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I'm gonna spund a bit weird on this post I'm sure, but hey what the hell.

We live on the Wirral and we'll be doing about four/five caming trips this summer and we're staying within about 1 - 1.5 hrs of our home cos we're skint (less petrol) and we have a toddler who doesn't like long journeys!!

Was considering Bala Lake area - wondered what there is to do around there, on a budget!? And what are the good sites!

The other thing is I don't like mountains (yes, weird I kmow), like reverse claustrophobia or something!!!!, so was wondering how hilly/ mountainous it is around that area/ and what the journey is like ( in terms of no of montains on the way down!!) from the Wirral!

Hope someone can give some good advice, other than stay at home and don't think of Snowdon!!!!!!!

Thanks!!

Bala is not in Snowdonia itself although it is in the national park. It is not even particularly hilly, let alone mountainous. We go to a small site called Tyn Cornel 4 miles outside Bala. It is reviewed on this site. The journey from Wirral takes us about 1.5 hours and the road is excellent. The Queensferry bypass can be a bit of a pain on a Sunday evening though when the rest of Merseyside is returning from North Wales. A favourite day out for us is to head down to Blackrock Sands by Portmadog. You can park right on the beach all day for £2.00. Get the camping chairs and picnic out, tether the dog, people watch and read a good book. The toddler will love it.

Carol

Plese beware if you go to Bala!

We were there at Easter and got done for speeding! 32mph in a 35 zone! My husband is gutted - the only thing we can think of is that he thought he was out of Blanau Festiniog and had started to increase speed when he was caught! His first ever brush with the law at almost 50 - he has taken it very badly. £60 and 3 points - add that to the absolutely foul weather we had, the fact that I got knocked over my a Staffordshire terrier that went for my dog - dog had his neck bitten and now has lots of scabs, I have a cracked rib - and you might begin to understand why Bala is not our most favourite place - although it is very pretty and the people are lovely. Just be careful out there!

Karin

two other ways to get to bala from wirral,take M53 to the end and join on to the A5 then take the A483 past Wrexham, then the A5 past Corwen the join the A494 to Bala. or take the welsh road and go straight onto the A494 which then runs right through to Bala. Both take roughly the same amount of time.

As regards Bala itself, its a nice place but we have found ourselves limited of things to do their in the past, but plenty of the usual stuff is a short journey away.I will get back to you on the campsites we stayed at.

Why not try out Anglesey, roughly the same distance with much more to do, instead of being limited to the lake at Bala, there is loads of beaches.

My personel choice between a Bala and Anglesey would be to choose Anglesey.

Thanks for all your help.

Hazza we're off the Anglesey as well. I love it there too, loads of nice beaches, have bought a body board, which of course wouldn't be much cop at bala!

We are on the Wirral and are off to Bala tonight till Monday. 

We are staying at Pen y Bont site which gets quite good reviews on here but I'm not sure if it is surrounded by mountains until we get there.

Why not try Llangollen and Corwen, only an hour away and right by the canals.  We are saving Llangollen for quick over night trips.

Hi

Nice walks around the lake and a little steam train that runs around the lake shore was fun

We had a problem with midges when we were there last may

there is a website that lists where the speed cameras are going to be not sure of the correct address but if you type arrive alive  into a search engine you should be able to find it( sorry not very computer savvy)

hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a try

gp

I agree with the suggestions of Llangollen and Anglesey, both nice places and no mountains well mabe a hill or two round Llangollen.

What about Cheshire? Delemere forest area etc or Shropshire lots of sites on the reviews here Ive never been to any so can't comment on those