THE WONDERFUL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS OF NORTH WEST WALES

As one of those who believed the weather forecasters’ predictions that we were due for a heatwave across the UK this summer, the damp squib that has accompanied much of my holidays in August was slightly disappointing, although it did allow me the opportunity to catch up on various box sets, novels and general housekeeping.

The continuing rain falling across our fair land last week did fill me with some trepidation over my visit back home to North Wales, as one of my best friends and his family were due to visit the Llyn Peninsula together for the first time.


I have known Dr Charles Li since we studied for our PhDs together more than 25 years ago and while I went into academia, he ended up going into finance and heading up both RBS and ANZ banks in China before retiring last year (although he still sits on the boards of some Chinese businesses). Whilst I am godfather to his eldest son (and he is godfather to mine), we have only been able to meet up occasionally when I have been on business in the Far East or he has visited London to advise his colleagues on the changing situation in China.
 Therefore, this was an opportunity to catch up with Charles and his family and, more importantly, to show them the lands where I was born and brought up.

We stayed in a cottage located at the end of the Llyn Peninsula near Aberdaron, which has been the point of departure since the 6th century for pilgrims wanting to take a boat to Bardsey, the 'island of 20,000 saints'.

When I was a child, Aberdaron was a sleepy fishing village but by now it has become a thriving tourist hub. In fact, there was nowhere to park in the village when we arrived at noon on Monday. This gave us the opportunity to go for a walk to the top of Mynydd Mawr in Uwchmynydd to gaze over the sound to Bardsey before returning to the village for a late lunch in the Ty Newydd Hotel.


Regular readers of the Western Mail will have noted the many column inches written about the wonderful beaches of the Gower. But although I may be slightly biased as a 'Gog', those to be found on the Llyn Peninsula such as Porth Iago, Porthdinllaen, Porth Neigwl and Porthoer (or Whistling Sands where sand does actually squeak under your feet) are their equal in many ways.
 Apart from the great food and local ales available at the Ty Newydd (and its sister pub The Ship 10 yards across the road), where else in Wales can you find a hotel where you can walk out of the front door and straight onto a sandy beach where dolphins are often seen only a few yards from shore? 


We were blessed with sunny weather on Monday although the following day brought clouds and rain, which was fortuitous as I had booked for all of us to go to the Zip World complex in Blaenau Ffestiniog, a unique tourism destination that is helping to cement Wales’ reputation as the place to come and experience activity-based holidays.



For those of you who have never heard of this attraction, it has to be experienced to be believed. Zip World Velocity was opened in 2013 at Bethesda’s Penrhyn Quarry and involves being attached to wires and flying head-first at speeds of up to 100mph for just under a mile down a mountain and then 500ft above the quarry lake. It has been followed at Llechwedd Slate Caverns by Zip World Titan (the first four-person zip line in Europe) and, at the same location, Bounce Below, a collection of giant trampolines, walkways, slides and tunnels all made from netting located deep underground.


If that wasn’t enough, they have recently opened Zip World Caverns, which is the place the Jones-Evans and Li families decided to visit. 
To say it was one of the most exciting and exhilarating things I have done in recent times would be an understatement, especially for someone who has a slight case of claustrophobia and vertigo. Not surprisingly, those phobias are both gone as I spent around an hour and half negotiating a range of underground zip lines, rope bridges, obstacles and tunnels, usually on the side of a 100-foot drop.

Finally, we ended the short break together in a very different environment, the unique setting of Portmeirion, which was packed full of visitors enjoying the inspirational vision of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis and, who, like my Chinese friends, were amazed by the location of this picturesque Italianate village on the banks of the Glaslyn Estuary.

Our three days staying on the Llyn Peninsula last week demonstrates the variety of visitor attractions available across north west Wales throughout the year.

I would hope that many will follow our lead and take the A470 and A487 roads north to a fabulous tourism destination that has has a range of experiences on offer to suit all tastes.