Plas Yn Rhiw House and Garden, Rhiw, North Wales
Acquired by the National Trust in the 1940s, Plas yn Rhiw is an unassuming but truly charming 16th Century Manor House and Garden with tea rooms. Tucked away off the beaten track on the Llyn Peninsula, this house nestles in the hills above Hell’s Mouth beach and affords spectacular views across Cardigan Bay.
Plas yn Rhiw is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. The house itself was lovingly restored in the 1930s by its former inhabitants, the Keating sisters, and little about it has been changed since then.
As you wander around its reportedly haunted rooms, you can almost feel yourself being transported back in time to a simpler and quieter era.
The garden is undoubtedly a gardener’s garden and even those insensitive to the great goblets of magnolia will catch their breath at the view from the terrace.
Plas yn Rhiw House
The Keating sisters, Eileen, Lorna and Honora, from Nottingham, first fell under the spell of Plas yn Rhiw when they visited the Llyn Peninsula for their childhood summer holidays.
In 1938, they purchased the Manor and commenced their loving restoration of the house and gardens after years of neglect. It’s rumoured the garden was so overgrown that the sisters had to enter the house through a first floor window.
The sisters cleverly consulted Clough Williams Ellis, the eccentric creator of Portmeirion village which is located just 30 miles away. Like them, he believed the house would indeed make a fine home.
Over the years the sisters gradually bought up more land so by the time Plas yn Rhiw was donated to the National Trust, the estate was around 400 acres.
Walk Around Plas yn Rhiw Gardens
Wander around the garden and you’ll spy a plethora of beautiful flowering trees and shrubs, with beds framed by box hedges and mossy grass paths.
There’s something to surprise you around every corner whatever the season, whether it’s the formal parterre with its spectacular sea view or its cottage-style vegetable garden, cobbled courtyards, mossy mountain spring water features or ancient woodland and wildflower meadows.
Have a Welsh Cream Tea
Plas yn Rhiw’s tea room is housed in a beautifully converted farm building. The decor inside pays homage to the traditional style of the house with dark oak Welsh settles and tables.
On a sunny day, sit outside under parasols and drink in the views over Hell’s Mouth beach and Cardigan Bay.
Eat a Slice of Battenberg Cake
A particular speciality is the tea room’s homemade Battenberg cake which was reportedly a favourite of the Keating sisters. It was first baked in 1884 to celebrate Prince Louis of Battenberg’s marriage to Princess Victoria, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter.
The sponge cake has distinctive yellow and pink squares (said to represent the four Battenberg princes), which are covered in a layer of jam and marzipan. In the north of England, it’s affectionately known as ‘Chapel Window’ cake.
Tips
- Plas yn Rhiw is closed during the winter months
Where to Stay on the Lyn Peninsula
Plas Bodegroes is an award winning country house restaurant with rooms located on the Lyn Peninsula and just a mile from the sea. For prices and availability, visit booking.com.
Ready to book a short break in North Wales? Check out all our recommended Best Places to Stay in North Wales.
Dogs
Dogs must be kept on a lead and are unfortunately only allowed in the woodlands beyond the car park. Why not take me for a walk at Cardigan Bay so I can have a good run around?
How to Find Plas Yn Rhiw House & Gardens
National Trust, Plas Yn Rhiw, Rhiw, Gwynedd, North Wales LL53 8AB
The Foodie Travel Guide
Sally is the founder and editor of The Foodie Travel Guide. She travels around the UK and beyond in search of the best foodie days out, tasting experiences and delicious places to stay. She loves a glass of English sparkling wine, afternoon tea with friends and escaping London for gastronomic adventures.