In the event you’re planning a weekend break that ‘has all of it’ then I can’t suggest a visit to Chester and North Wales sufficient.
Spend your first day exploring the Roman metropolis of Chester with its cobbled streets, Tudor-style buildings and fairly views. Then spend your second day exploring Snowdonia Nationwide Park, residence to the very best mountain in Wales with beautiful surroundings and quaint Welsh villages. There are such a lot of issues to do in North Wales nevertheless it’s greatest to stay to Snowdonia when you solely have a day.
For me, an ideal weekend away has this mix of cities and countryside. You may spend one-day purchasing and sipping cocktails in trendy bars and the following day mountaineering mountains. Critically, what extra might you need?
The drive from Chester to Snowdon takes simply over an hour however these two stunning locations really feel one million miles aside. You actually really feel such as you’re getting two holidays in a single however you received’t be completely exhausted after it!
This weekend, I teamed up with Premier Inn for this good weekend break. Premier Inn are encouraging travellers to remain nearer to residence as there are such a lot of unbelievable locations within the UK to go to. Many people have set ourselves a New 12 months’s decision to journey extra so why not tweak that decision and journey extra within the UK? I’m typically responsible of jetting off to Europe earlier than exploring what we now have on our personal doorsteps and it’s time to alter that!
In the event you just like the sound of a brief journey that mixes a metropolis break with an outdoorsy vacation, then hold studying…
Right here’s my mini information to a weekend in Chester and North Wales
The place to remain
I stayed on the Premier Inn Chester Central North. It’s an ideal location for stepping into Chester metropolis centre – however additionally it is good for shortly getting out of Chester and onto the street to North Wales. For the worth, you actually can’t beat Premier Inn’s. My room was actually spacious, snug, fashionable and clear and the employees had been simply so pretty. I requested the woman on the desk if she had any suggestions for locations to go to in Snowdonia. She gave me a few concepts which I used to be actually grateful for however once I received up within the morning she’d created a mini information for me with a great deal of options. She’d even written down postcodes for me to search out locations, the climate forecast and handwritten notes along with her personal experiences!
Check out Premier Inn to search out their saver charges which can be found when reserving immediately by way of Premier Inn.
Learn how to get there
I like to recommend driving – even when it means hiring a automotive for the weekend.
You may simply get the prepare to Chester from all around the UK however for the Snowdonia a part of the journey it’s a lot simpler when you drive your self. In the event you’ve received lots time, then you might additionally take public transport from Chester. A mix of trains and buses will take you in all places you should be, it’s simply going to take you twice as lengthy and Sunday providers could be unreliable.
What to do – Day 1
Spend your first day in Chester.
It’s a small metropolis so it’s good when you’ve solely received someday. You received’t really feel rushed or such as you’ve missed seeing one thing actually essential. Get some cozy footwear on and take a sluggish stroll by way of this stunning metropolis.
Listed below are a few of my favorite issues to do in Chester and you may learn my full information to 100 issues to do in Chester right here.
- Stroll alongside the river and get an ice cream from one of many many distributors
- Stroll by way of the park and feed the squirrels – they’re amazingly tame so take some nuts with you. Try the Roman ruins and the Roman amphitheatre.
- Eat at Hickory’s Smokehouse for essentially the most unbelievable ribs you’ve ever tasted in your life (reserving really helpful)
- Stroll alongside the Roman partitions
- Go to the cathedral
- Store within the cute little outlets alongside the Chester Rows. There are outlets on the bottom flooring and extra outlets above them. These rows are distinctive to Chester and nowhere else on this planet has them like this. You will discover them alongside Watergate Road, Northgate Road, Eastgate Road and Bridge Road and a few date again to the 13th Century.
- Take a photograph of the Eastgate Clock, a stupendous turret clock on the traditional partitions. It’s also stated to be essentially the most photographed clock in England after Huge Ben.
- Have afternoon tea at The Grosvenor. It’s pricy however so value it!
- For a extra reasonably priced possibility, head to Beaton’s Tearooms and Bookshop subsequent to the cathedral.
- Head to Crimson Door for late night time cocktails
What to do – Day 2
In your second day, rise up early and feast on the lodge breakfast earlier than hitting the street in the direction of Snowdonia. You’re going to need your satnav for this half as you head in the direction of the little village of Betws-y-Coed.
