Ok, Thinking of cottage vacation in North Wales. Checking out the area in Chwilog. Whats the beach like at Afonwen?
thoughts please.
|
After what you've been saying about PU's new car I would think he has some very well thought out North Walesian suggestions for you......
Heh Heh !
|
|
They eat seaweed, wear pointy hats, set fire to cottages and talk funny in Wales you know.
|
|
Plenty of sheep too, for when Mrs Zero has one of those "headaches"
|
|
Are you referring to Mr. Zero?
|
|
I can see that getting some serious replies was a step too far on here.
|
>> I can see that getting some serious replies was a step too far on here.
>>
You can't blame people for responding to an invitation to get their own back.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 14 Sep 10 at 20:45
|
|
I know but I expected longer than 45 minutes before the sheep thing started.
|
Many years ago, we had someone appear in court charged with, er, interfering with a sheep.
There was a story that after the guy was arrested, he spent a night in a police cell in a small police station in rural County Durham.
In the morning, one of the coppers brings a plate of grass to his cell.
'What this?' he says.
'It's your breakfast,' says the polis.
'I don't want that,' he says. 'It's a plate of grass.'
'Why not?' asks the polis. 'It's what your girlfriend's having.'
|
|
Well I have booked a place in North Wales now.
|
God's punishment for writing off plasma TVs..:-)
Seriously, a great area for a break, along with more southern parts of the country. Enjoy.
|
|
South Wales has more in common with Yorkshire than real Wales: i.e. North West Wales where they truly speak Welsh and not just English in a Neil Kinnock accent.
|
I have done South Wales, its only down the road from here really, Done Pembroke, Never done the North.
Probably the hardest part of the country to get to from London.
|
|
Where are you going then? Ask about Aberdyfi next time - I've been there!
|
i love mid wales would live there tomorrow if i could in a small village with a working pub and real locals not posh nobs who want posh drinks and posher nibbles
|
Seeing as it's near Pwllheli and Criccieth it's a great part of north Wales. Porthmadog is nothing special but if you've never been to Portmeirion it might be worth your while popping in. Depending on when you're going they often have free entry vouchers downloadable from the website for the village.
That peninsula is really nice though. I am sure PU can recommend some good places near there. Snowdonia is an obvious nearby location of course.
|
We'll keep an eye on the news for local nutters going on the run.
John
|
|
I'll try and leave the next one behind.
|
|
dont go to Portmeirion as you need at least 6 hours to appreciate it
|
|
Portmerion is one of the reasons for choosing the area.
|
I thought it might be. Stayed in one of the cottages (not in the village itself) and spent many hours walking around. More time along the beach and in the surrounding grounds than the village.
These photos don't show how nice the cottage was:
www.portmeirion-village.com/content.php?nID=97&lID=1&pID=234
The free entry is from 2nd November until March and the voucher will then be available online to download and hand in at the entrance.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 14 Sep 10 at 22:17
|
Explore into the Lleyn peninsular...have a walk on the squeaking sands at Porth Oer.
Used to camp at Sarn Bach as a teenager...mainly for the girls around Abersoch .
Went on my Lambretta once.
Welsh leisure centre....a sheep tied to a lamp-post.
Ted
|
|
party.......two sheep tied to the same lampost
|
I have a "Love-Ewe" if you need to practice chat-up lines Zero?
Kevin...
|
|
I am taking the wife and the dog, wont need to chat up the locals.
|
"I am taking the wife and the dog"
Yeah, you can't beat a threesome.
|
>Yeah, you can't beat a threesome.
Wayne!
Is that you?!
|
"Wayne!
Is that you?!"
Yeah, it's me. I've had quite a few threesomes as it happens, usually the "wrong" kind, which generally entails one guy holding his shirt up to hide what he's up to at the other end.
|
|
Afonwen beach is easily accesible and remote in its own way - if you want to be alone with wife and dog it's great - haven't been there for years though. Places to visit include Beddgelert (thinking man's Betws y Coed) - plenty of very good eateries around Porthmadog including the newly opened Portmeirion Cafe on the High Street, I'll put a list together for you soon - loads to see and do, not least the Highland Railway from Beddgelert to Caernarfon (dunno when it stops running btw) some cracking driving roads which are largely unmolested by the Police, Speed vans only on marked routes, locals obligingly flash their lamps at you when they're out and about, zero fixed cameras this end of the world. Another must do is Aberdaron absolutely wonderful place. I'll put something together tomorrow for you. WHen you going ?
|
No rush, June next year......
