Go Wales: Una McCaffreyis mystified why more Irish people don't visit Wales, given how easy it is to get there – and how child friendly it is
BEING HONEST, we were not lured to Wales by the magnificent rolling countryside, the raft of near-pristine medieval castles or the quirky tourist attractions that lurk around almost every corner. The thing was that our elder son (3½) had absent-mindedly allowed his travel documents to lapse. Despite a frantic last-minute application, there was no sign of a new passport arriving in time for our holidays. So where to go without a passport? Flying with small kids but without documents, even to Britain, seemed to throw up too many complications, so the idea of jumping on a ferry began to grow in appeal, provided it didn’t require a lengthy trip.
And so, within a matter of days, a ferry was booked, a rental house sourced over the web and we began to prime two small boys with promises of exciting holidays ahead. Wonderful Wales awaited.
One great thing about pre-school children is the tiniest event can be fairly easily transformed into a major treat with a little bit of selling, and so it was with driving our car into “the boat’s tummy” at Dublin Port. The ferry ride itself, from Dublin to Holyhead, lasted just under two hours, leaving us in Wales less than three hours after we had locked our front door in the north of the city. After that, a drive south of about 90 minutes brought us to the charming village of Criccieth, located on the Llyn peninsula, and proud owner of a 13th century castle and a quaintly old-fashioned beach.
Our holiday rental cottage was located about three miles out of town and was thus gloriously remote, surrounded by calm, green fields, grassy lanes and hedgerows teeming with nature. The boys could be set free here in a way that just isn’t possible at home. Within hours, they had discovered the simple pleasures of ladybirds, buttercups, cows mooing contentedly and lambs bleating in search of their next feed – not the kinds of things their city existence usually affords. And the area was wonderfully foreign for mammies and daddies too, since Welsh is the main language spoken in much of this part of the country, even by toddlers fighting over toys in the playgrounds.
Porthmadog is the “big” town in these parts, but its handful of streets and harbour make it far from overwhelming. As well as meeting mundane shopping needs, Porthmadog is home to one of the biggest attractions in north Wales, at least in the eyes of two Thomas the Tank Engine-obsessed small boys. It is here that passengers can partake in the premier among north Wales’s narrow-gauge railway journeys – the trip up the mountain to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog – by vintage steam train. The trains themselves – gleaming engines, old-fashioned carriages – are things of beauty but the 13½-mile journey from Porthmadog harbour to Blaeneau is the real star here, at least for the adults. The little engine climbs to more than 200 metres above sea level, providing a journey through the best of the constantly-changing local scenery, from pastures to forests and past lakes and waterfalls. There are even a few mountain tunnels to provide that extra frisson of excitement.
Amid all the train-related wonder, it’s easy to forget the original purpose of the line – to service the slate industry which had been the lifeblood of this part of Wales since Roman times. Slates from here were exported all over the world at the peak of the trade in the late 19th century, and the picture was repeated in many parts of this region, creating a network of mining towns linked by rail to the all-important ports. When decline in the slate business inevitably came, the Ffestiniog railway was allowed to fall into disuse and in 1946 it closed. Happily for tourists, it was preserved and re-invented in the 1950s and the experience continues to be enthusiastically, if sedately, shared.
A more lively time is on offer in the buzzing, outdoorsy town of Llanberis, located high in the stunning Snowdonia National Park. We visited at the weekend when all the climbers were in from London and Liverpool, and the main street was crammed with healthy faces, fresh from breathtaking cycles or hikes in the hills. There’s another steam railway here, this time departing from the excellent Welsh National Slate Museum, which is joyfully free and affords a fascinating glimpse into the toughness of life in the mines. A terrace of miners’ houses, each decorated according to a different era in the industry, is particularly compelling, illustrating the few comforts available to families in the industry, even in boom times.
A starkly different picture of north Wales emerges with a visit to the undeniably flamboyant and utterly strange “Italianate village” of Portmeirion, which was built close to Porthmadog by an Italy-loving local architect between 1925 and 1975. The idea was that he would pay tribute to the Mediterranean mood, and thus entering Portmeirion, which has never functioned as a real town, does feel a bit like stepping off the boat at Portofino. Designed from scratch to look and feel Italian, it definitely fulfils its brief, from the curling roads to the coloured houses on many different levels, and the profusion of bright flowers.
