Wales watching

Tantalising glimpses of the sea at almost every turn, high-banked lanes smothered in wild flowers, quaint whitewashed cottages and beautiful sandy beaches stretched out beneath rocky headlands.

"It could be Cornwall", was the comment which cropped up with great regularity during a few days spent exploring one of Britain's most captivating landscapes – the portion of North Wales which extends west of Snowdonia and consists mainly of the Lleyn Peninsula.

And while it shares many of the arresting physical attributes of its southern cousin, including, uncannily, its mapped resemblance to a two-pronged crane jib, this scenic tract also scores several bonus points.

Chief among them is the lack of crowds and traffic. Add a unique culture with its own widely-spoken language, some excellent tourist attractions and, increasingly, sophisticated cuisine, and you have a compelling destination for all types and needs.

There's no better way to arrive than via Caernarfon, where cobbled streets and eclectic shops are dominated by the imposing presence of the castle built by the invading Edward as a symbol of English dominance over the subdued native population. The castle is one of Europe's best examples of medieval fortification, and the grassy arena within its magnificent polygonal towers was the setting for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969. Not to be missed.

Just a couple of miles south lies Plas Dinas ("the large house built on the Roman fort") the family home of the man who, as Constable of Caernarfon Castle, was largely responsible for organising Prince Charles's investiture ceremony. Born Antony Armstrong-Jones, he became the Earl of Snowdon after his marriage to Princess Margaret, in 1961, and the couple were frequent visitors to Plas Dinas in the 1960s.

Today, this country house, which dates back to the 17th century, is a comfortable nine-bedroom hotel run with loving care and attention to detail by Andy and Julian Banner-Price, both 37.

Andy, a former call-centre manager, and Julian, who was made redundant from his job in IT, were novice hoteliers when they took a 25-year lease on Plas Dinas in 2006 from owner Peregrine Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon's half-brother), the party and events organiser.

Thrown in at the deep end, Andy and Julian have invested time and money in the hotel, carrying out much of the extensive and sympathetic redecoration themselves. It's full of antiques and Armstrong-Jones' family portraits, and Peregrine has been so impressed by their stewardship that he has despatched additional family heirlooms to be displayed here.

If you're lucky, you'll be allocated the Princess Margaret Suite with its four-poster bed, luxurious bathroom and an array of framed memorabilia about the Margaret-Snowdon wedding.

Our dinner, in the Gun Room, with its giant fireplace and collection of walking sticks on the ceiling, was a delight. Shanks of tender Welsh lamb were accompanied by a particularly good Pinot Noir, followed by a selection of local cheeses.

After the next morning's full Welsh breakfast (not unlike a full English) a stroll to the edge of the estate is in order, to enjoy the panoramic views over the Menai Straits, and then perhaps a ride on the Welsh Highland Railway which runs beneath the Plas Dinas drive.

This narrow-gauge steam line trails 22 miles from Caernarfon south through the spectacular scenery of the Snowdonia National Park and almost to Porthmadog, where plans are being finalised for it to link up with the ever-popular Ffestiniog Railway.

We decided to take in Portmeirion, the fairytale village designed and built between 1925 and 1975 by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis on a hillside running down to the Dwyryd estuary just east of Porthmadog.

Run by a charitable trust, the entry fee is 8 per adult but it's just about worth it to walk through the cobbled streets of Italianate, pastel-painted houses, spires and domes where the cult TV series, The Prisoner, starring Patrick McGoohan, was filmed in the mid-1960s.

We headed back to the car for the short drive to the seaside town of Criccieth where the castle, captured by the legendary Owain Glyndwr in the last major Welsh rebellion against the English in the early 15th century, is well worth the 3 adult entrance fee.

From here, the main road down the peninsula passes through Llanystumdwy, the childhood home and burial place of David Lloyd George, the last Liberal Prime Minister, who died in 1945.

Then it's west through bustling Pwllheli and on to our destination, Abersoch, where the A-road peters out and gives way to a network of lanes.

Abersoch is a thriving little resort popular with sailors and surfers, and its long, sandy, sheltered beach overlooking Cardigan Bay is perfect for sandcastle-building. Luckily, there's a gem of a place to stay here in the form of Venetia, a chic seaside "restaurant with rooms" created within the shell of a Victorian villa by owners Jayne Edge and Marco Filippi, front of house and head chef respectively.

Venetia's menu reflects local boy Marco's Italian roots and his passion for fishing: his kitchen turns out a high-class fusion of pasta and locally-sourced seafood.

Warm sunshine the following day was the cue for a long walk, starting on the path dissecting Abersoch's beautiful little links golf course, laid out directly behind the beach dunes. Following footpath signs around here can be an unpredictable business as many seem to have vanished or simply peter out, but it's not hard to find the route over the headland to stunning Porth Ceiriad beach, which can only be reached via a field and some steep steps. Its powerful waves are a draw for some experienced surfers but few other visitors.

Cutting across the next headland brings us out to the dazzling vista that is Hell's Mouth, four miles of unbroken sand pounded by waves whipped in from the Irish Sea.

Again, surfers are attracted here but it's also a bracing spot for an ozone-rich walk.

FACTFILE

Graham Bright was a guest of Plas Dinas, near Caernarfon, and Venetia in Abersoch, both of which have been selected by Great Little Places, a collection of small and friendly places to stay in Wales.

Go to www.little-places.co.uk for more details or call 01686-668030. Rooms between 89 and 199 per night for two sharing, including full breakfast. Three-course dinner for two, with wine, about 80. Reservations: 01286-830214 and www.plasdinas.co.uk

Rooms at between 80 and 148 for two sharing, including full breakfast. Three-course dinner for two, with wine, about

75. Reservations: 01758-713354 or www.venetiawales.com

YP MAG 28/8/10