Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2023 - Llŷn ac Eifionydd

Welsh Meetups/Events
#1

Preparations are well underway for the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol (National Eisteddfod) which will take place in Llŷn ac Eifionydd in north-west Wales 5-12 August 2023. This thread is the place to post any news or queries.

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Here is the latest from the Eisteddfod organising team:

We’re looking for an individual or team to work with us to organise, co-ordinate and curate Y Lle Celf in 2023 and to start the work in Rhondda Cynon Taf. So if you’re organised and passionate about visual arts in Wales and are looking for an exciting project, click here for more information. Closing date - 13 January.

Do you know someone who’s made an amazing contribution to science and technology in Welsh? If so, why not nominate them for the 2023 Eisteddfod Science Medal? Nominations are now open and the closing date is 1 April. We’ll announce the winner’s name on the Eisteddfod Maes in August.

We’ve opened nominations for this year’s Sir TH Parry-Williams Medal. The medal celebrates and honours an individual who’s volunteered and worked wth young people locally for many years. So if you know someone who should win, why not nominate them? The closing date is 1 April and we’ll announce the winner during the festival.

Do you live in this year’s Eisteddfod catchment area? Join the Cofnod2023 group on Facebook and follow Cofnod2023 on Instagram. Create your own signs to celebrate our place names across the area, and add your photos and any related stories or poems to the facebook page. Remember to use the #cofnod2023 hashtag.

Looking for a last minute Christmas gift? Why not buy a Maes B period ticket? Thanks to everyone who’ve already bought tickets - we’ve broken ever record - so make sure you don’t miss out on your tickets for Maes B in 2023. Buy your ticket today.

Be ready for a big announcement in January as we launch our Eisteddfod choir, and it’s sure to appeal to singers across the whole region. We’ll publish all the details at the beginning of the year, so remember to keep an eye on our social media and in the press.

Our #steddfod2024 team is coming together! Congratulations to Helen Prosser, Andrew White and Iolo Roberts on being appointed to serve as officials for the Rhondda Cynon Taf Eisteddfod. Helen will serve as Chair of the Executive Committee with Andrew working alongside as Deputy-chair, and Iolo as Chair of the Local Fund. More information here. We’re still looking for a secretary to join the team, and the closing date is 9 January.

We’re taking a break over Christmas and new year so we’ll be raring to go in January! We’ll all be away from 20 December - 9 January, and will only check emails occasionally from 16 December onwards. Thanks for your support this year and see you in 2023.

Cyfeiriad / Address:
eisteddfod.cymru / eisteddfod.wales

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#2

Haia pawb! I am planning to attend the Eisteddfod again this year, and I have a few questions about the logistics. For the Eisteddfod in Tregaron I had a hotel booked in Aberystwyth and I took the shuttle bus to and from the Maes every day. That was a pricey option, but it worked out quite well for me, so I am looking into a similar setup for this year.

The things I’d like to know are not yet published information, so I am hoping for past experiences of when the Eisteddfod was in roughly the same area.

  • What places will have shuttle busses to the Maes? Looking at the map I’m thinking Pwllheli and Porthmadog. Someone said that Caernarfon might also have a shuttle, and I’ve been there before, so Caernarfon would be high on the list for accomodation.

  • If the shuttle is running from Caernarfon, where would the stop likely be? Near the castle? Somewhere else?

  • Are there people on here planning to stay for the whole week? Maybe renting a holiday apartment together might be an option?

Calling @aran and @CatrinLliarJones for general ideas, and maybe the ever helpful @siaronjames will have some pointers?

#3

I was born and raised in Pen Llŷn Hendrik, so I know the area well. I’ll come back to you a little bit later with as much knowledge as can give you regarding the above. :slightly_smiling_face:

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#4

I did notice a private group on FB called Lle gai aros ym Moduan? which says "Lle i gwmniau/busnesau/unigolion rannu llefydd i aros fydd ar gael yn ystod wythnos yr Eisteddfod 2023 yn Llŷn ac Eifionydd." but as it’s a private group and I haven’t joined, I can’t see any posts.

I wonder if the people at Llety Arall know about a shuttle bus - if any details are out there, they’d be likely to know so may be worth giving them a ring to see :slight_smile:

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#5

Bore da Hendrik! Pen Llŷn, because it’s a tourist hot-spot has a lot of self catering accommodation, campsites, touring caravan sites and static caravan sites but very, very few hotels. It’s also a relatively small area where Eisteddfod goers will be competing for accommodation with regular hollidaymakers so places are like gold dust. But if you’re happy with a caravan on a non Eisteddfod site, there are many being offered on Facebook at the moment, you’ve just got to keep your ear to the ground.

