The Groes Inn traditional bed and breakfast Snowdonia accommodation is located within the Conwy valley with stunning view all around and only a short drive from the magnificent Snowdonia National Park.

The Inn is the first licensed house in Wales dating back to 1573.  In the fifteenth century it was a small two storey house, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it flourished and was modernised and extended then in the eighteenth century it was re-roofed.  To this day the Inn still contains some sixteenth or seventeenth century timbers and walls.  Over the years it has been used as a commercial inn for business and court transactions. Throughout the nineteenth century it continued to be known as the commercial inn. At the turn of the twentieth century the adjacent house was pulled down and the Inn was extended to its current status.

The Groes Inn is extremely popular with both locals and visitors to the area with many returning year after year.

The inn offers luxurious boutique style accommodation and was recently named Britain’s Inn of the Year, and Wales’ National Dining Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide 2009.

For those that like that little bit of extra luxury the Groes also offers ‘The High Cabin’ luxurious self catering cabin with glorious views of Snowdonia and ‘Fourteen’ romantic Conwy cottage with its own private hot tub.

For more information contact The Groes Inn today on: 01492 650545

West Point holiday parks Snowdonia in North Wales is a luxurious sea front

West Point Beach Resort in Snowdonia, North Wales

caravan and lodge holiday park with overwhelming mountain views.

The holiday park is set on its own stretch of beach, nicely tucked away from the busyness of every day life, the perfect way to relax with a stunning backdrop. West Point Beach Resort is a beautiful holiday park in a central location, with access to the North Wales coastline and Snowdon. Holiday parks Snowdonia is the ideal choice for a getaway weekend.

West Point beach resort is the perfect location for a holiday home, lying in a central location from the Llyn Peninsula, the Isle of Anglesey and Snowdonia National Park.

There are plenty of opportunities for exploring, mountain walks and coastal paths are on your doorstep; Snowdonia national park is within driving distance and is home to Snowdon, the highest mountain in England and Wales.

West Point is close to Caernarfon which was originally the capital of Wales, and is home to the spectacular Caernarfon Castle, probably the most famous castle in Wales.

West Point is a new development and the ideal getaway if you are hoping to pitch up your own tourer or are looking for a new holiday home.

Morfa Lodge Holiday Park in North Wales is set in the perfect location for holiday homes snowdonia, lying within an area of unspoiled parkland near the coast and within a short driving distance of Snowdonia.

I stayed in one of their snowdonia holiday homes over the summer this year and was surprised how popular it was. I was there too see the landscape of Snowdonia and wanted to get away to a peaceful seaside area in the UK; luckily the weather was good all week!

The holiday park has a choice of holiday homes & lodges to stay in, but a lot of the people staying there had invested in buying their own, and I can see why, it’s certainly somewhere I’d like to go back to.

While I was at the park I found two outdoor heated swimming pools, with play areas for the children, and a small shop with a nice range of groceries, fruit and vegetables, souvenirs and newspapers.

Snowdonia national park covers 823 square miles and is home to Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales and England. Snowdonia is full of famous villages like Beddgelert, Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed.

Snowdonia has beautiful landscape and attracts thousands of visitors and tourists every year. Morfa Lodge offers easy access to Snowdonia but also gives visitors perfect access to the North Wales coastlines, being only ten minutes away from a Blue Flag sandy beach. The location is acclaimed for sea fishing and water sports.

Foryd Bay nature reserve is near by, which is a sanctuary for many different wild animals including birds, a very enjoyable and peaceful place for walkers.

Morfa Lodge isn’t far from Caernarfon, which is home to the mighty Caernarfon Castle, possibly the most famous of all of Wales’ castles.

Ogwen Bank Holiday Park & Country Club is one of Snowdonia’s most popular Holiday Parks. Set amongst 12 acres of magnificent countryside Ogwen Bank Holiday Park offers something for the whole family from peaceful surroundings to adventurous activities.

Whilst staying at the park this year I met numerous people that visit Ogwen bank year after year.  The majority of these people have bought a holiday home within this popular Snowdonia Holiday Park so that they can visit as often as they like and make a second home for themselves.  During my stay I could definitely see why people choose Ogwen Bank Holiday Park as a location for their holiday home

The holiday park offers peace and tranquillity as well as a wealth of activities for the whole family to enjoy. The park affords a country club which was the former hunting lodge to Penrhyn Castle, it’s a very cosy place to spend the evening with its homely log fire and fully licensed bar and is the perfect place to unwind and soak up the atmosphere after a day of exploring the Snowdonia National Park.  The club hosts a range of entertainment including live music, pool tables, video games and satellite television.

There are some wonderful Riverside walks along the Ogwen River.   The river starts at the Llyn Ogwen and descends rapidly down towards the Ogwen Falls which is full of small ponds.  The river is populated with wild brown trout, salmon and sea trout.  There are numerous walks along the riverside with varying grades and distances and perfect for the whole family to enjoy.

