Wales when its wet

[binkacat]

Hi,

I'm taking DD who's 5 to Llanberis next week. Have a sneaky suspicion that our planend weak of finding nice beaches on the Llyn penisular might not be such an idea. The forecast is looking a bit glum.

Anyone got any recommendations of wet weather days in the area?

thanks

Hi, we're going camping in N.Wales next week...typical that it's going to be wet really. I've been having a look on the 'net in advance and so far I've got the following as wet weather places

The Fun Centre, Caermafon

Llechwedd Slate Caverns underground, maybe a bit scary? but I'll be taking a 2,6 and 8 yr old.

Pilipalas butterfly and minibeast farm

I looked up a few swimming pools (but I think it'll be too far east for you - we're staying near Towyn)

I'm planning on being very mean and making DCs do a few walks even if it's a little damp. Definitely want to go to Aber Falls again. I haven't been to this part of Wales since I was 10!

HTH

Anyone else got any ideas, as it looks like it's going to be very wet......what am I letting myself in for?

A few ideas for you:

There's a good cafe inside the Electric Mountain in Llanberis and lots of space for your DD to run around. The Slate Museum (also in Llanberis) is excellent. Pete's Eats in the High Street is a great caff for huge mugs of tea - it's the local climbers' caff. Here are some other thoughts:

Anglesey Sea Zoo, Brynsiencyn
Oriel Llangefni (a gallery and museum)
Treat yourself to lunch in the lovely bistro at the Bull in Beaumaris, which is very welcoming to children. Beumaris also has a small Museum of Childhood and a fantastic castle (with a moat) plus a good playground and the best views back to Snowdonia. Penmon is just around the corner with a lovely beach - or carry on up the east side of Anglesey for Red Wharf Bay and Moelfre. Ann's Pantry in Moelfre is a great place to eat.

Caernarfon Castle is wonderful for children and if it stops raining, head for the beach at Dinas Dinlle.
If your DD is sporty, DEFINITELY book an activity day at Plas y Brenin (the national mountaineering centre) in Capel Curig - she will love it.
Snowdon Railway is expensive but great fun. In my opinion the best railway is the steam train from Porthmadog - and this is just up the road from Portmeirion, which is magical in any weather. As well as the village itself which your DD will love, there are 22 miles of walks and a wonderful beach. There are 2 hotels and 2 cafes in the village itself - Castell Deudraeth is wonderful for a meal and welcomes children.

If you do go to the Llyn, Criccieth is lovely and has another good castle. Abersoch is great for mooching but can be very busy. Pwllheli Butlins has a great swimming pool for children.
If you do get a clear day, Nefyn might be the best bet for a quieter beach on the Llyn but my favourite is Llanddwyn on Anglesey (just outside Newborough). Check out the Good Beach Guide website.

I hope you get better weather than you expect - sometimes Anglesey and the area around Porthmadog, Tremadog and Portmeirion are dry even when it's raining in Llanberis - Capel Curig and Llanberis can be very wet I'm afraid!! If you feel like travelling a bit further, the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Machynlleth is a great day out with loads for children to do. Harlech beach is another winner - 7 miles of sand - plus a very dramatic castle and 2 good teashops!

Most importantly - Croeso - (Welcome) to Wales and have a relaxing stay, whatever the weather!

The slate mine in Llanberis is fantastic and is free. They do the most fantastic demos of slate cutting....sounds dull but it really isn't!

Echo the recomendation for Harlech castle and beach. There is a smashing resturant by the castle that does nice grub and is good with kids.

If you want a river walk see the dog's grave at Beddgellert and walk down the river. There is also an excellent pizza resturant that does wonderful icecream in the town.

The snowdon railway is very expensive) the one to Blanae Ffestiniog isn't as expensive and you are in the rains for an hour each way. Get the guide book and you can spot the interesting bits out the window as you go....my two loved this.

The leechwedd slate caverns are also very interesting, and you can change your modern cash into 'old' money to buy sweeties and drinks in the bar (which is very nice and has a wood fire)

Go to your local bootsale on Sunday and buy DD lots of new little bits and pieces to take with you. Don't let her see them before and she'll have a lovely time with her new stuff even if it is wet. I remember my Mum doing the same for me when we went to Wales and it rained all week. She gave me a doll called 'Patch' with several outfits and I played with her all week. Ahh memory lane.

Just take lots of chocolate and cuddle up.

We're off to see SIL/BIL this weekend they are based in cardiff. Are there any wet weather recommendations for days out/inside fun.
bearing in mind the last time we went they took us to the local park which was nice apart from the fact the duck pond was full of rats and no ducks
Well it made me larf, at least we have ducks in our ponds in Brum.

Tecniquest (you have to pay), lots of hands on stuff for kids to do.

