Peter on the TV

Peter standing on the banks of the Conwy with Carole Green of ITV Wales News.

This is a shot of Peter being interviewed by ITV news and Carole Green, the local reporter. The subject under discussion was the recent announcement by Walking North Wales that 3 walking holiday companies had joined together and agreed to provide luggage transfer and accommodation booking facilities all the way along the 320 miles of the Wales Coast Path in North Wales, all the way from Chester to Porthmadog.

Dewi Davies of TPNW was also interviewed along with a restaurant owner in Prestatyn. As ever there was not enough time for the full interview to be broadcast and so, inevitably, only part of the story was covered, but the publicity generated was very valuable. What Peter was trying to say was that the seamless transfer of luggage and the continuous booking of accommodation to requirement all the way along the coast of North Wales meant that the area now had a fully supported distance path putting it on a par with the best established trails in the land.

Where to Stay?

We are often asked by walkers to give recommendations on where to stay, and our answers always depend on location and budget and finding out exactly what it is that each walker is looking for. When we were asked to lead the recent Familiarisation Trip for European tour operators we had to decide for ourselves and we chose the following hotels. These had to be large enough to take the whole party and had to serve food in the evening. However we would have no hesitation in recommending all these places to walkers who want to explore these different areas.

Gales Restaurant with Rooms in Llangollen. These are mediaeval buildings which have been adapted over time to make magnificent bedrooms, a fine wine bar and an excellent restaurant right in the heart of this busy walking town.

The Pen y Gwryd Hotel at the base of Snowdon near Pen y Pass. This is a well established mountaineering hotel and is full of mementoes of the 1953 Everest Expedition for which this hotel served as a training base. The accommodation is old fashioned by modern standards, but the meals are excellent and the place oozes charm.

Abercelyn Country House Hotel has only 3 rooms in the main house, in addition to 3 cottages in the grounds. However each room is charming and the service absolutely brilliant, and with great views over Bala Lake. 

Craflwyn Hall near Beddgelert has recently been restored by the National Trust and is now run as a hotel by HF Holidays. Most people who stay are on a walking holiday or a course. The rooms are well appointed and the surrounding landscape and woodland is superb.

If you really want to treat yourselves, the Portmeirion Hotel has its own spa, as well as magnificent views down Cardigan Bay.

As an entire converted quarry village, Nant Gwrtheyrn is one of the more unusual locations for accommodation in North Wales.

The Bulkeley Hotel in Beaumaris was the final location of the trip, and rounded things off nicely with its stunning views of the Menai Straits.

Croeso i Gweithredwyr Teithiau Ewropeaidd!

Walking North Wales is coordinating efforts to attract more German and European walkers to North Wales. One of the main ways in which such walkers arrive is by way of tour operators in their native countries. In order to enlarge this business we carefully selected some prominent operators and showed them the best of what North Wales has to offer in terms of scenery, footpaths, guides and accommodation. They all arrived on Wednesday the 6th of March and returned home on Sunday the 30th. In the party were representatives of Gaeltacht (Germany), Bistum Limburg (Germany), Wikinger Reisen (Germany), Boundless (Germany), Travellers Wandelreizen (Netherlands), Anders Reizen (Belgium), WI-Resor AB (Sweden).

A right (mediaeval) Welsh Welcome at Chirk Castle.

Walking the aqueduct.

Mike Smart and David Shiel led the Panorama Walk.

On the way up to Castell Dinas Bran.

Tea on top of Caer Drewyn.

The Eisteddfod Stone above Corwen.

The Miner's Track - only 2 km to go to the top!

Llyn Dinas near Craflwyn.

The Portmeirion Estuary.

Conwy Wildlife Events 2014-15

The new Conwy Wildlife Events programme is now out! Click on the following link to find out the details of their events and don’t forget to book early.

www.conwy.gov.uk/wildlifeevents

"Come outside with us and be inspired by wildlife and natural places. It's a really great way re-charge those batteries.

Our events are great fun, some are aimed specifically at children, others aimed at grown-ups. Look inside the booklet below to find details of wild food foraging, beach combing, bat detecting, fungus forays, dolphin watching and many more exciting events. Do try and book early as they get booked up fast!"

Contact

Phone: 01492 575337

Email: cg.cs@conwy.gov.uk

Beginner's Guide to Hiding a Geocache

Some handy tips for those starting out in the wonderful world of geocaching.

Guided Tours by Celticos.

Our friend Alwyn Griffiths at Celticos has recently published a leaflet about the guided walks he offers in North Wales and Anglesey. I've copied a few of these below. If you would like more information, contact Alwyn on +44 (0)1248 671234, or email him using this contact form.


Village Life and Hill Farm Trail

This walk will take place on the foothills of Snowdonia and it will involve visiting small village away from the normal tourist trail with spectacular but unfamiliar panoramic scenery. This will allow you to experience village life in the area as it is today and an insight to how it was in the past.

We will then visit some remote hill farms, some of which are derelict and abandoned, while some are still functional today. We will be arranging to meet one of the local farmers for you to experience in close hand the hardship of this way of life both today and in the past.

The highlight of this walk will be meeting the world famous Welsh sheep dog and a demonstration of the skills and working partnership between the farmer and his dog.

The Contrasting Valleys Trail

The day involves visiting three main venues with a few brief extra stops at places of interest during the Contrasting Valleys Trail as this "walk & ride" located in the southern area of Snowdonia and the Llyn Peninsula.
Cwm Pennant - This walk combines panoramic scenery, introduction to culture and history, an introduction to the slate and hill farming industry.
Nant Gwrtheyrn - The fascinating location of Nant Gwrtheyrn is literally our next port of call; apart from the spectacular rugged scenery this village has a unique heritage and the facilities provided give an excellent interpretation of the centre.
Trefor Owen Clogs - The final visit of the day will be ideal if you having aching feet as Trefor and Rhiannon have kindly invited us to visit the Clog making workshop at Criccieth.


The "Salty" Mussel Trail

The 'salty' mussel trail combines walking with panoramic views of Snowdonia along the dramatic coastline of the Menai Straits on the Isle of Anglesey with a visit to two fascinating and unsuccessful business organisations. Menai Oysters and the Anglesey Sea Salt Company Ltd. 
The walk continues as we make our way back on to the mainline and visit the Whistlestop fine cuisine establishment on Bangor pier. Here you will have the opportunity to sample the Menai mussels in a special sauce with a hint of Anglesey salt cooked by Terry the friendly chef.


The Slate Trail

This walk has been created to offer an enjoyable, comprehensive and excellent insight into the Welsh slate industry which had the most prominent effect on the development and heritage of Snowdonia and its inhabitants.
Not only will you have a fascinating day with your guide but also you will experience some of the most dramatic contrasting scenery from the foothills of Snowdonia down to the coast on the Menai Strait.
We constantly monitor our walk & ride tours in order to maximise the customer satisfaction and experience so please visit our website for latest offers.

New Trails in Blaenau

This is not strictly to do with walking, but we all remember Ceri Cunnington from the 2012 Outdoor North Wales Forum when he explained his ambitious project at Antur Stiniog in Blaenau Ffestiniog relating to mountain biking and how the local community could be involved in a tourism venture. I saw this item on the TV and thought that I would share it with you:

http://www.itv.com/news/wales/update/2014-03-28/north-wales-biking-centre-opens-its-tracks/

The project has come to fruition and the trails have been highly rated by enthusiasts. As I still value my front teeth, it may be some time before I try the trails myself!