Visiting Wales: Porthmadog

Have you ever had that feeling when you visit somewhere that makes you feel all happy inside and childlike? When you visit a place that evokes so many happy memories that you develop a fondness for the place? My happy place is a little village in North Wales called Porthmadog. I have fond memories as a child sailing here with my parents, crab fishing along the dock, visiting the most scrumptious ice-cream parlour in the village and going on an adventure to find the beach - which is quite a walk out of the village, but definitely worth the hike. I have spent many summers in Wales and I could never get bored. The scenery is beautiful, the people are accommodating and on a good day, the beaches look like they should be anywhere but in the UK.I was in hospital all last week and during that time I began to think of the places I'd like to visit after my recovery and the places that make me happy. Straight away my mind wandered to Porthmadog and the fact that I haven't been there in over a year. As a travel blogger I am used to seeing stories and posts of holidays to exotic islands and far away lands, but sometimes it is great to focus on what the UK has to offer and Porthmadog is definitely a little hidden gem.

Porthmadog is a small bustling harbour town in North West Wales rich in maritime history and home to a wealth of independent stores, the Ffestiniog Steam Railway and a picturesque seafront overlooking Tremadog Bay. The village is popular with tourists as it resides in the Snowdonia National Park and all the local Snowdonia attractions can be easily accessed within short journeys via car or train. 

If you plan on walking to the beach from the village it does take approximately twenty minutes, but during this time you will see the most beautiful landscape, lush greenery and even catch a glimpse of Mount Snowdon in the background. During this walk you will also pass through another little village known as Borth-y-Gest. Borth-y-Gest is home to cute coffee shops, another small harbour and really pretty coloured pastel coloured houses. Shortly after this little village and after walking along the scenic coastline footpath there's a little rope bridge leading to a small cove with rock pools, little caves and a very small beach area that during the summer can become quite popular with tourists looking to refrain from the larger, more popular beaches. Carrying on the walk will lead you to Black Rock Sands, the main beach linking Porthmadog and the other villages in the area.

These pictures were taken last summer on a weekend in July but every year Porthmadog and the surrounding areas seem untouched and as pretty as ever. The views are breath taking and spectacular on a sunny day and you cannot help but reach for the camera and try to savour every moment.

This quintessentially Welsh village stole my heart from a very young age, like a lot of areas of Wales I plan on writing about on my blog. If you're in the area or fancy a day out, I would thoroughly recommend popping by, grabbing an ice-cream and absorbing all the beautiful Welsh scenery and everything this village has to offer. 

Have you been to Porthmadog before?