Best Activity Weekends

Snowdonia and Anglesey pull in weekend visitors from all over Wales and England. They go here to take advantage of the Welsh mountains, rivers, and forests for hiking, biking, and just to relax in the green countryside.

Snowdonia is a dramatic landscape of deep valleys and high mountains. High enough, in fact, to have served as a training camp for Mt. Everest expeditions! At the same time, Mt Snowdon is easy enough to climb most days, though avoid days of cold weather as the slopes and peak are exposed and much colder than the base levels.

Around the Gwynedd area there are four stretches of Heritage Coast: North Anglesey Heritage Coast, Aberffraw Heritage Coast, Holyhead Mountain Heritage Coast and Lleyn Peninsula Heritage Coast. These provide visitors with rugged rocky coastlines and beautiful sea views all year round.

You’ll also encounter many historical sites. This is a part of Wales dotted with old monasteries and abbeys, as well as forts, castles and much older sites as well. In fact, history here begins in pre-historic times, with ancient burial grounds and pagan holy sites aplenty.

If you’re more into historic homes and gardens, these northern parts of Wales will keep you happy. For example, visit Bryn Bras Castle for its stunning gardens and architecture, or Aberconwy House, where you can view exhibits of Roman times in Gwynedd.

All this nature and history adds up to an ideal destination for culture seekers and adrenaline junkies alike. Here are some of our ideas on what to do in Anglesey & Snowdonia.

What activities

Sailing, Canoeing, Power Boating, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Paragliding, Mountain Biking, White Water Rafting, Caving, Horse Riding, Cycling and loads more.

Where to go in Snowdonia & Anglesey

Anglesey Walking Holidays
Trekking, walking and cycling holidays on the Isle of Anglesey, Wicklow, Snowdonia and the North Wales Path.

What You’ll need

Bring outdoors clothing, including warm layers year round. Winter can be taxing, with driving wind and rain, so you’ll appreciate good waterproofs. Summers range from hot to damp, so in any case quick drying fabrics come in handy. Spring and autumn are mixed, so come well prepared. As far as sporting equipment, well, anything goes here so take what you have. Wales is known for hearty foods and good beer and cider, so do make sure to pack your appetite too!

The ancient kingdom of Kernow is the furthest west you can go while remaining in England. Don’t know Kernow? It’s the old English name for today’s Cornwall, a ruggedly beautiful county in England’s Southwest. The county of Cornwall has the longest coast line in Britain, and its history is intimately tied up with the sea along that coast. Anywhere you go in Cornwall, you’ll see how today’s residents live off the sea as fishermen and so on, and also be reminded of the nautical heritage of Cornwall.

Along the coast, you’ll find smugglers’ inns, picturesque and tiny fishing villages, beaches galore placed along bays that once held a vast variety of oceanfaring schooners, gill netters, and small fishing vessels. Even today, fishing is important, but tourism is the bigger catch in today’s net. There’s much here to bring visitors back again and again: The rugged beauty of the cliffs along the north coast, tranquil coves and tree lined creeks on the south coast, and peaceful traditional farmland in between the two.

Cornwall mixes the new and the old as well. You’ll find cutting edge science such as the Eden Project in one spot, avant garde art in a gallery, or you’ll encounter a traditional working farms near ancient villages with Sunday Markets alive and well. Much of the old industry has passed, but there’s a real sense of enthusiasm for the future in Cornwall, with tourism and eco-friendly industries taking over to create a lovely English county to visit.

What activities

Sailing, Canoeing, Power Boating, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Paragliding, Mountain Biking, White Water Rafting, Caving, Horse Riding, Cycling and loads more.

Where to go in Cornwall

Gay Cornwall
Gay Cornwall – the complete online guide to bars, clubs, hotels, social groups, Cornwall Pride and loads more.

Kennack Diving – Learn to dive in Cornwall
Kennack Diving provides a 5 star PADI dive resort in beautiful Cornwall, where you can learn in clear and warm Gulf Stream waters.

Manually Edited Cornish Business Directory With Links, News, Weather and Information For Cornwall UK

What You’ll need

You’ll need swimwear and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Your best sailing clothes could come in handy, as well as a windbreaker as it’ll inevitable pick up during your visit.

Located in England’s West Country, Devon is a large county which is bordered by Cornwall in the west and Dorset and Somerset in the East. One of the things that make Devon unique is the two coastlines: One in the north of Devon, facing the Bristol Channel and Irish Sea, and one to the south, facing the English Channel towards north France.

