Gwynedd

Located on the north western side of Wales, Gwynedd is a perfect place to visit. It is mostly located within Snowdonia National Park, and the Snowdonia mountain ranges and Cambrian Coastline. It offers visitors a wide range of attractions from activity programmes to inspirational cultural and historical places to visit.

Porthmadog

A harbour town situated on the Glaslyn Estuary, Porthmadog is rich in maritime history and is an excellent base for touring the surrounding area. It has a number craft shops and restaurants. The town was named after W.A. Maddocks whose ambitious "Cob" embankment scheme led to the town's name, which translates as "Madog's Port". In times gone by, it was a vital, busy shipping port for the international slate trade, brought down from Blaenau Ffestiniog. The maritime history depicts its proud past.

Porthmadog Station
© Crown copyright (2013) Visit Wales

Blackrock

Located on the outskirts of Porthmadog, the beach at Blackrock Sands stretches for miles and is a haven for beach games and resting. T. E Lawrence, of Lawrence of Arabia fame lived nearby and the 14th century poet Shelley is reputed to have regularly visited.

Criccieth

This coastal resort offers superb views of Tremadog Bay, sandy beaches, fine restaurants and good accommodation. Criccieth Castle, built by Llewelyn the Great in the l3th Century dominates the skyline and hosts an exhibition reliving Gerald of Wales' journey through Wales. Today the town attracts watersports enthusiasts. It is home to the famous Cadwaladers ice cream first produced in the 1920's.

Right:- Harlech Castle
© Crown copyright (2013) Visit Wales

Castles

Wales abounds with magnificent castles. Conwy, Caernarfon and Harlech are all World Heritage Sites and definitely worth a visit. The sheer power and presence of Wales' most famous castle, Caernarfon Castle, is still awesome in today’s world. When first built in the 13th century, it must have presented an invincible image to the people it dominated.
In 1969, HRH Prince Charles, became Prince of Wales at his investiture in Caernarfon Castle.
At Conwy, the mighty 13th Century castle dominates the estuary and you can walk the ancient town walls which gives a flavour of the might of this ancient monument.

Snowdon Summit
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Activity holidays in Wales

Wales provides stiff competition for other venues in terms of the number and range of activities taking place within such a localised area. For an adventure and activity holiday with wide open spaces and breathtaking scenery then Snowdonia, Llyn Peninsula and the Cambrian Coast are worth considering. The activities include walking, cycling, climbing, pony trekking, surfing, water skiing, canoeing, quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, or abseiling.
There are six designated routes to the summit of Snowdon and a variety of walking routes to Cader Idris, Snowdonia is the ideal place for both serious climbers and keen walkers. Llanberis is an excellent base from which to explore Snowdonia and there is a network of attractive walks suitable for all the family. For stunning walks through scenic gorges and by rushing rivers, start off at Betws-y-Coed.

The Welsh Language and Culture

Welsh is the first language of over a million people, and in the area of Snowdonia, the Llyn Peninsula and the Cambrian Coast around 70% of the population are Welsh speakers. Welsh is one of the oldest living languages in Europe and shares its roots with Breton, Gaelic and Cornish. The sense of community is very strong and Snowdonia's appeal springs from its unique heritage, culture and language, which touches on everyday life, giving this area a truly distinctive character.

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Welsh Highland Railway in Porthmadog
© Crown copyright (2013) Visit Wales