Penmaenpool rests on the tranquil south bank of the Mawddach Estuary. This hamlet has deep roots in the age of timber shipbuilding and the slate trade. My top tip is to walk the Grade II listed wooden toll bridge for a small fee. You can see the dark water and tidal sands for free from the shore. The old signal box now serves as a quiet spot for bird watchers to see rare waders. Above the village, the grey slopes of Cader Idris rise into the clouds. The historic George III Inn once served as a busy ship chandler for the local fleet. You can follow the flat Mawddach Trail along the old railway line toward the sea. Life here remains slow.