A working farm beside the River Dyfi
Dolgelynen offers a comfortable and relaxing stay on a working sheep and dairy family-run farm in Snowdonia — an ideal base for walking and for touring North or South Wales. The farmhouse is a wealth of charm and character and overlooks the River Dyfi, with wonderful views, peace and tranquillity. There is a garden seat and a picnic table for the use of guests, and interesting walks lead straight from the farm.
Inside the farmhouse
The oak-beamed, traditionally furnished farmhouse is decorated to a high standard, with full facilities in each room including a beverage tray, radio alarm clock, private or en-suite bathroom, television and hairdryer. The guests' lounge has books, maps and magazines, a piano, and a CD player with a selection of traditional and modern Welsh music. An excellent breakfast using local produce and home-made preserves is served on separate tables. The hosts are a Welsh-speaking family offering a warm welcome in a homely atmosphere — Croeso Cynnes i Ddolgelynen. If you'd like to try a few words yourself, see our Welsh language page.
Finding the farm
From Machynlleth follow the A487 towards Dolgellau for half a mile. On crossing the Dyfi Bridge take the immediate left-hand turn towards Aberdyfi and Tywyn (A493). Take the first turning left off this road (1 mile from the bridge) at the farm lane entrance, signposted Dolgelynen. Follow the river for a mile and drive up the short hill to the farmhouse.
Walks and days out from Dolgelynen
The farm's riverside setting puts some of the area's best walking within easy reach. The Wales Coast Path runs along this side of the valley on its 12-mile leg between Aberdyfi and Machynlleth, and Glyndŵr's Way sets out from the town itself, climbing over the traditional "Roman Steps" to Foel Fadian (510 m) with views back down the Dulas valley to the sea. Machynlleth — just over the historic Dyfi Bridge — offers the Wednesday market, chartered by Edward I in 1291, the Owain Glyndŵr Parliament House and the MOMA galleries, while the beach and links golf course at Aberdyfi are 11 miles down the A493, about 15 minutes by car. The G21 bus links Machynlleth with Pennal, Aberdyfi and Tywyn, and the Cambrian Coast railway line runs along the far side of the valley towards the sea. Wildlife-watchers should head a couple of miles the other way down the A487, where ospreys have nested at the Cors Dyfi reserve every summer since 2011 — the first time in over 400 years that the birds had bred in the Dyfi valley — while the Centre for Alternative Technology is three miles north of town (pre-booked visits only).
Getting here and getting around
The farm lane leaves the A493 a mile from the Dyfi Bridge, so most guests drive. Machynlleth itself is around 29 minutes from Aberystwyth (17.8 miles) and about 1 hour 18 minutes from Shrewsbury (56 miles). Reaching the town without a car is straightforward: the station is about five minutes' walk from the centre, most Birmingham trains run direct in around 2 hours 21 minutes, Aberystwyth is roughly 33 minutes away on a broadly hourly service, and there are around 30 free spaces at the station. The G21 bus runs from town via Pennal to Aberdyfi, Tywyn and Dolgellau; arrange the last stretch with your hosts, and see getting here and getting around.
Days out by train and on foot
Because the railway and the Wales Coast Path shadow each other along the estuary, days out can be one-way. Aberdyfi is about 22 minutes from Machynlleth by train and around 12 miles back on the coast path; Borth is roughly 17 minutes away, with three miles of sand and a submerged prehistoric forest that surfaces at the lowest tides. Coast-line services are sparse — only about five weekday trains run through to Pwllheli — so plan the return before setting out. Across the valley, the Dyfi Osprey Project at Cors Dyfi has a flat 600-metre boardwalk to its 360 Observatory, the birds present roughly from April to early September.
Practical Information
Details were supplied by the business — please contact the family directly to confirm current prices, availability and arrival arrangements.
The farmhouse's own website repeats the picture given here: a working sheep and dairy family-run farm overlooking the River Dyfi, with breakfast made from local produce and home-made preserves. It names Elinor Evans as the host and gives the telephone number below, but publishes no room count and no rates, so contact the family direct to confirm availability and prices.
Dolgelynen Farmhouse, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9JR
Telephone (UK): 01654 702026 · Telephone (International): +44 1654 702026
Website: www.dolgelynenfarmhouse.co.uk
Day trips