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Escape to The Village – Welcome to Your Village, Portmeirion

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Welcome to Your Village, Portmeirion
Escape From The Village

Escape to the Village Trip Report header

In this journey

With my stay complete at the Travelodge, I tried to get a taxi to Portmeirion… however, I had no luck at all.

I, therefore, swallowed my pride (along with my legs which would be filing complaints later) for a walk up Porthmadog high street to a bus stop, and a bus onwards to Minnfford.

a road with cars parked on it
Another grey morning walk through an industrial estate. 

Whilst it was a lot cheaper than a taxi might have been (with the bus fare a total of £1.40), there was a nasty side effect. The one and a bit mile walk to the entrance of Portmerion Village.

a man standing in a bus
On the buses. 

a street with cars parked on it
Minnifford. 

This would be matter later, with the walk back from Portmeirion to Minnifford station – Any time that Google Maps say something is mostly flat, I’ve come to treat that with a very large pinch of salt.

This time was no different.

Walking up the road, there was the road (concrete) or a mixed surface to walk on.

I kept to the left and walked on the road. It was more than a little tough on the leg walk – but eventually, I made it to the car park… and shortly after, into the Village Gate.

a sign on a street
The Village is open!

a sign on a pole next to a tree
Welcome

a green field with trees and buildings in the background
The Mountains

a sheep grazing in a grassy field
Some might know this as The Hospital from The Prisoner. In the real world, it’s Castell Deudraeth – and also a hotel.

a sign on a pole
Follow the signs. 

a yellow and blue building with a blue door
It’s almost a bit of Italy in Wales

a road with flowers and trees
Do the roads ever end?

My pre-booked ticket number was confirmed – and I was given a ticket and a map.

It is time to enter The Village.

Where Am I? In the Village

Portmeirion Village
Entry fee: £14

Lifting from Wikipedia and the Portmeirion site:

Portmeirion is a tourist village in Gwynedd, North Wales. It was designed and built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1975 in the style of an Italian village and is now owned by a charitable trust.

a poster with text on it

Portmeirion has been used more than a few times for when a TV crew didn’t want to head over to Italy – rather keeping production a little more local.

For most people, the primary introduction to Portmeirion was in the 1967 TV Series “The Prisoner”.. .and how I was introduced to the place.

And walking under one of the arches, you’ve been transported away from Wales.

a group of people outside a building
Small rooms. 

a sign with a map in the middle of a forest
Your Village

a group of people outside a building
Cafe Number 6. 

a building with a archway over it
Time to be transported to a different place

a group of people walking under a archway

I did a slow loop of the Pizziaza and the VIllage, Exploring the nooks and crannies of the place, as well as recreating my own Prisoner scenes.

a tall stone tower with a tree in front of it
The tolling bell.

a building with a painting on the side
The General Store – or an Art Gallery. 

a building with a dome and a tree
Number 2 – The Green Dome. 

a chess board in a garden
Game of chess? We’re all pawns… 

a pool with a fountain and palm trees

a garden with a fountain and palm trees
Your Village Square. 

a stone walkway with a stone building and trees

a view of a courtyard from a balcony

a courtyard with a fountain and trees and buildings
Good people of our community! 

a close up of a fence
Mermaids everywhere. 

a group of people standing on a path with a park and trees

a group of people sitting at tables in a courtyard with umbrellas
Villagers

After an hour or so, there was something I needed. Coffee. Yes, the hotel coffee was barely passable, so having a freshly made americano helped here – and rather reasonably priced at £2.25.

a group of people walking down a street
Coffee, Gelato and snacks

a ice cream container with different flavors
Choose your Gelato! 

And yes, there was Wi-Fi here. Shockingly good Wi-Fi.

a screen shot of a cell phone
That’s damn fine Wi-Fi.

a group of people walking outside a building
The Town Hall – also where the small rooms are if you’re in the heart of the Village. 

