A lake in the forest, nestled 200m above Betws-Y-Coed, Llyn Elsi is one of the walks you can embark on straight from our front door (no vehicle access required for this one and kudos for reducing your carbon footprint!)

Llyn Elsi was once two lakes, however in 1914 Lord Ancaster allowed the building of the damn merging the lakes into a reservoir supplying Betws-Y-Coed with drinking water.  From start to finish back to the hotel the walk takes about 2 and a half hours – although I ambled around the lake taking in the Autumn reflections so was a little over schedule! Continue reading “Holly went walking”

Love is in the air…… If you’re in Wales on 25 January, then St Dwynwen’s Day, is the date we honour our Welsh patron saint of lovers. It’s our very own version of St Valentine’s Day – we’re celebrating both days here at the Oak (being such old romantics we can’t help it…)

So who was St Dwynwen we hear you ask….

She was a 4th-century Welsh princess,the most beautiful of King Brychan Frycheiniog’s 24 daughters but who was so unlucky in love she became a nun… Continue reading “Wales in Love”