While charming, it is distinctly odd, its strangeness reinforced by its history as a location for the 1960s sci-fi classic, The Prisoner. The "I Am Not A Number" fridge magnets on sale in the souvenir shop are almost worth the trip on their own, helping to make Portmeirion a weird highlight in an otherwise very traditional family holiday of chilly beaches, ice cream and train rides.
It wasn’t quite Spain, but the consensus in our house (particularly among the smaller members) was that Wales did a good job of stepping into our passport-related breach, in large part because tourism is a well-run business there and much of the focus is on children. The one mystery for us is why more Irish people don’t make the trip.
Where to stay, where to eat and where to go on a visit to Wales
Where to stay
The Hotel Portmeirion. Portmeirion village, 00-44-1766-770000, portmeirion-village.com. Breathtaking views over an estuary and, for kids, the excitement of an old sailing boat permanently docked at the beach. Tranquillity at night, when all the daytrippers have gone.
Dolserau Hall. Dolgellau, 00-44-1341-422522, dolserau.co.uk. Romantic, fancy country house getaway in Snowdonia National Park. High end and worth it.
Tyddn Y Felin Farm Cottage. Llangybi Station, Pwllheli, 00-44-1766-819166, tyddynyfelin.co.uk. This is where we stayed – two double bedrooms, one single. Very well-equipped stone cottage in idyllic setting, with smaller rental property next door. The very friendly owners, Maureen and Bob, allow families to bring one dog.
Where to eat
Pete's Eats. 40 High Street, Llanberis, 00-44-1286-870117, petes-eats.co.uk. An institution among climbers, this value-for-money caff serves up massive portions of quality, home-made food. Plus free Wi-Fi and a bunkhouse upstairs.
Big Rock Café. 71 High Street, Porthmadog. 00-44-1766-512098. Quirky, Christian cafe with cool branding and very fine food. Excellent for kids and good for souvenir food products. Very happy staff.
Castle Deudraeth Hotel. Portmeirion, 00-44-1766-770000, portmeirion-village.com. Undeniable highlight of our culinary tour of north Wales – sophisticated food with fine service plus the offer of free entry to Portmeirion village. Wonderful views.
Where to go
Victorian transport. It almost seems hard to avoid the network of restored steam trains in Wales, but it doesn't stop there. The grand old seaside town of Llandudno not only offers prime bucket-and-spade activity, but also a fabulous tram ride (the Great Orme Tramway) up a prominent limestone headland on the north coast. greatorme tramway.co.uk.
Greenwood Forest Park. Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, 00-44-1248-671493, greenwoodforestpark.co.uk. Fantastic outdoor adventure park, where the activities are based on "green" principles, hence fun boats are self-propelling and bumper cars are blissfully absent. All the family had great fun here on a very cold day, so it must be heaven in the sun.
Castles. Who can resist the fantasy of stepping into the world of the medieval ruling classes? Castles are everywhere in Wales, but the slightly rundown town of Caernarfon has one of the best, complete with city walls. It's a pity the town has lost its links with all that past prosperity. castlewales.com
Conwy. Confident and prosperous little town dominated by Conwy castle, built in the 1200s. Many decent gift shops and lunch options line the historic, hilly streets. conwy.com
Snowdonia. Justifiably a designated national park, this mountainous region offers excellent hillwalking and rock-climbing options. The scenery will also provide a thrill, even if you stay in the car. The service providers are real pros, with climbing having been in vogue here since the 19th century. eryri-npa.gov.uk.
Llandudno. Charming Victorian seaside town which happily hasn't fallen too much into disrepair. The Great Orme headland (see tram above) is unmissable, but an ice cream on the beach has its own, low-key appeal, as does a stroll along the promenade. Decent shopping too. llandudno.com
Go there
Stena Line (stenaline.ie) sails from Dublin and Dún Laoghaire to Holyhead and from Rosslare to Fishguard. Irish Ferries (irishferries.com) sails from Dublin to Holyhead and from Rosslare to Pembroke. Fastnet line (fastnetline.com) sails from Cork to Swansea.