The natural rugged landscape and numerous rivers make this area the ideal place for any outdoor sporting activity from hiking, climbing and mountain biking to all year round white water rafting at Canolfan Tryweryn and canoeing or pony trekking and quad biking. The North of Wales is becoming renowned for extreme sports. The proximity of the coast means boating, surfing and sea kayaking can all be enjoyed.  There are nine easily accessible golf courses in the area.  The angler has their choice of river, lake or sea fishing.  The magnificent scenery is inspiration for both artist and photographer.

There are walks from the house to suit all abilities, from a gentle stroll down the valley beside the river to one of the local pubs to a challenging hike over the Moelwyn peaks.  The view from the Moelwyns is spectacular as can be seen in the above photo.  There are several beautiful waterfalls within easy walking distance.

For the steam train enthusiast, the famous Ffestiniog railway runs from Porthmadog.  We hear it toot and see the steam rising behind the hill beyond our house.  

See www.festrail.co.uk to check routes, timetables and fares.              

There are so many beautiful castles to visit, including Beaumaris,  Caernarfon, Conwy, Criccieth, Dolwyddelan and Harlech.

Wales is renowned for it's slate and copper mining.  The Llechwedd Slate Caverns at Blaenau Ffestiniog are well worth a visit as is the Sygun Copper Mine.

This area is a bird watcher's paradise.  The nearby osprey site  www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/glaslyn and the nesting chough site www.rspb.org.uk/datewithnature/sites/slatecaverns/index.asp may be of special interest for twitchers.