Things to do while you are at The Forge

INFORMATION ABOUT THE LOCAL AREA

SHOPS

Nisa – local convenience store which sells all the essentials – from the end of the drive turn right and follow the directions into Corwen and it is located on the main A5 through road. Open from 9am – 9pm daily (opens at 10am on Sundays). 01490 413180

Rhug Estate Farm Shop – lots of local produce including meat produced on the farm. Excellent bistro and take-away burgers and good coffee available too. Open from 9am – 5pm daily. 01490 411100

TAKEAWAYS

China Garden – good Chinese takeaway opposite the Post Office. Open daily from 4 – 10.30pm except Tuesdays. 01490 412243

Parry’s Plaice – Fish and Chips – yummy family favourites on the A5 main road. Open from 11.30am – 2pm and 4.30 – 8pm every day except Monday. 01490 412346

RESTAURANTS

The Grouse – our ‘local’ in Carrog, a 5 min drive away, serves up fantastic pub grub and lovely ales all overlooking the river and the old bridge. Food and drink served every day from 12 noon to 10pm. Dog friendly. 01490 4302722 – booking in advance advised.

The Berwyn Arms – owned and run by the same amazing team behind The Grouse (see above) this converted 17^th century coaching inn in Glyndyfrdwy offers gastro-pub food and comes highly recommended. 01490 430210

Old Wive’s Tales – Traditional Portuguese restaurant in Bala (20 mins) with a keen local clientele and a very homely atmosphere. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 5 – 10.30pm. 07428 473129

The Cornmill – A little drive away (20 mins) in Llangollen, this converted mill sits right on the river Dee and has great food and beers. Open daily. 01978 869 555

Gales Wine Bar – also in Llangollen, this beautiful, panelled restaurant is super-friendly with a local seasonal menu that changes regularly. Open for lunch 12-2pm Monday to Sunday and for dinner 6-9pm Monday to Saturday. 01978 860089

Tyddyn Llan – if you fancy treating yourself, we have a Michelin-starred restaurant only 15 minutes away in Llandrillo that serves up amazing food. Well worth the splurge. 01490 440264

Pale Hall – and just a little further on is Pale Hall, under executive chef Michael Caines, that has a spectacular tasting menu. It’s not cheap but the lunch menus are good value. 01678 530285

THINGS TO DO

WALKS – there is a lovely 4km walk up to the top of Caer Drewyn which you can see from the caravan. This is one of the best-preserved hill forts in the area and you can still see all the stone ramparts. From the top there are stunning views down the Dee Valley and on a good day you can see Snowdon! There are also lots of lovely shorter walks around the river and in the woods behind the town which can range from 0.5km – 5km. This summer there is an art installation called Waking the Giant in the Pen Y Pigyn woods where you can various things that the giant left behind before he fell asleep in Dol Corwenna. The walk up to Liberty Hall takes around 4-5 hours there and back from here and is well worth it! Just ask us is you need any more information about walks or trail runs in the area or down into Snowdonia or the Berwyn ranges. We have OS maps available on request.

MUSEUM – there is a local museum in the town which has a wealth of information about the area and our local hero, Owain Glyndwr, the last Welsh prince of Wales who is reputed to be buried in our lovely local church. Entry is free and the volunteers are happy to answer any questions you may have.

MOUNTAIN BIKING – One Plant Adventure in Llandegla has an outstanding selection of rides through the forest with bike hire and an amazing on-site café. You can also rent bikes at Llyn Brenig.

FISHING – the local River Dee offers some of the best river fly fishing in Wales. We can arrange for one day permits with CADAC (Corwen and District Angling Club) which offers you stretches of the River Dee to fish for salmon, trout and grayling.

WATER SPORTS – white-water rafting, gorging, canyoning, river-bugging and more are all available with our partners SAS Outdoors and White Water Active in Llangollen.

A bit further afield down into Eryri and on the coast, there are loads of things to do so let us know if you need some inspiration and we can share our ideas. We can also let you in on a few secrets about the best places in the local area….

THE BEST LOCAL PLACES…

To see RAF fighter jets. Head to the Mach Loop, about a 45-minute drive from here and a real once-in-a-lifetime experience to see the jets fly over you and then duck down and away down the valley. If you are lucky you might catch them flying over The Forge on their way to the loop.

For a lakeside picnic. Take the Bala Lake Railway and get off and Llangower for a stunning picnic spot and a fantastic opportunity for a stone skimming competition! Marvel at the crazy tree root in this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) while enjoying your sarnies.

For afternoon tea. The Sugar Plum Tea Room in Rhewl, just outside Ruthin and about a 25-minute drive away serves up the best afternoon teas. Make sure you go hungry and if you are feeling decadent, splash out on a glass of fizz while you are at it. 01824 702852

To spot red squirrels. We have red squirrels living in Clocaenog Forest just a short drive from here. Go quietly and you might just be lucky enough to see them…

For a paddle and a pint. The Grouse Inn in Carrog has a lovely outdoor seating area where you can watch the kids and the dog paddling in the River Dee on a warm day. You can also wander along to the tea rooms at Carrog station for yummy local ice cream.

For locally made ice-cream. Head to Aran Ice Cream on Bala High Street. They change the flavours regularly and offer ice cream ‘tapas’ if you can’t make up your mind. They also make special ice cream for dogs! 07570 410034

For local ales and gin – just across the road from Aran Ice Cream in Bala is Stori – a wonderful cavern of locally produced beers, ales and spirits. They even have a BYOF (Bring Your Own Food) policy so you can enjoy what they have on tap in the little room at the back whilst enjoying your lunch. 01678 520501

For a romantic meal – The White Horse in Hendrerwydd is a wonderful restaurant for tapas style food using lots of local ingredients. Their dining room is a treasure trove of menus they have gathered from amazing restaurants around the world and has a cosy log fire and big armchairs. 01824 790218

OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION

Our closest A&E department is at Wrexham Maelor hospital around a 25-minute drive away. We also have a local surgery for any minor complaints – 01490 412 970.

Rowlands Pharmacy can be found in the main square in Corwen and is open 9am – 6pm Mon to Fri and 9-11.30am on Saturdays. Closed on Sundays. If you are stuck over the weekend please let us know and we can help out.

The nearest petrol station is in Glan-yr-Afon which is on the road to Bala about 10 mins drive away.

We are very happy to welcome dogs but please pick up after them so we can all enjoy the space 😊. There is a dog waste bin behind the showers in the main field. We do have a vet in Corwen for any emergencies – 01490 412 276.