Local Wales Tips
Meet Kate
Design Manager
♥ Cardigan Bay
Kate's tip
“I live in Wales with my husband, two daughters and our little dog Freddie. We have so much fun out and about together. We like to get out into the hills for a good walk, one of favourites is the Precipice Walk, near Dolgellau, all the glory of a mountain view without the effort of the climb. If you’re spending a few days in the area, bring your bikes and take the Mawddach Trail, from the small town of Dolgellau, all the way to Barmouth, with the handily placed pub George 111, approximately halfway. We also love the small villages and coastal paths of Cardigan Bay. The National Trust beach at Pen Bryn is not to be missed and is great for dogs too. Stop off at the top at the Plwmp Tart, a really sweet little café selling freshly baked cakes, homemade soups and good coffee. Then there’s Tresaith, Aberporth and Llangranog just a stone’s throw away from each other. A little further inland is the town of Cardigan, a pretty little market town but most importantly with a really fantastic outside pizza restaurant ‘Pizza Tipi’ – sit round huge tables and open fires under tipis, overlooking the river Teifi whilst gorging on delicious wood-fired handmade pizza. Discover our cottages in Cardigan here
Meet Anita
Customer Support Team Manager
♥ Pembrokeshire
Anita's tip
Walking to work in the morning and just before you set foot in the office, you take a casual glance down the road towards the sea. Calm and serene in the summer months with boats bobbing up and down to magnificent waves crashing over the slipway in the winter! Saundersfoot is a truly exceptional coastal village to work within, with warm and friendly characters and a lovely sense of community. A busy coastal village with lots of events throughout the year. Powell’s Cottage Holidays are proud sponsors of the Saundersfoot New Year’s Day swim, a hop, skip and jump into the chilly sea, all in the name of charity. Growing year by year with over 2,500 participants each year, and hundreds of spectators, who are not so brave but still relish in the excitement! Pembrokeshire is such a diverse county with rugged hills and countryside in the North and soft sandy beaches in the South it provides a fantastic location to enjoy, whether it’s to relax and unwind or take part in the numerous high-profile sporting events. I particularly enjoy walking with the family and our German Shepherd across the sand dunes at Freshwater East beach. The picturesque lily ponds at Bosherton are also a favourite, where you might be lucky enough to spot an otter! One of my preferred beaches is Barafundle, it’s a bit of a trek but well worth it! Tenby offers four beautiful beaches, we enjoy Harbour beach with the iconic backdrop of pastel coloured houses which line the harbour and the boats coming in and out from fishing or sightseeing trips and the view of Caldey Island. Pop into ‘Simply Seafood’ on the harbour in the summer for fresh fish, a pot of prawns or a dressed crab. Discover more about Pembrokeshire and West Wales here
Meet Gareth
Manager
♥ The city of Cardiff
Gareth's tip
One of the best ways to see the city is by boat. From Cardiff Bay you can take the water taxi up the River Taff passing the stadium and arriving in Bute Park next to Cardiff Castle. It is a great mix of the new and old parts of the city. For people who are interested in history this part of the river was actually created by Isambard Kingdom Brunel who moved the whole river channel in the 1800's in order to build the what became the busiest coal exporting docks in the world. If you prefer a more of an action filled boat ride then you can also book jet boat trips from Mermaid Quay in Cardiff Bay. These trips are within the Bay system but also take you out into the Bristol Channel. Browse our city escapes in Cardiff here
Meet Jacky
Quality Assessor
♥ North Wales
Jacky's tip
I just love the mountains of Snowdonia and for me the village of Llanberis sits at the heart of those mountains. I live close by and I never get bored of the local area. Llanberis is busy all year round with walkers, climbers, mountain bikers and watersport enthusiasts, even a few enthusiastic skiers when the conditions are right! For me nothing beats the walk around Llyn Padarn (Padarn Lake). In places Its accessible to all, and always spectacular no matter what the weather. The views are simply stunning across the water to the majestic heights of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa in Welsh) and the historic Dolbadarn castle. From the lakeside car park visit the 6m high sword sculpture based on the Princess of Gwynedd sword. The full circular walk takes you through the Padarn Country Park, past the National Slate Museum and start of the Lake Railway, through ancient forest often inhabited by mountain goats and then back along the lake via a disused railway track. There are plenty of good cafes en route, Mafon, Y pantri or the famous Petes Eats in Llanberis itself. Y Caban at the end of the lake, and Lodge Dinorwig is worth the twenty minute detour for great food and lovely views! Discover our cottages in Llanberis here
