what to do
Located at the meeting of mountain, river and sea, Dolgellau is the perfect base for an active visit to Southern Snowdonia and beyond. This handsome and historic working town sits at the foot of Cader Idris, a popular mountain climb, while the Rhinog range offers a more isolated, wilder walking experience. World class mountain biking, kayaking and rafting centres can be found close by, and the famous 3-Peaks Yacht Race starts from the mouth of the Mawddach estuary in Barmouth.
Dolgellau is in the middle of small gauge railway country, with lines at Ffestiniog and Portmadog, Talyllyn, Fairbourne, Bala, Corris and Welshpool. When it comes to historical features, the majestic Harlech Castle, a World Heritage site, is just the tip of the iceberg and the hills are scattered with traces of earlier occupation such as hill forts, stone circles and even a Roman amphitheatre.
The town of Dolgellau forms a conservation area with over 200 listed buildings, allegedly the highest density of anywhere in Wales, and the old county records office contains a wealth of information for those tracing their Welsh ancestry.
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Step back in time with Corris Mine Explorers as you explore the abandoned workings of an old Welsh Slate Mine. This rare opportunity takes you into the vast underground caverns of the disused mines and way back to 1836 when the mines were first worked.
Your hugely knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide will help you discover the history of the mine. See the machinery and miners' tools, their candles and even a packet of cigarettes. It is as if the miners have just gone with many of the things they left behind still in place.
Enter the darkness on this completely awe-inspiring experience... not to be missed.
Tel:
01654 761244
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If you are looking for a challenge in the outdoors, then the Mawddach Big Adventure (MBA) will give you plenty of opportunity to test your mettle, at your own pace and for a change it won’t cost you the earth. The MBA is made up of 4 outdoor disciplines; hill walking, cycling, mountain biking and orienteering. The journey of over 250 km will take you through some of the most beautiful parts of southern Snowdonia and you will need to be good at each discipline to do well.
Tel:
01341 430628
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The Mawddach Trail, featured on Julia Bradbury's 'Railway Walks" programme, winds for 9.5 miles (15km) along the disused railway track on the southern edge of the spectacular Mawddach estuary. Follow the Trail on foot or by bike with local historian Jacky O'Hanlon's 22 page guide detailing the history and points of interest that are encountered along the way.
The guide is available as a full colour PDF download or a black & white booklet, and may be purchased directly from the website or through local outlets.
Tel:
01341 430628
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SnowBikers is a mountain bike training and guiding service run by Graham and Jacky O’Hanlon in the Dolgellau area of the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales.
Our guides have National Governing Body qualifications issued through the Scottish Mountain Bike Leaders Association (SMBLA) . As well as being tutors for this award scheme, we have organised biking trips and development courses at all levels throughout the UK and in the French and Swiss Alps.
We are pleased to offer a variety of MTB training courses to provide mountain bike guiding, instruction, skills and accredited development for mountain bike riders of all abilities
Tel:
01341 430628
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An epic 2-day ride. Following National Cycle Network Route-8 in a figure of 8, with the Mawddach estuary at its centre, you will ride for around 8 hours and cover around 80 km each day. Its octastic! Total length 160 km (99.4 miles), 4500m climb. Ouch!
Tel:
01341 430628
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