We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Penclogwynau Cottage, surrounded by the beautifully tranquil Welsh landscape.
Penclogwynau Cottage, near Dolgellau, Snowdonia
This beautifully equipped cottage is located within its own enclosed grounds on the lower slopes of Cadair Idris, 1.5 miles from the market town of Dolgellau. Penclogwynau, along with its 17 acres, has been in the same family since the 1870s. It’s currently owned by Menna and Chris Edwards, who renovated it to enable their children to continue to enjoy links to their ancestry.
The Paw Award
Everyone knows we dogs normally have four paws, so to get a five paw award is super special. Four is an extremely positive Frankie recommendation, any less and it’s just a question of personal choice.
Friendly & welcoming atmosphere
The cottage has been beautifully restored to a high quality with its stone floors hiding toasty underfloor heating, a log burning stove and many of the original features dating back to the 18th century. A tray with Welsh cakes, coffee and tea welcomed us on the table, with milk in the fridge.
Helpful hosts
Menna messaged us on the day we arrived to let us know that, although they no longer lived in the area, there were plenty of people around to help out if we needed it and just to get in touch. They also messaged to say when the gardener would be calling in to cut the lawn to ensure we knew when he would be arriving.
Accommodation suitability & cost per dog
The stone floor was perfect for dogs who had access to the garden through the French doors. We were really lucky with the weather as it didn’t rain at all during our week’s stay, However, wet paws wouldn’t be a problem which means you can relax without fear of damaging the flooring. There’s a stairgate to help prevent dogs (and children) from going upstairs; naturally dogs were not allowed on the beds.
The enormous private garden is secure and loved by Freya and Frankie who wiled away the time sniffing and sunbathing at every opportunity.
There is a ground floor wet room which is perfect for muddy paws if necessary. There’s a wonderful slipper bath in the bathroom upstairs and an en-suite shower room for the non-furry guests.
There is a fee of £20 per dog per week.
Little extras
Other than a water bowl, there were no extras provided for dogs.
Location & dog walks
As you would expect in the rolling hills of Wales there are so many walks to choose from. We climbed Cadair Idris – quite a tough climb, but the views are breathtaking if the weather is on your side (image on the left).
There are also plenty of woodland walks to choose from, again mostly hilly, but Freya and Frankie loved the off-lead freedom away from it all. The best one for us was the Tan y Coed trail in Difi Forest (taking a break in the right image).
With refreshing drinks along the way.
And the beautiful beaches of Barmouth are not far away for frolicking on the sand – of which there was plenty.
Frankie awarded Penclogwynau Four Stars
You can book the cottage through one of the agents and view the facilities which are exactly as depicted.