Don’t buzzzzzz-off There’s no clearer sign of the beginning of the long warm, balmy summer months (we hope) than spotting a bright yellow and black little bumblebee buzzing around the pretty shrubs and flowers in the garden. Bumblebees are one of the quintessential signs of summer, but they’ve been hitting the headlines recently because their…

Blooming Spring What a beautiful day it has been here in Snowdonia today! Blue skies, bright sunshine, and not a drop of rain or a gust of wind to be felt, thank goodness. We’re not sure if this lovely weather will last, but it reminded us that the lovely season of spring isn’t far away.…

Perfect Peaks Here at the Oakeley Arms we’re lucky to be situated in the heart of Snowdonia, one of the most stunning areas of the UK, and home to some of the finest mountains and hills, and today is International Mountain Day 2013. This year marks the 10th anniversary since the first International Mountain Day…

Autumn Leaves Here at the Oakeley Arms Hotel in Snowdonias, we noticed the other day how the fabulous hot and sunny summer we all enjoyed is turning into a lovely mellow Autumn. The forests that surround us have changed from vibrant and vivid greens to beautiful shades of burnt red and orange that light up…

An Autumn Amble Summer is certainly over and if this weekend’s weather is anything to go by, then Winter is closing in (Christmas will soon be here… have you heard that uttered this week yet?!). But you don’t have to hide away under the duvet watching Sunday repeats of the X-Factor (well, you can if you want);…

Borth-y-Gest The next beautiful Snowdonia location in our “Day Out In….” series comes from the picturesque village of Borth-y-Gest, just a stone’s throw from the Oakeley Arms, and a mile from the town of Porthmadog. Blink and you’ll miss this tiny coastal village, but there’s plenty to see and do here, although it’s best saved…

The Mawddach Trail “There is no better walk than from Barmouth to Dolgellau other than from Dolgellau to Barmouth” proclaimed the great Victorian artist and writer John Ruskin when he visited Barmouth during the nineteenth century, and we have to say, here at the Oakeley Arms Hotel in Blaenau Ffestiniog that we agree with old…

Sunshine at Last! We’ve been doing a little sun-dance here at the Oakeley Arms, and to our great surprise, it has paid off! The weather here in Snowdonia this week is set to be absolutely stunning – the warmest week of the year so far. So why not pop down and join us for a…

Up FOUR a Challenge? Summertime finally made an appearance here at the Oakeley Arms over at the weekend, yay! Saturday and Sunday were stunning days with bright blue skies and the vivid sunshine making the mountains of Snowdonia even more beautiful than usual. So, if this sunny weather has turned your mind to an outdoor…

We’ve said before (just once or twice!) how proud we are of the beautiful area we live and work in here at the Oakeley Arms. We’re lucky enough to be on the edge of the coast as well as a stone’s throw from the rugged peaks of Snowdonia. Well, as this week is Clean Coasts…