The guesthouse that gives back.
“We didn’t want to be just tourists, we wanted to contribute to the area”.
Meet Fiona and Rob, passionate hosts (amongst many other roles) of Plas Coch Guesthouse in the heart of Snowdonia National Park.
We recently re-vamped our Snowdonia walking holiday to focus on giving Inntravellers the time and space to explore the riches of Snowdonia National Park, which, on speaking to Rob and Fiona, owners of the much-loved Plas Coch Guesthouse, go way beyond Snowdon. We took the opportunity to speak to the couple on how they came to run this popular guesthouse and everything they do for the local area (and the secret to their success).
I was wondering if you could tell us a bit more about your backgrounds and how you came to run Plas Coch guesthouse?
We both worked in education before moving up here. I (Rob) had been mountaineering on Eryri for a long time – it was my son who introduced me to the area – so I was camping and mountain walking here more and more. Eventually we bought a tiny cottage in Penmachno, about 45 minutes from Llanberis, which is now let out to a person at risk of homelessness in the village.
With all the time we were spending here, we decided we didn’t just want to be tourists in the area, we wanted to contribute – an economic contribution – and take part in nature conservation initiatives and become properly integrated into the local community, which we did firstly by learning the language.
What attracted you to Plas Coch in particular?
We wanted the challenge of running our own business but somewhere both of us could run. We felt like Llanberis was a village we could contribute to, an important part of why we moved up here.
As we’re from an education background, we work to mission statements. The same one we agreed on when we started still holds true today, which includes nature conservation, sustainability, and educating guests so that they get the most out of the area and have a positive impact, not a negative one, on the mountains around us.
All this directs a lot of our work, and means we do a lot of volunteer work as well as running the guesthouse.
Is there any history/heritage attached to the building itself?
It was originally built in 1855 as the quarry master’s house – there are lots of quarries around here, you can walk freely into the quarries from our gardens, now slightly overgrown little nature reserves, which I often take guests into to explore.
The building itself then goes through its own fascinating history. In the Victorian era it was a doctor’s surgery, and nowadays there are people in the village who lived in the house. Even the taxi driver, for example, has some fascinating stories to tell. We’re the 8th couple to run the guesthouse.
It's also one of the largest houses in the village - many of the cottages were built for the slate workers – and its distinctive architecture (thanks to its large bay window at the front) makes it stand out from the rest.
A lot of guests will be wanting to climb Snowdon – I understand you’re a mountain guide, Rob, do you have any advice for anyone climbing it for the first time? Or do you normally have any words of wisdom as your guests set off?
That's most of our guests, basically. First thing we do is we try to persuade them not to go up by the Llanberis path, but to come down by it instead and use the Pyg track to reach the summit. We have this conversation probably five or six times a week. But when they return, they’re always so pleased they climbed Snowdon the way we recommended. We've always tried to align more with the outdoor sector than the hospitality sector. So, we've really worked on developing links with other local mountain leaders, instructors, and rock-climbing instructors.
Incidentally, how many times have you climbed it do you think?
Many, many times! But there are so many other mountains on our doorstep. That’s why we love it when people add on extra nights here as there really is so much to do, including a beautiful lakeside walk, exploring the lowland countryside to see the mountains from afar, as well as accessible mountain paths. We’re always encouraging people to branch off a bit – we’re surrounded by the tallest mountains in Wales, which we’re conveniently located for exploring.
Also, there’s kayaking, paddleboarding, peaceful woodlands nearby… if you’re interested in the outdoors, you can’t beat it here.
What do your guests love most about staying with you and exploring the area? What’s the feedback you always get?
Mainly that they’re so happy to get advice from a mountain guide. We’re Eryri Gold Ambassadors, which means we have the knowledge to give advice, not just mountaineering advice, but also broader information on the history and cultural heritage of the area. It’s something we need to renew and take lots of modules for, so it’s not an easy thing to achieve.
Also, that you can’t beat having a warm, comfy bed to come back to, homemade Welsh cakes, and a hearty breakfast in the morning. It’s the little touches people seem to like.
A lot of the breakfast food you serve is locally-sourced – has it been a conscious effort to ensure you use local ingredients wherever possible? And how can guests help you with these efforts?
Yes, absolutely. Everything we serve is made locally or homemade. We make our own jams, marmalades, and cakes, but all our soaps, yoghurts, and produce are sourced locally. In fact, we’re the first business in Eryri to be awarded Gold Plastic-Free Status. This links to the initiative for Yr Wyddfa to be the first plastic-free mountain in the UK.
We started making picnic lunches for Inntravellers, and everything in those is free of plastic (even the crisp bags – again, it’s our responsibility to not let any plastic go up onto the mountain and educate people about it).
We do all our own composting; we don’t have any commercial waste either as we’re able to recycle everything. It’s something we’re immensely proud of, and our way of giving back to this immense landscape we call home.