Looking to rent a cottage next Easter and there’s a lot of deals to be had in places like Manod and Tanygrisiau. Are these villages / Blaenau nice to go out for a meal in the evenin / daytime?

We spent NYE in Blaenau a few years ago and there was a massive fight just after midnight, but that’s probably not unusual for anywhere.

Blaenau is one of those places I could never imagine staying in Wales.

There are some lovely villages in the area. It wouldn’t be top of my list.

We spent NYE in Blaenau a few years ago and there was a massive fight just after midnight, but that’s probably not unusual for anywhere.

The usual Friday and Saturday evening’s entertainment.

Are these villages / Blaenau nice to go out for a meal in the evenin / daytime?

😆

I’d go to Beddgelert or Betws-y-Coed before I went to Blaenau Ffestiniog or Tanygrisiau!

Nice walking or riding round there but they’re places you go through rather than stay in if you get me.

one word Bleak

We stayed in Blaenau a couple of weeks ago at Clochdy, Plas Blaendol. We booked it through Best of Wales. The cottage was a large 4 bed house with hot tub. As for evening entertainment, we stayed in with takeaways. There really isn’t that much in the town and surrounding villages. My dad was born and bred in the Blaenau so we knew what to expect with the lack of evening entertainment. We loved it Though

Contact Best of Wales with your requirements and they’ll do the rest

one word Bleak

“What’s the view like out of the front window?”

“Slate”

“Oh. And what about the bedroom windows?

“Slate”

“Is there a nice view from the garden?”

“Slate”

Well it’s certainly getting a slating on here 🙂

Its the only place I’ve ever been and seen drunks brawling in the middle of the main road on a Saturday morning.

If you’ve not been before, it’s like the surface of the moon. I quite like it tbh but it’s really not far from betws y coed which is lovely, frinstance, and there’ bound to be others. Can’t recommend any accomodation around there though.

(Blaenau is literally in a hole in the middle of the national park, they couldn’t bring themselves to include it. Which apparently is really useful, because it doesn’t have any of the restrictions the rest of the park has. But also means that now, lots of stuff that they’re not allowed to build elsewhere gets dumped there)

We stayed in a lovely cottage a couple of miles south of Ffestiniog on the A470.

You’re almost certainly driving there, so I can’t see why you’d want to stay in BF itself, unless you’ve got a fetish for being looked at [edit: /punched] strangely in pubs.

Reminds me of when we lived in N. Wales. We’d ordered a taxi to get home from the pub, it was a bit late getting to us which was odd as he was only based in the next village. When he finally arrived the driver offered his excuse, “There was a street fight started outside the pub just before I set off” he said, “At least they were organised: there was someone directing traffic at each end of the street!”

One of the most depressing places in that area of Wales. Just think damp and grey with humourless locals.

…unless you’ve got a fetish for being looked at strangely in pubs.

You say this like it’s a bad thing.

I’ve never recovered from getting off the steam train on wet Sunday afternoon with my wife and 4 month old. Went for a look around realised the train had gone bag down the hill. Cue the longest 3 hours of my life waiting for it too come back.

Went to back to visit the slate mines a few tears later they were good. Wouldnt stay there though.

Depending on numbers, there is a cottage in trawsfynydd thats amazing for mountain bikers. Nothing there, so will have to entertain yourselves, but a good place to stay.

otherwise, head to Betws. Blaenau is not nice, really!

Betws is ace. One of the top three places I’m going to move to.
BF on the other hand is a bit like Bacup, Lancs. Full of knuckle-dragging, suspicious, bored locals. But greyer.

great to read theusual stereotypical nonsense —there are things going on in Blaenau culture wise -check out the old courthouse /cell -has music events most weekends -but for a really nice pub you need go to the brondanw arms or better known as the ring in nearby llanfrothen-but hey what ever floats yer boat

I have stayed at stiniog lodge, great for the bike park but location-wise not somewhere I’d stay again. I have stayed in betws, capel curig, dolgellau, bala, and a few others I can’t spell.
For a riding break with mates, dolgellau. If with the family, betws or surrounding area.
Whatever you choose, not blaenau.

Here is a list to get you going.

http://www.anturstiniog.com/Accommodation/

Ignore most of the Stereotypical stuff you read above.

Here is a link to the Cinema / Bar

CellB – Eat / Drink / Watch / Sleep – North Wales

Tan y Grisiau is Nicer than Manod near Cwmorthin and the Moelwyns etc if you like walking.

Best food however is in Betws, 20 mins away.

Like walking back into the past, theres more life in the churchyard on the outskirts,walk into a pub like we did years ago and the barman accidently spills your pint then accidently drops the change in the slop, you get a seart in the empty pub and a gang of large lads suddenly appear and sit very close to you.

Otherwise great scenery, some nice older buildings, a steam train and a railway station to get home

Had one of the best nights out at the rugby club in Blaenau a few years ago, people around there know how to have fun 😀

I worked with somebody that used to live in the area, he reckoned it was where they used to house all of the problem families as there was sod all there that they could break or nick.

Had one of the best nights out at the rugby club in Blaenau a few years ago, people around there know how to have fun

Indeed, drunken brawling is great fun 😉

“Blind No Festering Dog” someone from school I think referred to our school trips there 😀

I wouldn’t dismiss Welsh social clubs (formerly working men’s pubs). They’re surprisingly friendly and welcome families these days. Though not a place for a quiet drink 😀 . Been in old school Welsh pubs that literally are just a bar and sawdust on the floor with a dartboard, no tables, and feared for my life going in, but turned out a really friendly bunch.