The Coed Cae B&B nestles amongst the trees overlooking
the beautiful Mawddach estuary at the southern end of the
Snowdonia National Park. Revered in past-times by the likes
of Wordsworth and Ruskin, the estuary itself is an area of
outstanding natural beauty. It is noted by the more contemporary
Rough Guide as “Wales’ finest” and features
amongst their list of Welsh “must sees”.
The
area has been inhabited since the earliest of times, and the
hills either side of the estuary are punctuated by prehistoric
burial mounds, standing stones and Iron-age hill forts. More
recently industrial activities have left their mark, with
the mining of precious metals featuring prominently. There
are scattered remnants of the local gold mining industry,
including the famous Clogau mine, which has provided the Welsh
gold for recent royal wedding rings. You also do not have
to look too hard to find a very real and thriving Welsh culture.
The character of the scattered working hill farms has not
changed greatly in generations, and the Welsh language is
in everyday use for many in the community.
The
lower reaches of the estuary were an important ship-building
centre, but the industry has long since left these shores. Perhaps
the only surviving remnant of this activity is that Barmouth
(Abermaw) harbour still formally extends 8 km upstream to Penmaenpool
(opposite Coed Cae) where in 1879 the toll bridge was built
with a central span wide enough to allow the passage of sea-going
vessels. In the nineteenth century Barmouth, at the mouth of
the estuary, moved on from its manganese-mining past and found
a new lease of life as a sea-bathing resort for the English
Midlands, spawning a fresh wave of development in the region.
An area known as Dinas Oleu (fortress of light), set in the
cliffs above Barmouth, became the National Trust’s first
property in 1895 and children with whooping cough were traditionally
taken to these rocky tops to benefit from the sea air.
The
ravages of World War II left their mark even on this, the most
placid of places, and numerous air bases and training camps
were in place along the coast. A group of 6 unknown sailors
found their final resting place in the churchyard at Llwyngwril,
on the southern margins of the estuary, after they were torpedoed
in the bay, and a hillside plaque bears testimony to another
tragic episode where a B-17 flying fortress heading home in
1945, crashed into the hillside above Arthog with the loss of
all crew.
The
ancient wool-trading town of Dolgellau, 5 km west of Coed Cae,
is a bustling hub for outdoor activity, and people have come
to the area to escape the city and view the spectacular scenery
for hundreds of years. The hills are criss-crossed with old
mining tracks and pack-horse trails just begging to be explored,
and the area is home to Cadair Idris, perhaps the second most
famous peak in the Snowdonia National Park. As early as the
1800’s there were guides with ponies selling tourist trips
over this dramatic peak.
Not
far away the purpose-built and popular mountain bike trails
of Coed y Brenin offer spectacular biking at all levels, and
local mountain
bike guides can help you find the less well known hidden-gems
also present in the area. The challenging Lôn Las Cymru
long distance cycle route, which traverses Wales from Holyhead
to Cardiff passes close to our door, as does the Mawddach trail,
a disused railway bed running the length of the estuary and
offering easy cycling and walking for all.
Barmouth
harbour is popular with the jet-ski and yachting fraternities
and is also the starting point for the famous 3-peaks
yacht race, where teams of yacht-crews and fell-runners
tackle the highest peaks in Wales, England and Scotland.
Why
not try a
Spoke 'n' History cycling heritage tour
along the Mawddach Estuary? |
Coed Cae B&B nestled in the hillside |
Prehistoric Burial Mound |
A B-17G Flying Fortress from 511th Bomb Squadron, 351st
Bombardment Group, crashed on Craig Cwm Llwyd on its way
from Polebrook to RAF Valley - the first leg of its journey
back to the USA. |
The Cerrig Arthur Stones |
The Toll Bridge at Penmaenpool |
View over the Mawddach Estuary |
|
