If you read the previous post (Wales in a week part one) you’ll know I drove the coast of Wales to discover what it had to offer and I wasn’t disappointed. In this post I’ll share you with the second part of the route and what I did along the way.

Day 5 Gwynedd

Day five will be your day for heart pumping activities in the heart of Snowdonia.

Head up to Blaenau Ffestiniog, this is where you’ll find rock climbing, mountains biking trails and the amazing experience of Bounce Below own by Zip World

Bounce Below was all over social media about 3 years ago. It is netted trampolines set up below ground in caves, you don your helmets and work you way through several layers of these trampolines, I must admit it scared me senseless to let go of the side but after a while (still occasionally gripping on for dear life)I got to bouncing and loved it. If bouncing in a cave isn’t your thing then why not give one of the Zip wires ago!

After bouncing off all those calories head on down into town, this historic mining village has several small cafes to eat but the one place you have to try is The Model Bakery where the owner makes and sells a variety of Kurdish pasties and breads, and oh my they are outstanding. Make sure you also get a chance to chat to Mr Rashid the owner. He’s run marathons and had an all round genuinely interesting life and it’s by far one of the friendliest people I have ever met! However it is. A bakery so grab your wares and head on out to eat them.

Another great place in the town in CellB, an old police station converted into a cafe, restaurant and art gallery is tucked away behind the houses. If you don’t spot the sign first you will spot the mural of Bob Marley (who’s dad was Welsh!). CellB regularly hosts reggae nights, shows films and has accommodation in the old cells. Add to that the food is good and they serve a mean mocha and it’s definitely a good place to take a breather.

After spending most of your day raising your heart rate it’s time to head back to camp via something more soothing- Barmouth.

Barmouth for those who haven’t been before is a town lying on the estuary of the River Mawddach and Cardigan Bay, it’s a popular seaside holiday resort with plenty of campsites and b&b’s nearby. It’s here you’ll find yet more great seafood and one of my favourite ice cream bars Knickerbockers with a multitude of flavours and toppings to pick from you’re spoilt for choice, so it’s time to grab a cone and go hit the penny pushers!

The evening if yours spend time in the arcades, enjoy the many wonderful bars, or stroll across the beach, most places in Barmouth are also dog friendly so if you’ve taken your four legged friend with you this is a brilliant place to bring them, just make sure to ask or look for a sign before you just stroll on in. When you’ve had you fill of fun head on back to camp for the night to get a good nights rest before another full day tomorrow.

Day 6

It’s time to move camp again so it’s up early and backed away for the morning of day six. To save washing pans head down to Dolgellau for breakfast, here you have the choice of freshly baked good or pub breakfast but I highly recommend Yr Hên Efrail where the jam and toast is just as brilliant as 5he full English. After you’ve prepared yourself for the day it’s time to get on the road again.

First stop Porthmadog. Porthmadog is yet another seaside town filled with sticks of Rock and buckets and spades but on one side is Portmeirion a quaint colourful town built in the style of an Italian village (Disclaimer… I haven’t been here) and just through the other side is a beach called black rock sands. Black rock is one of the rarer places within Wales where you can drive your car onto the beach and park. Obviously you have to be aware of tide times and during the summer it is manned with parking assistants just be aware that this isn’t the case in the winter. So park up your car and get ready to play frisbee, go rock pooling and have some general beach fun.

By now it’s the late afternoon and you should be on your way to your next campsite, this is a place called Aberafon. This is the most luxurious of the thre campsite and the one I can say I will without a doubt revisited. With the tent pitches near a pebbled beach, mountains shadow you from one side and the coastline to the other it’s a sight that during sunset and sunrise just soothes the soul. Toss in the fact the little shop sells pizzas and the fact the family on the pitch next to me served me a huge slice a birthday cake and someone on the beach shared they’re even fire as they had to head off, I mean what more could you want.

Day 6 ends with pitching up, cooking your food and a beach fire filled with s’mores and sunsets, a perfect end to the day.

Stay tuned for part three and how to end your week in Wales