Some of our favourite things to see and do!
Swim, build castles. or just soak up the sun!
Paradise for steam enthusiasts, young and old.
Swim, build castles. or just soak up the sun!
Arallt is a unique cottage situated in the heart of the beautiful Llyn Peninsula and surrounded by stunning unspoiled beaches. There are so many to choose from!
These are a few of our favourites, we are sure you'll find some of your own!
Llanbedrog
Sheltered and sandy with colourful beach huts overlooking Cardigan Bay. It's a long shallow beach with miles of sand and is ideal for families. Owned by The National Trust, car park and cafe nearby.
Pwllheli
There are two beaches in Pwllheli, our favourite is Glan Don Beach which is accessible from behind the town marina, near to the sailing academy at Plas Heli. Long sweeping shallow cove, with dunes behind. Lots of space and views over Snowdonia. Ample parking and the facilities at Plas Heli, including showers and cafe are to hand.
Morfa Nefyn/Porthdinllaen Famous in the area for the amazing Ty Coch pub, this pretty beach is accessible on foot either via the golf club or from the National Trust Car Park on top of the cliff. A pretty beach with the cliff behind you, lovely views of Yr Eifl mountain and out to sea. Ty Coch has won awards as a beach bar in The Rough Guide and is a super place for a pint!
Trefor
Just over the mountain from the cottage, this is the next village along the Caernarfon Road. A bit of a secret spot really! Small pretty sandy harbour beach, ideal for sunsets! And picnics! And fishing off the pier and rocks! Car park but no facilities on beach.
Nefyn
The beach is down a winding hill from the village of Nefyn and about 10-15 minutes by car from the cottage. Quiet and sheltered and a little wild! Pretty beach huts in the summer and a cliff top walk. Super Spar shop in the village and an Ice cream kiosk on the beach. Toilets and car park .
There are lots of things to do on the Llyn Peninsula! Exploring and finding hidden , special beaches like these is just one of them! We are sure you'll find some of your own.
A land steeped in history!
Paradise for steam enthusiasts, young and old.
Swim, build castles. or just soak up the sun!
You are spoiled for choice for historic castles and buildings in North Wales.
Caernarfon Castle
Built by Edward 1 as one of his iron ring of castles in medieval times, this impressive fortress guards the Menai Straits. It would have been bright white, and very imposing when built. Houses a military museum now, and an exhibition about the investiture of The Prince of Wales. Netflix's The Crown did some filming here very recently!
Criccieth Castle
On the hill overlooking the pretty seaside town of Criccieth, this castle is mostly ruined now, following Owain Gyndwr's revolt. Cadw owned and run, well worth a visit for the views from the ramparts alone!
Plas Yn Rhiw
An early 17th-century manor house near Aberdaron at the tip of the peninsula, this estate consists of a small house of Tudor/Georgian style, a garden of just under one acre in size, and many wooded acres to wander round. Owned by The National Trust, there is a small cafe on site. Short walk from car park across the road from the house itself.
Penarth Fawr
This extremely well-preserved house gives a rare glimpse into how the Welsh gentry lived during the 15th century. While most of the commonly wood-built houses of the era are long gone, Penarth Fawr’s sturdy stone construction has seen it survive almost unchanged for centuries. (Open from April 1st until end October)
Paradise for steam enthusiasts, young and old.
Paradise for steam enthusiasts, young and old.
Paradise for steam enthusiasts, young and old.
North Wales seems to have more steam trains than anywhere else we can think of!
There are narrow guage lines, and hidden engine collections, all around the area just waiting for enthusiasts to discover and explore.
Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland
40 miles of lovingly restored track wind through the Snowdonia National Park. With trains covering routes from Beddgelert to Blanau Ffestiniog, you can hop on and off and explore as you go.
Gleaming engines, helpful and knowledgeable volunteers, and all the smells and sounds of days gone by.
We suggest Porthmadog to Tan Y Bwlch for the little ones. Just long enough, with a café and playground and loos at Tan Y Bwlch station, a wander through the woods, then back on the train for the return journey, and a visit to the gift shop at Porthmadog station to buy a souvenir! That's what we used to do anyway!
Llanberis Lake Railway
This little line at the foot of Snowdon takes you 5 miles alongside Lake Padarn. There are picnic spots, The Padarn Country Park and The National Slate Museum (more trains here!) along the route. Great fun!
The Cambrian Coast Line
We always suggest a day out on this modern train line. Starting from Pwllheli this little train offers spectacular views, coastal walks and places to visit. A day ticket gives you plenty of opportunities to hop on and off to explore! Pack a picnic and make a day of it.
For the Kids
Places we like to go to eat.
Paradise for steam enthusiasts, young and old.
Looking for ideas of where to go and what to see? Here are just a few of the fun things to do on the The Llyn Peninsula, with links to the relevant websites for opening times and prices etc...
