STW should come up trumps here. Going on holiday with three other adults, a six year old, two seven year olds, an eight and a twelve year old, staying near Coed y Brenin. I’ve never been before. How many days will cows y Brenin itself entertain us for (Not just bike wise)? I’ve got my eye on a few bits n bobs, but does anyone have any good recommendations for young families in that area? I’m talking stuff to do, places to eat, that kind of thing. Kids are good, outdoorsy types who enjoy a traipse up a mountain, and we are taking bikes (obviously ☺️).

I reckon you’d get a full day’s riding out of Coed y Brenin for the smaller ones if you do the Minotawr Blue and muck about in the skills area. There are a couple of places where the trails cross lovely streams with pools to play in if it’s a hot one.

If you have time to yourself you can do pretty much all of the reds/blacks in a day too.

Aside from that, you’ve got nice beaches not so far away, Cadair Idris is a good walk, plus various zipwires, cave-based trampolining etc around Ffestiniog if you’ve got the £££ (book ahead for those, I’d expect).

Visits:

Portmeirion

Mawddach Estuary has a lot to see, ie:

Arthog side:

– Llynau Cregennen (hunt the little cave and the megaliths?)

– The Blue Lake and derelict quarry, amazing views over Llyn Peninsula.  Old quarry looks like somehwere giants lived and built.

– Walk the railway bridge into Barmouth from Morfa Mawddach, (pay the Bridge Troll), get pizza or ice cream etc

– Family cycle from Fairbourne beach up the Mawddach Trail (old railway line) along the estuary to Dolgellau for lunch in the amazing Roberts café, which itself is something else.  Upstairs is huge if it’s busy downstairs.

Or do it it the other way around, ie start in Dolgellau, big breakfast, then stop a while Barmouth and chill on the beach before cyling back up the estuary birdwatching, pub stop etc etc.

Along the trail there is an RSPB station and also picnic stops with shade.  It’s a beautiful area and well worth exploring.

As said, Cader Idris is the obvious climb.  Pony Trail to summit and back (5hrs) or Minffordd Path up to armchair lake and back (2.5hrs). both very  different walks, the first dry, rocky, long and quiet with huge 360 views (weather permitting, rare to be clear) to the coast.  The latter is short, watery, tree-ful  and noisy, I did the Minnfordd as a little kid and it seemed just about right. Lots of torrents and small waterfalls on the way.

Easy spectacular walks are panorama and precipice walks.

Dyfi osprey project worth a visit.

Having spent a weekend just outside Dolgellau with a mate and his two children (10 and 7), I can confirm that the precipice walk with a paddle and a picnic at the lake at the top, and a ride along the Mawdach trail into Barmouth for ice-creams and a play on the beach, with a stop for coke and crisps at the pub by the toll bridge on the way back, are excellent ways of spending time.

There’s also the big fast jets watching option (check weather/flying schedule)

http://themachloop.com

^*edit – seems there is no available low-level-flying schedule (of course there wouldnt be!) so that last suggestion of mine is probably a rubbish suggestion and now retracted.

Here instead are some pics I took along the Mawddach Trail a few weeks back.  Could hardly tear myself away afterwards :/

Thanks everyone, that’s loads to be going on with. Hoping this lovely weather holds! ☺️👍🏼

Don’t forget the Train and Ice cream factory at Tywyn

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Narrow guage railway, such as Tal Y Llyn.

Slate mine tours around Ffestiniog.

Castles, such as Harlech.

Great Orme in Llandudno.

Bala Lake might be lovely in this heatwave.