Accommodation and Entertainment in Llanberis
Welcome to Y Fricsan / Snowdon Inn
We apologise that the Welsh language version of this site is still not ready. Sorry!.
Thanks for visiting the Fricsan website.
We took over the place in May 2007
Our pub is for anyone who wants to have fun, has respect for everyone else, and knows how to behave. If the last two are in place we can have much more of the first one. We love quality live music. We love good food. We love great local ales and we love some of our customers. If you’d like to know more about us, how this place is run, our development plans, and a little historicalness, please browse the site.
Fundraising
We try and support a variety of local causes – primarily through fundraising music events.
Our main efforts go into raising money for Water Aid – who are bringing clean water supplies to many in the developing world. They reckon that every £15 raised is the average amount to bring a clean water supply for one person for life. While tap water is given freely in the pub, we do ask if you’d like to give a voluntary donation to WaterAid. We started raising for this cause in March 2008 – you can see a ‘total raised’ sum on the homepage. Thanks to everyone who has donated.
For more information on WaterAid go to www.wateraid.org.uk
We are not going to have collection boxes for any other organisations on the bar – but local groups are welcome to approach us regarding possible fundraising events.
Group Bookings
Y Fricsan is ideal for good value group weekends and events.
We have hosted several large-group weekends so far and they have gone so well (and we have enjoyed ourselves so much) that we think we should let you know a little more. The basic shape to date has been a party of friends or work colleagues come and stay for the weekend. They take most, or all, of the accommodation, we feed them as required, we lay on great live music as required. The days can be spent walking in the mountains..or sleeping it off. Everyone has a fine time.
If you are interested then please contact us. We are very flexible and can provide as much or as little as you require. For large groups we have unlimited space for camping, or there are other good places to stay locally.
Nearby service providers we think you’ll like.
Activities
So much to do around here. It’s the home of outdoor adventure sports, and whether you’re a real adrenalin freak or just want a good walk in the hills – this is the place for you. We’re blessed with great mountains, superb and varied coastline, and some fantastic wildlife experiences (spring seabird nesting at Southstack, Anglesea; Ospreys nesting in the Aberglaslyn valley; Peregrines and Ring Ouzels in the local quarries, seals, dolphins and porpoises all around the coastline). For a good general overview of what the place has to offer, go to the Pete’s Eats website. www.petes-eats.co.uk
Below are some special quality local outfits.
Surflines
Set beside Llyn Padarn about two miles away Nick and Phil run a great outfit providing all you could want from watersports. Extreme to family orientated fun from two great guys. www.surf-lines.co.uk
Ropes and Ladders
Crispin and Tim recently launched this high-ropes course and it’s one of the best quality you’ll find anywhere. I went on it a while back, and even this adrenalin junkie got a good buzz. Situated just up the road next to the lake and the Welsh Slate Museum – we guarantee you won’t be disappointed – especially by the death swing!! www.ropesandladders.co.uk
Boulder Adventures
Well run Llanberis-based company offering the whole range of outdoor adventure activities. www.boulderadventures.co.uk
A walk in the slate quarries. Ask us here and we’ll show you where to go for a surprising and truly awesome days walk. Totally free of charge. www.youdontneedtopaytohaveagoodtimearoundhere.co.universe
Places to Eat
Although North Wales is perhaps not the most culinary place on earth – locally we are blessed with a few gems. So if you want to find something other than our top-notch menu, here are the best options.
Pete's Eats
Pete’s Eats is without doubt the best climbers cafe in the world. It’s been offering a warm welcome and large portions for 30 years. Situated on the high street, Llanberis. And you don’t have to debate on whether its open – every day from 8am to 8pm (9pm in the summer). Great breakfasts and a good all round all-day menu. Big portions of cafe food, but also serious healthy options. 5-star!! www.petes-eats.co.uk
Caban
Situated in the village of Brynrefail, about ten minutes walk from the pub, this is one of lifes beautiful little surprises. It’s a community company set up to house a dozen local businesses. Its profit arm is the restaurant, and its good. Great ambiance with lots of glass looking into the trees, and the new summer deck, this is the local place for lunch. Every day chef Gert provides a brilliant specials menu influenced by his passion for global cuisine. You won’t believe the value and quality. In season much of the fresh stuff comes straight out of the on-site kitchen garden (gardener Nick works most mornings and loves to talk food-growing). It’s like finding a bit of Covent Garden in a North Wales village. And you’ll get smiling customer service to die for – if you’re nice. Check out the regular Saturday night buffet – based on the cuisine of some far-flung culture. Daytime 9am – 4pm. Friday and Saturday nights. www.caban-cyf.org
Gallt y Glyn
Gallt y Glyn hotel, on the approach to Llanberis is famous for its Pizza n Pint nights – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday each week. Kicks off about half six and orders taken until 9pm. Get there early as sometimes they’re packed out. P and P from a fiver (extra for more toppings). A great concept well done in a buzzing ambience. Can’t go wrong. www.gallt-y-glyn.co.uk
Having Fun
Basically stay here at the Fricsan. Most weekends through the season we’ve got the best live music and atmosphere to be had around here. And the best beer. And the best staff who’ll serve you when they’ve stopped dancing. And you can stay in the bunkhouses or the campsite.
