Number 57 by the Sea

No plans for the bank holiday weekend yet?…how about an impromptu get away to the Welsh coast for a few days to soak up a hefty dose of vitamin sea, all with stunning Snowdonia as a backdrop?

We have late availability at Number 57* & would love to welcome you for the weekend!

Full details at:
https://pillowpartners.com/wales/number-57-by-the-sea

[*Cheapest rates available direct via Pillow Partners; minimum of a 3 night stay; sunshine not guaranteed but a cozy home-away-from-home is!]

A little sneak peek of our brand new wooden floor & beautifully colourful rug now in situ in the living room at Number 57, all ready to launch the 2022 season ♡

The Blue Lake is tucked away up in the mountains just above Fairbourne, and there’s always been something magical about it to me.

When I was a kid, you got to it by walking through a long natural tunnel that literally cut into the hill, and then you’d suddenly pop out into a natural amphitheatre with tall rocky walls all around you, and this stunning bright blue lake in the middle of it all.

Sadly, too many visitors didn’t respect it in more recent years with large quantities of litter being dumped there becoming an issue; so, the farmer who owns the land took the decision to fill in the tunnel blocking direct access to the lake a couple of years ago.

But…you can still follow the footpath a little further up the mountain and get the stunning views down into the old quarry with the lake at the bottom, all with the backdrop of the Mawddach estuary in the background, so it’s still well worth exploring!

“ a very special place to be 🥰 Nothing says relaxation after a while windy walk like this little conservatory looking out to Barmouth from Fairbourne. Number 57 has been the family holiday home of my good writing friend Sue since 1974 and I loved it so much after visiting last year I booked back in with a walking loving friend! It has a beautiful energy, new refurbishment + much loved holiday home = something special.”

…A huge thank you to the lovely Penny for booking Number 57 back in February & for the glowing review of her stay! I really enjoyed sharing Number 57 with Penny last Spring as we were coming out of lockdown, & I love that she lives it there so much too now 🤗

Introducing the official Number 57 Easter Bunny, circa 1975 ♡ She’s very delicate these days so is in residence with me at home for safe keeping rather than in Fairbourne now, but Number 57 is still a great place for an Easter egg hunt…trust me, I’ve enjoyed a few there myself over the years!

And we still have some availability in April if you’re looking for a last minute get away over the Easter holidays…

Pillow Partners, who manage bookings for me, have recently launched a new all singing, all dancing website…which isn’t actually working for taking bookings at Number 57 at the moment. So, we’re directing guests to our listing on Airbnb to check availability at https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/44385185?_set_bev_on_new_domain=1648724722_M2I1YzNjZjA0M2I4&source_impression_id=p3_1648724724_kzJODyoXjvi18DpD

…then if you contact Naomi direct at Pillow via email at [email protected] or on 07874 231153 she will be able to organise your booking at our standard rate without you being charged the additional Airbnb commission.

So, who’s for some sea air to blow away the winter cobwebs?…

A little bit of Fairbourne history…80 years before Number 57 was born!

Fairbourne 1893

A very happy New Year to you from the all the team behind Number 57 ♡

Despite having had to lock the doors for over 6 months of lockdown just a few weeks after we launched on 29 August 2020, 2021 was still a successful first year for us & it was a pleasure to be able to share Number 57 with so many lovely guests last year.

And we very much look forward to welcoming both returning guests & new friends to this stunning part of Snowdonia in 2022…x

December 1st is here & we’re off! Number 57 is all ready to wish our guests a very ‘Nadolig Llawen’ over the next few weeks ♡

There are still some dates available this month, & you can access the best rates via booking direct at www.pillowpartners.com/listings/number-57-by-the-sea/

Good to see Fairbourne Railway doing their bit in the environment stakes! Here’s to plenty of sunny days ahead to make the most of their new solar panels…

A sneak peek of a festive Number 57…

[Some dates still available for bookings over the holiday period]

Not quite as sunny as my last visit to the George III back in July, but the view over the Mawddach Estuary is still breathtaking even in the rain ♡

The Cellar Bar is fully open for food now (it was outside seating only back in July). Tables are first come, first served, & there’s a good choice of tasty pub grub from traditional fish & chips to tasty filled flatbreads. (And dogs are welcome downstairs too!)

It’s been a good few years since I’ve been to Machynlleth & to be honest we were a little dubious as to what we would find in terms of somewhere to get lunch on a grey, wet Monday in November…& then we stumbled upon Tŷ Medi & what a find!

I challenge anyone who says vegetarian/vegan food is boring to give this little gem of a place a try. Set over two floors, the upstairs is divided into three cozy rooms, each with a different quirky & interesting decor.

A perfect place to hide from the rain & lunch was delicious…& we even bought some of their courgette & lime cake to take home with us after a fellow lunch guest raved about it so much!

Definitely one for the ‘must visit’ list for future stays at Number 57…

Where did ‘Auntie’ go?

Did someone say walkies?

