Gorgeous village in Snowdonia is so remote it doesn't even have an ATM
A tiny village in Snowdonia is so remote it has never had an ATM.
Visitors to the picturesque settlement of Beddgelert in North Wales may feel that they have stepped back in time and into the pages of a book of legend when they arrive. Nestled in the Eryri National Park [Snowdonia National Park], the village is full of adorable stone cottages which are surrounded by some of the UK’s most spectacular scenery.
Beddgelert dates back to the 8th century and takes its name from the legend of Gelert, a faithful dog which made its name when asked to look after the son of Welsh Prince Llewelyn the Great one day. When the trusting royal returned, he found his son's crib missing and blood on the snout of the hound, the Express reported.
Prince Llewelyn ran the mutt through before discovering a dead wolf nearby and his son alive beneath the overturned cot. In honour of the heroics of the dog, a palace was built in the area and the town named after Gelert.
Those interested in Welsh folklore make their way to the town to this day, to visit the dog's grave in its spot close to the River Glaslyn, which is lined with adorable little stone cottages, and a bronze statue designed in his honour.
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The town is centred on the River Colwyn (Getty Images)While Beddgelert has moved on a little from some such times, it remains one of the most untouched and unspoiled parts of the UK. To look at, the village is beautiful, stonecast and charmingly centred around a small river.
If you are staying, be sure to pack some provisions or work out the shop opening hours, because Beddgelert is not a 24 hour place. Visitors have to go to the local Post Office to withdraw money and even then, not all cards are accepted.
Beddgelert is also known as a gateway to the peaks and valleys of Snowdonia, and Mount Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa itself. The mountain is the tallest in Wales yet one of the easier to climb, thanks to the train which runs up to the top of the peak. For something a little more challenging, there are six routes within three miles of Beddgelert that take you up Snowdon from a different aspect.
The world’s fastest zipline, which is a mile-long line taking you over a lake and a rocky valley, is also nearby and a perfect afternoon out for a adrenaline junkies. You may have seen it in action in a 2017 episode of Don't Tell the Bride, in which Lee decided his cautious wife to be Aimee would like to arrive at her ceremony via the perilous apparatus.
Over the years Bedggelert’s incredible scenery has attracted great Hollywood producers and the town has appeared in Tomb Raider 2 and the classic 1858 film, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness in which the area doubled up as China’s rural landscape.
One way to take in the vistas is from a vintage steamer running on the the Welsh Highland Railway. The line goes from Caernarfon to Porthmadog. You’ll travel along the water’s edge next the Medieval Castle in Caernarfon, and along the foothills of Snowdon, past lakes and raging rivers.
If you plan ahead you can bring your bike aboard the train to trundle up the peak and then freewheel down from the top. Alternatively, head underground at The disused Sygun Copper Mine which offers a different adventure. There are winding tunnels, colourful chambers and impressive stalactites and stalagmites as you explore what life was like for the Victorian miners.
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