Here are a few points of info which might help:

Accommodation

  • Both Porthmadog and Caernarfon have a Premier Inn and a Travelodge.
  • Caernarfon as you know also has many other hotels and guest houses/B&Bs.
  • Pwllheli has two small hotels (the Crown and the Vic) which may have rooms, but I can’t comment on quality.
  • Cricieth has many small hotels and guest houses/B&Bs so it’s worth checking.
  • The Facebook group @siaronjames mentioned is really worth checking.
  • I see new accomodation being offered on Facebook almost every week as locals decide to rent our their caravans/shepherd’s huts/spare rooms/family tents/motorhomes etc for the week of the Eisteddfod.
  • All accommodation is disappearing really fast, so it’s worth booking somewhere soon. As a rule people in Wales start to book for next year’s Eisteddfod as the current year’s Eisteddfod is drawing to a close.
  • I would avoid booking any accommodation west of Pwllheli in the Llanbedrog/Mynytho/Abersoch/ Sarn direction. This route is already cripplingly busy in the summer months because of the popularity of Abersoch. The main route in that direction is narrow and suffres heavy congestion throughout the holiday season.

Transport

  • I have heard that there will definitely be a shuttle bus from Pwllheli and have heard whispers that there may be ones from Caernarfon and Porthmadog also.
  • Otherwise both Caernfon and Porthmadog have very regular bus services to and from Pwllheli as they are popular routes especially in the summer.
  • Pen Llŷn has regular and efficient summer bus services throughout the peninsula in all directions.
  • Any shuttle bus service from Caernarfon (if they decide to go ahead) is likely to use the regular bus stop by the multi storey car park. The main maes by the castle tends to be busy in the summer with markets and fairs. But Caernarfon is easy to navigate on foot and nowhere is too far.

In conclusion, I would say grab what you can as soon as you can accommodation wise because unless you’re really out in the wilds, transport should be really straightforward.

If you are looking for people to share accommodation, maybe a new thread on the forum of a message on Slack reaching out to other members of the SSi community may help. You could go as far as asking @Deborah-SSi to put something in the weekly email?

Hope this helps and pob lwc! :slight_smile:

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#6

Diolch am bopeth!

I just phoned Llety Arall, and they have confirmed that there will be a shuttle between Caernarfon and the Maes, at the place where you described. They offered me a very reasonable price, so I just spontaneously went ahead and booked a room there, so that’s my accomodation sorted. :slight_smile:

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#7

Woohoo! Talk about taro tra bo’r haearn yn boeth*!
Glad that all worked out :smiley:

*striking while the iron is hot

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#8

There is also hostel accommodation in Y Fron (self-catering). I’ve stayed there. Very comfortable. Search “Canolfan Y Fron”.

#9

Cycling is also an option for the fitter ones. Lon Las Cymru offers traffic free cycling.

#10

Gad i ni wybod pan fyddi di wedi cyrraedd, Hendrik - bydd rhaid i ti alw draw am bryd o fwyd yn fan hyn (a bydd rhaid i ni gael peint yn y Bachgen Du!) :slight_smile:

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#11

If you don’t mind bunkhouse style accommodation (albeit ‘posh’ bunkhouse accomodation), are acustomed to sharing, or are planning on coming to the Eisteddfod with friends/family, there’s a hidden gem of a place a stone’s throw away from where we live with the most stunning views.

In terms of the Eisteddfod, this place is about 30 minutes drive away and you would need a car. But it has the most stunning views of Dyffryn Nantlle, is surrounded by beautiful walks and is next to a small cafe and local village shop.

To find out more, click on the following link: https://www.canolfanyfron.org/

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#12

I have stayed there and can recommend. I am back there again 8-11 February for a couple of days of cycling. It is an amazing place. I love it! Da iawn!

#13

Diolch, Hendrik. Dw i wedi archebu ystafell yn Y Lletty Arall hefyd. Wela i di yno!

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#14

I hope this link works, but here’s the location of this year’s Eisteddfod:

Dropped pin
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q6kQZ76jyuJzgJxg7

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#15

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#16

So based on this latest detailed news regarding the location, here are some additional accommodation suggestions:

#17

Bus Travel in Gwynedd - Bus timetables

Here are specific links to individual service bus timetables, which may be relevant if you are staying in the area:

Map-of-the-Gwynedd-bus-network.pdf (423.8 KB)

Here’s the place to go to travel your journey: Traveline Cymru

Traveling further by bus/coach: National Express

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#18

Sherpa’r Wyddfa - a network of connecting bus services to get you around Eryri

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#19

Discovered last year my back won’t take a FULL week camping any,ore so have splurged on Llety Arall. The only rooms left were three bed though so if any SSIW ladies want to share for all or part of the week let me know :slight_smile: I may snore though be warned!

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#20

Hi! I’m thinking of going and would be game to share. The complicating bit is that I’m coming from the States and need to figure out plane tickets etc, so there are a few moving parts before I could say for sure that I’ll be there. When would you need to know by?