19-07-2025
'Are the National Park gates locked at night' - holiday boss on amusing tourist mishaps
The boss of a holiday park in North Wales has spoken about the amusing tourism mishaps as she urged visitors to "ask a local". Rachel Jones runs Cadair View Lodge in Trawsfynydd and is a huge advocate for tourism in the region.
While she values the benefits visitors bring to the region she is sometimes left surprised and amused by some of the questions. These often stem from poor online advice, booking sites and sat-navs.
The questions have included someone asking what time Eryri National Park closes it gates and another who booked one of her rural retreats and then complained there was nothing around. The park even printed hoodies with "Everything was miles away and there weren't many shops" emblazoned on the front to remember the review. .
One common one that started a few summers ago was people turning up at Trawsfynydd asking questions about the train up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) or other things related to Wales's highest peak.
Rachel said: "I couldn't understand why so many cars were stopping in our tiny village and asking where they could catch the mountain train. Turned out they'd been putting ' Snowdonia (Eryri)' into their SatNav rather than Snowdon(Yr Wyddfa).
"Eryri (Snowdonia) covers some 823 square miles and is the second largest National Park in England and Wales, just a tiny bit smaller than the Lake District. Our little village of Trawsfynydd is in the dead centre, hence all those bewildered drivers.
"We tend to measure distance here in hours and minutes rather than miles, and that can change a bit depending on the time of year. On average we're about an hour's drive from Llanberis, where you can catch that mountain train up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
"But only if you've booked, and only if it's running. And you've sorted your car parking. And the road's not closed for Ras Yr Wyddfa. Or because of roadworks. Or a police emergency.
"Your SatNav's not going to give you all that local knowledge, but I can. As well as plenty of alternative suggestions when your plans don't work out.
"And to the confused young couple who wanted to know if the gates to the National Park were locked at night, the answer is no, you're welcome here 24/7. So if there's anything else you need to know, just ask a local."
She added that it was good to get that advice before even coming with a phone call or email. She said: "We had a guest a few years ago who booked one of our quiet rural cabins then complained that 'everything was miles away and there weren't any shops'. We had it printed on hoodies for the team."
If she's not about to help, there are hundreds of others who will offer that helping hand.
Rachel said: "I'm so proud of the folk in our village and the local shop in particular, Siop Glyndwr - they go out of their way to help everyone who comes in looking for directions. So patient and welcoming - we give all our guests a shopping voucher to get them in there and support a local business.
