both stood on the top and delivered their own speeches in the style of the great man.
Wales - we will be back for more in the future!
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