BUt we need to book dog friendly cottages, and one bedroom cottages are like golddust so if you dont get in early you loose them.
|
>BUt we need to book dog friendly cottages,
Have you tried
tinyurl.com/2ecyte6 or tinyurl.com/3y5ly2d
Kevin...
|
|
My gran lived in Rhyl (avoid!) so my knowledge of N Wales is all rather old now, but Bedgelert was a place that I always remember - some story about a dog - Lake Bala was nice as was Snowdon. Rhuddlan castle was my favourite as a lad but it was tumbledown. I remember drives out to Llandudno and Conway in Dad's Hillman, and he also used to take us on mystery tours round the small lanes where I (probably aged 8 or less) would determine the route. There is some place that used to be renowned for it's peacocks too, behind a big stone wall on the north coast - en route from Abergele to Conway I'd say.
|
>>some story about a dog
Beddgelert = Gelert's grave, with Gelert being the name of the dog from the story.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelert
Being Welsh I'd have to know about the story of Gelert.
|
|
The furthest North I got was Towyn with Parents in a hand painted caravan (NO, not Gypsy) towed by, I think, an Austin Cambridge. Must have been about 10 or 12 years old then, me not car or van! I LOVED it. Cader Idris sticks in my mind even now and I'm nearly 53. Another memory is of a steam train taking us 'somewhere'. Oh! Happy Day.
|
|
Its a bit closer to Liverpool than I would normally think about, But I am sure the wind will be blowing the right way.
|
|
Liverpool is often said to be the capital city of N Wales. The place will be thick with them (scousers) if the weather is good.
|
|
Liverpudlians tend to stop in Rhyl - Down the Llyn its more Mancunians and the further west to go the richer they get, they all have gaffs down in Abersock (as they call Abersoch).
|
I remember a recovery job to Criccieth from Manchester many years ago.
Early on a bright Sunday morning, I think.
Going gingerly down the Llanberis Pass I was overtaken by low flying jet fighters which, in seconds, were below my level with me looking down on top of them for a brief second....amazing seeing them weaving from side to side round the bends in the pass !
Tede
|
|
Miss B and her Beau were taking part in the Mirror Nationals at Pwllheli last year. One can only watch red dots out at sea for so long and Mrs B and I did a bit of exploring along the Lleyn. Absolutely beautiful, more like Cornwall than Wales and very often having it's own microclimate.
|
...at Pwllheli last year...
Went to Butlins there as a child - great fun.
|
>> Went to Butlins there as a child - great fun.
Think that's a static caravan park now though.
|
|
Where the geese crap on your car (or so I'm told)
|
...Think that's a static caravan park now though...
I went to Ayr Butlins in Scotland as well.
Swung past the site earlier this year for old times sake, and it is a large static caravan park.
They still have a variety theatre, kids clubs, amusements etc.
Looked like a pared down version of Butlins.
There is also one remaining two-storey chalet block, which I think might be a listed building, or whatever they have in Scotland.
|
>> which I think might be a listed
>> building, or whatever they have in Scotland.
A slum?
|
>Afonwen beach is easily accesible and remote in its own way - if you want to be alone with wife and dog it's great
which was why I homed in on that spot.
|
|
There's plenty of beach space in the Peninsular, I'll sign post some stuff to you in time. If you fancy meeting for a beer, I promise to park the car a few miles away from the pub.
|
Remember the old saying, "you should never meet your Zeroes".
John
|
|
Yeah they have feet of clay or cuban heels or somatt
|
I am sure he wont be disapointed, we can meet for an ale.
Thanks for that PU, I kinda figured the area was ripe for exploration. NO real intention of making Anglesey (except maybe to look at the work of old Isambard)
Romain remains? Oh yes, great lover of all things Roman. If I could come back in a another life and time, I would have been a Lanista with a fine Ludus.
|
www.segontium.org.uk/
Cancel what I said about Caernarfon - between this place and the Castle you can see 2 millennia from this place - a real hidden gem.
|
"if you want to be alone with wife and dog it's great" - "which was why I homed in on that spot".
I think you're up to something. Have you recently upped her life insurance?
|
Zero,
I'll edit in places as I think of them - so this list will grow.
Llechwedd Slate Mine - www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk/
Conwy Valley railway - suggest a return trip along this - park in Blaenau and catch a train to Llandudno - one of the most scenic trips you can get (bar 1) in the area - you can actually catch a train (narrow gauge) fro Porthmadog to link in to the mainline railway station in Blaenau and continu up the valley. See www.festrail.co.uk/ - another cracking trip not to be forgotten is the coastal mainline from Pwllheli to Barmouth - you'll take in some special views including Harlech Castle - Barmouth appeals to some people - cracking beaches including a nudist one !
Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station they used to do tours not sure now, not sure how interested you would be in Roman remains but there is an amphitheatre above Trawsfynydd - not much to see but an incredible view when you get to it
www.walesdirectory.co.uk/Towns_in_Wales/Trawsfynydd_Town.htm
Electric Mountain Llanberis - Tour the mountain cavern - good on a wet day.
www.fhc.co.uk/electric_mountain.htm Slate Museum in Llanberis - good one this, bit more interesting than Llechwedd. www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/slate/ The world famous Pete's Eats in the village is good food well cooked and cheap.
