Torrent Walk Campsite and Bunkhouse

The mountains and trails of Snowdonia, the beaches of Barmouth and the north Wales coast, and heritage attractions like the Rheilffordd Talyllyn Railway and Harlech Castle are all within about half an hour’s drive of Torrent Walk, and Snowdonia National Park has activities for all sorts including whitewater rafting, horse riding, climbing and wild swimming.

The closest activity to home is the popular Torrent Walk, a four-mile circular path following the River Clywedog through its gorge; keep an eye out for otters and lesser horseshoe bats along its route. For gentler strolls, the National Trust managed Cregennan Lakes are about five miles west of Dolgellau on the slopes of Cadair ldris, and the flat Mawddach Trail between Dolgellau and Barmouth along the Mawddach estuary has hiking and biking paths with cracking views. Cregannan also has two lakes for fly and worm fishing, one for brown trout and the other for brown and blue.

Head to the coast for Barmouth and Fairbourne, both uncrowded and with miles of golden sand and Blue Flag awards. Beaut Barmouth Harbour, at the mouth of the Mawddach Estuary, is where to bag a boat for sea and fishing trips, while Fairbourne is a big pull for windsurfers and other watersport sorts. If sightseeing both seasides, take the Fairbourne Steam Railway from Fairbourne to Penrhyn Point and then the passenger ferry to Barmouth.