Meet Ginnie
Customer Support Team Manager
♥ Mid Wales
Ginnie's tip
As a honorary Welsh resident, born in England but married to a very South Walian rugby player, I feel as if I have landed on my feet living in the rolling green hills of mid Wales. Somewhat undiscovered but also the gateway to Wales, there is so much you can do come rain or shine! We are very lucky to have some stunning National Trust properties in the area, Powis Castle in Welshpool, Chirk Castle and not far away Erddig on the outskirts of Wrexham. All great for discovering an essence of the past but also great for the kids to have a ramble round the gardens and natural play parks. As a family, we also like to go further afield into Dolgellau, where you can pick up the Mawddach trail to Barmouth, perfect for a large ice cream at Knickerbocker’s Ice Cream Parlour before donning your cycling helmets to take the cycle ride back. And on those lazy days, a trip to the very pretty town of Montgomery for lunch at Checkers is a MUST! If you're interested in visiting Mid Wales, take a look at our cottages here
Meet Glenda
Quality Assessor
♥ Mid Wales
Glenda's tips
I first arrived in Aberystwyth, as a fresh-faced university student and I'm happy to say that I never truly left! I now live a short hop up the coast, so I can return to my old retreat as often as I please. My family and I always tend to gravitate toward the seafront promenade - all 2,000 metres of it, stretching from the harbour and marina in the south, to the busy main beach and Constitution Hill at the northern end. One of the best views of the town can be seen from the top of the hill, and if you don’t fancy the walk, there’s always the cliff railway to transport you up. During the summer season, the Bandstand becomes a venue for a variety of free events with appearances from local bands, performers and choirs. The former Old College, where I spent many a lecture gazing longingly out to the bay, still stands majestically opposite the pier, where you can enjoy an ice cream. If you’re lucky enough to be there in winter, make sure you’re close to the pier towards the end of the day, not only for the spectacular orange sunset but also for the starling murmuration. The spectacle begins at twilight, it's a small flock which grows bigger, and bigger until it becomes a huge cloud of birds. They dance in the sky for a while, and then the bird mass finally descend to roost under the pier. Many of my favourite eating places are situated on the prom, Gwesty Cymru offers great locally sourced food and a fantastic Welsh welcome. Opposite the pier, Byrgyr cafe bar serves gourmet burgers with a distinctly Welsh twist and closer to the harbour you'll find the tiny Pysgoty which specialises in fresh Cardigan bay seafood. I'd also recommend Treehouse, a few streets into the centre of town, where they serve organic, vegetarian meals. Away from the seafront, award-winning Amgueddfa Ceredigion Museum has been refurbished recently, admission is free and it's well worth a visit especially on a rainy day. High on the hill above the town, is one of the jewels in Aberystwyth's crown, the National Library of Wales, home to every book published in the UK and many more artefacts such as newspapers, paintings, films and music archives. Most of the exhibitions are free and you can take a guided tour for a small charge. The view from the terrace is breathtaking and it's lit at night, so it a great landmark to look out for. A little further afield out of town, you'll find loads to occupy you from the Vale of Rheidol steam train, waterfalls and footpaths at Devil’s Bridge to Nant yr Arian where you can see watch the soaring red kites being fed and for the more adventurous, a variety of mountain biking tracks. The area has a truly Welsh feel and you’ll hear the language spoken on the streets and in the surrounding villages. There are lots of opportunities for a taste of local culture during your visit. As a geography student all those years ago, I was spoilt for choice, the Cambrian Mountains, where I could walk to the source of the Severn to the east, sunken forests and sand dunes at Borth and Ynyslas to the north, the picture-postcard harbour town of Aberaeron with it’s coloured houses to the south and of course the magnificent smile of Cardigan Bay out west. Do you wonder why I never went away from Faberystwyth!
