Harlech Beach
We’re spoilt for choice in this part of Snowdonia for beaches. But Harlech beach has to be one of the nicest. Towering dunes roll down to a wide expanse of clean flat sand and the clean waters of Cardigan Bay. Turn onto Beach Road opposite the train station. Plenty of parking at the far end.

Castle
Naturally, if you’re in Harlech, you have to visit the castle. It was built at the end of the 13th century by Edward I in a forlorn effort to keep the Welsh under control. Hopefully, the locals are a bit friendlier these days. Buy the slim Cadw information booklet (yellow spine) on the way in. There’s not much information inside the castle so it’s a handy guide. There’s a bit of a drop at the top so once you scale one of the towers, make sure you keep younger children under control.http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/harlechcastle/?lang=en

Ice Cream
As the sign says, probably the best Ice Cream in Harlech. On the crossroads just above the castle. I like the ‘cheese cake’ flavor. But Louise thinks the ‘belgian chocolate’ is best. And. to be fair, she’s eaten a lot more ice cream than me over the years.
http://www.hufenfa.co.uk/

Cafes
There’s a great selection of cafes in Harlech. Most of them on the high street in the upper part of the town. The Cemlyn is great for lunches, the Plas would be my choice for a cream tea with it’s balcony overlooking the bay and Fraya has breathed new life into the Llew Glas, a welcoming more modern deli type cafe.
http://www.cemlynrestaurant.co.uk/
http://www.theplas.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Llew-Glas-Delicatessen-Harlech/211149815646709

Golf
I’ll put my hands up here. I don’t know anything about golf. But the Royal St Davids links course is up there with the best apparently. Numerous national and international events are held here. I’ll refer you to their website for more information.
http://www.royalstdavids.co.uk/

Harlech Swimming Pool
The council had threatened to close the pool a couple of years ago. A travesty when you consider that our girls for example, would have had to travel an hour to the next already over subscribed pool to learn to swim. But thankfully a group of brave and dedicated local volunteers have taken over the running of the facility. With the help of a lottery grant, they have transformed the building into modern leisure centre complete with an amazing rock climbing room and a very reasonably priced café. They’ve ensured hundreds of local children continue to learn to swim.
http://www.harlechpool.com/

The Lion Pub
I’m guessing you might want to go to the pub at some stage. The Lion would be my choice. Like in a lot of other rural towns, Harlech’s pubs are finding the going tough at the moment. But the Lion remains one of the best, with a welcoming real fire and a friendly face behind the bar.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lion-Hotel-Harlech/109472305746407

Restauraunts
There are a couple of restaurants to choose from. The Branwen is a gastro pub type place down newr the golf club. Up town near the cross roads there’s a Caribbean restaurant which is also very nice. The Castle Cottage is just round the corner is a little more expensive but well worth it. There are also a couple of take aways to choose from.

Theatr Harlech
Theatr Harlech seats around 250 people and hosts a variety of events from acting and dancing workshops to professional shows and art house films. During the summer events and shows are also performed in the castle grounds. Last year we sat on the grass with a bottle of wine and some cheese watching Romeo and Juliet as the ravens circled overhead. A truly magical evening.
http://cytser.com/

Walk
The hills above Harlech offer some of the best views in Wales. I’d suggest buying an OS map before parking in Bron Y Graig car park. Head south along the old Llanfair road before turning inland. There are lots of footpaths up there, but depending on the time available and your fitness, choose a loop which brings you back round and down onto the road above the Lion Pub. I guess it would be rude not to pop in for a quick shandy before heading back to the car.

To get things going we’d like to offer a 10% discount off any stay in Melin, our largest studio cottage, to anybody kind enough to hit the like Byrdir Farmhouse and Studio Cottages button below. You also have to promise to write a short line or two on our wall about your holiday when you get back. A restaurant that you’d recommend for example. Offer runs between now and the 8th of July. Quote ‘Facebook Friend’ on your enquiry.

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The swallow chicks have finally hatched. There regular visitors to the farm every year having travelled up from a winter spent in southern Africa. It’s great to watch them catching insects on the wing. Skimming along just a foot off the ground sometimes before turning and rising in an instant.

Their mud nest is just under the eaves of one of our studio cottages. A little awkward as we’ve had to put up a board to stop all the poo dropping onto the guests patio below. A little red start has also nested just around the corner on the same cottage.

More locally I’ve heard how a donkey will protect lambs and chickens from foxes. I guess south American alpacas are probably more suited to our rugged terrain. So why not. Arwyn Owen, the farmer responsible, certainly seems convinced. [Read more...]

