Holidays
in Wales - Places
to Visit
There
is plenty to do and see within driving distance of Plough Cottage.
If you're looking for a hiking holiday, there is an abundance
of
trails of all levels of difficulty, from leisurely coastal paths to
climbing Cadair Idris or Mount Snowdon.
Cadair Idris towers
over the beautiful Talyllyn
Lake on one side and rises high above Dolgellau on the
other. Hikers
may approach the summit from either side and there are clear,
way-marked routes from the designated car parks. Be sure to choose a
clear day and the effort will be well rewarded with panoramic views to
be enjoyed at the summit.
Just 12 miles away is the picturesque fishing port of Aberdovey, which
sits right on the Northern mouth of the Dovey Estuary.
White-washed and pastel-coloured cottages fill the narrow
streets
that lead up the hillside to larger properties with commanding views
over the harbour and estuary.
Take a walk by
the water's edge
across rocks and paths towards Picnic Island. Try your hand
at
crabbing from the wooden jetty or experience a Pleasure Cruise
on
one of the local boats.
For the more
energetic, there are
several way-marked paths that rise high above the port and provide
panoramic views of the coastline and estuary, or simply relax at one of
the coffee shops or on the roof terrace of the Dovey Inn.
Aberdovey also
has a sailing club, a
golf course by the sea and miles of clean, sandy beaches and sheltered
dunes.
Aberystwyth is not just a
seaside town. Both the University and the National Library of
Wales are based here. The town has a cosmopolitan flavour and
is
considered by some to be the cultural capital of Wales.
Constitution Hill at the northern end of Aberystwyth's
Victorian
promenade is the location of the longest Electric Cliff Railway in
Britain. At the summit of the railway lies the awe-inspiring
Camera Obscura, which is the largest in the World and provides
wonderful views of the Welsh coastline.
Just a 15-minute drive away, Corris
was a slate mining centre in days gone by. It is now home to
an
attractive craft centre where you will find local artisans making and
offering for sale items such as jewellery, leather goods, candles,
glass products, wooden toys, pottery and fabrics. Whilst
here,
you can take a boat ride across a thousand years, deep under the
mountains and walk into spectacular caverns where tales of King Arthur
are told with tableaux and stunning sound effects. Volunteers
have created a small railway museum and restored part of the line that
transported slate from Corris down into Machynlleth. Why not
take
a short ride into
history!
The pretty town of Dolgellau
sits on the river at the head of the
Mawdach Estuary
which is, arguably, one
of the most picturesque in Britain. A moderately-paced walk
above Dolgellau,
along Afon Aran, leads to scenic views over the grey slate buildings
which form
the centre of the town. The
area is
teeming with wild-life and mountains rise up dramatically on both sides
of the estuary. On
the Southern side of the
waterways, there is now a tourist trail which can either be walked, or
cycled,
between Dolgellau and Barmouth. Most
of
this route comprises a converted railway track which alternates between
forest
and the water’s edge. At
the seaward end
of the trail stands an old, wooden toll bridge which is still used by
the
mainline trains today and provides access for trail users across the
estuary
mouth to Barmouth. A
second, wooden toll bridge, at the head of the estuary, provides a
crossing for cars from
Penmaenpool to the Barmouth road. Try
the “Precipice Walk” near
Dolgellau for stunning views of the estuary.
On the Southern side, a gated road from Arthog, climbing
up the
mountainside, eventually leads to the beautiful Lake Cregennen
with Cadair Idris as a backdrop. There are many walks in this
area through the wooded Gwynant valley and in the approaches to Cadair
Idris.
The
"great little trains of
Wales" are a very special way of seeing some of the best scenery in
Wales. All are narrow gauge and some have a history spanning
more than
100 years. Their modest size and leisurely pace ensure that
you fully
enjoy the splendid surroundings during your journey. Joint
tickets can
be purchased which offer considerable savings against individual ticket
prices.
The Talyllyn Railway
was the first preserved Steam
Railway in the World, running through glorious countryside and passing
the
famous Dolgoch Waterfall. Other nearby railways include Bala
Lake
Railway, Aberystwyth Cliff Railway, Snowdon Mountain Railway, Vale of
Rheidol Railway, Llanberis Railway, Ffestiniog Mountain Railway and
Welshpool to Llanfair Railway.
A 10 minute drive along
the
road towards Corris will take you to the Centre for Alternative Technology
(CAT), which was
established in 1974 to promote a greener way of life. It was developed on the
site
of a disused slate quarry and is accessed today by a steep Funicular
Railway.
Gerard Morgan-Grenville
had a
vision of combining idealism with practical solutions to overcome the
problems
of an over-developed, industrialised society.
He was joined by Ecologists, Primitivists, disgruntled
Academics and Pragmatists
who, between them, rebuilt the site, established gardens on ground with
no
natural soil and generated their own electricity. Over
the last 3 decades, the
project has grown from strength to strength and, today, CAT is
recognised as Europe’s
leading ECO Centre, attracting 80,000 visitors
per year. CAT
still generates its own
electricity; so much, in fact, that the surplus is sold to the National
Grid!
If you remember The
Prisoner TV series, you may be interested in taking a trip to Portmeirion Village where
the series was filmed. Experience village life in a bygone
age at the Maes
Artro Village or visit one of the area's many castles: Cricceth,
Harlech, Conway, Beaumaris or Dolwyddelan.
Take the kids to
the Halo Factory in Tywyn
to meet the resident Honey Bear and sample the famous honey
icecream. A visit to the Animalarium in Borth or the
Butterfly
House at Cwm Rehidol will also keep the kids
entertained.
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