Sunday 10 March 2019

Concerned about your carbon footprint? Give your car a rest! Part 1


Why not give your car a rest when you come to Pentre Bach?
Many of our guests travel a long way to come on holiday to Pentre Bach, taking many hours to get here, but once you're here , why not park the car and forget about it for the duration of your stay?
Llwyngwril is ideally situated along the route of the beautiful Cambrian Coast Railway Line, which runs from Aberystwyth in the south, round to Pwllheli on the Llyn Peninsula. Whichever direction you choose to go, the route is absolutely stunning, as the line hugs the coastline for much of the way.
Along the route there are many interesting little towns and villages to explore, from Machynlleth , Aberdyfi and Tywyn to the south , and Barmouth, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Harlech, Minffordd (for Portmeirion), Porthmadog and  Criccieth to the north.
But why not explore the surrounding area close by?
You could just hop on the train (remember to put your hand out to ask the train to stop in Llwyngwril as its just a request stop!) to the next station along the line, Fairbourne and enjoy a walk along to the end of the Penrhyn Point where you could take the little ferry across the estuary to Barmouth. Or just spend time on Fairbourne's lovely sandy beach. There's also probably one of the best located 9 -hole golf courses in the country situated behind the dunes. Children would also enjoy riding on the little narrow gauge railway http://www.fairbournerailway.com/, that goes to Penrhyn Point and back again.

Instead of catching the train back to Llwyngwril, one option is to walk back along the Wales Coastal Path, which would take you past the Blue Lake, above Friog, which is well worth a visit. 

If you take the Cambrian Railway train to the next stop at Morfa Mawddach then you have the option of walking or cycling along the Mawddach Trail http://www.mawddachtrail.co.uk/mawddach-trail.html


This trail stretches from Barmouth to Dolgellau and for much of the way hugs the edge of the beautiful Mawddach Estuary. You can even stop off for some refreshment at the newly refurbished George III along the way. If you walk or cycle over the bridge to Barmouth, make sure you have a camera with you, as you will be tempted to take many shots of the stunning Mawddach Estuary and the famous Clock House as you cross.


Once you get to Barmouth then you can spend hours browsing the shops, eating and drinking in the many tea shops and pubs (we recommend the Last Inn), eating fish and chips from The Mermaid on the prom or even taking donkey rides on the wide sandy beaches.

Or if you want to stay away from the crowds, then climb up the steep steps to your right as you enter the town and follow the Panorama Walk

www.mawddachestuary.co.uk/walks/panorama-walk.html

You'll eventually be rewarded when you arrive at a bench on the top of a hill with amazing views over the estuary. 

Then its back down to Barmouth for a well deserved pint and either a walk back across the bridge to the Morfa Mawddach station or you could catch the train back to Llwyngwril from Barmouth Station.

If you take the train a bit further up the line to Tal y Bont then you could do the southern section of the Ardudwy Way , which is 8 miles long and takes you over the hills back to the Mawddach Estuary and eventually Barmouth, taking in some beautiful scenery along the way. http://www.taithardudwyway.com/index.html

If you want to go inland to Dolgellau then you could catch the no 28 bus , which runs from Tywyn to Dolgellau. You'll have plenty of time to explore this lovely little town, partake of some lunch in one of the many cafes, restaurants or pub, before catching the bus back again to the village. The bus stop is a 5 minute walk from Pentre Bach.

Next time we'll explore where the train or bus can take you if you travel south from Llwyngwril.