If you’re looking for a dog-friendly holiday in north Wales, read on.
The States may have Route 66, but North Wales can give it a run for its money on the Snowdonia 360; a 360-mile round trip incorporating some of the best places to see and enjoy in Snowdonia, Anglesey, the Llyn Peninsula and the North Wales coast.
Towering mountains to conquer, scenic routes to drive, stunning coastlines to explore and plenty of fun and adrenalin-fuelled attractions to enjoy. North Wales has plenty to offer you on a family holiday with your dogs.
We were keen on seeing as much of the area as we could on a four night trip. But where to start, where to finish and what to do in-between when there’s so much out there? That’s where the Snowdonia360 route website can step in. It details all the best attractions, places to stay, eat and shop for artisan foods and crafts along – and just off – the route. Hurrah for the fact that this all means you don’t have to visit an ever-expanding list of websites and perform never-ending searches about ‘what to do and where to go’. Must-sees are all there for you to browse in one place, on one site.
While you may not have the time to cover the full 360 miles of the tourism route, the ‘Plan my Trip’ tab helps you create an itinerary for your holiday adventure, day by day and even hour by hour. You add locations from the map as you plan what to do daily on your holiday, and the tool calculates drive times from location to location as well as the typical amount of time you might want to spend at each stop-off – whether an hour or three.
Put simply, it takes the angst out of getting organised and helps you maximise making the most of your time doing what you enjoy.
You can also download a map of the route or order one for £2 plus postage. Plus, you can register for a Snowdonia Pass (which you can collect for free at a participating business on your arrival) or order one for £5 to have it posted to you before your trip. The pass entitles you to discounts at a long list of attractions.
Also on the website is a page of suggested itineraries. Particularly useful if you can’t even be bothered to do any research at all!
ARRIVAL DAY – WHERE TO STAY IN SNOWDONIA WITH YOUR DOG
With our dog Barney obviously part of the party, we based ourselves in the recently opened dog-friendly boutique hotel, Plas Weunydd (plasweunydd.co.uk), at Llechwedd, Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Once the home of John Whitehead Greaves, who founded the slate mine at Llechwedd over 180 years ago, it lies directly opposite what is now the award-winning Zip World activity destination, home to zip-wires and underground trampolining and assault courses.
The 24-room hotel offers modern, stylish rooms, unfussy and uncluttered, but comfortable and cosy. Artwork from local artists, many depicting the rich mining history of this area, adorn the walls. There are inter-connecting rooms – perfect when you have older children – or family rooms sleeping two adults and two small children.
The complimentary butterscotch biscuits got the definite thumbs-up from us when we arrived hungry after our journey.
There’s a warm and welcoming bar and breakfast room; if you’re lucky, you get a table looking out over the terrace and mountains around you or you can take your drinks and breakfast on the terrace itself.
After settling ourselves with a drink on that terrace, we headed for an early evening meal at The Oakeley Arms (oakeleyarms.co.uk) a short drive away. The traditional stone-built hotel and pub-restaurant dates back to the 16th century. With plenty of outdoor space, it’s a pleasant place to sit outside to soak up the serene atmosphere of the fields and mountains that surround it.
DAY TWO – ZIPWIRING IN SNOWDONIA
It’s impossible to stay at the Plas Weunydd hotel without being nagged mercilessly to enjoy at least some of the many attractions at the Zip World Slate Caverns opposite (zipworld.co.uk). So be prepared to get adventurous and to go underground – or to great heights – to have some family fun.
There are plenty of activities to choose from. A Deep Mine Tour sees you don hard hats to plunge 500 ft underground for a fascinating look around the Llechwedd Deep Slate Mine. Expect light shows and special effects. Or have a go at the challenging underground zip line course, where you hook yourself to zip lines that will take you soaring from side to side of the mine chambers, climb rock faces and cross rope bridges. There’s more uplifting fun to be had at Bounce Below, a huge network of underground netting to jump, bounce and slide your way around.
We stayed well above ground to have a go at the thrilling Titan 2 Zipline experience (whizzing down not one, but two zip wires – Bravo and Charlie – 1080 metres up and reaching speeds of up to 70mph). There are four parallel lines so you can take the plunge together as a family.
Despite not being a fan of heights, I was well and truly roped in to have a go. I didn’t even have the excuse of having to ‘look after the dog’. The attraction has its own dog-sitting service, Pet Stop, where our cocker spaniel Barney snoozed for a relaxed couple of hours while we headed for the heights.
First, we loaded onto a truck for a 45 minute off-road climb up the slate mountains with a fascinating history lesson en route. Then we were dropped off, high up, at the first zipping platform which had fantastic, some might say knee-trembling views of the Snowdonia mountain range. The staff were chatty, putting us at our ease and safety was paramount as we were attached to our lines and strapped to our seats on a platform teetering on the edge of the mountain. Then it was a case of the gates opening and after a count of three we had to lift our feet off the platform and off we zoomed. It was breathtaking – and as soon as I had the courage to open my eyes, I loved it! With none of the bumps and stomach lurches of a rollercoaster, it was more akin to flying like a bird. Taking the second zipline, Charlie, you are of course, by then a pro. So the speedier (but shorter) ride is nothing but fun.