Devon is home to the amazing moors at Dartmoor, the cities of Exeter, Darthmouth, and Torquay. All great destinations. Off the coast is the wonderful Lundy island. You’ll also be able to visit the Buckfast Abbey, home to the fortified drink Buckfast.

Devon is mainly rural, filled with villages, moors, farmlands, and plentiful opportunities for outdoor sports.

What activities

Sailing, Canoeing, Power Boating, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Paragliding, Mountain Biking, White Water Rafting, Caving, Horse Riding, Cycling and loads more.

Where to go in Devon

Surfing Croyde Bay

The UK’s professional surf centre offering tuition to all abilities and ages all year round.

North Devon Links

An indepth directory of links for travellers and residents in Devon. You can find all things Devon at North Devon UK

Torbay Surfing

Torquay’s, Paignton’s, Brixham’s, Bigbury’s & Bantham’s, Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Kayaking & SUP Information Website.

Riviera English School

Not only can Riviera English School teach you English, but it’s also unique in owning its own yacht, so you’ll have opportunities to go out on the water on the beautiful Devon coast while learning. Based in Torquay, Devon, Riviera English school is a family owned business since 1996 and has taught thousands of students since – most enroling through recommendations from previous students.

Surfing Croyde Bay with Point Breaks

Learn to surf at some of the UK’s top surfing spots and improve your skills from beginner to competition level. Point Breaks is Croyde Bay’s premier multi-activity watersports school.

What You’ll need

You’ll need swimwear and clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Also, you could bring your bike with you and go for a ride around the Devon forests.

More travel information

Devon Holiday Directory – Links to Devon holiday sites including accommodation (self catering, B&B and hotels), attractions, pub and restaurants, activities such as golf, riding and surfing, along with town and village information.

Located on the north Atlantic coast of Cornwall, Newquay is the unofficial surfing capital of Britain. With its secluded coves and family beaches, it is a popular spot for swimming, surfing, sunbathing. Also, the Newquay Harbour provides the perfect place to go fishing, with several great fishing businesses located there. Newquay is a beautiful seaside resort and there is always plenty to do, whether you like to take part in thrilling extreme sports or just want to have a nice relaxing time, Newquay has a lot to offer you.

What Activities?

Surfing, Abseiling, Rock Climbing, Zip Wire, Cliff Hanger, Mountain Biking, Junior Surfing, Coasteering, Horse Riding, Go-Karting, Golf and loads more.

Where To Go

The Adventure Centre – Lusty Glaze Beach

http://www.lustyglaze.co.uk

Lusty Glaze is a privately owned beach on the North coast of Cornwall which has its own leisure centre where you can take part in a variety of thrilling outdoor activities. Their water based activities include surfing and Coasteering and there land based activities range from abseiling and rock climbing to kite boarding and mountain biking. The Lusty Glaze beach is the perfect, secluded area to spend your holiday.

Hollywell Bay Fun Park – Hollywell Beach

http://www.hollywellbay.co.uk/

The Hollywell Bay Fun Park is located a short walk away from Cornwall’s Hollywell Beach and is well known as one of Newquay’s best attractions for action, thrills and family fun. They have a range of things to do including Formula One Go-Karts, Battle Boats, Turret Guns, Bumper Boats, Adventure Golf and loads more.

Porth Beach Tourist Park – Porth Beach

http://www.porthbeach.co.uk

Porth Beach Tourist Park is situated just 100 metres away from Cornwall’s Porth Beach and is surrounded by open countryside. Porth Beach is regarded as one of the safest places for swimming in the Newquay area and is perfect for families, with lots of room to play in and plenty of rock pools to explore. The Porth Beach Tourist Park is not only situated in this ideal location, it has a wide variety of fully equipped caravans, spacious camping pitches fantastic showering and washing facilities and its own children’s play park. Although the park is quiet and relaxing, it’s in easy reach of all of the amenities that Newquay has to offer.

Fistral Beach

Fistral Beach is a major surfing beach in Newquay which is about 750 metres in length and can produce some great waves. The British Surfing Association and Newquay Board Rider Club are located on the North end of the Bay and provide rental equipment and training packages for people who want to learn how to surf, also, the Cribbar, a reef situated just north of Fistral provides wave faces of up to 40 feet and there’s plenty to explore.

