Looking for a Base in North Wales--and a Way to Get to Liverpool

I remember several years ago my friends in Liverpool drove us to Snowdonia to stay with their friends for the weekend and there was no body of water to cross?

Thanks. I've checked my maps and it looks as if you drive south -- and then head back north -- unless you want to swim. But it supposedly only takes 2 hours. Just wondered if there was a ferry -- but I haven't been able to find anything listed.

Conwy might work - you can visit Conwy Castle and walk the city walls, and you're pretty close to Beaumaris and Caernarfon.

If you're up for staying in a hostel, we spent two nights at YHA Snowdon Ranger in Snowdonia National Park. You can read about that bit of our trip in my "Roundabout the UK" report here on Fodor's, and there is a link to pictures of the area there as well.

Lee Ann

From, say, Conway, you take the A55, A548 and M53 for Liverpool, or if it's Liverpool airport you want, stay on the A55, go south round Chester, the eastbound M56 to J12, then follow signs.

Either way, it's usually a bit under 2 hours, though it can congested at summer and holday weekends. Still a great deal less than the ferries used to take from Llandudno till they were closed in the late 60s.

Best of the castles are Conwy, Caernarfon, Beaumaris (on Anglesey, across the Menai Straits near Bangor) and Harlech, though the smaller ones - Rhuddlan, Denbigh, even Flint - have great charm. Conwy area is good as it's more or less in middle of the N Wales coast. You have access to Snowdonia and Anglesey, to Llandudno (pleasant town, Edwardian resort, good shops, Great Orme and Little Orme (hills)etc, then inland you have the beautiful Denbigh moors and beyond that, the Dee valley (Corwen, Llangollen). Roads are good now and nothing takes much more than couple of hours, though the countryside is such that you will want to take your time.
Weather in March - don't get excited. Possibly snow on the mountain tops, almost certainly rain and cold at some point but also possibly some decent weather, especially if you go to the far west (Barmouth, Harlech, Portmeirion and Porthmadog. Portmeirion is something unique - google it and see for yourself. As for accom, there are plenty of online options - try typing North Wales cottages or self catrering north wales. at that time of year conwy to liverpool will take you well under two hours by road. if you need more specific info shout - i have family in the area who can advise

We found a very good selection of self-catering cottages from Hoseasons. I would highly recommend the one we selected but it's further south in mid-Wales, near Powys.

Anyway, have a look at their site and some of the others for comparison--National Trust site is good but can be pricey and not sure about selection in Wales. You should get good rates that time of year.

Portuense certainly hit all my favorites. Bodnant Gardens is lovely as well but not sure much is happening in March. For DH nostaligic reasons we usually stay in Llandudno on the north coast--I've come to really enjoy it for its promenade and easy access to other towns along the coast and to Angelsey (Beaumaris).

There are a lot of agencies offering good self catering accommodation in Wales. Out of season it is often possible to book either a long weekend, or a mid week, rather than having to book a full week. Check whether heating is included in the price - if it isn't it could soon add a good sum to you holiday.

Hi; We found Betsy-Y-Coed to be a good location for all of North Wales. Here is just one of the many B&B'S in that town and a lot of information on easy to reach sites. Richard http://glyntwrogsnowdonia.co.uk/index.html

That's Betws-y-Coed, not Betsy

These are GREAT suggestions. Thanks so much. There are some cottages listed at Hoseasons that look perfect. The Glyntwrog House B&B looks fantastic -- but with all the cottages available I think we'll go for self-catering.

I LOVE this forum.

Songdoc: I have been lucky enough to stay in a love National Trust House right AT Powys Castle Gardens in Welshpool. It was a large house, maybe too big for you, three bedrooms, but being right in the gardens and able to walk around and tour the castle and take day trips was simply fabulous! We saw most of the castles mentioned above, did our shopping right in Welshpool, did a lot of walks, and generally LOVED Wales. I would go back in a New York minute.
Looks like Hoseasons is near that area, I'll take a look, but you will love it.
Be sure to visit the gardens at Powys, even if you don't stay there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betws-y-Coed Stayed in this town in the early 90's. Convienent to all sights in North Wales. I hope we have time to revisit. Richard www.northwalesholidaycottages.co.uk