We put on the best that mid and north Wales can offer from Jazz and folk through to good Welsh rock. Most months in the summer we put on a whole weekend of music – outside during the day – with sometimes ten bands playing over the weekend.
But there’s plenty more going on around here.
Hendre
The main scene has been established by an amazing little big man called Malcolm, and his partner Penny. This is no less than Hendre Hall. If you’ve never been there prepare to be impressed. A converted farmstead courtyard at Tal y Bont near Bangor. The main barn is our areas best live and dance venue. Oh how many good nights have I had there!!! Malcolms the best host you could wish for. The action is based around Friday and Saturday nights. Increasingly Friday is worth turning up to regardless – nearly always brilliant. They put on top live nights, sometimes part of amazing world-music tours, and pumping but serious quality deck nights. Usually about 9pm – 3am. It’s about 20 minutes drive from the pub – but we can arrange a 16-seater taxi there and back for a fiver a head. www.hendrehall.com
The Anglesea Arms
Down the road at Caernarfon (6 miles) is developing a good live Friday night scene, and we try to co-ordinate and support each other. (In fact if you jumped in our river you’d find them on your right as you hit the sea). Good place. Good intimate music nights. 01286 672158
Galeri
Galeri is the new arts centre on the old quay, Caernarfon – 6 miles. They’re getting together great programmes of film, performance, and, again some top live music – predominantly Jazz, Folk and Classical. www.galericaernarfon.com
Byd Mawr
Byd Mawr – Big World. Dewi et al put on great nights where funk, reggae, African, Asian, Celtic, Latin and the global fusion grooves where dance beats meet world music. They’re into the politics of being really nice and do some special benefit gigs. The Byd Mawr dj’s fluffylovebubble, Tiny Bear and Hippy Ad do a regular monthly slot here at Y Fricsan. Check out their site. www.bydmawr.org
Cob Records
Cob Records in Bangor is the place to go for all your music requirements. Great selection of stuff from mainstream through to folk and world music. Difficult to leave empty-handed once you start browsing. Also everything you want to know about the local live scene and what’s on. www.cobrecordsbangor.com
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Licenced to Rant
An occasional series of publican hot air.
Welcome to the first Publican Rant.
No P18.10.08
Existing customers and visitors to this site will know we’ve had the pub for some 18 months. It’s been an interesting time to say the least. We have established the place as a live music venue at the weekends, and this side of the business is working well. However as we all now know, there are rocky economic times ahead, and, in light of this, the pub is undergoing a little restructuring.
The traditional pub industry is getting hammered from all sides. It is reckoned that UK-wide there are something like 40 pubs a week closing their doors. Alcohol supplier price-rises, tax rises, a relative lowering of supermarket prices, smoking ban, fuel costs, unaffordability of screening live football.........all this has led to a change in social behaviour that sees an increase in drinking at home, and, more worrying for us all, drinking on the streets. The supermarket share of the retail of alcohol is now around 60%, and some forecasters predict this to rise to 80% within a couple of years. Interesting times for the pub trade.
Most publicans I know in this area perform valuable, but largely unnoticed, social services within our community. High on the list of these is the provision of a safe environment for people to socialise and enjoy themselves. We all recognise that the retail of alcohol is a serious business with weighty responsibility attached. For our part, we have presided over a reduction in abusive and violent behaviour on our premises (while at the same time having a great deal of fun!!) which means our customers can be more assured of a safe environment in which to socialise. I reckon this is important.
At its best, the pub is a place where different sections of the community integrate - where barriers can be eroded. For some it is a place of escapism. For some the only place in the community for meeting mates for a chat, for a drink, for a dance. Just as a rural village loses so much when its last shop (or gossip station) closes, a community becomes more disconnected when it loses its pub. I cannot see a growing culture of drinking at home having anything but a negative impact on community value. As for the rise in street drinking – well this is becoming a serious problem for many areas. In the pub there is someone responsible for deciding if someone has had too much to drink, if their behaviour is impacting on others, if they are likely to drink drive.... but out on the street there is only the police to pick up the problems, and they are sorely under-resourced to effectively carry out this role. All in all, the demise of the traditional pub is likely to lead to some interesting social changes for us all.
Anyway, at Y Fricsan we have had to make some changes to cope with economic pressures. In the long term things are looking good – but it will be a difficult winter. So we have decided to close during the week daytimes. We have reduced staffing hours (though fortunately no staff have had to be made redundant). We have been forced to concentrate more on the profitable parts of the business, while trying not to erode the ‘community’ side of our service. In reality we are going to concentrate on weekend music – Friday and Saturday nights. I’ve temporarily ditched our food side – although we still provide a couple of good stew options over the weekends. The kitchen will re-open near the start of next season – but with a high quality, well worked menu – going back to what I know best, organic, local, simple and good value.
As I say, the future is good. We have plenty of large-group bookings for next year. The music side of the place is growing in reputation, and we still have a large market that doesn’t know about us. So despite the above moanings, confidence is high.
Oh, and three otters were seen in the river last Monday!!
Y Fricsan/The Snowdon Inn
Please call Ted on 07738 859 585
or email ted@thesnowdoninn.co.uk
llanberis road, cwm-y-glo, LL55 4EE