Special Offer : £27.50 per person per night.

Seeing as walkers are such nice people, we’d like to offer everybody attending the Barmouth Festival of Walking a £5 discount off our usual prices. The event runs from the 20th of September for 8 days. So even if you hadn’t intended on joining the group it’s worth giving them a ring as you’ll get a small discount off the price of your stay here at Byrdir.

From ‘Barmouth Walking Festival’

The Festival of Walking is a well established event organised by Barmouth Publicity Association to take advantage of the fabulous walks and dramatic landscape accessible from Barmouth, on the west coast of Wales. Taking place in September every year, the festival gives walkers of all abilities the opportunity to enjoy eight days of guided walks around the beautiful Mawddach Estuary and Southern Snowdonia.

The 2009 programme includes 25 walks, all led by knowledgeable local guides, ranging from short two-hour rambles to full-day high level hikes, all in some of the finest walking countryside in Wales.

Have a look at http://www.barmouthwalkingfestival.co.uk/ for more details about the event.

As part of his attempt at walking the Cambrian Way, Richard Thomas (far left on picture) stopped off here at Byrdir. He managed to tackle the Cader Idris section and the Rhinog Mountains whilst staying with us. We were also happy to play host to his friends and wife who came to support him during what I think must be one of the more challenging sections of the walk.

The Cambrian Way is a fantastic concept. Starting from Cardiff, our capital city in the south then following a natural line of mountains that form a spine up the centre of Wales. The route has a fitting end, finishing in the majestic Conwy Castle in the north. I don’t think the walk is an official trail but is all the better for that perhaps. The walk remains under the radar to all but the most enthusiastic walker. The remoteness and quiet solitude is one of the walks greatest assets. ‘The mountain connoisseurs’ walk’

If you’re thinking of having a go yourself the CambrianWay.org.uk website is a good starting point.

Gabriella, our female welsh harlequin duck is sitting on ten eggs at the moment. We noticed that shed been around less frequently at the beginning of June. So we quietly followed her one day and sure enough watched as see crept onto her nest hidden within some brambles and ferns near the river.

I think ducks have an incubation period of about 28 days so will look forward to what happens at the end of the month. Some friends in the village have already put their name forward as potential foster parents. There will be a strict inspection process naturally.

Jul 06th, 2010 | By admin | Category: Farm News

A quick update on our ducks:

7 out of the 10 eggs that Gabriella our Welsh Harlequin Duck has been sitting on have hatched successfully. She kept them in their nest for a day before all venturing out this morning to the pond. The last duckling needed a little bit of help to catch up so we’ve brought him in for a while to keep warm next to the aga. We’re all very exited as you can imagine, Del included.

Take advantage of our Summer Short Break Deals. Now that the weather has made a turn for the better its time to show off those legs once again. Our little part of north Wales has some of the best and cleanest beaches in Europe. So don’t forget your flip flops (socks optional).

Standard Rate: £32.50 per person per night including breakfast

Weekend Break: £87.75 per person (10% discount)
Friday, Saturday, Sunday Night. Including breakfasts.

Midweek Break: £104 per person (20% discount)
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday night. Including breakfasts.

Offer Ends 16th July 2010

To check availability please use our enquiry form

Two of our local beaches, Harlech and Bennar Beach in Dyffryn Ardudwy, have won the ‘Green Coast Award’ again this year. The award is aimed at rural beaches which provide a “natural, unspoilt environment’ as well as the excellent water quality standard required to achieve the more recognizable ‘Blue Flag Award’. The award is given out by the nice people at ‘Keep Wales Tidy’ with financial help from Europe. It’s great to see that our fantastic beaches are getting recognition at that sort of level. But I guess the downside might be that if more people visit our beaches it’ll be harder no maintain the standard. So mum’s the word!

The only thing I was going to try a little differently this year was to cover one of my raised beds with a black permeable membrane. The main idea being that it will help suppress weeds. So less work for me hopefully. It should have the added benefit of reducing evaporation and help keep the soil moist.

I suspect however, that the membrane will provide a great retreat for slugs. They’ll use it to hide from birds and the midday sun following their night time raids on my vegetables. The thought of them, gorged and satisfied under their blanket, as I survey my machine gunned cabbages is upsetting me already.

There are 14 peaks in Wales over 3000 feet, or so I thought until recently. Apparently Tryfan’s credentials are under suspicion. Despite being one of the most handsome mountains in the Snowdonia National Park it’s height of 3002 feet has always meant that it only ever just scraped over the pass mark.

Three men, John Barnard, Graham Jackson and Myrddyn Phillips are out to put the issue to rest once and for all however. They’ve already got form in this area having recently highlighting that Sgurr nan Ceannaichean did not qualify as a Munro Mountain. The Munro’s being the Scottish equivalent of the over 3000 feet club.

I for one really hope that one of my favorite mountains passes the grade. You can keep a track of the survey work by visiting the GandJSurvey channel on YouTube.

If you fancy having a go at climbing all 14 peaks the Snowdonia Society have put a great website together at www.14peaks.com . The record of 4hrs 19minutes has stood since 1988. Good luck with that!

We just wanted to thank you for such a lovely time with you last week.
It was our 4th time in the same “cow shed”, although we had not been for a couple of years. It made us wonder why we had left it so long.
You both made us feel so welcome on your farm, we totally relaxed.
I’ve attached a picture of Lucy doing her favourite thing!
Hopefully it won’t be as long before we see you again.

Best wishes,
Sarah, Russell and Lucy Terry.

Lucy feeding the pigs

3 Night Weekend Break: £94.50 per person Inc. breakfasts (10% discount)
4 Night Midweek Break: £112 per person Inc. breakfast (20% discount)

Were lucky here at Byrdir to live in one of the UK’s true remaining wildernesses. The quieter autumn season offers a great opportunity to discover and explore this area. And once the summer rush is over we try and reduce our prices a little bit so there’s no excuse not to come and visit.

Standard Rate: £30 per person per night including breakfast
3 Night Weekend Break: £81 per person Inc. breakfasts (10% discount)
4 Night Midweek Break: £96 per person Inc. breakfast (20% discount)

Offer runs from 1st September until 22nd October.