Snowdonia Travel Forum

Will be in Snowdonia during mid september for 5 days - obviously the major sights are well known to me, but are there any hidden gems out there?

Also what would you consider a tourist trap as opposed to a genuinely good attraction?

And... Any great pubs and restaurants out there too?

Will be staying in the Vale of Ffestiniog...

Cheers,


Gwilym

I reckon the Snowdon Mountain Railway is a tourist trap, but then I'm the sort of person who'd far rather walk up a mountain than be driven up.

The video presentation at the bottom by the museum was awful - glossed over the construction and history of the railway and just went on about how wonderful that area of Wales is (and ok, the scenery is stunning but I don't need a video to tell me that)

The accompanying museum is half the size of the gift shop next door, and is too small really to be worth bothering with.

Hmmm, maybe I should make a tip about this.

If you don't already know them, don't miss Conwy Castle and Portmeirion.

The slate mines at Blanaeu were excellent when I visited (some years ago now), particularly the deeper one (on the right as you travel from Blanaeu, I think). The slate mining museum at Llanberis is also worth a look, and the mine itself (most of the mountainside) good for walking now it's been allowed to revert to nature. The Lleyn peninsula is beautiful. Try walking up to the hill fort on Tre'r Ceiri, or along the beach from Nefyn to Morfa Nefyn (pub on beach there). There's a good hillfort at Dinas Dinlle too. Hope you have a good visit.

That electric mountain in Llanberis is very expensive and very very very boring! Better off in the mountains. The Glyers and Cadir Idris (spelling?) are my favourites.

Sorry, i only just noticed your from wales yourself. I've probably just mentioned your 'obvious' attractions. oh well, have fun anyways
:D

To clarify, entirely agree about the hydroelectric thingie at Llanberis......I meant the slate-mining museum, which really quite interesting. I thought so anyway (but then I do like old things...........). :-)

Thanks everyone!

Unfortunately due to time constraints (our other friends are only here for 3 days!) we are probably going to go up Snowdon using the railway – sacrilege I know!

A return trip for actual mountain climbing is definitely on the cards!

And yes we are definitely doing Portmeirion, Llechwedd, Conwy and Caernarvon, Ffestiniog Railway etc…

So Electric Mountain is no good? That majorly bums me out as I am really into that sort of thing. It sounds really interesting and doesn’t seem too expensive to me – especially when you’re a student…;-)

I think I might have to go anyway on that one and make my own mind up…

Any pubs and restaurants to recommend?

Thanks again!

I perhaps came across as overly negative, the mountain railway itself is quite good - it's just that I felt they could have done so much more at the base.

You can easily walk up and down Snowdon in a day, but taking the train will be of course be easier. Either way I'm sure you'll have a great time.

The landscape is dotted with Celtic hillforts and religious shrines, mighty medieval castles and revealing industrial remains. Tre'r Ceiri the "Town of Giants" perched high on the Llyn Peninsular's mountainous spine, is a preserved native village from 2,000 years ago. Besides the majestic castles at Caernarvon, Conway and Harlech there are Dolwyddelan, a stark mountain guardian deep in Snowdonia, and the atmospheric ruins of Castell-y-Bere almost lost in the folds of Cader Idris