Our favourite place for family adventures! This eco-friendly park , set in 17 acres of magical woodland, has the world's first people powered roller coaster! There is loads to do here, from treetop trails, to jungle boats, archery to stilt walking. Special events and a soft play area for rainy days, (we do get a few ), and a cafe. We like Green Wood because of it's emphasis on being environmentally sustainable, and that there is always something new to do, like building a den in the woods, or riding Solar Splash, a solar powered water ride!
This park near Pwllheli, only about 10 mins drive from your cottage, is suitable for all ages and for all weather fun. With 11 activities to choose from and an on site cafe and shop, there is always something to do at Parc Glasfryn. Indoor soft play and ten pin bowling on rainy days give way to Go-Karts, Segways, Wakeboarding and Quad Bikes for the more adventurous! There is also Archery and Clay Shooting available. Open 7 days a week all year round, parking is free.
Situated on the road to Criccieth in the village of Llanystumdwy, this family owned petting farm is sure to delight your little ones! Lots of animals to smooth and feed, under adult supervision, including rabbits of course, as well as alpacas and lambs, guinea pigs and more. Cafe on site offering homemade food. There are picnic benches and a play area too.
This National Trust Visitor Centre in Aberdaron gives you lots of information about the peninsula, it's history and culture, as well as access to lots of adventurous days out, walking , kayaking and sailboarding. A 1 hour audio tutorial gives you lots of ideas of how to spend your time, as well as information about cycle hire and biking trails.
Aberdaron itself is well worth a visit, being at the end of an ancient pilgrim trail with great fish and chips and a super beach!
Another of our favourites, Pili Pala is Welsh for butterfly. This attraction just outside Menai Bridge on Anglesey is home to a huge collection of butterflies and bugs, as well as reptiles and more. The children can hold a butterfly the size of their hand, or have it land on their heads! Or smooth a giant milipede! There is also a bush tucker type challenge, a nature trail, and a petting zoo as well as cafe and shop.
Events and Festivals
Places we like to go to eat.
Places we like to go to eat.
There are lots of festivals and events on in the area every year. We try to list them all on our blogs and newsletters. Please subscribe here to make sure you don't miss out!
Here are just a few which might interest you.
Gwyl Fwyd Caernarfon Food Festival
This is an annual food festival, usually held in May, and centred around Caernarfon Castle Square. Lots of local food producers, (including your hosts, the proprietors of Treddafydd Organic ), as well as some from further afield.
This free to visit festival boasts lots of street food, bands and local artists, great ambience and is guaranteed to please the whole family.
Felin Uchaf near Aberdaron host regular evening events in their Celtic Roundhouse with storytellers and musicians coming from all over Europe and the UK. A truly magical experience by firelight around the cauldron firepit. Main programme for 2020 kicks off at Easter, details on the link.
Remember click here to subscribe and keep up to date with events and festivals.
Places we like to go to eat.
Places we like to go to eat.
Places we like to go to eat.
You will be spoilt for choice for places to eat and drink when staying at Arallt Holiday Cottage! Here are a few of our go to favourites.
Poacher's Restaurant, Criccieth
Run by good friends of ours, Martin and Jill, this family friendly restaurant offers wonderful food made onsite from locally sourced ingredients where possible. Never fails to delight, we recommend the Savoury minced Welsh Black beef pancake topped with cheese!
Your local! This friendly community pub is just a short walk down the hill from the cottage. It's a longer walk back. Or it seems it anyway!
Currently not serving food, it does offer real ale, including the famous Cwrw Llyn beers made in the area's own micro brewery in Nefyn. Darts and pool. Children welcome. Quizzes and music nights .
This gorgeous family run garden centre near Caernarfon has an awards list as long as your arm . The cafe serves everything from cream teas to roast dinners and never fails to please. Thursdays and Sundays are very busy! Good farm shop too.
Situated on Gaol Street in Pwllheli in a quaint historic building, this lovely coffee shop does lunches as well as teas and coffees and home made cakes. All home made and delicious! Comfy sofas next to an open fire, it's a great place to sit for a cuppa, or the cosy dining area is super for ladies who lunch!
Smashing and very friendly balti on Penlan St in Pwllheli. Also does takeaway, which will stay warm if you drive back to Llithfaen!
This country house style restaurant is situated in Llanbedrog, about a 25 minute drive from the cottage. Beautiful venue, does a mean Sunday dinner at reasonable prices for fine dining. Open fire, well stocked bar. Groups catered for, and weddings. Booking essential .
The Welsh Language Centre is situated in Nant Gwytheryn at the foot of the mountains behind the cottage. A hidden valley and historic quarry village, it boasts a conference centre, wedding venue, and this lovely cafe with splendid views out to sea. This homely café, which is also a licensed restaurant, serves a variety of home-made meals, snacks and refreshments.
Sunday dinners require booking in advance to be sure of getting a table. Popular with locals.