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[Maynard]

just spent a a lovely few days in Snowdonia. I had a few days off work and as the weather was nice I decided to go on an impromtu holiday to North Wales. There aren't vast amounts of tourists around this time of year so armed with my tent and arctic sleeping bag I took off to Llanberis from my home in West Norfolk stopping off half way for dinner at mam and dads in Mansfield. I eventually got to Snowdonia in the dark and had the choice of a youth hostel (£18 a night) or a campsite at a farm in Llanberis for £5 quid a night. Great value! When I woke up and saw the mountains in the morning light I knew I had made the best choice. Lots of chances to speak Welsh of course, on the way home i lost count of how many people with whom I had had a conversation in Welsh ( more than 25). I spent some time in Llanberis, Caernarfon, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Llangefni where you can freely wander around almost anywhere and hear and speak the Language at will. Pub visits were a must lol. The regional accent takes a bit of geting used to but Im lucky to have a bit of a scouse accent so I sort of blended in lol. I am thinking of going again next month for a few days.. if anyone wants to come for a cheap rough and ready holiday let us know.

[RamblingJohn]

Sounds like a good trip to me, i have a train ticket to Chester on Monday to start the Welsh coast, if this weather holds and i can camp for 5 pounds a night then i shall be one happy bunny. Might see you next month along a trail. (just look for the tortoise).

Cheers J.P.

[Maynard]

Wow have fun John ! Not being funny
but speaking welsh to the farmer ( or his wife) played a part in getting a nice price. I'm pretty sure she lowered the tarif ( probably felt sorry for me lol)

[Morgs]

Maynard - sounds fantastic. Didn't realise there were other people willing to brave the winter in a tent! You definitely chose the best place to visit for practising your Welsh!

[ClareJ]

where you can freely wander around almost anywhere and hear and speak the Language at will.

It's easy to forget how lucky I am living in Snowdonia to be able to practise and listen to Welsh pretty much at will, and that's without the wonderful, breathtaking scenery to wake up to every day ! Glad you enjoyed your trip; if you like the coast as well as the mountains then along the coast between Harlech and Barmouth there are some lovely spots to camp (Shell Island is lovely out of main season, you can camp really close to the beach).

If you end up with an SSiW entourage to North Wales then we could have some kind of get together!!

[Morgs]

Nice place just outside Dolgellau too. I'm up for an SSIW camp in North Wales. I actually couldn't think of anything i would enjoy more. Yippeee!!

[Maynard]

Hi Clare, Thanks for telling me about the camoing sites around Harlech/Barmouth. I ought to camp there sometime this summer. I do a lot of camping in any weather. i was in the Scouts as a kid and then as a squaddy we pretty much lived in tents. I met a guy from the east midlands in a local pub on Tuesday night in Llanberis who told me he moved to the area 12 years ago and lived in a tent, he landed a job not too long after. Hows that for perseverance lol. The only trouble in camoing on a farm .. animals. I pitched up behind a chicken run .. tunes of Cockle doodle doo commencing at ? was it 4 am? .. another cock answered from a farm further down the line. Dogs... bark bark. Sheep... Croeso i Gymru lol...

[ClareJ]

That's hilarious - definitely one of those 'seemed like a good idea at the time' situations eh!


I have to confess I'm the most terrible fairweather camper; went to the Brecons years ago to do the Pen y Fan horseshoe - walked about 16 miles by which time the thought of the tent was so uninspiring I collected my gear from the tent and booked into a B&B with a nice ensuite and a comfy bed so I stand and salute your robustness and general moral fibre

[Maynard]

Not surprised you booked into a B&B after that. That walk had a nick name when i was a squaddie. it was called ' The Fan Dance'. You couldn't call yourself an infantry commander unless you'd completed the Fan Dance lol. Never did it myself, heard that the wind picks up on the summit there and know of at least two occasions when someone got blown off the top.

[Morgs]

yikes - I'm not that brave either! Mind you, we have camped in the snow and in the gales. Can't beat a hot water bottle I say - if you have one of those and put it in the sleeping bag half an hour before bed you're all set!!
'Graigwen' is the name of the campsite near Dolgellau - worked there last year for a week - very friendly, good facilities, but definitely back to nature type of campsite. Right by the Mawddach estuary and a short walk to Barmouth over the little wooden bridge.
Lots of Welsh spoken round there too.