Ty Ni Y Bala

Ty Ni is our cottage in Bala town. It's Grade II listed, so it's old. It's in a row of cottages right on the high street. You can see the lake from the front windows.

It sleeps six. Three bedrooms upstairs, one bathroom. It's got a 4 Star rating, which means it's comfortable and well looked after. The bathroom is downstairs, just off the kitchen. That's the main quirk.

You're right in the town. There are a few cafes and pubs within a two-minute walk. The Spar is just down the road for basics. The leisure centre with the pool is about a five-minute walk if the weather's bad.

The big thing here is the lake. It's at the end of the street. You can hire paddle boards or kayaks there in summer. The National Whitewater Centre is up the road at Tryweryn, maybe a ten-minute drive, if that's your thing.

For walking or cycling, you're straight into Snowdonia. Coed y Brenin forest, with its mountain bike trails, is about half an hour's drive. For the coast, Barmouth or Harlech are about 45 minutes.

The facilities are all there. Washing machine, TV, WiFi. There's a small enclosed yard out the back with a table. Parking is for one car on the street outside the cottage. We allow one well-behaved dog.

Useful links if you're planning: Snowdonia National Park and National Trust Wales.