Our trip to Snowdonia | Tiny home stay | Shepherd's Hut

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I’m coming right out with it… when the sun decides to shine in the UK, you have to act fast to make outdoor plans, right?! You never know how long it’s going to stick around 😅

Whether it’s buying food in for a last minute BBQ, going for long hikes without needing to pack your waterproofs for once, or deciding on a whim you’ve worked hard enough for after-work ice creams…

…there’s such joy in the sudden fluidity and sociable vibe that sweeps the country when the weather shines.

Hello, last minute trip to Snowdonia!

Neil and I have been talking about climbing Snowdon and exploring Snowdonia for a few years now.

We’d never got round to booking the trip because the conversations naturally happened either when we were in the thick of winter or slap bang in the middle of a 30 day forecast of RAIN (England’s favourite weather pattern)… So… not conducive to an accident-free, leisurely climb of Wales’ tallest peak. The least we want is a damp-free picnic, is that too much to ask?! 😂

We love hiking. We love nature. But we’re self confessed fair weather walkers. It has to be said.

Having explored the Peak District, the Lake District, Cotswolds and Cornwall in dry spells over the last year or so, we often speak about casting the net wider to visit the areas of outstanding beauty and National Parks that are a little further afield when we have more spells of sun. Snowdonia. Cairngorms. Maybe even the Outer Hebrides?! The places that are a long way from us down here in Sussex.

Ever the weather analyst, Neil saw a long spell of high pressure coming in and we jumped at the opportunity for some hiking in the sun. If we didn’t hop on it now, we’d probably have to wait another year as Snowdon isn’t recommended in wet weather.

So within the week, Neil had planned and booked what was to become the most refreshing, sun filled – and heart-pounding! – week in Wales, where we clocked up over 36 miles together exploring some of the BEST hikes and views the UK has to offer.

“You don’t need to go far for outstanding mountains and scenery” I repeated daily. “We’re not even scratching the surface, shall we stay longer?” Another hot topic over drinks at the campsite.

Pictures speak a thousand words so I’ll leave you with the photos Neil shot from the trip and more info on how we spent our time, the mountains climbed, where we stayed, and travel tips in case you want to plan an adventure.

Wales stole a piece of our hearts last week! If it’s not on your radar yet and you’re a big fan of the outdoors like we are, you need to add Wales to your list!

Where we based ourselves

The tiniest home with everything you need. The Jones’ woodland Shepherd’s Hut at Graig Wen. The campsite overlooks the Mawddach estuary and we spent mornings eating Vegan croissants, evenings cheersing G&Ts with that amazing view. Nearest town, Dolgellau. It was paradise in a dappled shade woodland.

The mountains we climbed

  • Mount Snowdon, Yr Wydffa

The climb wasn’t as hard as we thought but it was still a breathtaking summit. Pre-book your parking and prepare to spend at least £18 on it! We took the Pyg up and the Miner’s down, which I think is the most popular and ‘easiest’ route – we saw lots of kids doing it. It was mid week in June when we did it but still very busy. Next time we’ll do a more challenging, remote path. It took us 4.5 hours in total with 15 mins for lunch at the summit. Bring a coat, it’s perishing up top!

  • Cader Idris, Penygader

This was by far a more challenging and visually more stunning hike than Snowdon. I’m so glad we did it. We took the Foxes path down (it felt like a vertical scramble, pics don’t communicate it!) so definitely make sure you’re feeling fit and confident with downhill scrambling if you take the same route as us – I saw reviews on All Trails saying ‘don’t bring the kids’ 😅 but there are plenty of other routes, I’m sure. If you only have time or energy for one mountain and you want a challenge, I would choose this over Snowdon.

  • Precipice Walk

Didn’t see a soul on this one! Amazing wildlife. The birds of prey scared me at one point. I gripped my sandwich for dear life in case they took off with it! It was a pretty hard ascent but worth every step for the breathtaking views of the Mawddach River. Lots more shade so the beating sun wasn’t on our backs for every step like the mountain summits. Such a varied route through forests, high edges and abandoned dwellings.

The food…

We didn’t go hungry, let’s just say that! Between all the BBQs at our Shepherd’s Hut and the hearty Full Welsh Breakfast at Popty'r Dref in Dolgellau. Welsh cakes kept us fed on hikes when the hunger pangs struck too! Oh, and did we mention the tastiest croissants of all time? Raspberry. Vegan. Say no more. They were ordered from our campsite on the daily.

The day trips we did

  • The charming Portmeirion

How could we not visit this little piece of Italy nestled in the Welsh highlands, after years of working with the pottery brand. OG blog readers, you’ll know the Portmeirion table scapes we used to lovingly shoot! I still own all of our Portmeirion pieces and it was an inspiring visit to see where and how the designs originated. If you’re into design & architecture, Portmeirion is a must-visit. Be prepared that day tickets are super pricey, mind you! We arrived late in the day and still had to pay full price. It’s sort of a once in a lifetime visit though. We wish we had more time there.

  • Barmouth

Easily one of the highlights of our trip was spending a morning grabbing coffee in Barmouth, walking along the sand dunes and having a mooch around Pieces for Places for all the pottery and furniture inspiration. Don’t miss this hidden gem if you’re in the area.

  • The drives alone are stunning!

With Biffy Clyro on full volume and the aircon blasting out cool air, driving in and around the Snowdonia area could have been a day out in itself. The memories it brought back to me. Neil weaving us through the tight country lanes, every turn revealing another impressive summit. When I was a girl, we’d pack my Dad’s Ford Cortina and drive from Brighton to Holyhead to get the boat over to Ireland. He’d take us through all these Welsh backroads, with us kids trying to guess which peak was Snowdon. He avoided main roads because he knew that these views were unmissable. I felt him with us during it 🙏🏻

What a trip. Have you been to Snowdonia yet? We didn’t even scratch the surface so we know we’ll be back! ⛅️

If you’re planning breaks away in UK National Parks, I highly recommend Athena Mellor’s Ramble membership. We didn’t use her guide for Snowdonia on this occasion as Neil did most of the research and I didn’t remind him we had membership, but her book and guides have helped us plan some of our most memorable UK trips and hikes in the past.

Thank you so much for allowing me to share such special memories with you, and for reading if you got this far!

If you enjoy these posts, come and let me know on Instagram or email us. I never know whether to continue sharing these as we’re largely a renovation and interiors focused blog now. If you tell me you want them, I’ll continue doing them.

(please tell me you want them 🤣 we love photographing and writing them)

Speak soon,

Fi xoxo