Path to escapism

Three thousand feet high, the views over Snowdon are simply breathtaking.

The Welsh mountains are stunning from the ground alone, but nothing can beat the thrill – or the achievement – after you walk for hours and finally reach the summit.

We took on the Llanberis Path route on a recent visit to Snowdonia, the easiest of the many routes up the mountain, although it is still a challenging walk with many steep parts.

Our complete hike took five hours in total, with plenty of rest stops and a lunch break. While we opted for the most straightforward route up, there are plenty of other, more difficult walks for more experienced climbers or those that really want to push themselves. And if you don't fancy walking it at all, or you are tight on time, you can always take the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Climbing the mountain was our primary reason for visiting Snowdonia, but there is no shortage of things to do.

The area caters particularly well for families and people who want to keep active, with no shortage of walks and other sporting pursuits available.

We stayed in the Seiont Manor Hotel, a retreat set in 150 acres of grounds surrounded by farmland, lakes and rivers.

The hotel also boasts a pool and was a perfectly peaceful spot to relax in during our long weekend. Our ground floor room also boasted a terrace with a table and chairs which was great for cracking open a bottle of bubbles and soaking up the afternoon sunshine after we had conquered the mountain.

If you don't have a head for heights, try going underground instead.

We visited Llechwedd Slate Caverns which was about an hour's drive from the hotel.

The site is home to attractions such as zip wires and the incredible Bounce Below which children will absolutely adore. It is a network of giant trampolines, slides and tunnels made from netting and all suspended in a slate cavern underground, it has to be seen to be believed.

But on our trip we went on the Victorian Mine Tour. Starting off on the steepest cable railway in Britain, visitors are taken hundreds of feet underground to the network of former slate mines.

Together with a guide, there is also a commentary telling the story of 12-year-old Sion Dolgarregddu as he goes down the mine to dig for slate with his father.

The tour is fascinating and a real insight into the conditions miners used to work in.

Entrance is £15.45 for adults, £9.95 for children, £13.45 for seniors and £13.45 for students.

After all that action we wanted a good hearty meal to tuck into so drove out to Bodnant Welsh Food Centre for dinner at the Hayloft Restaurant.

Based quite a distance away in Conwy, it was a good 40-minute drive, however the venue was well worth making the effort for.

Inside, the vast restaurant was light and airy with wooden floors and high ceilings, while it also boasted a cosy bar area where we enjoyed a glass of wine while taking a look at the menu.

We had starters of melon with Carmarthen ham and Welsh beef with balsamic vinegar, smoked black garlic pickle and a radish and herb salad. The beef was thinly sliced and contrasted beautifully by the sharp, crunchy salad.

My friend enjoyed her melon, although she did comment that the ham was sliced too thickly.

For my main course, I had the gammon steak. A huge, tender, salty piece of meat which came with mushrooms, pineapple, tomato and possibly the tastiest chips I have ever had.

The accompanying Welsh honeygrain mustard cream was also delicious and complemented the meat perfectly. My friend absolutely devoured her Welsh lamb, which came with creamed potatoes and was cooked to perfection.

The portion sizes were so large that sadly we couldn't fit in dessert, although tempting options included homemade ice cream and a sticky toffee pudding on the specials board.

As well as the restaurant, the centre also has a farm shop, tea room and cookery school. You could easily spend hours at the attraction so it's worth getting there in the afternoon to make the most of it.

If you want a drink closer to the hotel, you can also take a taxi into Llanberis, it will cost around £10.

We headed to The Heights, a relaxed pub with benches outside, which was packed full of other walkers, many still in their hiking gear.

And as we polished off a few glasses of wine, we planned which more challenging path we'd take on our next climb.

Travel facts

Seiont Manor Hotel – Prices for a room start at £90 visit the website at www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/seiont manor

Llechwedd Slate Caverns – www.llechwedd-slate-caverns.co.uk

Bodnant Welsh Food – www.bodnant-welshfood.co.uk/