GUESTBOOK
“Thanks for our very relaxing third visit.” Jefferson & Lorna, Feb 2015
“Some walking, running, photography and general exploring in this fab location. A beautiful spot and a beautiful, warm comfy cottage. We will be back! ” Emma & Ben, Leicester, Jan 2015
“We are already planning our return to Idris Bach in the summer and will spread the word. We have spent a very contented week exploring, walking and just relaxing indoors but feel we have only scratched the surface of this beautiful area. This was the perfect base – so comfortable and welcoming with everything we needed. Thank you… we will be back!” Alaina & Michael, London, November 2014
“Enjoyed our stay. Found it very central. The home had all the things one needed especially the internet. Thank you.” Alan & Trish, Surrey, October 2014
“Our third stay here, fab as usual! Visited Portmeirion again (has to be done!), Barmouth, Porthmadog, Plas Brondanw and Borth-Y-Gest – took loads of photos! The weather has been so mild and mainly dry. It’s been a wonderful break – always feels like a home from home – hope to be back in Dragon Country next year!! Roar!! ” John + Jan, Leeds, Sep/Oct 2014
“Beautiful and comfortable base from which to explore Snowdonia. Everything we could possibly need it the cottage except a wine-stopper (we saved the problem by drinking all the wine 🙂 ). Lovely local walks and a climb up Snowdon. Worth taking the railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog but check slate mine opening times. Recommend the local Fish n Chip shop, Ty Coch Inn and the Brondanw Arms for food. Resident dragon + guitar welcome additions.” Becca + Ralph, Middlesex, Sep 2014
“We thoroughly enjoyed our week in Idris Bach! It is a very comfortable little house in a magnificent position, and we really appreciated the hills, the clouds and the changing weather patterns. We also enjoyed the dragons and the sheep scattered around which reminded us we were in Wales!” John & Maureen, Cambridge, August 2014
“Great location for walks and trains! All the comforts of home in the cottage and peaceful, quiet village.” Ray & Marie, August 2014
“Lovely house + best ever ‘loo with a view’!” Hannah & Shaun, Devon, August 2014
“Good house, good facilities and a good base for lots of walks in the mountains, forests an estuary – and the trains” Nigel & Margaret, Coventry, July 2014
“So we come to the end of another wonderful visit. No matter how many times we come here, there’s always more to see, more to enjoy The one thing that doesn’t change is the welcome at Idris Bach – so comfortable, so brilliantly appointed, and it must be absolutely the best loo view in the world. Sorry to be going, but we’re already looking forward to next year.” Paul & Maureen, Folkestone, July 2014
“Lovely cottage, had everything we needed. Nice village.” Ana, Brazil, June 2014
“The cottage is very well appointed with all modern appliances. The area is very beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.” Vivienne & Glenn, March 2014
“Our second stay here was just as relaxing as the first. Many thanks.” Lorna & Jefferson, February 2014
“Thankyou for such a lovely stay, a very peaceful and welcoming cottage – we’re going to miss it terribly but hopefully will return! We had a lovely Sunday lunch at Y Ring / Brondanw Arms – definitely recommended.” Sinead & Sayem, August 2013
“What a fabulous cottage. My hat off to you for such a welcome!! And so central!!” Sarah & Steve, August 2013
“We enjoyed our stay very much. Go to The Royal Oak in the village – a friendly and welcoming pub, and run by a local family now. We also recommend Portmeirion, Blaenau, and breakfast at Pete’s Place in Llanberis – fantastic!” Elerie & Philip, July 2013
“Very comfortable & welcoming cottage. Ideally placed for visiting some super places. Portmeirion our favourite! Thank you.” Ron & Judy, Portsmouth, July 2013
“Amazing! We were lucky to be here during the heatwave, so we’ve spent 4 days on the beaches and swimming in the sea and a day spent swimming in the river at Beddgelert. Four BBQs in the week and eating out on the terrace every night. Cottage very well-equipped with handy tupperware. Perfect!” Hazel & James, London, July 2013
“We’ve had a fantastic stay! Weather has been mixed, but when the sun comes out the natural beauty of this area is breathtaking. Highlights for us were bird watching as South Stack, Holy Island – we even spotted a dolphin. Also had privilege of seeinhg the ospreys at Glaslyn. We’ll be back! Thank you.” Hannah & Jay, Southend-on-Sea, July 2013