There are a wide selection of Holiday Homes available including some magnificent Lodges.  The lodges are located on wonderful landscaped development which benefits from a quiet location and magical woodland surroundings, some of the lodges also have views overlooking the river Ogwen.  These wonderful Snowdonia Holiday Lodges come complete with all the mod cons including central heating, additional insulation, double glazing, high quality furniture and modern equipment including dishwasher and washer/dryer and private veranda/decking area.

When planning outdoor activities in rural areas like Snowdonia, it’s always nice to know that after a challenging activity a nice quiet place to relax is only a stone’s throw away, for this reason you may want to book a B&B nearby. When looking for a Snowdonia B&B you will want to do some research into things that they may, or may not permit, for example, if you are taking your dogs with you need to ensure that they provide pet accommodation, and if they do then are there any size or breed restrictions. You may also need to ensure they have space to store equipment like mountain bikes or similar.
Location is incredibly important for outdoor activities, so you are as close the place you are adventuring as possible, because after enduring whatever hardship you encountered while doing your activity you don’t want to have to travel a tedious distance to be able to relax and get some shut-eye. If you have children with you may want to check that they permit children, as many B&Bs do not. Check if Credit cards are accepted, because if not you’ll have to have the cash at hand. Price may also be a factor that you want to consider, generally Bed & Breakfast can have a moderate price, more expensive than budget hotels but not incredibly expensive either, however these can vary. So check the rates before hand
If the bed is in a rural area it may not have internet access, now it may be the case that this isn’t an important feature you need if you’re on a trip but it may be something to consider, the same goes for having a TV. If you have any allergies or dietary restrictions be sure to let your innkeeper know because they will be preparing meals such as breakfast and lunch. Make sure you book ahead, calling ahead and asking the innkeeper about all these different points is a good idea.

From the 7-9 October this year, the idyllic village of Betws-y-Coed, set in the foothills of Snowdonia National Park will once again play host to the Snowdonia Arts Festival. The Snowdonia Arts Festival(SAF) developed from the 2009 Betws-y-Coed Arts Festival and has grown year of year with the support of local businesses, willing volunteers and funding bodies.

http://www.creativeboom.co.uk/wales/events/arts-festival-comes-again-to-the-beautiful-snowdonian-town-of-betws-y-coed/

Certain to be a nice event which should bring some interest to the already beatiful villiage. Be sure to check it out!

“For me, a pet-less metropolitan flat-owner partial to the odd stroll with a pooch, the trip sounds promising. My mood lifts further with a drive along Glaslyn Valley, washed with a warm breeze and frescoed with rhododendrons. My target is Gelli Iago climbing hut, where 25 handlers, trainers and “bodies”, and 15 dogs – collies, labradors and alsatians – are assembling, as they do every month.”

A fantastic weekend away it would seem, looks like incredible fun, I recommend you read the article, and if further tempted go on the weekend yourself.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/jul/29/walking-snowdonia-dog-mountain-rescue

Good running at Snowdon

WITH international runners packing the field, race favourite Andi Jones made it a fifth win in the Snowdon Mountain Race, although elite orienteer and mountain runner Murray Strain pushed him to record his second fastest time in the event.

Jones, the marathon runner was able to pull clear on the straighter sections with Strain able to overtake him on the steeper, more technical sections. Strain finished ahead of fellow compatriots Robbie Simpson, last year’s winner and Jethro Lennox to make it a dominant day for the Scots.

British fell running champion Pippa Maddams made it a double victory for England, but international team mates Catriona Buchanan, who pipped Maddams to the victory last year, Christian Rankin and Fiona Maxwell finished in second, third and sixth to emulate the men with a Scots team victory.

http://www.hebdenbridgetimes.co.uk/sport/local-sport/good_running_at_snowdon_1_3628582

All the runners did very well, running up snowdon would take a substantial effort an all participants should be commended.

RAS YR WYDDFA 2011 S4C, tomorrow, 9pm. English subtitles. www.s4c.co.uk/sport www.s4c.co.uk/clic

TAKING a little over an hour to cover 10 miles would seem a reasonable achievement for a dedicated runner– until you include the fact it’s to the top of Snowdon and back.

Today sees 550 runners set off  from Cae’r Ddol on the shores of Llyn Padarn  for the gruelling Snowdon Race, part of the International Skyrunner World Series. They must reach the 3,560ft summit before heading back down again  – and this may be the year the 26-year-old record of 62mins 29s is broken.

Tomorrow S4C will broadcast Ras yr Wyddfa, with highlights of the run.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/leisure/tv-wales/programme-news/2011/07/22/s4c-shows-the-2011-snowdon-race-55578-29101885/

The race is a must-see and should be an exciting and exihirating watch for everyone. The sheer will to run up that mountain would be incredible, and the outcome should be interesting.