Snowdon Mountain Railway - Expensive but the alternative is an all day walk/hike - worth it for the view at the top.
www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
You've got Criccieth, Caernarfon and Beaumaris castle within easy reach - Conwy is a little further. Criccieth has a fine beach and front, nice Ice cream shop ! Caernarfon apart from the castle is a dump but is the terminus for the Highland Railway - Royal Welsh Museum in the Castle worth a visit. Beaumaris is a nice place to go - good food and beer at the Liverpool Arms nice coffee shop opposite the Castle and the old Courthouse - stunning views over to the Mainland, travel inward on the Britannia Bridge - Stephenson's masterpiece (now with a road deck) and Telford's superb Suspension bridge on the way back - good food at Menai Bridge - cracking Chinese, good Indian and a nice curry house called Ruby's. Crap beer on the whole apart from another Liverpool Arms by the pier - oh and a branch of Waitrose ! Conwy is a nice place with good little shops a good atmosphere in the harbour.
If you "do" Anglesey remember it's BIG - Bigger than Malta apparently - so pick and choose where you go - lots of the beaches ban doggies in the summer but I recommend, Llanddwyn Beach, Cable Bay, Rhosneigr watch the planes at RAF Valley at the end of the runway - Holyhead is a dump as is Llangefni - Benllech has a good beach as Llanddona beach which is difficult to find but superb.
Last edited by: Pugugly on Thu 16 Sep 10 at 19:20
|
Remember a very pleasant day at Bodnant Gardens:
www.bodnantgarden.co.uk/cgi-bin/news.pl
|
Places to Eat :=
The Fleece in Tremadog (Birthplace of TE Lawrence is there as well) The Queens in Porthmadog
Portmeirion - exquisite hand made biscuits in Castell Deudraeth - best views of anywhere in the world. There is also a small butchers shop on Porthmadog High Street they sell lamb reared around Portmeirion that graze on the salt marshes and the lamb is lovely. The Sportsman's Hotel in Port has good food and beer. The Rock cafe in the High Street sells the best coffee in the area.
Tan yr Onnen and the Goat in Beddgelert - Robinsons ale in the TyO simple old fashioned place
More Beaches =
Black Rock sands - you can drive on the beach but watch for the tides many a Tourists' car have been drownded
Hell's Mouth in Abersoch - superb even in winter, avoid Abersoch full of spivs in Summer.
Aberdaron is a long way away (about 20 odd miles along windy roads, very busy in summer, but if you can persuade one of the local fishermen to sell you a lobster...
Last edited by: Pugugly on Thu 16 Sep 10 at 21:34
|
|
You might take a look at Fort Belan, on the Menai strait. Still has the cannon on the walls which have been fired by the then owner (in living memory) at yachts nearby. Since then the Fort has been sold, and things are less eccentric. This is apparently the only purpose built fortress of the American Revolution on this side of the Atlantic ocean!
|
|
Really nice place that...very desolate other than in Summer..
|
I spent a week at Bull Bay, it rained, but nevertheless we walked East to this place:
tinyurl.com/36h3lcx
Wonderful if you like industrial archaeology. A brickworks with no road access in a nice bay.
There's also an interesting open cast mining of metals, resulting in reds and greens over a vast area just above Bull Bay, well worth a look.
I seem to recall there were two pubs that both did food, but nowhere to buy a roll of bog paper.
Last edited by: bathtub tom {p} on Fri 17 Sep 10 at 00:14
|
Two other places I forgot was Parys Mountain in North Anglesey near Amlwch - a wierd multicoloured landscape
www.angleseymining.co.uk/parysmountain/HomeParys.htm
Worked since Roman times - (Boy did they have a job to suppress Anglsey) and was the mine responsible for copper bottoming most of the British fleet at one time - not looked on the net but I heard mention there were tours there. Also if you're going to Llandudno worth a visit up the Great Orme to see the Copper Mine there, apparently employed 3000 people in Roman times (according to Coast anyway) - Conwy's Telford Suspension Bridge and Stephenson's tubular rail crossing are worth a traffic-free look - the Castle walls in Conwy are walkable and visit the site where the Mullbary harbour was assembled on the Conwy Morfa.
Over the river there's Deganwy with it's Welsh castle on the Vardre - built by the Welsh and key to a huge defeat of the English before Longshanks built the Castle at Conwy, the Roman fort at Caerhun (down the Conwy Valley) eat at the Groes Inn - superb if pricey and near the site of a recently discovered Roman "church"...hugely historical valley.
Rob mentioned Rhuddlan site of another Castle and the scene of another huge defeat for the English Armies before it was suppressed and ethnically cleansed. The Castle looks a bit ragged as it was plundered for building materials...there is a Norman Motte next to the 13 Cent. Castle as well.
|
Holiday - North Wales. - Runfer D'Hills
