Beddgelert

Consistent winners of the "Britain in Bloom" competition, the picturesque mountain village of Beddgelert is definitely worth a visit, with its outstanding location of massive rock buttresses, steep mountain slopes and wooded hillsides.

If you follow the footpath besides the rushing Afon Glaslyn to a stone monument, you will find the resting place of Gelert, the dog left by Prince Llywelyn to guard his child. When the Prince returned, he found the dog covered in blood and his son nowhere to be found. Gelert was killed by his master before a childs cry made Llywelyn realise that the heroic hound had in fact saved his child from a wolf.

Beddgelert is also the home of Sygun Copper Mine, a remarkable and impressive example of how our industrial heritage can be reclaimed, restored and transformed into an outstanding family attraction. The self-guided audiovisual tour allows you to explore the old workings on foot, in complete safety. There are winding tunnels and large, colourful chambers, magnificent stalactite and stalagmite formations and copper ore veins which contain traces of gold, silver and other precious metals.

In more recent times, the creator of Rupert the Bear, Alfred Bestall lived near Beddgelert and drew much of his inspiration from the area.

This friendly picturesque village boasts a full range of amenities, comfortable hotels, B&B’s, cafe’s, and a-la-carte restaurants. There are a number of craft workshops, together with a National Trust shop.

For more information about the village, visit the Beddgelert Tourism Association website at http://www.beddgelerttourism.com