RHYD-YR-EIRIN, spectacular Snowdonia cottage in mountains by the sea

Chosen by 'The Sunday Times' as one of the top 14 off-the-beaten-track holiday cottages in the British Isles, Rhyd-yr-Eirin is a modernised but unspoilt 17th Century cottage situated amid some of Snowdonia National Park's most spectacular scenery. Surrounded by mountains overlooking the sea, Rhyd-yr-Eirin is a mile from the nearest house and is very peaceful and secluded - yet the historic town of Harlech, with its busy shops, famous castle, golf course & magnificent beaches, is just 3 miles away.

Rhyd-yr-Eirin has been lovingly restored by our family since it was found ruined and abandoned in the late 1950s. Today it remains primarily a family home, rather than a commercial holiday let, and its many personal, family touches give it a very special atmosphere. Lots of people who visit Rhyd-yr-Eirin end up holidaying here regularly every year - some people have stayed with us, first as children and now as adults, for over 50 years!

Rhyd-yr-Eirin comfortably sleeps six people in three large bedrooms and is ideal for families, while the cosy, romantic atmosphere of the cottage and its isolated, very peaceful location, makes it perfect for couples too. With a brand new bathroom and a traditional homely kitchen & dining room, the cottage remains genuinely historic - a beautiful oak-beamed sitting room has a comfortable sofa and armchairs surrounding a warm and cosy C17th fireplace with a wood-burning stove. Bookshelves are filled with interesting books to read, including many reference books on local history, wildlife, visitor attractions, and nearby walks.

Outside, surrounding the cottage, is a lovely stone-walled garden with beautiful flowers and a BBQ overlooking the sea, as well as a separate garden surrounding the natural mountain spring from which our delicious (and UV-treated) private water supply flows. For children there is a home-made half-sized ping-pong table in the barn, a seesaw in the garden, a small playhouse converted from the old pigsty - and a sand pit in the old feeding trough! In addition, all around the cottage, the fields are a wide open natural playground and children can run around in complete freedom.

Situated amidst spectacular mountains at the heart of Snowdonia National Park, there are many excellent walks that start from the cottage, often with fantastic views of the ocean just 3 miles away. Harlech Beach, with its four mile long stretch of golden sand overlooked by Harlech's historic medieval castle, is often acclaimed as one of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the UK, with excellent, safe swimming. In the local area there are a lots of other activities to enjoy, including golf, fishing, sailing, horse-riding, mountain biking, climbing, white-water rafting and wildlife watching. There are many historic narrow gauge steam railways nearby, plus the spectacular rack & pinion railway up Mount Snowdon. There's also lots of fascinating local history to investigate, including many ancient forts and stone circles, quirky Portmeirion, and of course famous Harlech Castle.

NB: We rent Rhyd-yr-Eirin for a minimum stay of a week, Saturday to Saturday. Duvets and pillows are provided, but you need to bring your own sheets, duvet covers, pillow cases and towels. There is a private track leading to the cottage from the nearest road, but this is easily drivable by almost all cars except very low-slung 'boy racer' models! You can bring one well-trained, sheep-friendly dog. Electricity used during your stay, and any telephone calls, are charged extra at standard rates, payable at the end of your holiday, but we're pleased to provide wood for the wood-burning stove free of charge... If you come to stay at Rhyd-yr-Eirin, we hope that like us you'll fall in love with its unique charms, and will want to return year after year!