The area
Y Potel Inc is a quiet base for days in the mountains and on the coast. Llanberis and the foot of Yr Wyddfa are about 35 minutes away, and Anglesey's beaches are closer still.
Wales's highest mountains, slate history and some of the best walking in Britain, all just over the Menai Strait.
About 35 minutes by car to Llanberis
At 1,085 metres, this is the highest mountain in Wales and the big day out from the cottage. Six main paths lead to the summit. The Llanberis Path is the longest and the most gradual, so it's a good place to start.
About 35 minutes by car
Let the train do the climbing, from Llanberis up the mountain. It runs in season, so book ahead.
Visit website
About 35 minutes by car
Free to visit, in the old Dinorwig quarry workshops by the lake at Llanberis.
Visit website
About 30 minutes by car
Home of Velocity 2, a huge zip line that flies you over the old slate quarry at Bethesda.
Visit website
About 35 minutes by car
Rocky peaks and mountain lakes right beside the road. The walk around Llyn Idwal is a good one if you don't want a big climb.
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About 50 minutes by car
A stone village where two rivers meet, with riverside walks and steam trains on the Welsh Highland Railway.
Visit website
About 55 minutes by car
A village in the forest, with woodland walks and the waterfalls of Swallow Falls just up the road.
Visit websiteBeaches, castles and clifftops, many of them within half an hour of the cottage.
About 10 minutes by car
A long sandy beach through the forest, leading to a tidal island with a lighthouse and views across to Eryri.
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About 10 minutes by car
An aquarium on the Menai Strait, full of the sea life found around the Welsh coast. A good one for a rainy day.
Visit website
About 10 minutes by car
Anglesey's sea salt, harvested from the Menai Strait. Book a tour to see how it's made.
Visit website
About 25 minutes by car
A National Trust house and garden on the Menai Strait, looking out over the water to Eryri.
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About 30 minutes by car
The last of Edward I's great Welsh castles, moat and all, in a seaside town with plenty of places to eat.
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About 40 minutes by car
Sea cliffs, seabirds and a lighthouse on its own small island, at the far western tip of Anglesey.
Visit websiteDrive times are approximate. Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, cropped and resized.
