The wanderer
ITINERARIES
Maybe you're like me and less into scaling mountains but prefer a walk to see something pretty... and maybe it wouldnt be a bad thing if there was a pub to visit after. The Old Vicarage has been awarded the Visit Wales Welcome Award for Walkers.
Here at The Old Vicarage B&B we also partner with a number of local businesses to bring you private activities as 'Bolt-on's' to your existing booking, or special discounted experience holiday stays,
We are always happy to create personlised itineraries, so if theres a particular theme you'd like suggestions on, just ask us at breakfast and we'll happily print you off a list in the same format
What are good walks to do in Snowdonia? Our favourites are Castel y Bere, Dolgach Falls, Precipice Walk and of course the magestic Cader Idris. Scroll down for more ideas.
Easy
Precipice Walk, Dolgellau LL40 2NG, UK
Travel Time
22 min
Approx Price
Free
Precipice Walk
Precipice Walk
About
Not as strenuous or scary as the name makes out. 1.5 hour very easy circular. Spectacular views. You can also look at our Precipice reel on instagram to see how flat the path is.
Easy
Dyfi Osprey Project, Machynlleth, UK
Travel Time
15 min
Approx Price
£15
Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve
Dyfi Osprey Project
About
Guest favourite. The annual osprey breeding is the talk of the area. We even named a room after one of our osprey girls... Great option also if it's raining as theres a visitors centre and then a short walk to the hide. The walk route is exposed but the viewing hide and shop are enclosed.
Easy
The Old Vicarage | Yr Hen Ficerdy, A487, Corris, Machynlleth, UK
Travel Time
1 min
Approx Price
Free
Behind the Vicarage
Behind the Vicarage
About
Theres an old footpath behind the old vicarage, that takes you into the beautiful forest behind the house. We have maps on reception. You can take a short walk or theres opportunity to link the footpath right up and over to Abergynolwyn (approx 7 hrs)
Easy
RSPB Ynys-hir, Dyfi Furnace, Machynlleth SY20 8TA, UK
Travel Time
20 min
Approx Price
£15
Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve
Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve
About
We also offer private guided tours so head to our 'Bolt-ons' page if you'd like a lesson in twitching/bird watching
Intermediate
Castell y Bere, Llanfihangel-y-pennant, Tywyn LL36 9TR, UK
Travel Time
18 min
Approx Price
Free
Cadw
Castel y Bere
About
Our favourite. At the foot of Cader Idris, Castell y Bere was Built by Welsh ruler Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) construction began in 1221.
The sophisticated entrance featuring two gatehouses with drawbridges was extremely advanced for its time.
Easy
Dolgoch Falls, Tywyn LL36 9UW, UK
Travel Time
16 min
Approx Price
Free
Dolgoch Falls
Dolgoch Falls
About
Guest favourite. Easy walk up to see a series of beautiful waterfalls. Plenty of spots for picnics so dont forget to order one of our packed lunches!
Easy
Tan Y Coed, Pantperthog, Machynlleth SY20 9AT, UK
Travel Time
5 min
Approx Price
Free
Tan Y Coed
Tan Y Coed
About
Our managed trail 'next door'. If the path behind the vicarage looks a bit to much, Natural Resources Wales actually maintains 3 great circular paths though the forest. You'll need to start from their carpark in Pantperthog though, rather than the footpath beside the house
Moderate
Aberdyfi, UK
Travel Time
20 min
Approx Price
Free
Wales Coastal Path
Snowdonia Coast
About
The section of the Wales Coast Path that is closest to The Old Vicarage is Aberdyfi to Machynlleth. You can choose to take the train from Machynlleth to Aberdyfi and walk back along this section of the trail. See the URL above
Aberdovey to Machynlleth (19km / 11 miles)
Here the coast path takes an inland detour through forests and past Llyn Barfog and Carn March Arthur. The spectacular mountain scenery makes an interesting contrast to the coast. Machynlleth has a quirky, eco-friendly vibe nestled within the beautiful UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere.
Intermediate
Coed-y-Brenin, Dolgellau, UK
Travel Time
30 min
Approx Price
Free
Coed-y-Brenin Forest Park
Coed y Brenin
About
A mixture of picture perfect walking trails and world famous MTB opportunities.
WALKING TRAILS
Three waymarked walking trails start from Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park. The Afon Eden Trail is an accessible trial which leads you through woodlands down to the Afon Eden. Cefndeuddwr Trail is an easy short trial which guides you gently up a hillside to the Cefndeuddwr viewpoint and picnic area. The Gain Waterfall Trail is a strenuous trail which climbs over the Cefndeuddwr ridge, before descending to the confluence of the Afon Gain and Afon Mawddach rivers with their twin waterfalls.
More walking trails start from our other car parks within Coed y Brenin Forest Park.
MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS
The Visitor Centre is the starting point for 8 mountain bike trails ranging from a relatively easy low level route of Yr Afon, through to a moderate route of MinorTaur with a choice of 4 loops ranging from 3 to 12 kilometres. You can then progress to the more difficult trails of Temtiwr (9km) and Cyflym Coch (12.6 km) and finally onto the severe MBR (17.7km), Tarw Du (20.1km) and the Beast (35km) trails.
Y Ffowndri is our skills area which is also present on site, with four zones of different abilities for you to test your own level and improve skills. It can also be used a zone to either warm up or wind down, before or after a ride on one of the trails.
All trails are waymarked and have information panels at the start of the trail. Please read this carefully before setting off.
RUNNING TRAILS
Five waymarked running trails leave from the visitor centre and go through some of the best scenery in Coed y Brenin Forest Park. The trails vary in length and have been designed for novice to more experienced runners. They include a mixture of singletrack, forest roads, rough unmade public rights of way and occasional sections of tarmac road.
Be prepared for roots, mud and rocks with steep ascents and descents.
GEOCACHING
Hunt for the geocaches hidden in the forest on one of the two geocaching trails from the visitor centre. Each geocache is a small container with an information sheet about the history of the location and a log book to record your visit. The geocache may also contain small items left by other visitors that you can swap for something you have brought with you.
The geocaching trails are designed for walkers and there is no access for vehicles or bikes to the geocache sites.
Easy
Abercorris North Wales Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve, A487, Machynlleth SY20 9DB, UK
Travel Time
5 min
Approx Price
Free
Abercorris Woodland Reserve
Abercorris Woodland Reserve
About
Close by, this little rainforest is a glorious haven.
Easy
Dolgellau LL40 1UU, UK
Travel Time
20 min
Approx Price
Free
Mawddach Trail
Mawddach Trail
About
A flat walk from Dolgellau to Barmouth. Its also a great option to hire a bike (we can arrange bike hire for you) and cycle it instead. Theres a great pub George III just outside of Dol to stop at for lunch/drinks. a good start point is the carpark in Dol.
Moderate
Dolgellau
Torrent Walk
About
The Torrent Walk is a path on the outskirts of Dolgellau and is one of the more popular routes in the area. This walk will lead you under a woodland canopy, along the Clywedog river and past hidden industrial remains.
The walk’s name likely derives from the many striking views of the Clywedog river as it cascades down the gorge.