Local Area Information & Things to Do

Pubs and Cafés

There are 4 excellent hostelries in Capel Curig all within walking distance of Carreg Cottage.

Goods pubs for beer and food are the Tyn y Coed and the Bryn Tyrch. Both can be found on the A5 heading towards Betws y Coed at 1.0 miles and 0.3 miles respectively.

An excellent café is the Moel Siabod Cafe which is also on the A5 heading towards Betws Y Coed (0.35 miles). Excellent for breakfast and lunch. It is also open some evenings and runs many events.

The National Mountain Training Centre, Plas Y Brenin, is located less than 500 metres away heading towards Snowdon/Llanberis/Caernarfon/Beddgelert The centre has a public bar with one of the best views of Snowdon and regularly puts on lectures about the outdoors.

For more choice, drive to Betws y Coed where there is a choice of cafes, restaurants and pubs. The Alpine Coffee shop near the station is highly recommended but watch out as it can be busy. If Indian is your thing, there is an excellent Indian in Llanrwst (Ty Asha Balti).

Shops

Betws y Coed, 5 miles from Capel Curig, has a wide selection of shops including a Spar and a Londis and many outdoor and gift shops. If you want a larger supermarket, there is a Coop in Llanrwst. Further afield there are large supermarkets in Bangor and Llandudno. Tesco’s will deliver if you like to shop online.  In Capel Curig itself, there is an excellent outdoor shop, Joe Brown’s (Joe Brown is a legendary climber).

Walks

Snowdonia has many options for walking both within the mountains and on the coast catering for all levels of experience.

Strenuous walks (3 or more hours):

Climbing Snowdon is on the list for most visitors to Snowdonia.  The starting points for all the main routes up Snowdon are all easily accessible by car from the Carreg Cottage or take advantage of the local bus service that picks up from outside Carreg Cottage and drops off at Pen y Pass or at the Snowdon Mountain Railway station in Llanberis.

There are many walks which can be started from the door of Carreg Cottage. For the more adventurous, Moel Siabod, the beautiful mountain you can see from the front of the cottage, can be done as a circular walk from the cottage.

Alternatively, you can drive into the Ogwen Valley and walk in the stunning Glyderau and Carneddau mountains.

Medium walks (2-3 hours):

From the cottage door, you can walk up Crimpiau (looking out to the left of the cottage) and continue to Llyn Crafnant and, a little further, Llyn Gerionydd. These are both beautiful lakes and great spots for a summer’s picnic.

Further afield, take the Miner’s Path on Snowdon up to the first lakes or from Ogwen cottage walk up to and around Llyn Idwal. Llyn Idwal is stunning and you feel right in the heart of the mountains.

Gentle walks (1-2 hours):

From the cottage door, take the lane behind the shops. Go past the public car park and follow the track which takes you down into the Ogwen valley. Turn around as and when you are ready. Or about 200 metres from the car park, turn left and follow the track. At the main road, turn left towards Plas y Brenin and just before the centre go through a gate on the right. Go over the bridge and turn left on to the forest track. Follow this is the Moel Siabod coffee. Return the same way or go down the A5.

The Moel Siabod cafe website has information on several walks in the local area and they have more information in the cafe.

https://www.moelsiabodcafe.co.uk/activities/mountain-walks/

There are some more ideas here:

https://www.hikideas.co.uk/walk-capel-curig.html

Cycling

Snowdonia is a firm favourite for road cyclists. The Tour of Britain regularly comes here and tackles the infamous Llanberis pass. A good circular route can be done from the cottage via Bethesda, Llanberis and Llanberis Pass.

Snowdonia is also blessed with some purpose built mountain bike centres. The closest is Gwydir Forest, Llanrwst which has an excellent red route and some forest trails too. Then there is the connoisseur’s red trail of Penmachno but, a word of warning, be prepared to get wet! A little further afield are the centres of Coed y Brenin and Llandegla. Both centres have many trails for all ages and abilities plus a café, bike store and bike rentals.

Gwydir Forest, Llanrwst http://www.mbwales.com/listings/gwydirmawrandbach/

Penmachno trails http://www.mbwales.com/listings/dolen-machno-dolen-eryri/

Llandegla https://oneplanetadventure.com/

Coed y Brenin Forest Park https://www.beicsbrenin.co.uk/

In addition to the centres, there are natural trails on bridleways etc. to be discovered. It is possible to ride on Snowdon outside of the voluntary ban times of day - see http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/snowdn_volunt.htm

For thrill seekers

Indoor Climbing Walls

The National Mountain Training Centre, Plas Y Brenin, is located less than 500 metres away heading towards Snowdon/Llanberis/Caernarfon/Beddgelert The centre has a small indoor climbing which is open to the public.

The Beacon Climbing Centre. Located on the Llanberis side of Caernarfon. About 30 minutes drive from Carreg Cottage.

Adventure Activities

Zip World - Experience Adventure https://www.zipworld.co.uk/

Zip World Fforest, Betws y Coed. Rope course adventures and toboggan run near Betws y Coed.

Zip World Velocity, Bethesda. One of the longest zip lines anywhere.

Zip World Caverns, Blaenau Festiniog. Adventures underground in the slate mines near Blaenau Festiniog.

Zip World Titan, Blaenau Festiniog. Group zip wire above the slate mines.

Zip World Bounce Below, Blaenau Festiniog. Trampolining in a slate cavern.

Go Below, adventures in the old slate mines near Penmachno. http://www.go-below.co.uk/

Surf Snowdonia – an artificial surf lagoon in the Conwy valley near Dolgarrog. https://www.surfsnowdonia.com/

Beaches

If you’ve had enough of the mountains or if the rain has set in, then it is always worth heading to the coast where there are many beaches and seaside resorts. Our favourites are:

Newborough Beach on Anglesey

Llandudno and the Great Orme

Black Rock Sands near to Porthmadog.  Walk there along the coast from Borth y Gest – it is simply beautiful.

Other things to do

Port Meirion – an Italinate village on the Harlech estuary – also known for the location of the cult TV series The Prisoner. https://www.portmeirion-village.com/

Beddgelert. A beautiful traditional Welsh village. Follow the trail to hear the tragic tale of Gelert. Or take the old steam train through the mountains to Caernarfon. http://www.beddgelerttourism.com/gelert/

Beaumaris - a beautiful town on the Menai Straits in Anglesey with amazing views on Snowdonia, trips to Puffin Island, and a castle with a real moat.

Llyn Padarn, Llanberis. Boating and swimming lake.

National Slate Museum and Old Hospital, Llanberis. https://museum.wales/slate/

Betws y Coed. The shopping and cafe hub of the region. Lovely walks around the rivers starting near the old chapel of St. Michael’s Old Church or up to Llyn Elsi starting behind St Mary’s church in the centre of the village.

The Great Orme country park and the Bronze Age Mine, Llandudno. http://www.visitllandudno.org.uk/outdoors/great-orme-country-park

Castles a plenty – our favourite is Beaumaris on Anglesey with a real moat. Caernarfon, Harlech and Conwy are highly recommended too.