[Now fully booked] next northern Bootcamp - 2017 - dates, waiting list

now there’s a good subject for @CatrinLliarJones 's next book! :wink:

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ah yes… that is what I was asking about, it’s not that I was too lazy to check out the houses website. I mean i think we would be mainly using it for wishing to know the Welsh for various things, such a device would be very useful.

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I have been hesitating for a while about posting this, and I’m sorry that it always seems to be me with demands and suggestions before we even start… (Once we get going, I promise to be a model bootcamper and go along with anything and everything!)

I wonder what the ratio of people to bedrooms is going to be? I don’t actually expect to sleep much at the best of times, so it might not make much difference, but I would feel slightly more comfortable in a single room.

I wonder whether some people might genuinely not really mind? But if more people expressed a preference for not sharing, I’d be happy to draw lots of course.

I hope it’s OK to raise this in advance. We don’t have to decide in advance of course.

I don’t mind either way, but be warned I snore!

I don’t mind either way.

HI. Would prefer single if possible please.
By the way on the web site it says bed linen is provided but doesn’t mention towels which are always more cumbersome to pack. Anyone know if they are provided?

Hi, I’m another not particularly great sleeper. Would prefer a single if possible please.

Ah well, thanks folks. I guess we might just end up drawing lots… I’m sure it will be fine either way somehow!

It has 7 bedroooms - so I make that 4 people in singles and the rest two to a room - so it seems reasonable that the people who’ve expressed a preference for singles in this thread have them…:slight_smile:

As for towels - it doesn’t seem explicitly clear in the listing, but I’d be very surprised if there weren’t towels - let’s risk it, and if we’ve got it wrong, Catrin and I will ferry emergency towels down from here… :slight_smile:

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Thanks Aran. Not long to go now and any plans I had for revision seem to be evaporating rapidly …

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Oh yeah, forgot to comment yesterday! I also genuinely don’t really mind :smile:

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Ooh, excellent, that’s a lot better than I had expected! I had thought that even the “luxury” northern version is mostly two to a room at least.

I won’t be making it this time but since I’m also one of the “strongly prefer single room” persuasion, that bodes well for me for a possible 2018 northern bootcamp!

Diolch Aran!

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Thank you very much! It’s really appreciated.

Well I will be arriving on rebound from 10 days of German at the in-laws’, so will probably only be able to produce an unintelligible mixture on Friday… :confounded:
Am also spending Easter Sunday doing emergency work work on my father in law’s rickety laptop in order to hopefully make sure that I can be incommunicado next week. (How many months notice did I give them that I wanted 3 weeks off ?!)

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In the past we have made attempts at designated rooms based on gender, needs, disabilities, age and so on. But have learn’t that leaving the group to their own devices, to sort out who sleeps where, ultimately works best. I must add though, that honesty on the first day about snoring/very early waking/late sleeping/insomnia or any other possible issues, allows for a more relaxed week in general.

As Aran says, we will provide emergency towels if needed, no problem.

We will also make sure that you have the basics you may need, such as tea, coffee, milk sugar, bread, butter and so on. We will also be providing the first night’s meal. Bring a bottle for the first night and any particular breakfast for the first morning. Otherwise, please don’t go to any trouble to do any big grocery shop prior to arriving as there will be plenty of opportunity to do this on the Saturday from either Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, Iceland, or a wide range of smaller shops in Caernarfon - all of which are in walking distance.

We advise that anyone who is confident cooking for large groups and would like to do this one evening during the week, either alone or in pairs, should probably find time to chat to the rest of the group about this on Saturday, before everyone goes out shopping. One hiccup of Bootcamp is being left with lots of food left in the fridge on the last day. :wink:

We will also provide a set of games, but if you have any you would like to bring, or indeed musical instruments, then please feel free to do so.

Any further questions, please ask. :smile:

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Wow, this is a seriously long thread. I have escaped granny duty and am sitting in a cafe reading through. I am rubbish at yoga but can’t wait to hear the Welsh equivalent at downward facing dog. For those not into it, can I give you a little story?

We had a hot week when I did Bootcamp in Tresaith (for Wales) and everyone decided to go for a swim. I said: gee, I’m not sure. This is the Irish Sea. I rarely swim in Australia (or some rambling Welsh equivalent). Someone replied: you don’t normally spend a week speaking Welsh in Australia. So, why not swim too? So, I swam. And I’m glad. I can now say I’ve swum in the Irish Sea. My family still don’t believe it. So, here’s my tip. Do everything even if it isn’t your thing. I can guarantee there will be more laughs in that yoga room than there will be elegant poses.

