Finding Family Adventures

Date of trip: 3^rd – 5th May 2025 (Bank holiday weekend).

Total cost: £550 (campsite, all activities, food and snacks).

Number of party: 5 (2 adults, 3 children). We also met up with 5 friends.

Our oldest boy was celebrating his 15^th birthday and we really wanted adventurous activities that his 8 year old sister could also participate in and enjoy for early May. Mountain biking and ziplines were a perfect combination.

Our kids love the mountain bike tracks at Coed y Brenin. The valley is stunning and the tracks are fun. These are all clearly marked with a range of difficulties from green, blue, red then black. Green being the easiest, wide gravel tracks or tarmac with some hills. The blue rated minotaur track is our favourite. It involves single track riding with some easy drop-offs, mini jumps, windy turns and berms. The route is split into 4 sections that intersect with the green route and red routes so you can switch and swap to suite your group and ability. When our youngest was too small for the blue track, the adults used to take it in turns to ride with her along the green sections, meeting up with the blue track riders frequently to swap over. This meant we all had fun on routes we enjoy and also got the whole family out enjoying the trails. This time, at 8 years old, our daughter was more than comfortable on the whole minotaur track. We had plenty of stops to refuel or rest the legs after the steeper hilly sections. There are frequent spaces on the trail to rest and let other users pass.

Coed y Brenin also has running and walking routes, two training areas and an excellent path with stunning views. Clean decent toilets are on site, drinking water filling station and there is a bike shop and bike hire. There was a café and shop until March 2025. These are currently closed but there are talks of reopening a café in the future. For now, take a picnic. The river that runs through the valley was well known for containing gold. We are still looking! Keep a look out whilst picnicking on the banks. There are few places that beat the beauty and trails at Coed y Brenin.

On previous visits, we have enjoyed Harlech beach and castle, white water rafting and gorge scrambling. This time our friends enjoyed exploring Portmeirion. Portmeirion first welcomed guests in 1926 and is an eccentric collection of hotels and holidays homes with a spa and outdoor heated pool. Guests can visit for the day to explore the architecture, beautiful gardens and decadent food. Day tickets cost £20 per adult and £13 per child.

We all met up on the big birthday at Zip World in Blaenau Ffestiniog for a Bounce below session followed by the Titan ziplines. Bounce Below is a network of nets and slides set up inside the cave. It feels like the snakes and ladders of the trampoline world. The nets allow you to bounce across 4 stories. We stopped at the onsite café for lunch with tasty hot and cold options. A kid’s hot meal was just £5.

After lunch, we flew across the slate quarry on two ziplines on Titan. The experience started with a ride on army type vehicles and an introduction to the slate mine history. There is a short walking route that spectators can walk to see the participants ziplining. All participants also wear cameras so they can download footage for a cost of £15 afterwards.

Other experiences at Zipworld in Blaenau Ffestiniog include a cave tour, underground golf, Caverns – a via ferrata type course inside the caves and a smaller zipline (Big Red) which is suitable for younger people. They have other centres nearby offering different activities, including tree nets and a FForest Coaster. Links provided below.

There are lots of options for family walks, including visiting a Roman fort and a 4 hour walk around the beautiful reservoir at Llyn Trawsfynydd or a coastal walk starting at Harlech Castle with stunning views. Use OS Map OL18 for both these walks.

The evenings were spent checking out local pubs. This year we really liked the welcoming Oakeley Arms Hotel with outdoor seating with trees offering shelter over the benches and an expansive kids park.

The area has so much to offer that even after 20 years of visiting, we feel we need more time here. We are booked again for the Summer.

Accommodation

Camping in Dolgamedd, just 16 minutes from the bike park and 40 minutes from Bounce Below. Dolgamedd Caravan and Camping Park, Dolgellau, Gwynedd – Updated 2025 prices | Pitchup.com

We chose this campsite as it was dog friendly as we had originally planned to bring our pup and we could camp alongside our friends in their campervan. The facilities were nice and clean with good showers. The kids really enjoyed having space to ride their bikes around all night.

The other family stayed in an Airbnb in Porthmadog overlooking the harbour. This was easy walking distance to the pubs and shops.

We have stayed at the Travelodge in Porthmadog several times and the Premier Inn. There are lots of camping and hotel options in this area.

Highlights

Picture perfect views everywhere

Coed y Brenin bike park

Zipworld

Portmeirion

Harlech beach and castle

Beautiful family friendly walks

Steam train at Porthmadog

Top tips to keep the kids interested

If there was an opportunity for a sweet treat or ice cream stop, go for it to keep the energy levels up.

If camping, bring plenty of warm clothes and extra blankets. It was warm in the day but the nights can still get chilly. We wrapped the kids in two sleeping bags with their coats thrown over the top. The littlest also had a fleece blanket tucked inside the sleeping bag to wrap up in. We all went to bed in warm trousers and fleeces.

Bring extra shoes that can get wet/muddy. Chuck them in a bag and deal with the mess when you get home if need be.

Entertainment for the evening including card and board games is great or simply let the kids cycle around until bed time at a campsite or play with the other children there.

Find a pub with an outdoor area or park to entertain the kids and allow you time to recharge.

Keep walk or bike lengths realistic for your child and plenty of water and snacks to keep them going.

Useful links:

Coed y Brenin bike park – Natural Resources Wales / Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre, near Dolgellau

Portmeirion – Portmeirion Village | Holiday Resort North Wales

Zip world – Bounce Below | Leap along bouncy nets in a giant cavern | Zip World

Steam train – Home Page – Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways