Gloriously remote and offering jaw-dropping views toward Bala Lake, this lodge retreat on the eastern gateway to Snowdonia National Park is just what the doctor ordered. Sunny mornings call for lazy breakfasts on the deck to drink up the views of the Berwyn mountain. Then break up the morning with a soak in the bubbly hot tub, just because you can. And imagine this spot at dusk as the sun sets over Bala – that’s a memory right there. On wintery days, hunker down inside where an Aga cooker keeps things toasty in the open-plan living space – those views of the mountains and lake will be right there with you. Or sneak away to the snug for a quiet read or cheeky afternoon loll. When it’s time to get out and about, join the friendly locals for a swift pint in the traditional inns of Bala (an easy twenty-minute walk away). For something more adventurous, give watersports a try on Bala Lake, the largest natural lake in Wales (a fifteen-minute walk). Just watch out for Teggie – Wales’ answer to the Loch Ness Monster. Or stay on dry land and give the lakeside steam train a whirl instead. Fancy spreading your wings a little further? The golden shores of Barmouth are an afternoon well spent (a forty-eight minute drive). And no visit to these mighty Welsh lands would be complete without a walk in the Snowdonia National park – it’s just a ten-minute drive from your door.

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