This gave me time to post images, sit back and relax… and take my time. Something I haven’t had much time doing for quite a while.

After a break, I made my way down from the cafe, towards the Stoneboat and The Hotel Portmeirion.

Yes, there is a hotel here (Well two, the castle and the Hotel Portmeirion). The hotel offers lunches and afternoon tea at the venue (which does cut down the £14 entry fee), however, getting reservations for it can be more than a little challenging at the moment if you wish to dine.

a road with a building and a body of water
Hotel Portmeirion 

a white and blue building with clear dome tents
It seems Rover has new duties these days. Instead of ensuring prisoners don’t escape, they have to keep them warm and sheltered. I guess that’s filed under “Any other duties pertaining to the grade” 

a boat on the water
Amis Reunis – or “The Stone Boat”

a boat on the water

a room with a blue wall and white windows
It’s a bit low in here. But used to hatch many a plot in The Prisoner. 

Passing the Hotel Portmeirion, you start to head out onto the coast and the coastal walks that are offered in the area.

a yellow and white sign with black text
This isn’t a joke. Be careful out there! 

a white tower with a blue railing and a statue on top of it

a path with flowers and a building on the side a white building with arched windows and a ship wheel

a group of people walking on a path by a body of water

I did a loop onto the sands to create a couple of prisoner scenes – whilst managing to slip into a pool of rock and water.

Let us say my ankle wasn’t happy about that.

a number six drawn in sand
A number

people walking on a beach

a word written in sand
Is anyone?

people walking on a beach a rocky cliff with trees on the side a couple walking on a beach

a group of people standing on a beach

But it gave me a chance to explore the sands, as well explore some quiet woodland on the way back to the Village.

 

a pool and houses by the water

As well as taking my time and slowing down. Which is nice.

people walking down a street with buildings and trees
Towards the town hall?

a blue gate with stone pillars and steps
Not an invisible barrier this time. 

a garden with trees and buildings

a fountain in a pool with a pink building in the background
No Massive weather balloon appeared to smother me to death.

a group of people walking around a park

a vehicle driving down a street
No MiniMokes here. 

a chess board in a park
Pawn to Queens Four!

a building with columns and a statue on the side
This is missing a band play Radetzky March by  Johann Strauss Sr.

a yellow archway with a statue on top of it
We’re missing a 60’s style phone booth here. 

a statue in a courtyard
Atlas 

a building with a blue railing and stairs
One of the many rentable homes. 

a blue railing on a building
A hidden Buddha. 

I spent some time exploring the nooks and crannies of the place, as well as ending up in the gift shops.

Well, I suppose I might as well contribute to the cause – and not just by drinking coffee. It was here where I got some Portmeirion pottery, as well as some Prisononer Memborbila.

a white building with blue trim
I am not a number, I am a merchantable item! 

a mirror with a picture of a man in a black shirt
The Prisoner’s jacket

a display case with a sign and a picture on it
a display of toys and glasses
Filming memobrila

a shelf with books on it
A still tongue makes for a happy life.

a pair of striped shirts in plastic on a shelf
Your baby could always look good as a member of the Village

a shelf with dvd cases
DVD’s

a stack of magazines on a shelf
T-Shirts and guides.

a black and white poster on a shelf
A quote… 

a stone walkway with a sign on the wall
Past the Round House to the Village square.

And there remains a tribute to Patrick McGoogan, with a bust in an alcove.

a statue of a man's head

With those in hands, the sun came out – time for a few more photos as well as an impending alarm clock sound.

It was time to do something The Prisoner had trouble doing – Escaping the Village.

a group of white chairs and tables outside a building
Passing Cafe Number 6 on the way out. 

Next: Free to go… home? Back on the trains with Transport for Wales, back to Birmingham New Street.

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Comments

  1. beth says

    I cannot tell you how happy this post made me. I love this show and now need to visit!

  2. CraigTPA says

    Lovely…I had the opening theme playing in my head the entire time I read this post.