But anyway the event comprises a 400m swim in Harlech swimming pool followed by a 28k cycle from Harlech to the Wayside pub near Barmouth and back before finishing with a 6.5k run along the beach and up the very steep hill to the finish line at Harlech castle. It’ll be fine I’m sure. (Ohh nooo) http://www.harlechtri-entries.org.uk/

I did it. 2hrs 0mins and 40seconds. Not a particularly impressive time but at least I finished. It was a great day, and I enjoyed it very much.  A little less chatting along the way next time perhaps and we’ll see if I can squeeze under the 2hr mark.

We’ve moved the stairs around, which will be a relief to our taller guests who kept banging their heads on a low beam half way up. We’ve also fitted a new kitchen complete with combination oven and dishwasher. But don’t worry the view is still fantastic.

[Read more about this property...]

A typical 3 night stay in one of our studio cottages would cost £190 including breakfast for example. If your tempted, fill in our [enquiry form..] and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Some of our guests were lucky enough to be staying in Nant when Magldi, one of our Kune Kune pigs gave birth. A bit of a surprise as we didn’t know she was pregnant. We had borrowed Hafren, a pedigree Kune Kune boar from some friends before Christmas. His breeding abilities weren’t proven however and unfortunately he didn’t seem very interested in our girls. We tried playing a Barry White CD and introduced some soft lighting to the pig sty but eventually presumed that the ‘chemistry’ just wasn’t right.

3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days later (the length of a pigs pregnancy) and Hafrens credentials are irrefutable. And now that we’re paying a bit more attention our other sow also seems to be “in pig”. I’ll keep you posted.

We have endeavoured to retain the character of the house and combine its original features with modern amenities. The impressive stone walls and inglenook fireplace together with the original wooden beams and antique doors provide a real homely feel. All main bedrooms in the farm house are en-suite, have tea and coffee making facilities and colour TV. There is a cosy sitting room as well as the main lounge for the use of the house guests.

LLoft-Chimna

‘Lloft Chimna’ or chimney bedroom is a spacious room in the original part of our 17th century farmhouse, so called as the chimney breast from the inglenook fireplace below runs up one wall. The bedroom has a wonderful view over the fields and out towards the Cambrian coastline and the Llyn Peninsula beyond. The room is fully en-suite and has the usual tea and coffee making facilities as well as… [Read more about this accommodation...]

Gegin-Foch

‘Gegin Foch’ is our annex to the main farmhouse. It’s a bright room with wonderful views over the fields and out towards the Cambrian coastline and the Llyn Peninsula beyond. This room is accessed via an external stone staircase which means you have your own front door in a way. This makes the room a popular choice with our regular guests. [Read more about this accommodation...]

The cottages give a little more independence than a traditional B&B perhaps. Having your own front door gives you a little more freedom to come and go as you please. You don’t have to feel embarrassed when you come back from a long walk, sweaty and with muddy feet or when you come stumbling back from the pub late at night. And in a way, you get the best of both worlds as the price includes a traditional cooked breakfast which is served in the main farmhouse, a short walk across the lawn.

Stabal-Byrdir

‘Stabal-Byrdir’, our converted stable is an open plan studio cottage with a kingsize bed up in the ‘grogloft’ or eaves of the barn accessed via a fixed ladder. This is one of our more popular rooms but the ladder does mean that this studio is not suitable for guests with any mobility problems. The room is en-suite and has a small kitchenette with fridge, microwave toaster etc. There… [Read more about this accommodation...]

Melin

‘Melin’ our converted mill is our largest studio cottage. It’s got a double bed up in the in the ‘grogloft’ or eaves of the barn. The steps leading up to the bed deck are quite steep so may not suit people with any mobility problems. The kitchen includes a combination oven and hob as well as a fridge and dishwasher. So this studio is suitable for a self catering holiday despite the…. [Read more about this accommodation...]

Sgubor

‘Sgubor’, is our smallest studio so we tend to just let it out as a single although it does have a double bed. You have to climb up a ladder to get to bedspace. Of course most guest really like this, but it does mean the studio is not suitable for anybody with mobility problems. There’s a nice powerful shower in the bathroom perfect after a long walk in the mountains or a day on the beach…. [Read more about this accommodation...]

Beudy

‘Beudy’, previously the cowshed, is a spacious open plan studio cottage with twin beds on the ground floor and a double bed up in the ‘grogloft’ or eaves of the barn. The room is en-suite and has a small kitchenette with fridge, microwave toaster etc. There is also a colour TV, tea and coffee making facilities and a living flame fire. The studio has a wonderful view over the…. [Read more about this accommodation...]

Ty-Gwair

‘Ty Gwair’ our converted hay barn, is an open plan studio cottage with a double bed up in the ‘grogloft’ or eaves of the barn accessed via a fixed ladder. So, although very popular, the ladder means that this studio would not suit anybody with any mobility problems.
The room is en-suite and has a small kitchenette with….[Read more about this accommodation...]