Feet firmly on the ground, we headed to the Llechwedd Cafe on site for a calming cuppa and cake. Then it was on to Conwy, a 45 minute drive away, where Snowdonia meets the sea.
The town is dominated by the impressive mediaeval Conwy Castle and its three-quarter mile of town walls and is well worth a visit. Unfortuaneately dogs aren’t allowed in the castle but you can walk around the town walls with them, then while away some time – or munch on some fish and chips – walking on the harbour quay. Look out for the ‘smallest house in Britain’. It’s painted red (presumably in case you should miss it) and stands at just 72 inches wide by 122 inches high.
We saved our appetite for an early evening meal at The Groes Inn (groesinn.com) a short drive away – and dog-friendly. Parts of the inn date back to the fifteenth century so it has impressive history and its beer garden boasts some of the most beautiful views of the rolling hills and farmland surrounding it. The food was mouth-watering – we loved the beer battered fish and chips and their ‘legendary’ homemade cheese pie.
DAY THREE – DISCOVERING HIDDEN PARTS OF NORTH WALES WITH YOUR DOG
Off to the Llyn Peninsula and we discovered the magical, secluded Nant Gwrtheyrn. Hidden at the bottom of a coastal valley on the northern part of the peninsula – with only one extremely steep and winding road leading down (and out of it) – it’s the former Victorian quarrying village of Port Nant. Now, it’s home to the Welsh National Language Heritage Centre, a cafe with amazing sea views and boutique B&B accommodation in tastefully revamped Victorian terraced mining cottages. We enjoyed a walk along the beach and coastal path, marvelling at the agility of mountain goats, then headed for lunch in the cafe (it allows dogs only at outdoor tables). Don’t miss a tour of the small museum on site which looks at the amazing history of the tiny, remote, mining community as it was.
Back up the steepest of hillsides, we stopped off and parked up for a trek ever upwards to Tre’r Ceiri Iron Age Hillfort. It’s one of the best preserved hillforts in Britain with stone ramparts surrounding the remains of more than 150 stone huts.
DAY FOUR – SNOWDON WITH YOUR DOG
We’d originally planned a walk up Snowdon (the highest mountain in Wales) on day four of our holiday. But the weather was (unusually) hot so it didn’t feel fair to expect Barney to hike all that way up, sweltering in his fur coat. If scaling Snowdon on foot is too much of a push for you no matter what the weather, then a trip on Snowdon Mountain Railway can be a great experience, if the weather is kind (sadly it doesn’t allow dogs, apart from registered support dogs). If you don’t have a dog, then you could take the train three quarters of the way up and walk to the summit, or take the train all the way to the top and back, whatever suits your party.
We paid a visit to Llanberis (at the foot of Snowdon) for a circular walk around Llyn Padarn (Padarn Lake) instead. It’s a great route for children as there’s not too much climbing, but you still get great views. And you can pay a visit to The National Slate Museum on the route. It’s free and packed with plenty to keep all the family occupied, including slate-splitting demonstrations (book your free tickets online in advance). Carry on your walk up through woodland, where there are plenty of shaded areas and water spots for dogs.
Back at Blaenau Ffestiniog, we enjoyed meze at Greek restaurant, Caffi Kiki (kikis-cafe.com) which currently operates a weekend pop-up restaurant at the Lakeside Cafe at Tanygrisiau, with peaceful views over the lake.
DAY FIVE – BEDDGELERT WITH YOUR DOG
Our last day – and we took a half hour drive to Beddgelert in the heart of Snowdonia – widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful villages in the region.
It’s the perfect spot to start a walk into the wooded vales and slopes that surround you. And there are plenty of cafes and ice-cream spots, as well as a few pubs to fuel up in.
First, we walked along the banks of the river Glaslyn to ‘Gelert’s Grave’ which, according to legend, is the final resting place of Welsh Prince Llewellyn the Great’s faithful dog. The story is a sad one: the Prince came home to his palace to discover Gelert covered in blood. Unable to find his infant son, the prince mistakenly thought Gelert had killed him and so took his sword to the dog. As the dog lay dying, the Prince heard the cries of his son and discovered him, close to the body of a dead wolf, which Gelert had killed to protect the child. Expect a few tears when you’re telling the children that tale!
Next, following a map we bought in a local shop, we headed into the mountains for a pleasant walk up Dinas Emrys. It took us past waterfalls (perfect for doggy dips to cool off), through woodland to the summit complete with the stone remains of a defensive medieval tower where we were rewarded with stunning mountain and lake views. Look out for a bench carved into the shape of a dragon on the way down, too.
Our final activity was a visit to Sygun Copper Mine (syguncoppermine.co.uk) which takes you underground, deep into a mountain, to explore the old workings of the mine. It’s a self-guided tour and you can take your dog with you as long as you feel he or she will be happy climbing metal staircases which take you up through the mountain. Wander the low tunnels at your own pace (push a button at various points along the route for commentary on the fascinating history and hardship of mining the copper here). See stalactites and stalagmites and climb the various levels until you exit high up the mountain. Finish off with a coffee and a sandwich at the cafe onsite. There’s also a children’s playground and a pleasant walk around the lake onsite too.
For more information, visit snowdonia360.com
I wrote a version of this article for the fantastic familytraveller.com too
Photos ©Alistair Heap