It was Thursday night and Sam and I had a dialog that went one thing like this:
Sam: The climate’s going to be wonderful this weekend
Me: Ooo, we should always go to the seaside
Sam: Let’s go to Aberdaron. I’ll see if we will lease someplace and keep over…..hmmm….the one cottages out there are for 4 nights
Me: Let’s go for 4 nights!
Sam: OK, I’ll e-book it now
And identical to that, in lower than 2 minutes, we’d organized a weekend away to Aberdaron. At this level I didn’t even know the place Aberdaron was however I’m by no means one to say no to a weekend away! Sam spent his childhood exploring this space of Wales so he is aware of it just like the again of his hand and he’s a agency believer that Wales is essentially the most stunning nation on this planet. He’s your typical patriotic Welshman however I have to admit, I’m beginning to agree.
The following afternoon we packed up the automotive and made the 2 hour journey by the wonderful Welsh countryside to the attractive village of Aberdaron.
For anybody else who may not know, Aberdaron is on the western tip of the Llyn Peninsula. It’s a tiny former fishing village and attracts guests because of its beautiful seaside and laid again village life. Aberdaron isn’t removed from the favored seaside vacation locations of Abersoch and Nefyn and is only a stone’s throw from Snowdonia National Park and different in style seashores like Porth Iago. Aberdaron isn’t precisely a ‘hidden gem’ nevertheless it’s a lot quieter than its neighbouring villages, making it the proper place to flee for a calming weekend away.
We had been staying at Fisherman’s Cottage, a spacious cottage that also managed to really feel quaint and cosy. The spotlight of the cottage was the backyard that led out on to fields crammed with tiny lambs and views out to the ocean. George (our two yr outdated) and Louie (our canine) just about spent the entire weekend standing on the fence and staring on the lambs!
We arrived on the cottage, unpacked our baggage and headed straight again out into the village to discover. We had simply sufficient time to have a stroll across the village and have a cheeky beer on the seaside earlier than we needed to get the youngsters house to mattress.
Unusually, each the boys appeared proper at house as quickly as we arrived. I don’t know if it’s as a result of Sam and I had been each so comfortable and relaxed and our temper was rubbing off on them or in the event that they beloved the little cottage as a lot as we did. Whatever it was, this was the primary vacation we’ve been on as a household of 4 and all of it felt really easy. Everything was so stress-free and so easy. The cottage had every little thing we would have liked, we had a lot house and we didn’t want to fret about being quiet. It was good.
The following morning we had been up early (why do two yr olds at all times get up so flipping early!?) nevertheless it’s a lot simpler to rise up when you may hear the seagulls cawing and the distant roar of the ocean. We headed to Aberdaron Beach for an early morning stroll and had been delighted to seek out we had been the one folks on the seaside. George fortunately ran throughout the sand, stomach laughing in a method that solely toddlers can, as he threw stones for Louie who ran at his heels. Joseph was tucked up in his child provider and inside minutes the ocean air had despatched him to sleep however I may really see him smiling as he dozed at my chest.
It was a kind of mornings the place every little thing simply felt so good and we agreed that if the climate was like this each weekend you’d by no means must go overseas.
We purchased lunch from the bakery within the village the place we discovered essentially the most unbelievable pasties, sausage rolls and desserts. We took them again to our cottage to eat them within the sunshine – and so George may spend a bit extra time ‘baaaa’ing’ on the sheep!
That afternoon we headed to Morfa Nefyn to satisfy some associates on the well-known Ty Coch Inn pub. It’s named as one of many prime 10 seaside bars on this planet because of the stunner of a seaside. And when the solar is shining it actually is likely one of the finest bars you could possibly want to be on.
On the way in which house that night we stopped at Aberdaron’s chippy, Sblash. Our cod and chips had been wonderful however, then once more, I feel any fish and chips tastes wonderful after a protracted day on the seaside.
We had a sluggish begin to the day on Sunday as a result of it was Mother’s Day and the one Mother’s Day deal with I actually needed was a protracted lie in! I feel I managed to remain asleep till 9.30am earlier than George crept in, carefully adopted by Louie, and my lazy morning was formally over.
After a giant breakfast we made our strategy to Whistling Sands Beach, one other stunning white seaside with powdery sands and barely one other individual in sight. The seaside acquired its identify because of the whistling sound the sand makes as you stroll throughout it. I’d say it’s extra of a squeak than a whistle however, let’s be sincere, Squeaky Sands Beach doesn’t sound almost pretty much as good.
That night we headed to Porth Iago, just a little seaside about 10 minutes from our cottage (with a half hour detour as a result of we acquired misplaced!) that was named as one of many prime 10 secret seashores in Wales by the Guardian. Thankfully, it nonetheless appears to be a secret as a result of there have been solely two different folks there. This picturesque bay on the northern coast is what beachy goals are product of – white sand, blue seas, a protected little cove, dramatic rocks throughout and the proper view of the sundown.
We saved trying round and saying, ‘Why is no one else here!?’ It’s not fairly often you come throughout an actual ‘hidden gem’ however I actually really feel like we discovered one right here.
We took a bottle of champagne with us too with the intention of sitting on the seaside and watching the sundown, however the actuality of visiting a seaside with two little boys lengthy after their bedtime wasn’t fairly as stress-free as we envisaged! So we saved the champers for after we acquired again to the cottage and the boys had been in mattress.
It was my first Mother’s Day as a mum of two and I couldn’t have wished for a greater day.
We left the cottage on Monday with heavy hearts. The solar was blazing as soon as once more in Aberdaron and we took one closing stroll on the seaside. I don’t usually get the post-holiday blues however as we drove house I used to be actually feeling it. The sunshine slowly pale as we drove additional away from the coast and the gray clouds rolled in round us. By the time we reached our entrance door it was raining and we longed to be again on the seaside – a lot in order that we began on the lookout for our subsequent vacation cottage in Wales as quickly as the luggage had been unpacked and the kettle had boiled!
Read extra about my favorite locations in Wales
A weekend information to Chester and North Wales
100 issues to do in Chester for {couples} and households
A sustainable lobster sea safari in North Wales
Camping within the forest in Beddgelert, North Wales
Staying in a Bath Tower in town partitions of Caernarfon, Wales
3 days in North Wales: Portmeirion, Criccieth and Nefyn
Gorgeous glamping in Swansea Bay in a Shepherd Hut
Visiting North Wales’ finest seashores and a keep at Bron Eifion Country House
Visiting Portmeirion: The Italian fashion village in Wales
Niagra Lodge Review: Llangollen, North Wales
A weekend at Lake Vrynwy Hotel, Wales
And should you wanted any extra inspiration to go to Wales…