- Staying there for a week soon…booked a house out in a couple of weeks. For ref they’re not-very-fit 71 and 81 year olds! It’s a great location, well positioned for hills and the sea but they won’t want to stomp up hills or go in the sea. Was considering the Welsh Highland Railway to Caernarfon (done with wife 12 years ago) but that’s now an eye watering £70 each and you only get 1 hr 20 mins in Caernarfon (and 6 hrs + on the choo choo shunter). The train also goes to Blaenau Ffestiniog but you only get 50 mins there so hardly seems worth it. I expect we’ll go to Portmeirion (again). Electric Mountain near Llanberis is a contender…any other gems I haven’t considered?
You can drive a car and park at Black Rock Sands so they can still go to the beach.
Was going to recommend the national slate museum, but it appears to be closed for renovations. Fenicular railway up the mountain is another one for less mobile individuals.
Go sit on my grandads bench in Borth-y-Gest, always a lovely view. Book a table at one of the cafes there - it's a 2minute drive from Porthmadog, plenty of parking.
Visit Gelerts grave in Beddgelert (easy walk from the main carpark, ice cream on the way to the grave, Sunday roast lunch in the Saracens Head).
Have a rummage in Cob records.
Fish off the end of South Snowdon Wharf as the tide comes in.
Just be aware Dinorwig / electric mountain is closed for visitors.
Take a drive to Anglesey. Lunch in Menia Bridge stroll across the causeway at Newbourgh forest.
Visit South Stack tea and cake in the cafe.
Purple Moose brewery, and their pub on the main street. Easily lose a week.
We were in Porthmadog yesterday afternoon following a morning at Harlech castle (parking at Harlech was hard work there - have your oldiwonks got a blue badge?)
Cob records is a great shop for a rummage, especially if you like CDs and the kids liked the book shop which was well stocked with the stuff nerdy teens like
The train also goes to Blaenau Ffestiniog but you only get 50 mins there so hardly seems worth it.
It's more about the journey than the destination.
Not to do BF down, but unless you were going to the slate museum (worth a drive up to visit separately), how long would you really want there?
Some good suggestions above, but other things to do in the general area: Swallow Falls, tea and cake at the ugly house, or the café by the bridge at Llanwrst, pop down to Barmouth.
the crazy golf course has had a makeover...
The train also goes to Blaenau Ffestiniog but you only get 50 mins there
About 49 minutes too long TBF.
Just give the cafe at Portmadog station a swerve - had my worst ever bout of food poisoning after eating there...
Llyn peninsula is good - Abersoch for a wander and theres an epic bakery in Aberdaron.
Was considering the Welsh Highland Railway to Caernarfon (done with wife 12 years ago) but that’s now an eye watering £70 each and you only get 1 hr 20 mins in Caernarfon (and 6 hrs + on the choo choo shunter). The train also goes to Blaenau Ffestiniog but you only get 50 mins there so hardly seems worth it.
There might be merit doing 'half journeys' on each, ie WHR to Beddgelert (or Snowdon Ranger), from Porthmadoc, is probably the more scenic stretch anyway, and will help cut the ticket price a bit?
Have a cup of tea in Beddgelert and then get another train back down?
Likewise Ffestiniog, go as far as Tan-y-Bwlch where there is a small station cafe, to see a few trains from. It's the atmos at the stations I like at these steam railways, and not just the ride.
The trains are handy wet-weather days out, too.
The 'big trains' too from Porthmadoc south, say to Barmouth, is very scenic in itself, just as a trip to somewhere for an ice cream or whatever, and more pleasant than driving.
Agree the point about the railway is the scenery from the journey. It is expensive but for a day but without driving or walking, taking in the mountains you can't get much better.
Are they mobile just not far? Some flat, shorter walks...
- Tal y Llyn, park at Pen y Bont, have a drink / cream tea, and walk the flat track on the north of the lake, and back.
- Barmouth bridge out to the middle of the estuary, then an ice cream on the prom.
- If you get up very early, the Llwybr Llaneltyd New Precipice walk has very limited parking at the top with a flat walk out from the parking with really amazing views. Not one if they are wobbly on their feet though.
- the walk from Abergwyngregyn to Aber falls is quite long but is a well made path. Similarly there is Swallow Falls but ime they can be busier.
I was going to say if you get up early, there is a very small car park at Harlech Castle that has fab views, but otherwise the hill will probably be too much. With a blue badge or early start you could loop Harlech, Barmouth, back inland for a nice day out. Just driving through Nant Peris and around Eryri is picturesque. It's a shame most 'indoors' things around Llanberis aren't open. There some inside estates / castles like Penrhyn, Plas Newydd, Bodnant gardens, that aren't too far. Anglesey Sea Zoo is one of only a handful that show local wildlife, using sea water from the straits. A walk over Menai Bridge and drink and wander, Beaumaris has some nice little stores and view.
Go sit on my grandads bench in Borth-y-Gest, always a lovely view. Book a table at one of the cafes there - it's a 2minute drive from Porthmadog, plenty of parking.
Great shout and we love ByG. 5 minute walk from the main car park are some benches where you can park the old folks and let them take in the view across the estuary and you can carry on with the walk before meeting them back at the cafe.
Train to Barmouth is also a good shout. Seafood lunch at The Lobster Pot on the quayside if you like that kind of food.
for a nice day out too, if the train appeals, there's a 20% fare discount on the Talyllyn Railway if you get there by train, dead easy from Porthmadoc, and the Talyllyn has a little museum, and a great scenic trip up the valley, a real treat:
Talyllyn Railway
Closest station: Tywyn
Offer: 20% off
Explore the fascinating history of the Talyllyn Railway, steaming since 1865 and is the World’s first preserved railway. Discover the links to the slate quarry at Bryneglwys and the village of Abergynolwyn. A fantastic day out Rain or Shine.
How to redeem? Show your TfW train ticket upon arrival.
inf at https://tfw.wales/ways-to-travel/rail/savings-and-offers/attraction-discounts/mid-north-wales
Barmouth has a few quirky shops in the centre. Decent pub for nice food and a decent chippy by the sea. We're at the 'camper park' at Portmeirion 'again' later this month (great value considering access to the village on two days and hotel pool). Anglesey is always a good shout, and finding a nice pub for lunch. If going to Newborough, go early, otherwise you can't get down the land and it get's closed - we're doing a tour of Wales and will be on Anglesey for 3 nights - plan is to go down to Newborough early on one of the days as it get's busy. Tried twice on an 'off chance' and shut both times.
All depends upon how mobile they are.
The little Thai cafe in Portmadog is very good as well BTW.
The gardens at Plas Tan y Bwlch are good.
https://eryri.gov.wales/visit/plas-tan-y-bwlch/the-gardens/
You can walk down to them from the halfway station on the Ffestiniog railway.
If you get out toward Abersoch, the beach at Llanbedrog is nice and the Aqua beach bar is/was superb.
If it's raining then the escape room there (called PaniQ rooms I think) has a couple of escape room type puzzles that they can deliver to your house. They came up with the idea during covid but it's quite a fun thing for an evening or wet afternoon together
Visit Gelerts grave in Beddgelert (easy walk from the main carpark, ice cream on the way to the grave, Sunday roast lunch in the Saracens Head).
I love Gelert's Grave - it sums up the weirdness of North Wales nicely. It's been a tourist attraction for a couple of centuries and is the grave of a fictional dog. Yes, you might as well be visiting the grave of Dougal from Magic Roundabout. (Died after being trampled by Ermintrude off her udders on mushrooms.)
