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Fairbourne
Fairbourne maps
Historic maps of Fairbourne and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Fairbourne maps
Fairbourne area books
Displaying 1 of 2 books about Fairbourne and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Fairbourne
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memories of Fairbourne.
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Blissful Holidays
In the early 1980's my husband decided that he would like to buy a caravan. I had to admit I did not relish the idea of towing a caravan, let alone spending holidays in one. However, we aquired our first caravan, and joined the 'Caravan Club'. When the first magazine arrived, I read it, mainly to find out what exactly the fascination was with caravanning. One item caught both of our imaginations, and, always liking a challenge, I took on the task of finding the location, in Wales, of what sounded to us as an idyllic location.The owner of the caravan site had a pseudonym to hide their true names, and made no mention of nearby towns, so my task was doubly hard. But, after studying the coastline, details of rivers etc etc - I found the location on the shores ofthe River Mawddach. Our first holiday there was absolutely perfect - the beautiful scenery, peace, fishing for my husband, walks to the nearby... Read more
Fairbourne Holidays!
I remember [I am not sure how old I was then, maybe no older than 11 (1971)] going to Fairbourne with my school as a school trip a couple of times, at the time this was with lots of children from schools in my area. I remember staying in a place with teachers and fellow pupils. My memories are very sketchy,but I remember that the staff were lovely, especially the dinner ladies! The food was great! I remember the staff taking us up the hills to see the slate mines. I don't even remember what the place I stayed in was called, but I'm sure if you are a local you would remember lots of children!!
Fairbourne
I first went to Fairbourne when I was probably only about 6 months old. My mother's parents lived in Friog. Hendoll Bungalow up Fford Hendoll was to be a holiday destination for many years after that, right up to 1995 which was the last time I was there. I had always promised my daughter that we would visit one day and show her the Dragon's Teeth, the Blue Lake and the train. It was this year in August that we returned. Stayed in the Springfield Hotel and showed her all the sights. Strange to be back there after all this time and almost nothing had changed. My daughter even commented on how I could remember the way up to the Blue Lake after all this time.
We will certainly be returning again, not leaving it so long next time. Does anyone have any memories of the Shaws who lived at Hendoll Bungalow?
1950's
My first introduction to Fairbourne I think was in 1953 (the same week that we heard that Everest had been conquered and the Coronation). As a child resident of St Christopher's Railway Orphanage in Derby, we went camping for the first time ever. The site was in a field by Fford Yr Ysgol (Google map search). We camped in ex-army bell tents, I think there were at least four tents, boys, girls, staff and food/equipment. The ladies in charge were a Miss Bisset and Miss Whitfield (I think there might have been a male minder as well, but I'm not too sure though). We had a great couple of days there, then one night the heavens opened and we were flooded out. I seem to remember at least one tent collapsed, and everything was either soaked or ruined. I think a meeting was called by the villagers the following day, but the outcome was that we were invited to spend the rest of our stay in the Green Village Hall.... Read more
The Best of Times
My Mum and Dad first brought me to Fairbourne when I was born in 1966. My father and his father before him had been coming to the same bungalow (Min-y-Don on the Coast Road - Penrhyn Drive South) all their lives. Mum Dad and my sister visited Fairbourne every summer till I was 16. What happy memories. Each morning we would walk to the bakery for bread rolls - I can smell them now. If the weather was fine we played on the beech, went rock climbing or took the little train to the Barmouth ferry. Each year we did the same trips, to the butcher in Dollgellau, stopping off for a coke and a packet of crisps at the George III in Penmaenpool on the way back. Maybe a trip to Aberdovey to go crabbing from the pier, or a day spent at Harlech castle. But the highlight every year was a walk to the Blue Lakes where we bounced stones across the water. I can still remember... Read more
Barmouth, my Barmouth
My mum and dad used to take me and my younger brother to this wonderful holiday destination once a year till 1980. We used to stay at a caravan site called Tally Bont . I have many happy memories of these times. We used to spend our time there visiting some wonderful narrow gauge railways. Harlech Castle was always a must see destination, as was the Snowden cafe for chips, pie and peas. The highlight of every night was going down to the shingle covered beach just before sunset, where my father would build a magnificent sand castle. My mother, younger brother and my father would then sit and watch as the sea slowly washed it away. These were the happiest times of my childhood.
Our Summer Holidays
Every year since the 1970s we went to Fairbourne for our holidays either with our mom and dad or our aunt and uncle. Our nan and grandad owned a bungalow in Llewellyn Drive. It was right next to the golf house across the road from the beach. Every year we would go on the little steam train up to the point then get a ferry across to Barmouth. Sometimes we would walk across the bridge to Barmouth. The last time I was in Fairbourne was in April 2006, it still looked exactly the same. The memories of Fairbourne are happy times, we had a brilliant time when we were there and always looked forward to going. Every year we would walk up to the blue pool, and throw stones in to see how deep it was, we never found out. We would also go into the arcade called The Penryn, I think it's still there now.
The War Years
I now reside in New York but during the war I was evacuated from London to Fairbourne. It was the first 5 years of my life but I still remember much of it. I went to school there as well as Barmouth. The vicar was called Mr Hopkins and his daughter was Noeline. I would help ringing the bells on sunday. My best friend was called Geraint and he taught me a few Welsh words. I remember the concrete 'teeth' on the beach to stop enemy tanks. I remember a flood but my favourite memory is of the baby lambs born each year. I did manage to go back there with my mother a while ago and I remembered more than she did. The library in Barmouth was my old school but nobody knew it except me. There are so many memories of that beautiful green land. If anyone has any recollections of this period I would love to hear them.
