Ceunant Cottage Blaenau Ffestiniog

Dafydd Hardy Coast & Country

Ceunant Cottage

In a truly magical location at the head of the beautiful Vale of Ffestiniog in the heart of Snowdonia, a hidden ancient woodland

reveals its secrets at the confluence of two rivers, the Goedol and Teigl which feed the Dwyryd River on its way to the Glaslyn

estuary and ultimately, Tremadog Bay. This whole environment has helped create a fabulous climate for some of the best Oakland

in Europe, rich in flora and fauna.

It is here that Ceunant Cottage resides, hidden away on the far side of the river in its own little world at the edge of Coed Cymerau

(Woodland of the River Confluences), one of six protected ancient oak woodlands there are home to some 164 species of mosses,

liverwort and lichens – a place of unrivalled beauty. With its pleasing southerly aspect, Ceunant Cottage stands within some 3

Acres of gardens, woodland and sloping heathland, providing a delightful setting well away from any urban settlements, a

refreshing retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

This remarkable location is surely what inspired the present owners to embark on an ambitious project of renovating this two

storey traditional cottage and adjoining annexe, taking some 1½ years through to completion. The renovation was extensive to say

the least, transforming these rather humble dwellings into remarkable accommodation, enough to satisfy any discerning buyer

with an eye for detail. The work entailed stripping the entire buildings to their bare essentials and starting from the ground up to

create what are essentially new homes – this meant re-wiring, plumbing, plastering, central heating installed (two separate

systems with more than adequate boilers), kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors (internal and external to include quality sash

type double glazing and ‘Solidor’ stable doors).

Of course, if you’re going to do a renovation of this calibre,

it’s best for the fit and finish to be top drawer, and this is

most definitely the case here where quality materials such as

granite worktops have been incorporated in the kitchen

alongside premium fitted appliances whilst period bathroom

suites with rolled-top baths complete the picture. Oh, did we

mention the installation of ‘Clearview’ wood burners within

each property? They’re guaranteed to give off plenty of heat

come wintertime for sure!

Despite the extensive work which has gone into making this

cottage and annexe what they are today, they both still

exhibit much charm and character, something which just

cannot be replicated with a newer style home. The

welcoming and homely interior of both is a credit to the

vision and foresight of the present owners who have

subsequently gone on to utilise these charming properties as

boutique holiday lets – there’s no denying that anyone

visiting here for the first time would be overjoyed at they’re

choice of accommodation! There’s also the advantage of a

‘Heatmiser’ remote smart home heating control system and

high speed fibre broadband. (Furniture adorning each

property can be purchased by separate negotiation and there

is the definite advantage of no onward chain.)

The gardens arguably add much to the whole experience

too with a spacious lawn leading down to the banks of the

Teigl River, known for its trout and salmon, so if you have a

penchant for fishing, this must surely be a real bonus. A

private driveway lined with moss festooned drystone walls

leads to an adequate private parking area whilst double

gates open to a further parking area in-between the two

dwellings. Tucked away to the rear of the annexe is a good

sized timber garden shed which could swallow much

additional paraphernalia and a purpose made chicken coup

stands ready just in case you feel inclined to raise a fowl

family! Let’s not forget the surroundings either with

fabulous deciduous woodland right on your doorstep to

explore and a diverse abundance of wildlife to enjoy too.

It’s good to know that an excellent transport network is

right on your doorstep, allowing for the exploration of all

the best beauty spots such as the coastline at Porthmadog

lying only some 11 miles distant including Snowdonia and

the many attractions in and around Blaenau Ffestiniog. A

public footpath runs through the grounds for access to

Cymerau woods.

Rhyd Y Sarn is situated along the A496 which leads to

Bleanau Ffestiniog which is only 3 miles away and offers

an excellent array of local amenities and schools. The

Vale of Ffestiniog is a dramatic setting surrounded by

the impressive mountains of Snowdonia with the area,

for obvious reasons proving a real tourist magnet. The

Ffestiniog area in general is historically linked to its

slate mining past, the evidence of which has clearly left

its mark amongst the hillsides. A real asset and highlight

for the area is the construction of a mountain bike

centre near Llechwedd with competition and leisure

routes alongside subterranean caverns and much more

besides.

Blaenau Ffestiniog has a mainline railway station and

interestingly has the highest station on the Ffestiniog

Railway which runs to Porthmadog and connects with

the Welsh Highland Railway. Bala can also be easily

accessed from here and caters for a variety of

watersports.

Along the main thoroughfare of the A487 on the edge of

the Vale lies the village of Penrhyndeudraeth which is

famous for the Italianesque village of Portmeirion built

by Clough Williams-Ellis, infamous for the 1960’s

Prisoner TV series. Further on you will find the large

town of Porthmadog. Porthmadog has a lovely harbour

and marina whilst within the town you will find the

majority of your shopping needs taken care of together

with schools and leisure facilities. The colourful town is

home to the Welsh Highland Railway which now

stretches all the way to Caernarfon. Further along the

Llyn Peninsula is the historic Criccieth and the market

town of Pwllheli, famous for its marina, hosting many

sailing regattas throughout the year. Last but by no

means least, Snowdonia beckons the adventurer to

climb, explore and discover new vistas, offering a whole

new dimension to the area.

Agents note: Japanese Knotweed was formerly present

alongside the riverbank bordering the garden which has

been treated with no re-occurrence having presented

itself over the past two years.

Cymerau Nature Reserve

Property Features

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Ceunant Cottage - Riverside

Ceunant Cottage – Little Falls

Ceunant Cottage - Little Falls

Ceunant Cottage - Riverside

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Travelling from the Caernarfon direction, follow the A487 in the direction of Porthmadog. By-passing Porthmadog (still the A487), proceed past Penrhyndeudraeth taking the turning on your left after Maentwrog signposted Blaenau Ffestiniog (A496). Proceed along this route for just under 2 miles where you will see a layby on your right with the Rhyd Sarn placename. Immediately after this layby is a private drive on your left which leads directly to the property.

01286 677774 www.DafyddHardy.co.uk/cc