Snowdonia National Park

Gwril View has much to offer all year round:

Barmouth is surrounded by the magnificent Snowdonia National Park making it an ideal base for discovering all it has to offer including adventure sports, water sports, mountain biking, horse riding, walking, fishing, golfing and much more.

There are stunning hill and coastal walks along the Mawddach Estuary described by Ruskin as, 'one of the most sublime views in Europe.'

The Cambrian Coast railway hugs the coastline, offering spectacular views of the beautiful Cardigan Bay, on one side, and the mountains of Snowdonia, on the other. Trains travel over the spectacular Barmouth Bridge, which crosses the River Mawddach.  A ten mile (16 km) section between Barmouth Junction and Dolgellau is also used as a cycle route and bridleway (the Mawddach Trail).   Bikes are available to hire locally.

The Fairbourne and Barmouth railway is a short ferry ride across the harbour (subject to weather conditions).  It extends for two and a half miles between Fairbourne Village and Penrhyn Point where it connects with the passenger ferry service to and from Barmouth. The 12¼inch guage track was laid in 1895 by Mr Arthur McDougall, of flour fame, to transport building materials for the construction of Fairbourne Village

Coed-y-Brenin (Welsh for King's Wood) is a forest in the Snowdonia National Park near Dolgellau. It is well-known as a mountain bike resort and for its hiking trails.   It has a MTB hire centre, together with a visitor centre and café.

Within easy reach of Barmouth is Harlech Castle. Notable for its massive gatehouse, it is a magnificent landmark perched high up on the hillside looking out to sea.

Visit the privately owned peninsula of Portmeirion with its fabulous architecture, sandy beaches and exotic sub-tropical gardens and woodland.  It was created by Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis (1883-1978) to demonstrate how a naturally beautiful place could be developed without spoiling it.  The location was used for the filming of the cult 1967 British television series "The Prisoner", starring Patrick McGoohan.  The village is open all year round and has a hotel, several shops and restaurants.

A drive from Barmouth of just under 25 miles will take you to Snowdon itself,  the highest peak in Wales and Great Britain’s highest mountain south of the Scottish Highlands. The Anglo Saxons named it Snow-dun meaning 'hill of snow'. Its several ridges hide lakes and cwms which can only be properly explored on foot. The ridges and the valleys between also provide routes of ascent of differing character and scenery which together with a wide variety of weather, means that no matter how many times it is climbed the experience is never the same twice.

It is unique among mountains of Britain in that its summit can be reached almost without any physical effort. A railway line built in 1896 climbs the long north ridge from Llanberis to within 67 feet of the top. Blending into the local landscape is the visitor centre cum cafe known as Hafod Eyri.

Harlech Castle

Portmeirion Village

Coed-y-Brenin Forest

River Mawddach looking

West to Barmouth Bay