A trip to Criccieth, the old-school seaside town in North Wales, earlier in the summer.
The assignment for the i Newspaper formed part of a summer series about classic British resorts.
The story was published last weekend and outlines ideas for a weekend away by the seaside, including a visit to Criccieth’s historic castle [pictured above] and dining at Dylan’s restaurant.
Plus, I popped into nearby Portmeirion, the fairytale village that will celebrate its centenary in 2026.
I had a run of Blackpool stories a few years ago (not a sentence I type often).
It’s a tough place to love but I did find things to admire about its gritty resolve. The following story, taken from a series in the Observer, was a good example of finding an unexpected angle on a destination we all think we know.
Here’s an extract:
The promenade is awash with fish and chip restaurants but the best is hidden away in the suburb of Marton – a fiver in a taxi from the Central Prom. The Cottage has been frying since 1940 and comes with Rick Stein’s seal of approval.
Another classic is Notarianni’s (pictured above), the only original, family-run ice-cream parlour left in town. Dating from 1928, it retains the art-deco counter and still serves the Notarianni Sundae in the colours of Italy.
Toast is one of the new school of downtown cafes with a fresh approach to the fry-up breakfast – try the Lancashire rarebit brunch.
