The Local Area

Ty Capel Carmel is situated in an exceptionally peaceful area high in the hills outside the village of Llanfachreth near Dolgellau, where barely any cars pass and your neighbours are mostly alpaca! The views from the house are breathtaking, overlooking Cadair Idris with the sun setting behind the mountains.

The location is beautifully quiet and untouched, a nature lover’s paradise, with your own stretch of stream and hillside to enjoy. Dogs (and humans of all ages) love exploring the babbling stream and waterfalls below.

However this remote location also serves as a great base to explore the wider area, which really does have something for everyone.  

Walking: You're unlikely to visit North Wales without taking a few walks and you'll find yourself spoilt for choice in this area. There are some lovely walks to be enjoyed directly from the doorstep, without even getting in the car. Just a short drive away are also the stunning Torrent Walk and Precipice Walk, both very popular.  The Mawddach Trail is also a wonderful family walk or bike ride, taking you along the estuary all the way from Dolgellau to Barmouth - with a great pub en route at Penmaenpool. For a more challenging hike Cadair Idris is the one - a little smaller than Snowdon but equally wonderful and a lot less crowded. Click here for some more great walks.

Biking: The nearby Coed Y Brenin Forest Park is a mountain biking (and running) paradise, and can be accessed by experienced bikers directly from the house. The park has something for everyone, including numerous dedicated trails for a range of abilities (on bike or by foot), bike hire, visitor centre, café and playground. A little further down the road towards Machynlleth is Dyfi Bike Park, built by British mountain biking champion Dan Atherton, which offers some serious downhill action and another good café. 

The Mach Loop: Ty Capel Carmel is situated just off what is known as the 'Mach Loop’: a sequence of valleys regularly used by the RAF for low level flight training. Enthusiasts take to the hills to watch military aircraft fly incredibly low, some of which can be seen flying directly over the house to enter the loop.

Towns: For your rest days, the nearby town - Dolgellau (pronounced dol-GETH-lie) - is a pretty, traditional Welsh town with groceries, pubs, cafes and shops. TH Roberts café in the old ironmongers building - complete with original fixtures - serves some of the best cakes in the area, plus a mean Welsh Rarebit. It's the ideal place to refuel after walking. Machynlleth (pronounced mer-HUN-cliff) is also a delight to visit, with its Museum of Modern Art and independent shops and cafes.

Beaches: Not far along the coast the traditional seaside town of Barmouth has miles of wonderful sandy beaches and all the amenities you'd expect, including pubs, arcades, donkey rides, fish and chips, ice cream parlours and shops. Alternatively, catch the miniature steam train at Fairbourne and enjoy its beautiful wide sandy beach at the end of your journey. Harlech to the North offers a more wild and rugged beach, plus its imposing castle to visit.

Zip world: For some serious fun there are several Zip World centres nearby, offering adventures such as zip wire safaris, underground trampolines and the UK's only alpine rollercoaster.

Local amenities: The nearest supermarkets are the Eurospar and Co-op in Dolgellau, both relatively small but with a good selection of groceries. Additionally, both Morrisons and Asda deliver to the house if you want to get organised in advance. (Be sure to add a note for the delivery driver saying to come up from Dolgellau via Llanfachreth, otherwise they tend to get lost!)

IMPORTANT - The house is located on a remote mountain road and guests visiting in winter should be well prepared for winter road conditions and check the forecast before traveling. If you have any concerns, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to talk this through with you.