Looking for a Welsh staycation? Plan your Dolgellau holiday

The Welsh market town of Dolgellau in Snowdonia National Park is perhaps not as well known as other Snowdonia holiday destinations such as Barmouth. But so many guests who visit our Snowdonia accommodation tell us how delighted they are to discover that Dolgellau is a real hidden gem.

With its handsome old stone buildings and unique independent shops, pubs and cafes, Dolgellau (pronounced roughly Dol-geth-lie) is traditional, friendly and much quieter than local seaside resorts like Barmouth and Aberdyfi. Overlooked by Cader Idris mountain, the scenery and hiking is really something special. You’ll hear the Welsh language being spoken and a get a real sense of a history here. Dolgellau is a fabulous base if you’re looking for a Wales hiking holiday while enjoying some fine food and drink.

 

Places to visit on your Dolgellau holiday

Cader Idris rises above the winding streets of Dolgellau and is a popular mountain to hike (although it is much quieter than Snowdon/ Yr Wyddfa). For amazing coastal scenery take the  Mawddach Trail  from the centre of town along the unspoilt Mawddach Estuary to the seaside. You can hire bikes in Dolgellau to cycle the 9-mile flat Mawddach Trail to Barmouth, one of the most scenic cycle rides in the country. Stock up with picnic food at one of the excellent bakeries – Popty’r Dref make their own honey buns which are a Dolgellau speciality and don’t miss out on a Welsh oggie.

Cosy pubs and places to eat

TH Roberts (or just TH as the locals call it) is the must-go cafe to sample Welsh rarebit or one of the lush super-sized puddings served up by Meg Queen of Cakes! Y Sospan is a family run favourite serving up hearty meals throughout the day in a beautifully restored ancient building which was the former gaol. You can try award winning tapas with a Welsh flavour from Tafarn y Gader.

For your Dolgellau holiday treats head to Gwin Dylanwad – a popular boutique wine and food store. Dylan and Llinos and their friendly team will help you choose a great value bottle of wine from family producers in Wales and beyond. You can try wine by the glass and they serve great coffee too. They also have a wonderful range of Welsh gins, cheeses, charcuterie and nibbles.

Cosy pubs you won’t want to miss on your Dolgellau holiday include The Stag Inn which serves super tasty wood-fired pizzas, a great range of Welsh craft beers and a lovely beer garden. Both people and dogs are made to feel extremely welcome! Our favourite pub for a pint and Sunday roast is The Torrent Walk Hotel – book early! Many of our guests come away with fond (if fuzzy) memories of nights at “The Torrent”, where you’ll often find live music, the rugby screening and lots of local characters. There’s plenty of seating outside to enjoy the free gigs in good weather. 

Quirky Shops

If you’re planning on hiking Cader Idris, Cader Outdoors are the experts to set you up with maps and kit. You’ll find quirky shops such as Celf Aran which showcases talented local crafts and jewellery makers, Medi is a little gem of an interiors shop and Sandspout book shop has an excellent selection of modern fiction. There’s a couple of vintage and charity stores, a place selling gorgeous Indian fabrics, and stop off at Waterloo for souvenir shopping. You don’t see many traditional country clothes shops like Siop Hughes around anymore – pop in and you’ll find good old fashioned service and we often spot an interesting hat….