Sunday brunch with a view chez Number 57 ♡

*Book 3 nights & get a 4th night FREE at Number 57 on stays until Friday 17 December 2021* at https://www.pillowpartners.com/listings/number-57-by-the-sea/

It’s blowing a hooley out there, so definitely time to crack open the red & hunker down for the evening at Number 57…

*Book 3 nights & get a 4th night FREE at Number 57 on stays until Friday 17 December 2021* at https://www.pillowpartners.com/listings/number-57-by-the-sea/

*Book 3 nights & get a 4th night FREE at Number 57 on stays until Friday 17 December 2021* at https://www.pillowpartners.com/listings/number-57-by-the-sea/

We may be well into the autumn now, but Snowdonia is stunning whatever time of year…

How about a blustery walk on a deserted beach with a backdrop of mountains in a rainbow of autumnal shades, before heading back to your own home away from home to get cozy? Enjoy a coffee or glass of wine by the fire; or camp out in the sunroom with a good book or watch the panoramic view of the Mawddach estuary as it changes with the light through the day. Or maybe get lost in a jigsaw? The choice is all yours ♡

It’s never too late in the year for a little break away…

Living in landlocked Derbyshire most of the time, I feel so lucky to have the beach just a 5 minute walk away from Number 57 when I come to stay…well, it does take a little longer if you’re with a 4-legged friend who has to sniff EVERY blade off grass en route 🙄 But still more than worth it when we do finally get there…

The kitchen has a new addition too…which to be fair has been in situ since my last visit in June, but I forgot to take a picture of it at the time!

A new edition to Number 57 ♡ Gifted by a friend, it’s had a mini-makeover with some subtle silver stripes across the top, & is now looking very at home in its new spot.

And very soon it’ll be providing a perfect base for the little Christmas tree…

A little bit of Fairbourne history I’ve never heard before…

Work is well underway on Barmouth Bridge…

Still looking for somewhere to get away from it all this autumn?…Number 57 by the Sea is a cozy home away from home in a stunning corner of Snowdonia, & we still have availability from 3 October onwards.

With a back drop of mountains and the Mawddach Estuary at the back of the property, & the most stunning beach just a 5 minute walk away, what more could you ask for? Well, let’s see…incredibly comfy beds, all the comforts of home & a few quirky interior touches to make things interesting!

We first opened our doors to guests just over a year ago, & we must have got something right because we’ve got lots of people booking in for a second visit, which is the best news for any business. You can see the reviews on the website for the lowdown from our guests themselves…

www.pillowpartners.com/listings/number-57-by-the-sea/

Number 57 has been solidly booked since June all the way through to 3 October, but we’d love to welcome you this autumn if you’re still looking for somewhere to get away from it all…or maybe can be tempted with an extra little jaunt away?…after the 18 months we’ve all had, we deserve a few treats!

Maddie the dog & I are suffering withdrawal symptoms for some beach time! It’s great news that Number 57 has been fully booked since June all the way through to 30 October…but it just means no trips for us to get down on that beach & soak up the mountains views.

A friend of mine is staying there this week on a return visit…they were some of our very first guests when we first opened the doors to Number 57 a year ago. So Maddie & I are enjoying it vicariously through them this week!

Barmouth Bridge may be closed to trains & walkers from 12 September to 12 December…but where there’s a will there’s always a way, & it’s Barmouth Ferry to the rescue!

I’m assuming this will be weather dependent, so may be worth checking their page for updates before you set out…

At nearly half a mile long and more than 150 years old, the Grade II listed Barmouth Viaduct is heralded as one of Wales' most unique and iconic structures. And it’s said to be ‘the only major timber-built bridge still in use today’…but I’m not sure if that’s in Wales or the world?! (surely not the world?!!).

Network Rail are currently undertaking a £25m refurbishment & upgrade to the viaduct that will ‘see the historic landmark protected for local people and visitors for generations to come.’

Work started in 2020, & over 3 years they will be replacing a large number of both the timber and metal elements of the viaduct, as well as replacing the entire length of train track. So no mean feat!

In my book, the view up the Mawddach estuary from the middle of the bridge is one of the most stunning in the world…but visitors to the area between 12 September & 12 December 2021 will have to take my word for it, I’m afraid, as the bridge will be closed to trains & walkers for the next phase of the works.

But…it’s a small price to pay to have the bridge standing strong for decades to come ♡

Time Out Magazine has published its top 50 cinemas across the whole of the UK and Ireland…and the Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn has only gone and come in at number 28!

An independent cinema with lots of character, the Magic Lantern is just 12 miles down the coast from Number 57, and is well worth checking out if you get a chance ♡

https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/article.cfm?id=136961&headline=Cinema+named+in+top+30+across+Britain§ionIs=news&searchyear=2021&fbclid=IwAR19bMUhchrWyApXnTJYyFrtogltyhLjVoL0KMbXauRNFQaEXk9u_bT2baM

Cinema named in top 30 across Britain THE Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn has been named in a list of the top 50 cinemas in the British Isles.

Who knew?!! ‘The Inn of the Sixth Happiness’, the 1958 film staring Ingrid Bergman that was set in China…was actually filmed in North Wales!

Bedgelert was a favourite spot for us to visit when I was growing up, & I just wish my mum was still here to tell her because she loved that film.

That’ll be my Sunday afternoon film viewing sorted for this week ♡