Fun Things to do in North Wales with Kids

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Fun Things to do in North Wales with Kids

Wales although is part of the United Kingdom, is a separate country on its own and it is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west. With a population of around 3 million and stunning mountainous landscape no wonder people head to Wales during the holidays to bask in its beauty and history…and that is what we did!

During the last summer holidays, we decided to head to North Wales on a caravan holiday with some friends and had a whale of a time. I’ve not had the chance to share the post until now but hope you enjoy the read and use this as an inspiration on what you can do whilst on a holiday in North Wales with children.

We stayed in a local caravan park in Barmouth Bay which was not too far from Harlech,  a Historic town located in the beautiful Snowdonia National Park. Harlech was quite central for us and we managed to visit many wonderful places on rainy days and stayed to enjoy the beach on nice sunny days.

Harlech Castle

On the first day of our arrival, we visited Harlech Castle, a World Heritage Site which was just 10 minutes from where we were staying.  Do click on the link to read our full blog post on it. If you are heading there I would recommend that you check their website especially if it during the school holidays as they would have a few free programs/events taking place on the castle grounds.

 

The next day, the weather was not too kind to us but with 5 kids in tow, we decided we were going to make the most of it and booked a scenic train ride with Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways. They had various train rides ranging from 2.5 hours to 7 hours long. We decided to book our tickets online for the two and half hour Woodland Wonderer Service from Porthmadog to Tan-y-Bwlch Station (return journey). This journey was recommended for those travelling with children as the train journey stops for an hour so families could go on a woodland trail walk towards Llyn Mair or stay at The Station Tearoom for a cuppa and cake.

So armed with a picnic bag filled with snacks as well as ponchos and raincoats we boarded the train at Minffordd. The train journey was smooth and our carriage easily accommodated 2 adults as well as 5 kids (although it is recommended for 6 people).

The journey was scenic and our children enjoyed looking at the scenery.  Our kids kept busy playing card games and eating snacks.  In a blink of an eye, we arrived  at Tan-y-Bwlch Station where we took our kids on a half-hour walk and then stopped off at The Station Tearoom for some delicious cake and much needed hot drink.

 

On the way back, we stopped at Porthmadog Station (as our train driver forgot to open our carriage door) to swap trains to Minffordd so we took the time to enjoy a walk around Porthmadog to enjoy the scenic view of the port.   We even managed a quick stop at the Maritime Museum which was just 10-minutes away from the station.

We paid £4 for the family ticket which was well worth it. As we had the chance to see a  large collection of artefacts depicting the seafaring activities of the area as well as the development of the port, the shipbuilding, the ships, and the lives of the seafarers for the last 200 years. Great way to kill time if you are waiting for your train.

 

The train station was lovely and had toilet facilities, a cafe, ice-cream shop and a souvenir shop. Kids enjoyed train watching as we waited.

 

 

All in all, a fabulous day out and I would totally recommend taking the train no matter the weather as our children aged 3 to 13 enjoyed the journey.  Adult tickets cost £29.00 per person while children aged 3 to 15 pay £5 each. Dogs are allowed onboard but there is a small fee of £5.

 

Lazy Day at Barmouth Beach

Wales has some fabulous beaches and over the years we often head to Rhos on Sea, Talacre, Conwy or Llandudno on day trips when we are lucky enough to experience nice weather and sunny skies. So with Barmouth Beach at our door step and decent weather, it was only right that we decided to spend a lazy beach day at the caravan park.

The beach at Barmouth Bay was calm and even though the water temperature was a little cool, kids did not not mind it as the sun was out. The sand was soft and not rocky and the water warm enough for them to paddle in and they also stopped to make the odd sandcastle.

 

We decided to end the day with a delicious seafood spread at Norbar Seafood Restaurant to celebrate Madeline’s birthday. We ordered their seafood platter consisting of grilled prawns, squid, fish, scallops, langoustine and our kids devoured every bit of the seafood.

The food was lush at the restaurant and what a view of Cardigan Bay as well. We were told that most of the seafood are locally caught and delivered to the restaurant.  The restaurant try their best to source local produce as much as they can.

I would advice you to pre-book a table in advance as it gets quite busy especially in the cooler weather.

 

Portmeirion

One of my favourite moments in the trip was when we visited Portmeirion Village, a folly tourist village in Gwynedd which is just 2 miles from Porthmadog.  I have only seen photos of it in magazines and online so it was stunning to see it in person.  The village is made up of hotels, cottages, shops, restaurants and cafes, woodland gardens and estuary views and is set in a sub-tropical garden with stunning views of the beach as far as the eye can see as well as tons of shops, cafes and restaurants.

