Corris Craft Centre

The old slate quarry at Corris has been given a proper second life as a working craft centre, and it's worth stopping by if you're in the area round Dolgellau. What was once industrial wreckage is now home to various artisans - you'll find potters, jewellers, and other makers with studios dotted about the site. The whole place has that authentic feel of people actually doing their work rather than performing for visitors, which beats most heritage attractions.

Walking round takes maybe an hour or two depending on how chatty you want to be with the craftspeople. The setting itself is quite striking - those raw stone faces from the old quarry workings create a dramatic backdrop, and there's something rather good about seeing contemporary creativity set against all that industrial history. It's free to wander, though you'll probably want to buy something if you find a maker whose work catches your eye.

Families with older kids who aren't exhausted by museum fatigue will get more from it than younger ones. The site can feel a bit quiet on off-peak days, which is either lovely or slightly eerie depending on your mood. If you're camped at Gwerniago Campsite nearby, it's an easy detour when the weather's decent - combine it with a walk in the surrounding hills rather than making it your main event. Worth twenty minutes off the main road, not worth a special journey.