Snowdonia's best kept secret, Plas Curig Hostel.

In the height of this almighty heat wave we seem to be having and having a little London cabin fever we accepted a long overdue invitation to one of our closest friends hostels, Plas Curig, in Snowdonia, Wales. Just two years old and based in Snowdonia - a good few hours drive from busy ol'london P and I hired a car from our usual 'trusty' car hire company and left London on a muggy Thursday night, complete with a car full of provisions ready for our long journey ahead. As night fell and the red sky glowed pink to red to deep jet black P suddenly pulled the car over realising that the car's back lights weren't working! Stuck in Telford at this point with no back lights and less than 10% phone battery each we headed in to a local pub and waited.... and waited for roadside emergency assistance. Two tiring hours later, a closed pub and a weary couple sat in the dark there was light- our roadside assistance man! Quite a character and very helpful, he immediately fixed the car ( blown fuse) and let us follow him to a local hotel. It was now way passed midnight and we were bit shattered. £65 later we were in bed laughing at how wrong our first night's rest should have been, but excited for the following morning and eventually getting to Amy and Wills! Friday morning and with a burst of energy we bounded out of our room and set to the car hoping this time for a smooth ride. Quite rapidly the scenery changed from fields and industrial estates to lush green rolling hills and then more dramatic valleys, open to the blue skies. Eventually mid morning we reached Plas Curig and could see all the mountains in their full glory! 

After a delicious and much needed breakfast, Amy showed us around the hostel. 59 beds and 14 bedrooms, a library, chill out lounge, dining room and immense kitchen complete with everything Gordon Ramsey would require- aside from a usual hostel dweller! The interior is gorgeous, chocolate brown leather arm chairs, lamb's wool rugs on every bed, reclaimed flooring and many other incredible pieces that I ooohd and ahhhd at as she showed us around. All designed by Amy herself, this could be an exclusive hotel rather than a hostel, it's dog friendly too! All the bedrooms are light and airy with high ceilings and incredibly comfortable looking beds! The design is so well set out and makes you just want to climb to the top bunk and dive in- a child and adults play pen.

After snooping, Amy and Will took us for a walk around their local swimming pool, Lynn Idwal . . . And no, we're not talking about a wee infested Tooting lido- but a glistening, clear- warm(ish) and deserted lake at the foot of the Snowdonia mountains, complete with its own beach.

Seeing very few people at all, we walked along the jagged rocky paths, up over and around until we finally saw the foot of the lake. With the warm air and blue skies, the dogs chasing stones, sticks and the splashes of water, Amy and I sat on the beach and gossiped as we watched the boys plunge in to the lake- trying to assert their machoism  as they felt the icy cool water on their sunned bodies. 

 After a good hour watching the boys splash around we headed back to the car over the rugged heathland. Such vivid colours and beautiful rare heather which smelt like a perfumery. 

Before heading home we stopped off for a well earned drink at the Pen-Y-Gwryd Hotel. Steeped in mountaineering history, it displays a plethora of mountaineering artefacts used by Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzing on their maiden ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. A truly welcoming bolt hole and retreat with lots of different nooks and crannys to snuggle yourself away in (+ the dogs) and a great selection of food and drink to choose from. 

Back home, with rumbling tummies Amy and I set to preparing the BBQ food as Will and P headed to the local shop for some more provisions. 

BBQ blazing we tucked in to home made haloumi and veg skewers, sausages, bbq'd asparagus and corn followed by Amy's insane and utterly indulgent brownies for which I must get the recipe of. These were a chocolate lovers heaven and a dieters hell.... But hey, you only live once and for this weekend the wedding diet was also on holiday! 

Not thinking it was possible to fit anything out in our bulging tummies Amy cracked out the marshmallows! Using skewers we each roasted them over the roaring fire, seeing who could get the white fluffy clouds to be of optimum sinful gooeyness. 

 Pitch black now and under a star scattered sky we headed for bed ready and excited for the next days activities! 

..... to be continued! 

Spring has sprung on a sunny Saturday in Wiltshire.

With spring looking like it may have finally sprung at last and not a cloud in the sky we headed up to Paddington to catch the 11:06am to Pewsey to meet my parents for the first time since our engagement!

Since we've been back we have not stopped celebrating; seeing friends for gatherings and dinners and after work cocktails have become the norm rather than a rare treat. We have both expanded our waist lines, liver functions and 5 hours sleep has suddenly become a lie in - but we couldn't be happier. Life just seems to be a bubble of happiness at the moment and we're so lucky to have such amazing people around us.

Parents met and big excited cuddles exchanged we jumped into the car and drove about 10 minutes away to the picturesque village of Bottlesford. 3 hours of laughing, eating and chatting all about our spectacular holiday and our impeding wedding plans.... Which, I know, I am still to divulge- but I will soon, I promise! Mummy had spent a lot of time looking for a beautiful country pub and she definitely succeeded.

The Seven Stars is an Inn dating back to the 16th century surrounded by delightful countryside. As beautiful as it is on the outside as it is in we sat in the main dining areas surrounded by beautiful antique pieces. I indulged in a burger- I know, naughty- especially considering the dinner party food and trifle last night.... Best not to think about it I think! Daddy and p had burgers too but they went for all the add ons, bacon and cheese, cholesterol and heart attack etc and mummy had a goats cheese salad- which, I'm not going to lie, I wish I had gone for as it looked so good! 2 thick pieces of goats cheese slabs - a rare treat in any restaurant I've been to in London! Usually you can barely see the goats cheese for leaves and no sooner have you found a piece it's gone. ! My burger was good, could have been rarer but we weren't given the option so that was fine. The boys loved the chips and they managed to eat all mine too, as I was saving myself for pud!

Pudding was chocolate fondant, ice cream and berries- it was delicious! The fondant cooked to perfection so the chocolate oozed out!

Tummies full to bursting we jumped back in the car and headed to the canal for a brisk walk before our 16:25 train back to London.

A quick trip but only just over an hr out of London AND £15 return (we booked a week in advance) so well worth it if you just need a quick break from busy City life. You don't need a car if you just want a walk along the canal and a few country pubs all in close proximity to the station.