If you are looking to discover the ancient land of Snowdonia, well known for its outstanding natural beauty then holiday cottages in North Wales allow you to stay in gorgeous, comfortable accommodation while remaining close to the beautiful views.
Snowdonia, a land of forests and mountains, is usually explored in the summertime. The weather is milder and warmer in summer. The foliage is in full bloom and the landscape is at its greenest.
Most people like to enjoy outdoor activities in the summertime, however Snowdonia is a completely different place in the winter and you could be missing out on breath taking sights and experiences.
In winter the days are much shorter and most associate this with gloom but it presents a unique opportunity to experience a whole new side of nature. We all need plenty of sleep but due to the night being longer in winter we have more chance to discover Snowdonia’s nature and wildlife after dark. Glow worms, moths and bats are all fascinating and beautiful creatures, native to Wales, that you are unlikely to see in the daytime. Larger mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes and badgers are far more likely to be seen at night too as this is when they look for food.
Winter is much colder than other months in the UK yet, in addition to making us feel chilly, it causes a mesmerising transformation on the natural world in Snowdonia. Colder nights usually mean clearer skies and so the night sky is much more on show on clear, cold winter nights. Cold also brings frost and ice particles into the air. These create a range of effects in the sky and wonderful ice sculptures on trees and lakes. The peaks of Snowdonia’s mountain ranges are usually coated with a layer or two of frost or even snow and as the leaves of most trees have fallen, the stark and dramatic shapes of the angular ridges show up clearly against the sky. Snowdonia in winter is a popular scene among nature photographers who appreciate that winter can produce far more visually stunning images than summer.
Snowdonia’s winter brings another unique opportunity. Watching the dawn break over a wild, natural landscape or the sun set over the mountains is a powerful sight than many of us would like to witness yet at most times of the year this would involve staying out very late or waking up very early. Winter allows us to easily rise at a natural time to view the dawn and see a sun set while still making it to bed early.
Winter has often been viewed with negativity in the Northern hemisphere due to the fact that we get less light and warmth but it has also long been associated with special occasions. Yule has been celebrated in the Northern hemisphere for thousands of years and today this is still a special time to celebrate, in fact Christmas is arguably the biggest yearly holiday for most people in Wales. There is nothing like staying in a beautiful holiday cottage in North Wales with a crackling fire after a long walk in the crisp, clear winter air of Snowdonia.