ON THE SLATE!

Victor Charles experiences a damp weekend in Snowdonia, packed with myths and legends

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It's funny to recall, now that we are still in the grip of colder weather, but when we visited Beddgelert last June, we left home in shorts and T-shirts following a heatwave across the UK.

The sun was shining, and we were confident it would stay warm for the week ahead. So imagine how disappointing it was to arrive at Snowdonia in thick fog, persistent rain, and a chill that we were neither dressed nor prepared for! Worse, we brought the guinea pig, Charlie. We thought he might enjoy it, but the plan was not to take him somewhere wet and cold!

However, we found Beddgelert Campsite well-equipped with friendly staff, and set up the caravan, making sure Charlie was comfortable in his hutch. We trotted down to the campsite shop, which was well stocked, and returned to the van with baked beans and a chocolate muffin. As we settled down for the evening, we discovered there was no TV signal - so it's just as well we brought DVDs.

The campsite is part of a complex with holiday lodges, set among trees, with the heritage railway running past. There are 55 hardstanding pitches. The toilets and showers are in individual private rooms, and there are washing-up facilities, a laundry, recycling facilities, and a bakehouse for fresh bread and pastries in the morning. It's a nice site, tucked into the forest among the trees.

We had a quiet night at the campsite and headed into the village of Beddgelert in the morning. Sitting in the heart of Snowdonia, the area has glorious countryside and numerous walking routes. It's a peaceful place a picturesque village, with a river, forest, cosy pubs, and glorious scenery.