Four bedrooms: 1 x king-size with TV, 1 x king-size with TV and en-suite walk-in shower, basin and WC, 1 x external double with TV and en-suite basin and WC, 1 x twin with TV. Bathroom with bath, walk-in shower, basin and WC. Kitchen/diner with woodburning stove. Sitting room
Oil central heating
Double oven, hob, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, kettle, toaster
WiFi, TV, DVD player, selection of DVDs and video games
Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Highchair and travel cot available
Off-road parking available
Enclosed rear multi-level patio with furniture, barbecue and hot tub
Balcony with furniture
Three well-behaved pets welcome
Sorry, no smoking
Shop 1.4 miles, pub 1.3 miles
Dominated by the grandeur of the Snowdon Massif, Llanberis is flanked by two lakes, Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris and is one of the most popular mountain tourist centres in the Snowdonia National Park. In fact, Llanberis is something of a mecca for walkers and climbers, being the starting point for the ascent of Snowdon – the highest mountain in England and Wales. The ascent can be made either by train via the Snowdon Mountain Railway, or on foot along one of the many routes to the summit. Each year, major racing events attract thousands to the area: The fast Snowdon Race to the summit, held in July every year, a triathlon known as the world’s toughest, and The Snowdonia Marathon, held in October – a gruelling 26-mile course that starts and finishes in Llanberis, circumnavigating the Snowdon Massif. The area is also popular for mountain biking, open water swimming and stand up paddle boarding. Within Llanberis itself there are excellent places to eat and drink and a great choice of shopping. Just 7 miles from Llanberis on the coast is Caernarfon with its magnificent castle and town walls and close by are National Trust properties at Penrhyn, Plas Newydd and Bodnant Gardens.
Gwynedd is a mountainous county with much of the east covered by Snowdonia National Park. To the west is the Llyn Peninsula which is flatter and has some of North Wales’s most beautiful coastlines.
The lagoons, wetlands, grasslands and reedbeds of Spinnies Aberogwen nature reserve near Bangor attract a wonderful variety of birds all year round but in particular during spring and autumn migrations. In the summer look out for kingfishers, little egrets, and grey herons in the reeds as they hunt for small fish, while in winter, water rails, great-crested grebes, and snipe, are joined by dunlins, lapwings, and redshanks looking for shelter. The reserve has a hide as well as bird feeders giving you the opportunity to see the wildlife up close.
Just south of Porthmadog is Traeth Glaslyn nature reserve made up of salt marsh, willow woodland, and grassland and a haven for wildlife and birds including teals, wigeons, curlews, black-tailed godwits. There is a hide here too, but please note at high tide the reserve can become submerged so check tide times before you go.
Another wetland reserve is the RSPB’s Arthog Bog in the Mawddach Valley. It may be small but it’s crammed with wildlife. Visit in spring for the opportunity to see summer migrants such as sedge warblers, whitethroats, and cuckoos. In autumn, flocks of redwings and fieldfares arrive for the winter. There’s a good chance to see goldfinches, linnets, and siskins feeding on seeds all year round.
For woodland birds head to Nantporth nature reserve, overlooking the Menai Strait and home to blackcaps, treecreepers, nuthatches, and jays. It’s also a good place to spot carrion crows, ravens, and jackdaws which often flock to the foreshore.
Also in the Menai Straits, is Traeth Lafan or Lavan Sands, an intertidal sandbank that is important for waterfowl in particular oystercatchers, as well as ringed plovers, knots, greenshanks, and turnstones.
Although ospreys can be spotted all over Gwynedd, for fans of these magnificent birds of prey a trip to Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife is a must. A pair of ospreys has been breeding at the site since 2004 and in spring, visitors can watch on camera as the parents deliver fish to feed their chicks at the nest. There are also viewing platforms, hides, and scopes, and volunteers on hand to answer any questions you might have.