 

Situated on a private peninsula overlooking stunning coastal scenery, the Italian Riviera meets rural Wales with a burst of colour and architectural styles at Portmeirion Village. Built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, Portmeirion is now one of Wales’ most popular tourist destinations. The village was made famous in the 1960s the TV series The Prisoner was filmed there. Using an eco-friendly approach, Clough designed his architectural vision around a Mediterranean piazza. Endangered buildings and unwanted artefacts from all over the globe were transported and rebuilt to create a nest of loggias, grand porticoes and tiny terracotta-roofed houses, painted in bright colours.

 

The village was built over two phases, 1926 – 1939 and 1954 – 1976 by which time Clough was well into his 90s. Most buildings were designed and built by Clough but a few were transported from elsewhere such as the Town Hall, the Bristol Colonnade, and the facade of the Dome, originally the upper part of a Norman Shaw fireplace. So definitely worth a visit if you are heading to North Wales.

We had a fantastic time walking around the village admiring its architecture and exploring the gardens and water features  after which we had a delicious Italian lunch and ice-cream. A day way to spend a day outdoors with the family when the weather is nice.

Summer is considered their peak time so it is best to pre-book the tickets online otherwise you can get them from the booth at the entrance but be aware of their allocated entry time. This is done to assure smooth entrance into the village, you can of course stay for as long as you like. Entrance is free for kids under 5, while children from 5 to 15 need to pay £5 each and those 15 and over £10 each.  Do check for cheaper family ticket prices and complimentary entry if you have lunch/afternoon tea booked at the hotel.

 

Pant Du Vineyard

It was by chance that we saw the signboard for Pant Du, a local vineyard and orchard located on the slopes of the Nantlle Valley, Snowdonia. Established in 2007. The family business includes a Cafe and a small on-site Shop for you to purchase locally made wines, cider and apple juice (made with native Welsh apples) and honey.

We bumped into the owner Richard who was generous in sharing with us about the place and what they do there. The cafe looked amazing and they also do wine tasting events during the weekends. Kids played in their outdoor play area and we managed to get ourselves a couple of the drinks and honey to take back with us and even managed to sample some wines. We look forward to heading back to the vineyard for one of its wine tasting events.

 

Caernarfon

On our way back we stopped off at Caernarfon, a medieval town perched on North Wales’ coastline, home to Caernarfon Castle, just 14 miles from Porthmadog. Caer’ means ‘fortress” and “Arfon” means “opposite Anglesey” hence the full name therefore means “the fortress in the land opposite Anglesey”.

 

A scenic town boasting with rich history and stunning architecture, you will immediately notice the castle soon as you get to the village.

We parked up and saw lots of families crabbing along the docks. If you are wondering what crabbing is, it is where you tempt the crabs with your bait and place them in a bucket to only throw them back into the waters afterwards. There are local shops selling crabbing tools so don’t worry, you don’t need to bring them with you.

 

We next wondered into town admiring the architecture as we enjoyed a locally made ice-cream. Unfortunately it was quite late for us to visit Caernarfon Castle so we look forward to visiting it the next time we head to North Wales.  Recognised as a World Heritage Site, the castle was built between 1283 and 1330 by King Edward I and it has been the backdrop for many movies such as King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and First Knight.

 

Caernarfon is a remarkable town filled with culture, history and we were in awe of the town and its many battles that took place as we admired the 14th-century town walls. Do stop off at the town  if you are passing by as they have a large selection of pubs serving some delicious local Welsh staples.

 

Barmouth Town

Barmouth Town is a lovely seaside  in the county of Gwynedd. You will find local shops there, fairground rides, lots of restaurants, cafes as well as take-aways. It was not too far to head into Barmouth from where we stayed so we ordered a lovely take-away meal at Saffron, an Indian Restaurant there on one of the nights.

We also decided that we were going to spend some time in Barmouth Town before we left Wales. The day was lovely so awe enjoyed a scenic walk along the beach, followed by the mandatory fish and chips at The Mermaid Fish and Chip Shop which coincidentally celebrated its 60th Anniversary last year.  If you are heading there, do note that there tends to be a long que. We joined the que at 11.30pm as shop opened at 12noon. Do note that tables are limited inside, so best to get there early. We were lucky to get a seat inside and no wonder, as the fish and chips were delicious!

North Wales has been kind to us and we can’t wait to head back there to continue on our adventure.

 

 

 

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Photo Copyright: Some of the photos were obtained from Peter Morgan/Visit Wales