Driving to Porthmadog, what to see on the way?

[mike80]

We are having a weekend in North Wales, driving there on Friday morning. Coming from Northamptonshire, so about 3.5 hours. Any recommendations of things to do along the way? I imagine there's some good driving roads, but looking for nice walks etc as well!

Cheers, Mike

[Supernova190188]

Portmeirion is near there if that's up your street

[OldSpice]

http://www.zipworld.co.uk/

Ffestiniog Railway is a good way to see some of the area.

[mike80]

OldSpice said:

http://www.zipworld.co.uk/

Ffestiniog Railway is a good way to see some of the area.

Cheers, we are looking at doing the railway on Saturday. Zipworld looks like great fun, not sure I'd get my wife on it though...

[Lost soul]

sheep and depressed people

[Welshbeef]

Drive on the following roads

A4212 Bala to Trawsfynydd then make your way to Porthmadog
B4301 Knockin to Bala (it doesn't start at Knockin there are a few roads to get there).


Basically don't go A55
Don't go A5
Go the above turn off at Knockin and enjoy going to the top of some stunning mountains - in all my time of using that road not once have I seen bib - it is fast there are no fences so beware of sheep in the road but views stunning.




Porthmadog
If your into rock climbing Tremadog is a mile away - its hard climbing and has been used for pre Everest claiming or so I heard when I was a nipper.
Go to Betws y Coed 5-10miles North of Porthmadog.
Criccieth and its castle are lovely
Harlech and its castle are lovely
Blackrock beach - a vast drive on beach with great dunes and a slow gradient to the sea
Pwllheli - if your into sailing you could hire a boat etc.
Piggery pottery in Porthmadog make your own clay pots
Pili palas a butterfly sanctuary next to the bridge in Anglesey.
Bodnant gardens on the way from Betws y coed to Llandudno
Lots of links courses
Bermo (close to Harlech) has a genuine nudist beach (we went there as teenagers hoping to see but never saw anything sadly)
The slate quarry Blaneu Ffestiniog

Cadwaladers I've cream in Criccieth on the very steep hill next to the Castle. The best you will ever have.


Quad biking/clay shooting/ white water rafting/ Bala and many other places.

Llanystundwy - just past Criccieth has the tiny museum of Lloyd George his birth home and also his stone grave.

That's a starter for 10. Enjoy it
Any questions please ask

[ducgas]

A walk up Snowdon if the weather is good?. Drive from Portmadoc to beddgelert and then to Caernarfon or Llanberis, either way the scenery is stunning, I've driven through today with work, lovely.....

[Nezquick]

Supernova190188 said:

Portmeirion is near there if that's up your street

Agreed - went there a few months ago and it was really nice. It's on the way as well. Get your tickets on the internet though before you go...it's cheaper.

[slybynight]

Bala to Trawsfineddddd or whatever, is the best road I have ever driven.

[slybynight]

oh, and the old slate mines are worth a visit.

[mike80]

Oops, wrong topic!

Edited by mike80 on Monday 16th June 22:23

[BertB]

Welshbeef said:

Drive on the following roads

A4212 Bala to Trawsfynydd then make your way to Porthmadog
B4301 Knockin to Bala (it doesn't start at Knockin there are a few roads to get there).

Those are great roads.

Welshbeef said:

Cadwaladers I've cream in Criccieth on the very steep hill next to the Castle. The best you will ever have.

Personally I prefer the Ice Cream from the shop in Beddgelert (independent one, not Cadwaladers)

[ooo000ooo]

Nezquick said:

Agreed - went there a few months ago and it was really nice. It's on the way as well. Get your tickets on the internet though before you go...it's cheaper.

If you go after 2 (might be 3) o'clock it's half price but still enough time to have a wander round the place and see everything.

[DSLiverpool]

Thread resurrection! we are off to Criccieth last minute idea with 6 year old twins - we will certainly do local stuff but is the railway in ffestiniog do-able from there? also any "must does" for the kids ?

[Welshbeef]

The castle is well worth visiting and there is a kids learning centre at it too - which is good.
A pitch and putt course in the middle - 5 mins walk from he castle.
Black rock sands if the kids love playing in huge sand dunes.
Dylan's is apparently a nice new restraint in what was an Art Deco beach hut.
Rock pooling bucket and spade.

Also walk from Criccieth along the beach west and you will get to Afon Dwyfor estuary it's a lovely walk on the beach - I doubt you'd see anyone else on the walk.

Capex Curig have dry ski slopes

[DSLiverpool]

A great just what I needed to know, we are taking the Wirral route Corwen and A487 today and going back on Tuesday on the A55 - am I mad going A487 through the park ?

[Gareth1974]

Go to Borth-y-Gest, about 1 mile from Porthmadog. Park in the free car park, then take the coastal path through woodland, there are several small beaches accessed via steps from the path. I much prefer this to Blackrock Sands, even though you have to carry your things from the car, there are plenty of rock pools etc for crabbing and paddling.

[DSLiverpool]

Great stuff - just leaving now!

[Welshbeef]

Pwllheli Marina you can hire small sailing boats - I used them all the time.

Or hire much bigger cruisers budget dependant.


One place to go is Ty Coch - it's a pub literally on the Beach in Nefyn on the peninsular beside he great links golf course. Lovely beer.

Ffestiniog railway a steam train from Porthmadog

[Gareth1974]

The other steam train from from Porthmadog (Ffestiniog Railway station) is the Welsh Highland Railway, the full journey to Caernarfon can be a but too long in some respects, but go half-way to Beddgelert, which is a pleasant village with pubs and restaurants for lunch. It's a nicer destination than Ffestiniog.