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Home / Destination / Europe / UK / Wales

Cardiff Marriott hotel review

April 12, 2016 by Gretta Schifano 4 Comments

Breakfast, Cardiff Marriott Executive Lounge. Copyright Gretta Schifano

I turned in to the car park of the Marriott hotel feeling tired, confused and a little stressed. I was late. My journey from Surrey to central Cardiff had taken much longer than I’d expected (Severn Bridge – can I introduce you to Dartford Crossing, a river crossing which doesn’t make cars queue for flipping […]

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Categories: City, Room reports, Wales
Tags: Cardiff, family-friendly hotel, luxury hotel

Holiday cottage by the beach in Wales

April 12, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 23 Comments

Southerndown Beach. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Arrival I turned off the engine, stepped out of the car and walked carefully down the concrete slope towards the gate. I heard a clunk as my daughter locked the car from the inside. It was after 9 o’clock on a March evening and it was so dark that it was difficult for me to […]

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Categories: Coast, Room reports, Wales, Where to stay
Tags: holiday cottages, Quality Cottages, self-catering cottages

10 things my son learnt at Cadair Idris

May 5, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 43 Comments

Walking down Cadair Idris. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Cadair Idris is one of the highest mountains in Wales. It’s 893 metres high and is a ruggedly beautiful place in Southern Snowdonia. It has far fewer visitors than celebrated Mount Snowdon and this makes it generally a more peaceful place to visit. I walked part of the way up Cadair Idris on the steep Minffordd […]

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Categories: Active, Wales
Tags: Cadair Idris, Snowdonia, Wales

A great B&B in Snowdonia

April 18, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 9 Comments

Breakfast at The Slate Shed. Copyright Gretta Schifano

I have to tell you about the beautiful place where we stayed in Wales: The Slate Shed B&B at Graig Wen near Dolgellau in the South of Snowdonia National Park. Graig Wen Owners Sarah and John bought this former slate works with 45 acres of land in 2007 and have made it into a truly […]

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Categories: Wales, Where to stay
Tags: B&B, Snowdonia, Wales

Dyfi Osprey Project, Snowdonia

April 15, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 29 Comments

Dyfi Osprey Project. Image courtsy of Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust.

  Ospreys, it seems, have pretty brutal love lives. Those that breed in the UK spend the winter in Africa and then fly 3,000 miles back to their nests in spring. But when they arrive here they may have to battle other birds for both their nest and their mate. My daughter didn’t come with […]

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Categories: Active, Wales
Tags: conservation, Osprey Project, Snowdonia, Wales

Easter family days out in the UK

March 31, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 4 Comments

Easter eggs. Copyright Gretta Schifano

If you fancy a family day out over the Easter holidays there are lots of things happening in the UK. Here are a few ideas. Easter egg trails There are some adventurous Easter egg trails on offer at National Trust and National Trust Scotland properties across the country from 18-21 April. There are hundreds of […]

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Categories: Elsewhere, London, Seasonal, Wales
Tags: Easter, Edinburgh International Science Festival, family days out, National Trust, Shakespeare's birthday, St George's Day

National Trust family working holidays

November 19, 2012 by Gretta Schifano 2 Comments

clearing woodland on a national trust working holiday at stackpole

My husband had a wonderful time yesterday afternoon outside clearing up leaves and attacking shrubs with the hedge trimmer. At Easter we were guests on a National Trust family working holiday to Stackpole in Pembrokeshire which I wrote about for The Independent. The youngest loved the day our group spent chopping down shrubs in the woods […]

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Categories: Elsewhere, Wales
Tags: gardening with kids, kids, National Trust, National Trust working holidays for families, Pembrokeshire, Stackpole, travel, volunteering, Wales

Kayaking for kids

July 28, 2012 by Gretta Schifano Leave a Comment

Kayaking at Stackpole on a National Trust family volunteering holiday. Copyright Gretta Schifano

My kids and I were in Pembrokeshire this week with some other Mums and kids, and my friend Lizzie and her two eldest went sea kayaking at the National Trust’s Stackpole Quay and had a great time. We weren’t organised enough to book ahead, and so there wasn’t space for all of us, sadly. I’ve […]

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Categories: Active, Coast, Wales
Tags: family, kayaking, kids, National Trust, Pembrokeshire, sea kayaking, sport, Stackpole, Stackpole Quay, travel, Wales, water sport

Sea Kayaking in Pembrokeshire

April 10, 2012 by Gretta Schifano 2 Comments

kayaks at barafundle beach, pembrokeshire

Putting on a wetsuit is exhausting, especially when you put it on back to front and then have to peel it off and reinsert yourself the right way round. But it was my first time, so I knew no better. Once suited, I had to put on a waterproof jacket, life vest and helmet before […]

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Categories: Active, Coast, Wales
Tags: Barafundle, days out, family activities, kayaking, kids, National Trust, National Trust working holidays for families, Pembrokeshire, sea kayaking, Stackpole, Stackpole Quay, travel, UK, Wales

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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