The Royal, Barmouth

With aching feet and a destroyed Mrs Quinno in tow after the lengthiest day of Wales Coast Path, this was the GBG choice in Barmouth so off we headed. It’s a huge imposing building and the inside is also fairly vast over two levels, large and opened-out without much in the way of intrinsic charm. Overrun by the Brummie/Scouse milieu of holidaymakers, we came after the lunchtime rush and it was like the human equivalent if a beach after a rough high tide so fair to say I didn’t see it at its best. Four ales on the go though; Purple Moose Elderflower, Conwy Welsh Pride, Rev James and a Llyn. My Moose was barrel-end but ostensibly fine (NBSS 2.5). Not the best time for a visit but it looked like a decent bet for less frantic hours – Barmouth is a fairly charmless place during holiday season so you have to take what you can find.

A large hotel not far from the station. Seemingly built in two periods, the original building can be entered by a door on the corner and this is the main bar, called the Mabinogian Bar, which is decorated with pictures (painted directly onto the wall panels) of scenes and characters from the compendium of medieval Welsh mythology. Further down the hill is a newer building with a separate entrance and its own bar, which can also be accessed by the stairs from the main bar that lead to the toilets. The room behind the bar features a snooker table. The barman was one of those who only drinks lager and hence was unable to describe any of the real ales, though he was able to refer to his customers who were stood at the bar, one with Sandstone Tap Tacl, the other with Mws Piws Calon Lan; their advice enabled me to plump for the latter. (See photos for all beers on offer at the time of my visit.) It was a pity that I had a train to catch as I would have liked top stay here for more than a swift half. This, and the fact that I didn't have the opportunity to visit the other pubs, will soon draw me back for a further visit to this area.

This is an old Victorian hotel that has been undergoing and is still subject to major renovations. The entrance is through a narrow doorway in Park Road leading into an open plan room with the bar on the right. Past the bar are some steps leading down to a darts area and a pool room beyond that. The bar had four hand pumps which on my winter visit only had two going which were Brain's SA and the Locale Aur Cader from the Cader brewery. I went for the local beer (£3.00) and it was in excellent condition. This seems to be the only pub in Barmouth selling a local brew and deserves credit for that alone. On my winter visit it was closed on the previous Friday afternoon so I suspect it doesn't open until 17:00 on winter weekdays.