“Our third visit, and every good as good as the previous ones. Even when is rains you don’t mind being inside such a lovely cottage. Now we’ve got to start thinking about our next trip.” Paul & Maureen, June 2013
“What a fantastic holiday We haven’t even left yet, and I’m already planning the next visit! Highlights this time were Pethau Melys in Porthmadog harbour for tea and cake (and beautiful little pottery jugs) and Y Ring at Llanfrothen for steak.” Kirsten & Timm, Dunfermline, May 2013
“Had a great week long second visit to Idris Bach! Although cooler than expected we were lucky not to get rained on during the week. Enjoyed a trip to ‘Shell Island’ Abersoch, Portmeirion and the local area. Saw an osprey catch a fish at ‘The Cob’ during a walk there. Fantastic! Will be back! John & Jan, Leeds, May 2013
“Fine hill walks from Beddgelert and shore walks on Llyn, and saw neolithic sites on Anglessey and over in Rowen, on a deserted hillside. The gunpowder reserve walk right here was also great. Fine location and very well set up! Many thanks!” Gail & Lance, Massachusetts, May 2013
“Really relaxed in the lovely cottage. Couldn’t ask for better views. Had a great walk to Tan-y-Bwlch and took train back, visited local harbours etc. Appreciated the comfy furniture. Thank-you.” Lorna & Jefferson, Herefordhire, April 2013
“Had a splendid time. Great cottage… everything we needed. Will defo recommend to friends and we’ll be back!” Vic D. & Steve J, Easter 2013
“Had a lovely 4 night break in the well equipped cottage. Great base for exploring the coast and Snowdonia mountains. Recommend a great day out by visiting ‘The Llyn Peninsula’. Would also recommend ‘Y Ring’ for a good meal and a few beers. Also worth visiting Portmeirion village.” Leon & Billie, Oxford, April 2013
“A beautifully refurbished quarryman cottage. Spotless and welcoming. Central to all the main locations of North Wales; it’s stone’s throw from Porthmadog, Portmeirion, and Harlech – within walking distance of the Festinog Railway, and with the most stunning views of the Welsh mountains! I don’t think we’ve ever had such a relaxing holiday. Would we stay again? OH Yes!!” Sarah Smith, Southend. August 2013
Beautifully appointed cottage, all mod cons, incredibly comfortable and cosy. It was genuinely like home from home, with lots of attention to the little domestic details that take the stress out of a self-catering holiday. There was a pint of milk, two mugs, tea bags and some welsh cakes waiting for us on the kitchen counter when we arrived, so we could have a hot drink straight away. A bunch of flowers and a bottle of wine completed the welcome. We appreciated having a dishwasher and a washing machine available and the pans and utensils provided were more than sufficient for ‘proper’ cooking (though Penrhyn also has an excellent chippie, Chinese takeaway and Indian restaurant; we also enjoyed the Brondanw Arms/Y Ring at Garreg, a mile or so up the road). Fantastically comfortable bed, lovely bathroom. This is a cottage that takes creature comforts very seriously but in a pleasingly understated way. We also liked being able to sit on the terrace in the sun and enjoy the exceptional views. MK Speller, Folkestone. March 2012
We booked a holiday at Idris Bach because we needed a relaxing break from a few stressful things at home, and we weren’t disappointed. The cottage was lovely – wonderful views, comfy sofas, a cosy bed and a toasty-hot shower. And the bottle of wine when we arrived was just what we needed after a 12-hour train journey from Scotland! We’d a fair few rainy days while we were there, but we didn’t mind staying in and reading because we felt more at home than we do in our own house! There’s a great butcher’s in the village, and although the Spar shop is a bit on the pricey side, it’s only a few minutes on the bus to the supermarkets in Porthmadog. My husband enjoyed trying the local Purple Moose beer from the brewery shop, but he didn’t get through them all so we need to go back 😉 Kirsten, Kircaldy. April 2012
