Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

152

Above View of the beautiful countryside of the

Snowdonia National Park

VISITING MOUNT SNOWDON

Snowdonia National Park Information

41a High Street, Llanberis, LL55 4EU;

01286 870 765

BACK ROADS GREAT BRITAIN

WHERE TO STAY

AROUND CAERNARFON

Plas Dinas expensive

Enjoy a taste of country house living at

this 17th-century, grade II-listed house

on the A487 not far south of Caernarfon.

It has lovely gardens and elegant rooms,

and serves local bacon for breakfast.

Bontnewydd, LL54 7YF; 01286 830 214;

http://www.plasdinas.co.uk

Ty’n Rhos moderate–expensive

Comfortable country hotel set in grand

grounds less than 8 km (5 miles)

northeast of Caernarfon, off the A4866.

It offers good-sized rooms, suites and

self-catering cottages. The hotel

restaurant is pretty good, too.

Seion, Llanddeiniolen, LL55 3AE; 01248

670 489; http://www.tynrhos.co.uk

BEAUMARIS

Bulls Head Inn moderate

Country-style bedrooms with a modern

touch are on offer at this established inn.

Next door, their contemporary town

house has stylish colour-themed rooms

and luxurious bathrooms.

Castle Street, LL58 8AP; 01248 810 329;

http://www.bullsheadinn.co.uk

Inside the walls are lined in timber and

the hugh window afford thrilling views.

Nearby, the Electric Mountain Centre

(open daily: tours Easter–end Oct; 01286 870

636; http://www.electricmountain.co.uk) has a

café and activity rooms, and runs

tours of the Dinorwig Power Station,

deep in Europe’s largest man-made

cavern, inside Elidir Mountain (not

suitable for wheelchair users or anyone

who suffers from claustrophobia).

Don’t miss the often overlooked

Dolbadarn Castle (open daily), perched

on the hillside over the main road

beside the lake, Llyn Peris. Built in the

13th century by Llywelyn the Great, it is

simple but masterful – the 12-m (40-

ft) tower once reached three storeys.

Steam buffs will love the Llanberis

Lake Railway (May–Sep: open daily; call

at other times; 01286 870 549; http://www.lake-

railway.co.uk). The narrow-gauge steam

railway runs along the pretty wooded

lakeside. Nearby is the National Slate

Museum (open Sun–Fri; 01286 870 630;

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk),^ telling the story

of slate in a series of Victorian workshops

with walks and demonstrations.

ª Take A4086 to Caernarfon. Head

into the centre and park by the castle.

Right The award-winning new Hafod Eryri

visitor centre at the summit of Snowdon

7 Caernarfon

Gwynedd; LL55

By the Menai Straits and with sea

access, Caernarfon is the ideal site for

a castle. Caernarfon Castle (open daily)

was built in 1283 as part of Edward I’s

ring of castles to subjugate the Welsh.

With its polygonal towers and twin-

turreted gateway, Caernarfon Castle is

SHOPPING IN BEAUMARIS

Try Cole & Co (13 Church St, L58 8AB;

01248 811 391) for hand knits, and

home-made barabrith (a traditional

Welsh fruit cake).

6 Mount Snowdon

Gwynedd; LL55 4TY

A popular destination, Llanberis has

many significant attractions, not least

Wales’ highest mountain, Snowdon, at

1,085 m (3,560 ft). Walk to the top or

take the train. The 7.5-km (4-mile) trip

passes through stunning scenery

and is perhaps the most exciting

train journey in the UK. The Snowdon

Mountain Railway (Apr–Oct: open daily;

Nov–Mar: partial service; 0844 493 8120;

http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk) is weather

dependent, so check beforehand.

At the top of Snowdon, Hafod Eryri,

the new railway terminus and visitor

centre, awaits. Britain’s highest building

and possibly one of its most unusual

was designed by architect Roy Hole,

after the original 1930s cafe was

demolished in 2006. Created from

stone and slate and with a large flat

roof, Hafod Eryri does not seem out of

place in Snowdon’s rugged landscape.