GENERAL DESCRIPTION Cae'r Saeson is a modest stone built house, once the farmhouse of a small hill farm. If you want to see more pictures then just click on this link!
It is situated about half a mile to the South West of the village of Gellilydan and set in 20 acres of its own pasture. Its elevation is about 600 feet. It stands in a shallow saddle, South of and above the Vale of Ffestiniog, East of and above Ceunant Llennyrch, with views West to Lleyn, North to the Moelwyns and East to Llan Ffestiniog, Blaenau Ffestiniog and the hills beyond. It is situated within the Snowdonia National Park and well placed for walking in the Rhinogs and the Moelwyns and within easy driving distance of Snowdon and its surrounding peaks, Cader Idris, the Arenigs and the Arans. Any number of walks in the northern Rhinogs can be started straight from the house. Mediaeval Castles - Harlech, Criccieth and Dolwyddelan - and even a Roman fort, Tomen y Mur - are easily reached. The map reference is SH678386.
ADDRESS The proper postal address is:
Cae'r Saeson
Gellilydan
nr. Blaenau Ffestiniog
Gwynedd LL41 4EY
The telephone number is Maentwrog (01766) 590602
ACCESS Access is not straightforward. You need to find the A487, between Trawsfynydd and Maentwrog. Turn off (left if you are coming from Trawsfynydd) at the sign for Gellilydan. Almost immediately fork left. Continue past a pub on the right, the Bryn Arms and out of the village. After about a quarter of a mile the road turns sharply right. At that corner turn left onto a track then immediately right onto another track with a wall on the right and fields to the left. Continue through a new gate* over an old filled in cattle grid, until just before a second gate when a track leaves down a slope to the left. Take this, through a gate*, then rising across a field, through a gap in a wall and then round to your left where you will have been able to see the outbuildings of what was the farm. The house itself will probably have been all but concealed by trees. The track leads through another(!) gate* into a yard where you park. The path from the yard leads to the back door - the one everyone uses.
*Countryside code: please close gates you find closed.
ACCOMMODATION Cae'r Saeson has four rooms arranged as bedrooms. Upstairs there are two double rooms (one with double bed, one with twin beds) and a smaller room (with a combined single/double bunk bed: one above two below). The loft of the back extension also has a double bed settee (foam) and a single bed. One of the sitting room sofas also converts into a small double bed. There are at least six sets of crockery/cutlery/glasses etc, eight of smost things, and basic cooking equipment. There is a shower (gravity fed, thermostatically controlled) in the bathroom upstairs and a toilet/shower room by the back door.
ELECTRICITY The house has mains electricity.
HEATING The house has electric storage heaters, usually off in summer, an open fire in the living room, an oil fueled Aga in the kitchen and a small selection of electric fires/heaters.
WATER The house has its own water supply: a well, plumbed in and electrically/automatically pumped. Its water should be perfectly drinkable and supplies a normal water system, hot and cold, flushing toilets, etc.
COOKING ETC. There is an electric oven and hob as well as the Aga, a microwave oven, an electric kettle, a toaster, two small fridges and a dishwasher. There is also a small freezer permanently on in the low barn should have spare space.
PHONE & BROADBAND There is a landline phone. Mobile reception varies inside the house. The house has EE broadband and wi-fi router.
SHOPPING There is no longer a shop in the village. The main local shopping centres are Penrhyndeudraeth ("Penrhyn"), and Porthmadog (“Porth”). There is a good Co-Op in Blaenau Ffestiniog and a useful convenience shop in Trawsfynydd village - with good home made ready meals - and a shop selling newspapers.
LAUNDRY There is a washing machine in the back extension.
CLEANING In general I leave it to users to keep the house clean: they are all friends or friends of friends, most have been before. I try to have a neighbour check and clean the house between visits, if possible.
PETS Pets can be a problem and thus there are rules. If you want to bring one please ask first.
WHAT TO BRING You need to bring:
a. Bottom sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases (there are duvets and pillows for each bed);
b. Towels;
c. Tea towels/drying cloths;
d. Food and drink.
Most household consumables should be in the house (toilet paper, washing up liquid, various dry, non-perishable food items). Please replace what you use as appropriate. Spare toilet and kitehen rolls are kept in the small cupboard above the electric hob.
IF YOU WANT TO BORROW THE HOUSE The house is available to friends and friends of friends and I charge a rent which covers the marginal costs and makes a contribution towards other running costs.
Over recent years the county council has more than doubled my Council Tax in a campaign to rid the county of second home owners and a further doubling is being discussed and I can’t guess what I will have to ask for using it but if you do want to come let me know and we can talk about it.
Charging has always been inclusive of fuel, electricity and household consumables (though you may have to saw some wood or split some logs). I don't expect peope to pay for breakages etc - that's why I charge rent - but I do like to know when things have been broken: there may be replacements/spares squirrelled away somewhere or deals I can get.
A fuller version of these details, with instructions on what to do on arriving and leaving, other useful local information and some suggestions for walks is in a black folder on the front kitchen window sill.
22 December 2022