Take a stroll across the village and take a look at the numerous outlets and artwork galleries. In the event you’re feeling peckish (already!) then I like to recommend selecting up some tasty selfmade snacks on the bakery connected to the Spar. There’s additionally an excellent chippy simply subsequent to the bridge and you may take your meals and eat it subsequent to the river.
Then head to Swallow Falls waterfall which is a bit additional alongside previous Betws-y-Coed.
After Betws-y-Coed, head to Pen-y-Move which is without doubt one of the places the place you’ll be able to start a stroll up Snowdon. I like to recommend taking the Pyg Observe because it’s the shortest and best route at 5.5km and 800m incline. The stroll up takes about 3 hours however even when you solely stroll for an hour and switch round you’ll nonetheless be handled to stunning views and a beautiful little stroll.
A better approach to get to the summit of Snowdon is to take the Snowdon Mountain Railway (closed within the winter) the place you’ll be handled to all of the views with out all the hassle.
Even when you don’t fancy mountaineering, I nonetheless suggest driving round this space and absorbing the epic surroundings.
From Pen-y-Move carpark, I drove again all the way down to the primary street and in the direction of Llyn Gwynant Campsite. This can be a beautiful campsite I’ve stayed at just a few instances so when you fancy a brief break with stunning views then I like to recommend a fast cease right here. This was January so there was nobody round however within the peak summer time months it’s chocker and chances are you’ll have to pay the £4.00 day fee they promote for day guests. There’s a woodfired pizza oven van right here in the summertime that I completely suggest making an attempt!
The subsequent cease in your tour of Snowdonia takes you to a different fairly little village referred to as Beddgelert. This can be a beautiful village surrounded by mountains with just a few pretty pubs, eating places, tea rooms, reward outlets and an excellent ice cream store. The Saracens Head is nice for conventional pub meals or strive Beddgelert Bistro and Antiques for the very best afternoon tea with Welsh bara brith.
There’s a stroll that takes you alongside the river that’s stunning on a beautiful day. Simply 10 minutes into the stroll you’ll be able to go to the well-known grave of Gelert from the medieval Welsh legend. Now, there are just a few variations of this story so I’m going to let you know the one I used to be instructed as a baby.
Gelert was the devoted hound of Prince Llewelyn the Nice and he was the bravest and most loving canine you might want for. He was mild however robust and Worth Llewelyn trusted him a lot that when he went out searching he left his new child son beneath the watch of Gelert.
At some point, Gelert was taking care of the child when a wolf entered their residence and tried to assault the child. Gelert fought the canine and risked his life to guard the child. After a fierce wrestle, Gelert received the battle and the intruder was killed. However, as you’ll be able to think about, they made a good outdated mess and there was blood in all places! Prince Llewelyn returned from searching and heard barking and snarling and located his child boy on the ground of his residence coated in blood. He presumed the child was useless and when he seemed to Gelert and noticed he was coated in blood. The prince instantly withdrew his sword and killed his Gelert. Simply because the canine fell to the bottom his child awoke and giggled and smiled in his father’s course. On the identical second, Prince Llewelyn seen the intruding canine mendacity useless on the bottom and realised what Gelert had performed.
However it was too late and Prince Llewelyn had murdered his courageous and dependable canine.
OK, that is the purpose the place 10 yr outdated me would burst into tears and the considered his poor canine mendacity useless on the ground.
It appears I’m not the one one who was affected by this tragic story and folks journey from throughout to see Gelert’s grave and the stays of their residence.
After your stroll to Gelert’s grave, head again into the village for an ice cream to cheer your self up!
In the event you’ve received time at this level, I’d suggest making your last cease of the day in Harlech or presumably Nefyn.
Harlech Seashore is completely beautiful and you can even go to the fortress right here. Nefyn is one other agency favorite and the Ty Coch Inn pub on the seashore was named one of many high 10 seashore bars on this planet. Sure, the world! (You park on the golf membership and stroll throughout the golf course to succeed in it.)
Photograph taken final summer time in Harlech
One other one taken final summer time (though you’d by no means realize it from these clouds!)
And that’s how you’ve gotten an ideal weekend in Chester and North Wales.
I partnered with Premier Inn to write down this submit however, as at all times, all thought and opinions are completely my very own.
