People are always looking for a new angle on nearly everything these days. The brand new shiny building that draws crowds from everywhere is what people expect when they hear of a new establishment, but what if the new establishment actually has a couple of hundred years of old behind it?
Llechwedd Slate Mines have taken the old and given it a new lease on life. Straight up, glamping Snowdonia National Park in Wales was amazing. The location, the facilities, and the activities all made for an amazing adventure. We were not sure how we would go with the weather in Wales not being at its finest but we had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Let’s tell you a bit more about the safari tent Glamping in Snowdonia at Llechwedd.
Where is the glamping in Snowdonia?
Located in the historic quarries of Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales is the Llechwedd Slate mountain site. This beautiful destination was once home to a prosperous slate mine that exported its stone all over the world
Nowadays the site is home to Glamping and attractions such as Salt Mine Tours, Zip World and mountain bike trails
Llechwedd is an amazing example of an industrial site of yesteryear being repurposed into a fantastic destination that can be used today.
Our Snowdonia glamping tent
We headed to Llechwedd to spend a night in one of their amazing glamping at Slate Caverns tents. They have 6 tents on a steep hillside in the rugged landscape overlooking zip lines and the slate mountains in the heart of North Wales.
Check-in at
We parked our car in the car park and made our way to the reception. Check-in was easy and the process was quick. The staff member checked all of our passports (we are Australian and travelling with our 2 daughters) and told us the rules of the glamping tents.
We were offered breakfast the next day and told the entry times for activities that we had decided to do the following day for confirmation.
After checking in at the slate caverns glamping, we moved our car to the car park just below the tents. A staff member will then whisk you and your luggage up to the tent site in a sturdy 4-wheel drive.
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Arrival at the Glamping in Snowdonia tents
The first thing you notice is the deck. It has 2 chairs and a small table on it for you to take in the fantastic views. Perfect for wine and nibbles while watching the ever-changing skies of North Wales. The dramatic landscape takes on two different personalities when cloudy or sunny.
Inside the glamping tent at Llechwedd Slate Mines
The deck at slate mountain glamping leads you into the living room area of the tent. Here you will be greeted with a seating area featuring table and bench seats complete with slate placemats and coasters. My first impression was that it is a warm, rustic and welcoming environment to spend a night in.
On the table, you will find complimentary tea and coffee and a pack of local artisan ginger biscuits. You can have a cuppa and biscuit while you settle in.
Lounge area in the glamping tent
On one side of your lounge room, you have a wood burner fire for warmth complete with wood and firestarters. If the weather is going to be cold, we suggest you bring some extra wood or purchase it from reception. The pile you are given runs out pretty quickly. There is also a little electric heater there as well.
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Kitchenette
On the other side of the tent is your kitchenette. You have a small fridge, microwave, sink, utensils, cups and plates. There is no stove, so if you bring food make sure it can be microwaved. Everything you need for a night of Glamping at slate cavers in Snowdonia.
Bedrooms in the glamping tents
The bedroom has bunk beds. The bunks had a double and single on the top and another with 2 singles. This is perfect for families. Usually, it is pretty hard for families of up to 5 to find accommodation in one room. This is perfect!
The beds were comfortable with heavy blankets for the cold weather, 2 pillows and a hot water bottle for you to use. We had a water bottle in our beds and they made them so snug and warm on our luxury glamping trip in the United Kingdom.
The en-suite bathroom has a hot water-on-demand shower and a toilet to use. The towel heater will dry and warm the big luxurious towels supplied to keep you extra cosy. There are also some toiletries.
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What is at the Slate Mountain Glamping site?
There are a cafe, pub and pizza shop on site. If you’re looking to eat dinner, I would not personally be relying on any of these to be open at dinner time. The cafe closes at 5, and the bar staff told us the pizza restaurant and the pub is meant to open till 7 pm, but if it’s quiet it can close at any time.
Small groups of friends or family camping in the luxury safari tents in the heart of Snowdonia can have a fabulous Welsh-cooked breakfast at the café.
We suggest you bring some of your own food that can be microwaved and enjoyed as you watch the daylight as it slips away behind the mountains out on the deck. You can also head into the centre of Blaenau Ffestiniog and grab dinner at the local pub or takeaway stores.
The gate is locked at 7 pm for the public but as a guest, you are given a code for the gate to get back into this Snowdonia glamping site.
As the day gives way to the darkness of the night the stars come out to play. In the darkness of this mountainous region of Llechwedd Noth Wales, the stars dazzle in the night sky like diamonds.
Make sure you make yourself a hot drink and spend some time on the deck star spotting. This was a great family experience during our stay.
What else is there to do at Llechwedd Slate Mine?
Onsite at slate mountain, North Wales, there is a Welsh Slate Mine zip wire for thrill-seekers. You will get to make your way across 3 different zip lines. Bounce Below takes you underground for a subterranean net adventure.
There is the exciting tourist attraction, the Slate Mountain Adventure where an ex-military truck takes you to the highs of the slate hills and the lows of the slate cavers underground. The Slate Mountain Adventure includes the LLechwedd deep mine tour. The Antur Stiniog downhill mountain bike centre attracts bikers from all over Europe and the world.
While in the area of slate mountain Snowdonia, you should consider a road adventure to Porthmadog, Italianate village of Portmeirion.
We did the Slate Mountain Adventure Tour after checking out our Glamping tent and having breakfast at the onsite cafe. We loved our time at Llechwedd and wished we had stayed another night. Everything about it was amazing from the location to the warm and comfortable beds.
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How to get to Llechwedd Glamping
Chester England is the usual entry point to North Wales from England. Follow the A55 into North Wales. Take exit 19 just after Conwy onto the A470 and follow the signs to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The Journey will take 1.5 hours from Chester to Llechwedd slate caverns.
Adventurous visitors can reach Slate Mountain Glamping by public transport via the Ffestiniog Railway and the Blaenau Ffestiniog bus station. Buses run regularly from Llandudno Junction on the coast.
The Holyhead mainline is a primary railway line in the north of Wales, running from Crewe on the West Coast Main Line to Holyhead on the Isle of Anglesey. The line runs through Llandudno where passengers can transfer to a bus to Llechwedd. A taxi from town to the adventure glampsite is recommended.
You can fly to Liverpool or Manchester and rent a car for the journey. You can catch a train via Chester to Rhyl in Wales. From Rhyl 5 trains a day go to Betws-y-Coed where you can connect to Blaenau Ffestiniog by one of the 6 trains daily.
We hope this article from us here at Wyld Family Travel has you inspired to go glamping in Snowdonia. There are so many great things to see and do in Wales.
For more amazing ideas on where to holiday in Wales click through to our Wales Destination Page for more brilliant inspiration.
This looks like a wonderful getaway!