Newquay Harbour Boatsmen’s Association – Newquay Harbour

http://www.newquay-harbour.com

Newquay Harbour is a tidal area and very much a working location for fishing and touring boats. Newquay’s Boatsmen’s Association have the top two angling boats, the Mystique and the Che Sara. They offer half day, full day and evening trips at reasonable prices and are fully licensed and insured. The Harbour also offers Mackerel fishing and pleasure boat and speed boat trips where you can admire Newquay from the sea, looking at the wonderful coastline and beaches.

Watergate Bay – The Hotel and Extreme Academy

http://www.watergatebay.co.uk

Watergate Bay is a two mile long, sandy beach situated just north of Newquay. The beach is a popular location for Watersports, kite flying, and sand art and it provides combinations of adrenaline and total relaxation, dramatic coastline and beautiful countryside. The extreme academy is a great place to try a variety of sports such as kite surfing, wave skiing, mountain boarding, traction kiting and loads more. With the Hotel of Watergate bay sitting close by and with its stunning Oceanside location, it’s the perfect place to stay.

Great Western Beach

Newquay’s Great Western Beach is an extremely popular family beach. The beach is west facing, with several sandy coves and towering cliffs. The fact that the beach is quite sheltered means that it provides smaller surf, ideal for people who are just learning to surf. There are also a wide range of facilities including surf and deck chair hire and a private lift which descends through the cliffs from the Great Western Hotel. However, tides can get quite high, covering most of the sand so make sure you know the times of high water.

Newquay Water World

http://www.newquaywaterworld.co.uk

Waterworld is located in the Trenance Leisure Park, Newquay. Waterworld has two superb swimming pools. A six lane, twenty five metre pool and a tropical fun pool with water canon, tipper, flumes, slides, erupting volcano, spitting snakes and loads more. Other facilities in the Trenance Leisure Park are a wooden Waves Ramp Park, Tennis Centre, Zoo, Crazy Golf, Miniature Railway and children’s play areas.

The Boating Lake

The Boating Lake is located right next to Trenance Hill, near the Trenance Leisure Park and is a beautiful part of the landscape. The Boating Lake Café is a great place to stop off and have a few refreshments before exploring the rest of Newquay. Also, Trenance Riding School (http://www.newquayridingstables.co.uk) are nearby and provide riding lessons at a reasonable price. The Boating Lake is the perfect place to relax and take in the scenery and is a lovely sight to see at night with it’s beautifully illuminated fountain lighting up the whole area.

Dairyland Farm World

http://www.dairylandfarmworld.com/

Dairyland Farmworld is a family friendly attraction, providing fun and entertainment for all ages, whatever the weather. The park provides activities to take part in for all ages including several children’s play areas, drop slides, raging bull rides, Tractor rides, feeding and milking and loads more. The Dairyland farm is the perfect place to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a real working farm.

What You’ll Need

You’ll definitely need to bring a swimsuit (we recommend these guys for Swimwear, Beachwear, and Bikinis) with you and some clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty for when you’re taking part in daytime activities.

Other Useful Links

Mad Ferret Adventure Activities

http://www.madferret.co.uk/

Mad Ferret Adventure Activities is based in Newquay and offers a wide range of activities for all ages including: Coasteering, Body Boarding, Go Karts and Paintball, to name a few. Their website also provides useful tourist information about the local area and a list of possible places to stay in Newquay.

Newquay, Cornwall – Official Website

http://visitnewquaycornwall.co.uk

This is the official website for Newquay which provides useful information about the area. It tells you about the events, nightlife, attractions, activities, accommodation, food and beaches in Newquay. The website is the perfect travel resource for people planning to visit the area.

The Escape Surf School

http://www.escapesurfschool.co.uk

Escape Surf School is centrally located just a five minute walk away from both Fistral Beach and Great Western Beach and is based at Belushis, Newquay’s premier surf bar and hostel. They practice at both beaches and offer package deals for accommodation and surfing lessons. Their site tells you about important surfing events and has special offers for discounted times of the year listed on their site.

Newquay.net

http://newquaynet.com

This is a tourist information site which has an extensive list of activities, attractions, accommodation, beaches nightlife and news and events that are located in Newquay. It acts as a travel directory for the area and has a lot of information that a tourist will need to know when planning to visit Newquay.

More travel information

Holiday rentals – Self-catering holiday rental accommodation in France

Surf South West – Learn to surf with the UK’s leading provider of surfing tuition and surf holidays.

SafariNow.com offers a range of South Africa accommodation establishments, including hotels, guest houses and safari lodges throughout the country.