Date of Visit: First May Bank Holiday Weekend 2024
Overall View
This is a 54-pitch site, 19 of which are fully serviced. The site is situated on the edge of the village of Llanberis, Lake Padarn in North Wales. It is part of the Morris Leisure Group, www.morris-leisure.co.uk Members of the CAMC receive a discount when using their parks. It is generally open from beginning of March to beginning of January each year. Arrival is permitted after 1pm, there is very limited parking should you arrive too far in advance of this time. Departure is between 8.30am and 12 noon.
Access is good from the A55 to the North, East and West. The A5 is available from the South but it is highly recommended that you use the A55 if towing a caravan. Please see site arrival video HERE
The non-service pitches are closer to the main road into Llanberis and, as result, there is some road noise. However, it is only at specific times of the day, and we did not find it too intrusive. Serviced pitches are further away from the road and are not subject to the same level of noise.
Facilities
This is a full facilities site with a facilities block at the entrance. It consists of the usual services, toilets, showers, small shop, reception, laundry and fully accessible shower room. Entrance is via a key with a separate key for the disabled access room.
Security is very strong here with key fob operated barriers on entering or leaving the site. The barriers are locked between 11pm and 7am each night.
There is free on-site Wi-Fi and on test showed 10.2Mbps download speed and an upload speed of 10Mbps.
EE showed a strong performance at 5G and Vodafone at 4G.
There is a good dog walk to one side of the site and this also encompasses the short pathway from the site direct to the bottom end of the High Street.
Motorhomes are well catered for with a drive over service point and general use service points are distributed around the site.
A food van visited whilst we were there over the bank holiday weekend, they offered the usual range of fast food, including vegan offerings. These times do vary so you are best advised to check with the Wardens on arrival. We did not try the food on this occasion, in part as their prices were somewhat expensive.
There is a bus service which operates in the area, https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Residents/Parking-roads-and-travel/Bus-timetables/Bus-timetables.aspx and there are services to Bangor, and this is where the nearest National Railway station is. Connections are to Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey and ferries to Dublin, and Chester and beyond in the other direction. Direct trains do run to London Euston, but it is essential you check the timetables as services do change frequently. www.nationalrail.co.uk
Review of Site Pitch
The pitch was of the usual generous proportions and level. They use the peg system similar to the CAMC sites. There was ample space to park the caravan, awning and a car. Wider or larger awnings may require you to park the car in front of the van & awning but there is sufficient space to do so. The grass areas surrounding the pitches is kept to a very high standard. There is a 16-amp bollard, and you are recommended to use the TV booster point here too. We were able to receive a good amount of channels, including the Welsh language service.
Around and about
Llanberis is a small village, situated in the foothills of Snowdon. It is due to this that the village can become very busy and congested as a result. This is serious hiking, mountain biking, cycling and other adventure sports countryside. https://www.visitsnowdonia.info/llanberis
The small High Street has a couple of pubs, takeaways and a One-Stop shop. There is no petrol station in the village itself although you will pass a Texaco garage on the way to the site. The nearest supermarket is Tesco in Bangor – a twenty minute or so drive and just off the A55. Tesco has a fuel station.
At the opposite end of the village from the site is the starting point for the Snowdon Mountain Railway. You are strongly advised to book ahead as it does get very busy, especially when the weather is clear. Dogs are not allowed on the train, other than assistance dogs.
Llyn Padarn is a lake which is used by the Port Dinorwigg Power Station, (aka Electric Mountain). Guided tours are available and there is a very interesting visitor centre explaining how the whole system works. Good facilities for young people too. It is possible to kayak on the lake as well. The lake also has two further attractions to offer, as well as some level walking trails. https://snowdoniawatersports.com/
The first one is the Lyn Padarn Lake Railway – this is a miniature railway with fully enclosed carriages if required. It runs from the main station at the far side of the lake from the village. There is ample paid parking here, blue badge holders are exempt. The station also has a cafe and a visitor information room. Toilets are available for customers. Again, as most of these attractions are on the coach tours itinerary they can be very booked up – booking ahead is advised.
The second attraction, across the road from the railway is the National Slate Museum for Wales. This was free to enter when we visited, and dogs are allowed apart from the inside of the period houses. It has a cafe, toilets and a gift shop. It was well patronised, and the exhibits were both interesting and thought provoking. It is not necessary to book in advance for this.
In between these two attractions is a Wi-Fi hotspot and a small range of craft shops and an independent coffee shop. There is seating outdoors under a weatherproof veranda and we can highly recommend their coffee and Bara Brith, (a traditional Welsh fruit cake eaten with butter slathered over it). There are also a set of public toilets with a fully accessible toilet if required.
Slightly further afield, both pretty equidistant – 20-25 minutes’ drive, depending upon traffic are the towns of Bangor and in the other direction Caernarfon. It is here where you will find the usual bigger stores and services.
During our short visit we went to Bangor and opted to take a stroll on the pier, entrance fee payable, dogs are allowed. There is a car park, (pay as part of entrance fee) and toilets although not a disabled one by the entrance. It has been restored a great deal over recent years but sadly some of the little shops are still suffering in the post COVID era. There is a cafe right at the end with outdoor seating, the leeward side being most populated! You are ¾ of the way across the Menai Straits at this point and the wind can certainly howl down the Straits between the mainland and Anglesey. On a clear day, as it was when we visited, it possible to see the old Menai Bridge in one direction, Beaumaris and the Great Orme in the other. https://bangorpier.org/
Summary
A very smart, well-presented site as you would expect from Morris Leisure. The site is easily accessible which makes it an ideal destination for both a short and longer stay if you wish. There are a good range of attractions and activities, but nightlife is very limited indeed. It is a site to which we would return.