Staycation recommendations

[Nearholmer]

Although Blaenau is central, and exceedingly interesting, I've always found it a bit grim, except on rare, very sunny, days, so have always stayed in Porthmadog or nearby when going to that part of the world.

 

It has good rail links by NR, FR, and WHR, it certainly used to have good bus links, although its a few years (well decades, now I come to think) since I've used the buses much, and it has more in the way of shops and eateries, and there are plenty of interesting walks of multiple different lengths around and from the town, including across the Cob and over the headland to Portmeirion (public footpath round the back of Boston Lodge; no entry/parking fee, and a really nice, isolated beach).

 

On my last visit, a couple of days while driving home with a car groaning under the weight of luggage and bikes on the way back from Ireland, while the rest of the family flew, I stayed at a place called Aberdunant Hall, which is an hotel at the centre of holiday park, in a really secluded little side valley just up from the station (Prenteg??) where the WHR crosses the Glaslyn  ....... very good value when booked last minute, the money saved being used to buy nice dry, warm, woolly socks, after getting caught in some severe Welsh August Liquid Sunshine.

[wombatofludham]

Agree that Blaenau is not an ideal place to stay, it's a bit industrial.  Porthmadog is better and has the advantage of being reasonably accessible by train (every 2hr) from Barmouth although be warned the Cambrian station is the other side of town from the FR and WHR Harbour station.  Porthmadog also has one of the better bus networks in Gwynedd which might be something to consider.

When in Barmouth the Cambrian line trains will take you to Fairbourne and Tywyn for the railways there (the Fairbourne are having a gala weekend over the Whitsun bank holiday) and if you are happy to change at Dyfi Junction (level change, at Mach you need to use the new lift equipped footbridge which last I heard was having teething problems) you can get to Aberystwyth for the VoR although the connections aren't brilliant.

If you still fancy a Ruby Murray if in Barmouth, here in Fairbourne we have Indiana Cuisine, a proper Indian restaurant who do authentic Indian recipes and who have rave reviews.  Raj and his wife are Bollywood royalty.  They have a website, but I'm not sure if they have reopened.  Have a look for Indiana Cuisine.  They will make bookings timed to allow you to get here by train and the Indiana is literally five minutes from this station, as Pearl and Dean might say.

There are some nice hotels in the "Greater Mawddach" area which is quite central for a number of scenic railways and attractions, so would be a good place for a break, if slightly damper than abroad.  It's not called the "Welsh rain forest" round 'ere for nothing.!

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

 

I just mentioned the plan to visit North Wales rather than Extramadura in September to my wife, I was rather surprised by her response. The swelling will go down in a few days and I really don’t mind sleeping in the garden workshop.
 

HoHum and StaySafe