Porthmadog is the gateway to this magical corner of Wales – an old maritime town located at the mouth of the Glaslyn estuary, a bustling town whatever the time of year. It is from here the slates of Blaenau Ffestiniog used to be shipped out to the four corners of the world. The ships have long disappeared, but the humour still remains. A warm welcome is assured by the people of “Port”, a sign of things to come as you continue down the peninsula. On Wednesdays, the people of Llŷn descend upon Pwllheli to seek out a bargain. The narrow streets and cafes are filled with people catching up with the week’s news over a hot pot of tea. The Wednesday market at Pwllheli has traders that have been setting up their stands for decades, offering all kinds of nick knacks – a difficult place to leave empty handed!

At one time the Pwllheli used to be an important harbour town with shipbuilding being its main industry. It is a town rich in tales of pirates and smugglers that used to roam the area out to get their hands on the imported wine. Yesterday’s harbour and ships is now today’s marina and yachts – hundreds of boats are anchored in the marina and Pwllheli is now one of the main sailing centres in Britain.

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