“We were in dire need of a holiday. Idris Bach ticked all the right boxes – comfortable, quiet, friendly, beautiful surroundings, plenty of day trips nearby but also perfect for relaxing ‘at home’. Throw in the Ivor the engine links (The episode with Idris the Dragon is a childhood fav. of mine!) and I was hooked. Alex provided outstanding directions to the cottage, and when we arrived we found a pint of milk in the fridge, mugs, tea bags, welshcakes, wine and wine glasses set out for us on the dining table. What a perfect start. The cottage is very comfortable, and we soon felt settled. It is situated on three levels, you come in off the street into the lounge, upstairs and you have the bedroom & Bathroom, downstairs takes you to the kitchen & utility room, and then out in to the garden/patio terraces. The village itself is very small and quiet – the local pubs weren’t our cup of tea – but a quick drive to Porthmadog and there is an excellent brewery with brewery shop which kept us happy. The local butcher is fantastic – seriously some of the best lamb chops we’ve had – worth noting though that it isn’t open on a Monday and closes very early. The local spar stocks all the essentials though and is open late. The Y Ring pub is a lovely walk and the food is lovely. Idris Bach is the perfect base from which to explore the locality – plenty of walks from your doorstep, and plenty more a short drive away. Very close by is the station for the steam train to Blenau Ffestiniog -absolutely stunning and great fun. (yes I did do Ivor the Engine impressions “pusssshhhhht-akum pussshhhhhhhht-akum”). There is a little chest / footstool in the lounge which is full of all the tourist informationb/ guides / maps / walking books you could possibly need. We could very happily have stayed longer than the 6 nights we were there, and will be making a return visit at some point.” MrsFrogTravels. May 2012
“Just back from a v enjoyable time based in this comfortable terrace cottage. It’s on side of a hill in large village location and arranged on three floors, with sunny terrace outside – catches sun (sun willing!) for much of the day. Well equipped property, and Freesat TV and wi fi all worked fine. This is a fantastic area if you’re fairly active sort of folk. Plenty of walks, castles, mountains, beaches and coast paths to explore. A forest trail network starts 10 mins walk away. A passing interest in steam railways may also be helpful (!) as there are two tourist lines in the area, with one close by (station just up the road). Portmeirion village (sort of shopping and ‘Prisoner’ TV series theme park) is close by. Nearby estuary is good for birdwatchers, and RSPB Afon Glaslyn osprey reserve is local too. It’s a more picturesque area than I’d imagined (and we’ve been to Snowdonia area a couple of times before), especially if you’re prepared to go off the beaten track a bit. Idris Bach is a good base for the whole of this part of N Wales I would say.” Grahame L, Bristol. August 2012
“Took a chance with a late booking but what a find, would book again without hesitation. A great central location for exploring the north west of Wales. The weather was fantastic, sun every day.” Chris & Jackie, Norfolk. August 2011
“A great location for walking, cycling and paddling – lucky to get the weather for them all. The house is very well set up and we really enjoyed our stay here…” John & Anne, Winchester. August 2011
“We have had a lovely stay. The cottage is very comfortable and well appointed. We enjoyed riding on the trains. Lovely scenery and views from the cottage.” Pat & Mike, Wantage. August 2011
“Lovely week, great to stay in a cottage that’s modern but traditional and has been so well equipped. Barely touched the surface of everything that’s available to do – lovely meals at Y Ring! Should have booked a fortnight.” Clare & Martin, Hartlepool. July-August 2011
“You don’t NEED to take day trips out from Idris Bach cottage if you don’t want to. Although it is beautifully placed to explore North Wales. Everything is MUCH closer than you think it is from looking at a map. You could drive or catch a cute narrow-gauge steam train. The Ffestiniog railway passes just above the cottage. (Almost literally!) If you’re a Prisoner fan there’s Portmeirion only two miles away and there are castles and beaches and pubs and ice cream shops to spare within less than a 10 mile radius. But if all that is too hectic for you why not settle in with a takeaway or cook yourself something with local fare (both easily obtained a short walk away in the village) and sit back and stare at the view from the comfort of the lounge or in the summer house at the bottom of the garden?” MorningAJ, Nottingham. September 2011
“Thank you for a wonderful break. The house is lovely. So nice to be able to enjoy the stunning views from the terrace. We enjoyed a very good meal at The Ring.” Betty & Ken, Somerset. April 2011