Musium of Welsh life (?name) in St Fagans.....free and wonderful loads of re built houses, farms, schools, chapels, shops etc to wander round, set in beuatiful guardens and you also have the 'ordinary' museum there and the big house. They do loads of demos of old skills like blacksmiting and tanning etc. there is even an iron age hut. Well worth a picnic, you can spend all day there. Take a picnic or there is a cafe.

Both terrific places martianbishop, but Cardiff - heck of a drive from nolrth Wales for a day out.

Oooh - Serenity - we're staying in Aberdovey next week, just next to Tywyn. Which camp site are you at? We will probably pass you on our way to Bird Rock or the Tallylyn Railway! We're planning a day out to Harlech Castle too - going to take the train up the coast with two v excited little boys - ds1 and my godson.

martianbishop - do you know of any good places to eat in Harlech, near the castle? I can't find anything on the harlech website, it just lists hotels.

It's prob a bit for for you binkacat, but The Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth is a good day out (although much of it is outside) and there is also King Arthur's Labrynth just up the road which is fun (big caverns with scenes and actors telling the Welsh version of the Arthurian legends).

sdjone, the St Fagans thing was for carl who had asked for wet weather ideas round Cardiff

Re the eating place. I can't remember the name of the place. Stand with your back to the castle facing the car park. Look straigt ahead and there is a hotel that does food (we avoided this as it didn't look that inspiring). The road leads away up the hill and there is a nice little resturant on the left hand side up a short flight of steps. Dh had some very nice Lamb and I had a salmon dish. They do the dreaded kids menus

electric mountain

is fab!great cafe, things to do and see... all undercover...

think i might be a bit late suggesting this.... have you already gone!?

For wet weather activity actually on the llyn peninsular (most of these ideas are miles from there)

Portmerion is lovely for a day out
Criccieth castle (as mentioned below)
LLanbedrog? is a village about half way along on the south side of the peninsular. it has an Arts centre with a big cafe, by a National trust beach. it's good on a wet day. the beach is good for damming streams too even on a wet day. we've spent a day on that beach even in February.
I think Carnaerfon has a swimming pool.
Welsh moutain zoo at Colwyn bay is very good.

The Fun Centre as recommended by serenity below is fab, we visited on a holiday a few years a go and it was one of dd highlights. Fab cakes in the cafe as well.

Stoopid me, sorry Martianbishop Wet Cardiff is miserable (or expensive). CarlK you might like to consider the National Museum (free) and pick up a rucksack for the kids from the reception desk which will give you a lead around the place. It is excellent for most age groups from dinosaurs to fine art, stuffed birds to leaf-cutter ants.

If it is a grey day, the Bay is fun. Take the boat taxi across to Penarth (or the cruise tour up the Taff). Wander the Millenium Centre (Opera house) and if you are sports fans a tour of the Millenium Stadium.

If it is really bleak, we might turn up in Ikea for a coffee and half an hour off the kids (free creche ).

If you fancy travelling Big Pit is something you should do once in your lifetime. Alternatively
the Rhondda Heritage Park, Castell Coch and (for Dr Who fans) Southerndown (where Billie Piper's last scenes were filmed).

Anyway, it will be lovely this weekend, because we're off in the caravan to Weymouth. Look out the south coast, bad weather coming!

There is also the BBC's Dr Who exposition in the Bay too (at the Red Dragon Centre I think it is called - where the bowling and cinema is). Depends how big a fan you are I suppose, but it won't fill and afternoon, and they charge these days.

Sil used to work for techniquest.
some of the other stuff sound interesting thank you I'll let you know how we got on next week

there is IIRC a good website that you could take a look at before you go.

remember that post national assembly all the main museums in wales are now free of charge....a good thing!

Bollocks, just did a really long post saying where we went and what 'worked' with the children and then accidently wiped it off

Thanks everyone for posting (not sure what happened to OP!), I actually left at 5.45am on the Wednesday you all posted, wanted to get through London before the congestion charge!

We really liked - Pilipalas, Welsh Mountain Zoo, walking to Aber Falls (DD managed to do it without the pushchair, although I had to carry her a bit on the way back) Rhyl Sun Centre (very busy, and a bit pricey)

Liked visiting Llangolen, but the horsedrawn canal boat trip was a waste of money (no views, relaxing for us, boring for the children)

I wouldn't recommend the Deep Mine Ride at the Llechwedd Slate Mines for under 8s (unless they have nerves of steel!) In each cavern through the tour, they start by turning all the lights out! Far, far too dark for my two youngest. I had to carry a crying DD all the way through, and there's no way to cut it short.

Best thing we did though was get an electric hook up for the tent, and take a TV, Freeview box and the PS2. Most of the really heavy rain we got was in the evening, so we just stayed in, watched DVDs and played games.

We had a lovely time despite the weather