Splendid isolation in wonderful Wales STUART GREER
Heads to Bala with his family to stay in a cosy cottage for a glorious weekend of country living
IF ever I’ve felt the urge to escape the rat race and get into the country, my previous instinct has been to go north of Manchester to the Lake District. But having spent a glorious weekend near Lake Bala, in Wales, my go to destination for splendid isolation may have well changed.
I was invited to the area by Babs and Barry Watkinson, the industrious owners of a set of cosy holiday cottages in a quaint place called Parc.
Our accommodation for the weekend was Beudy Brics, a twobedroom detached cottage with stunning views of the valley, taking in the Arenig mountains range and Lake Bala.
The drive to the area is wonderful along the scenic A494 at the western end of the M56 and twisting and turning its way directly to Bala and beyond.
Although only two hours door to door, we decided to split up the journey with lunch at Loggerheads Country Park besides the River Alyn. It has a large grass area with tables for your picnic – as we opted for – or something on offer from Caffi Florence.
We didn’t have time to walk off lunch on one of the many walks around the park, but it would be worth revisiting.
If our arrival in Bala didn’t make me feel lost in rural bliss then the last section – a 10-minute drive along a single track country road certainly did.
A word of warning, though, when it comes to the last section, taking the turns a little to enthusiastically was a bit too much for my toddler, so it’s best to take it easy.
We get a warm welcome by Babs who not only arrives with a tray of tea and biscuits, but a bottle of red wine for the adults and a pirate ship balloon for my little boy.
A quick tour of the twofloor property reveals a deceptively large splitlevel dining kitchen with everything you need to cook a five-course meal, a very large living room with log fire and TV/ satellite system for those CBeebies moments when you need a break from entertaining a toddler.
The facilities are perfect for self-catering, but for those who fancy some pampering, there is an extensive list of options of in-house catering services, picnic hampers for day trips and aromatherapy massage.
Upstairs are two bedrooms: a wonderfully romantic master bedroom with canopied bed and a pleasant but more functional twin-bedded room.
Beudy Brics is also in the same location as three other five-Star holiday cottages – Stable Nook, Shippon Roost and Poachers Pocket – which can be booked together to sleep up to 20 guests.
We are left alone to soak up the silence. It is not an exaggeration to say there isn’t a sound other than singing birds, the bleating of sheep in the four-acre paddock backing on to the patio seating area, and our own sighs of contentment.
Although there is a barbecue available, we spend the first evening making a home-cooked meal, supping wine and soaking up the views until dusk, keeping our eyes peeled for potential visits of badgers, foxes and rabbits. In reality, the only wildlife we see is the owner’s cat, Sash, who has free run of the place and is very welcome.
There is a vast range of activities to get involved with, including walking and cycling trails around the three mountain ranges in the region, as well as canoeing on the lake. With a toddler and mum-to-be in tow we opt for one of the more gentle walks around the lake, starting at the visitor’s centre, along the lake, the River Dee and through the town centre.
We take lunch in Ty Coffi Plas-yn-Dre Coffee House, one of the many eateries dotted along the high street. It has a varied and plentiful menu, with lots of vegetarian options, which goes down a storm with us.
We are careful not to overindulge ahead of our visit to the local favourite curry house, Abul’s Spice, in Corwen, which recently won the Welsh Curry Awards Welsh Curry House of the Year 2015.
Abul and his staff give our party an excited welcome, something which I am sure would have impressed the judges. We sample a range of meat, fish and vegetarian starters which hit the mark before the main event. I opt for the Chingri Jhul Karahi, which features tiger king prawns in special herb sauce and is simply to die for. There’s nothing better than realising your limits and taking a doggie bag home for a midnight snack or next-day treat.
The next day, before we set off back to the hustle and bustle of the city, we just have time for my little boy to enjoy a turn on the timber play area and for the adults to take in that view once more.
If there was ever a place to unwind and take in Wales’s natural splendour, this is it.