On a recent trip to north Wales I discovered a holiday gem in the land of my fathers.
Published by travelbite.co.uk
Staycations were a late discovery for me and followed years of stubbornly believing the best holiday was only experienced furthest away from home.
But last year a trip to Ireland opened my eyes to just how spectacular a holiday close to home could be, and with that in mind Wales was set as my next port of call.
Having been born in this beautiful country I have a certain bias in favour of it – but on my most recent trip was willing to keep an open mind as to how well it could serve as a holiday destination. What I discovered during seven days on Cymru’s north-west coast was that as well as world-class rugby, cakes and heritage, Wales also produces world-class holidays.
Our base was Harlech, known for its World Heritage site listed castle overlooking the Llŷn Peninsula and Tremadog Bay and within the bounds of the Snowdonia National Park. The village itself is a tourist haven, boasting a number of tea rooms, restaurants, antique shops and the compulsory seaside chippy!
Our home for the week was Sarn Badrig - a 1932 cottage built by the Cadbury family as a seaside retreat.
Owners of this picturesque and perfectly situated home Gwilym and Pat Hughes have endeavoured to keep up the chocolatey theme, and guests are greeted with Cadbury’s Dairy Milk on their pillows and relics of the British institution dotted around the rooms.
Sarn Badrig comprises a double and twin rooms, and a children’s room – complete with toys and bunkbeds – with two bathrooms, a well-equipped kitchen and lounge/diner overlooking the bay. If you’re lucky enough like we were in late June to have great weather, the cottage’s outdoor patio with sun loungers and BBQ are ideal – and whatever the weather the ‘gin and tonic’ seat will get well used during your stay.
The cottage is ideal for families, as it has a huge garden and its own (virtually private) path down to the beach. Take the winding trail through the honeysuckle to the sea and after crossing the railway track (only two trains a day so perfectly safe to cross) you’ll find rock pools, sand dunes and calm waters; perfect for kids and grown-ups alike.
What makes Sarn Badrig so special – other than the chocolate and designated gin a tonic seat – is the fabulous views, which are unrivalled. After a week we were still not bored of the vista, and I would be genuinely surprised to find a better sunset spot in Wales, or even Europe.
As a real foodie I have to admit one of my favourite indulgences while on holiday is eating out, and I thought a holiday in north Wales would be quite limited in terms of choice of restaurants – how wrong I was.
Harlech itself – despite being a tiny and predominantly Welsh-speaking village – boasts a Caribbean and Indian restaurant. The former (Castle Restaurant & Armoury Bar) overlooks the famous heritage site and has its own cocktail bar upstairs. The menu is limited, but completely delicious, and I’ve not had better Caribbean food in London. My coconut curry was fairly spicy, while my companions opted for jerk pork and fishcakes; all of which were very tasty.
We ordered take-away one evening from the village Indian so we could eat it at Sarn Badrig while enjoying the view, and found a good choice on the menu. Be warned though, the restaurant (alike many shops and food outlets in Harlech) only accepts cash.
Surely the best meal we had during the week was at Yr Sqwr in Trethmadog. Fantastic service, locally-sourced specials and a comprehensive wine list make this restaurant one of the best in the area. My Welsh lamb shank was delicious, as was the goat’s cheese starter, and the staff were very helpful in providing alternatives to the celiac in our group.
As we were blessed with fantastic weather during our week in Harlech much of our holiday was spent either on the beach or taking long walks interspersed with stops for tea and cake.
A day spent at nearby Portmeirion is well worth the trip, with its stunning gardens and grounds. We stopped at Porthmadog afterwards to walk around the harbour and look for a family of resident otters from the Cob bridge.
If you’re peckish in Porthmadog the Yr Hen Fecws is a great place for coffee and cake, and has reasonably priced rooms if you’re looking for a base in the area.
For a day away from the beach we headed to Nantcol waterfalls in between Harlech and Barmouth. The area has some really beautiful walks and a special nature trail for children. The camp site is quite possibly the most picturesque I have ever seen, running alongside babbling brooks and with well-equipped facilities for families.
Perched on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park Harlech is also a superb base for walkers. As recommended by the owners of Sarn Badrig we did the Dinas Oleu and panoramic walk – close to Barmouth. The walk is not too strenuous but takes you along some fantastic photo opportunity look-outs. Given the areas proximity to a large RAF base you’ll often hear (and if it’s clear enough) see fighters practising in the valley. We were lucky enough to witness this spectacle on our walk, which really is a sight to behold.
The walk brings you back into Barmouth and right past The Last pub – a maritime themed setting with plenty of outside seating and perfect for a well-earned pint.
If the weather takes a turn for the worse a visit to Harlech’s World Heritage Site listed castle should definitely be on the cards. We first stopped for tea at the Cemlyn Tea Shop which overlooks the castle and has a wealth of afternoon treats to suit, including gluten free options.
The castle itself will take around an hour and a half to walk around, depending upon how many of the spiral staircases you are willing to traverse. I remember being brought to the castle as a child and playing knights and princesses with my brother and it was lovely to see children playing the same games among the ruins. Dressing up is definitely encouraged for the kids, and you can find pretend swords et al in the castle shop.
For golfers there is the St Davids course in Harlech which has stunning views over the beach and up towards the castle.
