Notes from the host
Cae Canol Farmhouse
Cae Canol is a Grade II* listed stone farmhouse, full of rustic charm, built 500 years ago on the slopes of Manod Mawr mountain. Overlooking the Teigl Valley, this remote property is accessed along half a mile of gated trackway through rolling farmland with grazing sheep. A seriously away from it all location for country lovers who want to walk into the hills and just lose themselves in the myriad of footpaths and discover 'Wild Wales'. Cae Canol is a beautiful example of a traditional Snowdonia House, with the spacious open Hall living area, heated by a gable-end ingelnook fireplace, reaching the full height of the house with the impressive exposed beams visible the length of the high vaulted roof. From the living area, slate slab stairs embedded in the original walls take you to a large galleried mezzanine bedroom with sitting area and fireplace, with a balcony overlooking the lounge below. Traditional style fitted kitchen and bathroom with bath and shower are located downstairs adjacent to the twin bedroom off the low beamed entrance hall. Attached to the Farmhouse is Cae Canol Cottage, a beautifully converted bake house, also available for rent.
Magnificent unspoiled views of Snowdonia National Park greet you at the door, and the outdoor seating area is perfect for views stretching down the valley towards Porthmadog and Llyn Peninsula beyond.
Exploring the local area:
You can set off straight from the farmhouse on numerous paths across the valleys and surrounding hills. Explore the ancient footpaths to Cwm Penmachno and the Crimea pass, and wander the paths around Manod Quarries - famous as the home to the National Galleries hidden art treasures during the second world war. Local lake and river fishing can be arranged with permits available through Cambrian Angling.
Places to visit:
2 miles away is the village of Llan Ffestiniog with local convenience store, and Y Pengwern community pub serving real ale and great food. For a timeless steam train experience, you can start you journey on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways from Blaenau Ffestiniog (5 miles) where you will also find food outlets, supermarkets and takeaways.
For thrill seekers, Zip World: Titan, Bounce Below underground trampoline nets, and Antur Stiniog mountain biking are all in easy reach.
A short drive away is the harbour town of Porthmadog and the beautiful village of Borth Y Gest with sandy coves ,where you can start your walk along the coastal path with views over the estuary towards Portmeirion (11 miles). Black Rock Sands (13 miles) allows you to drive straight on to the 3 miles of sand and dunes and if you can tempt yourself further afield, then visit Harlech Castle (14 miles), Swallow Falls and Betws y Coed (15 miles) in the Conwy valley, Coed y Brenin mountain bike centre (16 miles) and Llanberis at the foot of Snowdon (30 miles).
Accommodation:
2 BEDROOMS: 1 downstairs Twin bedroom with 2 single beds. 1 open plan galleried bedroom above the lounge with 1 King-sized bed; a Single bed; arm chairs and wood burning stove.
BED LINEN: provided
TOWELS, BATH MAT, TEA TOWELS and OVEN GLOVES provided.
HAIR DRYER: provided
COT AND HIGHCHAIR: both available on request.
BATHROOM/WC with electric shower over the bath (downstairs).
KITCHEN: Fitted kitchen with integrated hob, oven, fridge, dishwasher and microwave.
LOUNGE and DINING AREA: Comfy seating comprising settee and giant cuddle chair; large inglenook fireplace with seating around a wood burning stove. Dining table, chairs, TV/DVD/radio/CD player.
FREE WIFI available.
ENTRANCE HALL: Coat and boot storage area, with small settee, and table, with clothes drying racks and outside furniture storage underneath.
HEATING: Wall mounted motion sensor intelligent electric heaters throughout the property, and two log burners, with additional oil filled plug in radiators available on request.
UTILITY ROOM: The Farmhouse has access to a shared Lean-to utility area attached to Cae Canol Cottage. Entrance is via an external door on the upper end of the building facing the entrance gate. Three properties have access to this shared utility area: Cae Canol Cottage, Cae Canol Farmhouse and Cae Canol Bach, with use of washing machine, tumble dryer, drying racks, ironing board, freezer, log store, garden furniture and beach toys.
GROUNDS: Natural grounds with seating areas around the front and side of the farmhouse. A small stream runs to the rear of the grounds with dry stone walls present throughout the grounds. Young children must be supervised at all times.
PETS: We welcome well behaved pets that are not tempted by sheep which graze up to the front door. Dogs must be controlled at all times, and all waste removed from the grounds.
PARKING: Ample parking is available by the farmhouse. Electric vehicle charging point is also available.
ELECTRICITY & HEATING included. Logs and kindling are available at £6 each per bag. Please check availability.
WATER: The cottage has its own supply of mountain spring water which is filtered and UV treated.
PLEASE NOTE: You are a good 15 minutes drive away from civilisation. Take everything you need for the first day. Warm clothes and sturdy boots are essential here.
Around November 5th and New Year's Eve, NO FIREWORKS PLEASE as Cae Canol is a safe place for nervous pets at these times of year.
ACCESS: Sheep graze along the track, so please take care to travel slowly and remember ***You MUST close EVERY gate after you..***The mountain track is very basic, and has reeds growing in the centre. There are 6 gates which must be closed after you. The narrowest gate is 2.3m. The gateway is wide enough for a normal car (Honda CRV, Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia and Vauxhall Corsa all OK). Care must be taken to keep to the middle of the track to avoid damaging the side walls of your tyres. Link to a video of the track is: https://youtu.be/_CzBCprxkcE
April to October: It is recommended to come in a 4x4, although many guests are happy to drive other vehicles with good ground clearance.
October to April: You MUST come in a 4x4 as we cannot guarantee the weather or that you will make it up there.
