WALKING: The hills have always been a major draw to the region. In the 1800’s a well-known local guide, Robert Edwards, enthusiastically described his job as “by the all-divine assistance, a conductor to and over the most tremendous mountain, Cadair Idris”, and this mountain remains a popular focus in the area. While the peak rewards a demanding ascent with daunting views, it is only a small part of what the area has to offer. At Coed Cae we have a selection of laminated route cards for walks of all grades in the vicinity and these are available for our guests to borrow.

EXPLORING: The Mawddach trail, a well surfaced track built on an old railway bed, runs from Dolgellau to Barmouth along the southern margins of the estuary and is a great route for cycles, trailers, wheelchairs and feet. From Coed Cae the trail can be accessed by crossing the toll-bridge at Penmaenpool. The track also provides useful access to either side of the estuary thanks to the Penmaenpool and Barmouth toll-bridges.

MOUNTAINBIKING: Compared to other activities in the area, mountain biking is a relative newcomer to the outdoor scene, but the sport has taken the area by storm. Beginners can take a mountain biking course to learn the basic skills before setting out on one of the area’s way-marked trails. The renowned purpose-built mountain bike trails of the Coed y Brenin forest are close at hand (7 miles, ~10 min away) , and in easy striking distance are the Cli-machx trail (Corris, 15 miles, ~30 min), Mach 1-3 trails (Machynlleth, 20 miles, ~40 min), Marin trail (Llanrwst, 36 miles, ~50 min) and Nant yr Arian (40 miles, ~1 h). Further details about these developments can be found on the Mountain Biking Wales website. Alternatively, if you fancy getting away from the crowds, local mountain bike guides can show you the wealth of hidden gems around the area (www.snowbikers.com), or you could take yourself around the "SnowBiker's circuit" of Cadair Idris.

CYCLING: Pedal the past in and around Dolgellau and the beautiful Mawddach estuary on a guided heritage tour with Spoke 'n' History. The trails used are relatively flat and this is a great way for anyone who can ride a bike to see the area and learn a bit more about local history. Bring your own bike or rent one for the day, the cycling is not too demanding and there are frequent stops for photos and catching your breath. For more information call Jacky on 01341 430628.

ORIENTEERING: When clouds shroud the highest peaks (which happens from time to time) the nearby Coed y Brenin forest is well worth a visit. Waterfalls at the confluence of the rivers Gain and Mawddach in the heart of the forest become thunderously impressive after heavy rain (which also happens from time to time). The woods offer important habitats to a wide range of creatures and there are other spectacular walks, orienteering facilities, and an 8 km geology trail. Leaflets with directions are available from the Coed y Brenin visitor centre.

GEOCACHING: Set somewhere between orienteering and a treasure hunt, geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to explore an area, and to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a GPS unit. Caches have been set up all over the world by individuals and organizations and in their simplest form contain just a logbook of visitors. The locations are posted on the Internet and GPS users can then use the given coordinates to find the caches. Further information and a list of caches in the area around Coed Cae can be found at www.geocaching.com by typing in our postcode (LL40 2TU).

BIRDWATCHING: The RSPB makes use of the old signal box at Penmaenpool as an information centre overlooking the Mawddach Estuary, and nearby are two RSPB reserves. The Coed Garth Gell reserve lies immediately west of Coed Cae on the opposite side of the valley, and is in easy walking distance. In the spring pied flycatchers, wood warblers and redstarts can be heard in the deciduous woods while ravens and buzzards are present throughout the year. There is an attractive 3½ mile circular walk through oak wood and scrubland, making use of some of the tramways left over from long gone mine workings. A second reserve, Arthog Bog wetlands is situated near the southern end of the Barmouth Bridge and has disabled access.

RESEARCHING FAMILY HISTORY: With the local Dolgellau records office holding such a wide variety of documents stretching back to the 14th Century, researching family history is a popular activity for our visitors. The office is currently open during office hours on weekdays except for Wednesday - Click here for more information on researching Welsh Family History.

SEASIDE: For a good old-fashioned day at the seaside, then you need look no further than the blue-flag beach at Barmouth. The beach is patrolled during July and August, and there is a dedicated area away from the swimming area for jet-skiers and powerboats. For a fresh-water soaking, the National canoeing and rafting centre on the dam controlled river Tryweryn offers a range of activities guaranteed to get you wet.

BOATING: Boat handling skills and qualifications - Merioneth Yacht Club, located on the harbour at Barmouth, is a RYA training centre and offers courses ranging from children' sailing to personal watercraft tuition and powerboats (including the International Certificate of Competence, powerboat level 2). Shore based tuition on varying items such as VHF radio and navigation is also available. For further information Click Here

At King Arthur’s labyrinth legends of King Arthur are retold during a trip by boat and on foot through old slate caverns near Corris. The development also boasts an impressive craft village above ground. A little further down the road, the Centre for Alternative Technology, one of Wales’s biggest attractions, pioneers technology for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Ty Siamas, the National Centre for Folk Music in Wales aims to contribute to the understanding of Welsh heritage and the revival of Welsh culture traditions and customs. It is situated in the centre of Dolgellau, in what was formerly the market hall. As well as providing a thriving Arts venue, the centre will house an interactive exhibition which will allow visitors to experience Welsh music. www.tysiamas.com

Nestling on a wooded headland, just east of Porthmadog, lies the unique Italianate village of Portmerion. Perhaps most famous as the backdrop for the cult 60’s TV series “The Prisoner”, this was the creation of Clough Williams-Ellis. The eccentric architect salvaged (some say plundered) unwanted buildings, played around with perspective, and created this attractive if curious montage of building styles.

The Coed Cae B&B sits in the heart of narrow gauge railway country, with the railways at Tywyn-Talyllyn, Corris and Fairbourne being closest to home. Plenty of additional information on the narrow guage railways of North Wales can be found on here.

Slightly further afield are:
To the south the Vale of Rheidol Aberystwyth-Devil's Bridge railway.
To the north the Porthmadog-Ffestiniog and Snowdon mountain railways.
To the north-east the Bala Lake Railway and Llangollen-Carrog railways.
To the east the Welshpool-Llanfair Caereinion railway.

As well as all the above, there are two further specialist railways in the area: the unique water-balanced cliff railway at Machynlleth’s Centre for Alternative Technology and Britain’s longest electric cliff railway at Aberystwyth.