Sunshine at last!! Wow, how giddy are we here at the Oakeley Arms? We are SO happy that the sun has decided to join us this summer at last. Better late than never! Sadly, we don’t have a lot of spare time to spend lazing around in the sunshine, but this lovely weather got us…

Mad Hatter Olympic Games As you know by now, here at the Oakeley Arms, we’re not ones to miss out on a sporting event (especially if it can be enjoyed from the comfort of the bar, ahem!)…. So this week, as London 2012 draws ever closer, we thought we’d investigate some alternative games; just in…

Wet Wales The Met Office has confirmed that last month was the wettest June since records began, and to be honest, it’s not looking much brighter here at the Oakeley. Any more cloudy days and we’ll have forgotten what the beautiful Snowdon scenery looks like! But, never ones to let a rain-drop or two (more…

A beachy day out Our regular blog readers will know by now that we are slightly biased when it comes to the fabulous area we live in; the Oakeley Arms is in Snowdonia, and we think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. We’re always on the look-out for hidden gems in our area,…

Wales’ link to the European 2012 championship Ok, so Wales’ National Football team didn’t quite qualify for this year’s European Championships, but there’s still a reason for us Cymro to celebrate the sporting events that are taking place in Poland and the Ukraine this summer. One of the host cities of the games is Donetsk, a large city in…

Are you up for a cycle challenge? This coming weekend will be one to remember for cycling enthusiasts, as Gwynedd welcomes a brand new cycling event – the Etape Eryri will take place on Sunday the 17th June. Etape Eryri is a cycling race with a difference. Not only are the routes pretty challenging, but they wind, twist and…

If you go down to the woods today….. Here at the Oakeley Arms, our guests are often asking us for recommendations for fun, family days out, and one of our absolute favourites is Gypsy Wood Park. Gypsy Wood Park is a brilliant outdoor attraction for all the family. Set in twenty acres of pretty woodland, this magical…

The History of Nature Reserves Calling all nature lovers! The Wildlife Trust nature charity are celebrating 100 years of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts in May. Nature Reserves are such an important part of our local landscape, and these days athey re so accessible to many people, that it’s easy to forget that there…

Wales Coast Path to Mountains Link! Well, the fabulous Wales Coast Path opened last weekend to much celebration and excitment. And, in honour of this brilliant footpath, a brand new walking route has been created. The Vale of Ffestiniog Way is a stunning 18 mile circular route that goes from our lovely village of Maentwrog. It leads all the way up one…

A Rail Celebration Well, doesn’t time fly?! A whopping 30 years of the Ffestiniog Railway! You read right – it was in May 1982 that the newly renovated Ffestiniog Railway proudly opened it’s carriages again and the whole route between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Porthmadog Harbour resumed as it once had done a hundred years previously. The restoration…