I am happy to share a room with anyone. I am sharing with an early rising four year old grandchild this week so it can only be an improvement.

I’m happy to cook for big groups but I have food intolerances so may need to cater for myself at times.

I have no car and will be catching a train to Bangor and then a bus with two months worth of luggage. I may have missed it but can I have a post code to bang into Google so I can get there by the shortest route? I will need an emergency towel if possible.

I’m happy to sing. Can’t say it will sound any good but count me in. Actually, count me in on anything apart from vigorous exercise at the crack of dawn. I would love to see where Glyn Dwr unfurled his golden dragon outside the walls of Caernarfon and sing Yma ar Hyd. :slight_smile: I also have a copy of Walso Matilda yn y Gymraeg. I’ve done Bootcamp before and I’m feeling nervous about my Welsh. So, if you are feeling nervous too it is completely normal. We’re gonna have a ball.

Hwyl am y tro!

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The address is Isfryn, 11 Church Street, Caernarfon LL55 1SW. I’ll do a little map for you (and anyone else walking from bus station to Isfryn) and post it here. Give me a minute or two!

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ok, so here’s the flattest, most straightforward way from the bus stop (arrow on right) to Isfryn (star on left).

from the bus stop, walk to the end of the street (towards the pedestrian crossing) but go around the corner to your left (Costa Coffee is now on your left).

keep going to the next pedestrian crossing and cross this. carry on along the side of the Maes towards the castle and keep going straight on with the castle on your left.

Keep going, past the entrance to the castle on your left and Oriel Pendeitsh on your right, towards the big building with pillars in front which you should see ahead of you.

Take the street on your right when you get to that building (Stryd y Jel / Shirehall Street).

Almost there!
Keep going straight ahead (and straight across the little crossroads). Isfryn will be on your left and is a big white house with a red door. (If you get to the big yellow house on your left, you’ve gone too far - go back a couple!)

*** quick edit to point out that this is a map for WALKING - due to one-way streets, drivers won’t be able to go this way! Anyone need a driving version?

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Ah, very good! :slight_smile: I have started printing off the words for a few songs and was thinking of including that… Glad there’s at least one budding Dafydd Iwan in our midst! :laughing::star:

Um, reading that again, are you actually going to be singing it outside the walls of Caernarfon? :laughing:

Parking update!

Firstly, sorry for the parking complications! Gwynedd Council have stepped up their parking charges in the last few months and many car parks that were once free, now aren’t! But we feel that a Bootcamp in the centre of the interesting, cultural and vibrant Caernarfon will be worth it. We hope you feel the same by the end of the week! :wink:

Unfortunately I have been unable to get hold of anyone at the football club. So here are my parking suggestions.

I would suggest that parking at the Slate Quay car park below the castle is one sensible option.

They don’t have a weekly rate, but do have a daily charge of £4. You’ll be able to leave your car overnight, but will have to return daily to pay the £4. I also strongly suggest, that when you return each morning to pay, you also move your car to a different space in the car park, in order to not attract any unwanted attention. It may also be an idea to mention to the car park attendant on your first day, what your plans for the week are.

I’ve had an initial conversation with the office to explain intentions. Here are the car park details for anyone who may need them -

Address: Harbour Office, Slate Quay, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Caernarfon LL55 2PB
Phone: 01286 672118

If you are particularly uncomfortable with leaving your car anywhere in Caernarfon, then you are welcome to leave it at our house. We live 10 minutes from the centre of town and have space for 2 vehicles in addition to ours. We live in a rural, quiet and very private area. We can then ferry you to Caernarfon. The only thing we would ask is if you would leave the keys, just in case.

Otherwise you do have the option of parking on one of the residential streets, if you are lucky enough to find a space. Either in close proximity to the house, or further afield, possibly above/opposite Morrisons in the area of Lôn Ddewi/Bron y Garth/Ael y Garth or the Twthill area.

Caernarfon isn’t all that big, so nowhere is far to walk.

Please let us know if we can do anything to help with public transport or carrying bags or anything else!

I hope all this helps. :slight_smile:

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