Birthday Swim 2019 – Llyn Geirionydd

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It’s taken me a while to write this blog. Feeling under the weather and a bit blue with all this rain and dreary weather we have been having this November has really knocked my inspiration.

This year, for my birthday I booked two nights away to a gorgeous renovated mansion house, Plas Y Coed, part of the Penrhyn estate.

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My plans were for a few days of wild swimming in gorgeous Snowdonia. I had plumbed for Llyn Geirionydd to be my birthday swim of 2019. On the day we drove the two hours from Liverpool towards the llyn, on narrow tracks through the Gwydir Forest. We arrived at free parking and toilets. The car park wasn’t easy to find!

Between 1850 and 1919 Llyn Geirionydd was part of a lead and zinc mining area. Reputedly the home of 6th century poet Taliesin, the llyn now has been restored for modern day visitors to enjoy.

After having lunch, we donned our heavy rucksacks, (you can’t believe the amount of equipment I have to bring for a swim!) and headed towards the llyn-side. Llyn Geirionydd wasn’t as picturesque as I had hoped but I experienced a wonderful walk around the llyn, met many curious onlookers and enjoyed a chilling swim.

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Wild swimming at llyn geirionydd
Christine at llyn geirionydd

The swim itself was much colder than I had expected. The temperature of the water really made me gasp! I’d prepared myself for future (high altitude swims) but not this one. Over the few days away in Snowdonia, Llyn Geirionydd was the swim that made me complain the most! :p

Plas Y Coed, after falling into disrepair has been given a new lease of life following extensive renovations. This grade II listed building was built between 1863 and 1878. Originally built for the home of the Penrhyn estate manager, Captain Pennant Lloyd. It has now been developed into 12 apartments. We booked a cosy and warm one bedroom apartment through airbnb.

Have you holidayed in Snowdonia? Where did you stay?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x

15 thoughts on “Birthday Swim 2019 – Llyn Geirionydd”

    • I do crave going for a swim/walk but life and distance gets in the way 😦 x Your week off work looked good. Do you not have heaters for the van? Are you a Scorpio by any chance? I seem to know a lot of my kind xx

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      • Ha, yes I am a Scorpio. 🙂
        Yes the van has central heating, the bedrooms heater is quite small though. So it feels chillier in there than in the other rooms. We should be ok next time with the electric blanket and hot water bottles! I’m reading a wild swimming book called swimming with seals at the mo. I will pass it on to you if you like, though you might have already read it? X

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  3. We Scorpians are the best! Your birthday swim looks envigorating! I stayed in Snowdonia as a child. I think it was a hotel at Betws Y Coed. Just checked – the Ty Gwyn. It’s still there.I remember it had a fantastic drying room for wet clothes in the basement and the hot water was amazing. I don’t think I have ever enjoyed baths so much as the ones we had after we got down off the mountains- it was August and it rained ever day!

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    • That’s Wales for you! Rains a lot of the time. So good to read your memories of the place. My swim was cold, but I had colder the next day when I double -dipped! I’ve yet to write about it. Thanks for reading xx

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  4. That looks like a beautiful place to stay, I holidayed in Snowdonia in 2006, my first holiday with Dave. We camped at Cae Du site in Beddgelert, with a riverside pitch surrounded by great scenery. I’d love to do it again 🙂

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  5. I used to visit North Wales a lot my Dad grew up there so he knows lots of little off beat places to see, I love your cat hat and the video edit was really good with the long distance shots cutting seamlessly into your selfie shots. Glad you had a lovely birthday break.

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