The original Victorian garden layout has been followed

There are waiting lists at many plots, and the Beddgelert National Trust (NT) scheme may become only the latest.

Fifteen people have already shown an interest in the eight plots being developed as part of a refurbishment of a small Victorian estate.

There are estimated to be 330,000 occupied allotments across the UK.

People are more interested in fresh food and controlling what goes into their food Geoff Stokes, National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners

Among those interested in a plot at Beddgelert are Peter and Julia Harding, from nearby Nant Gwynant.

"The land we have isn't arable land and I'm interested in being self-sufficient and growing our own organic vegetables." said Mr Harding.

"Allotments certainly seem to be more popular, and with young people," said Geoff Stokes of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners.

The garden site had been left wild for many years

"We have a stand at the various gardening shows such as Gardeners' World Live and Tatton Park, and it seems to me that more people, especially younger people, are enquiring about getting a plot."

"The appeal seems to be that people are more interested in fresh food and controlling what goes into their food. They also say it tastes better," he added.

Wild goats

At the Craflwyn estate in Beddgelert the NT has used an �80,000 European grant to put in the infrastructure for the allotments.

This includes a high stone wall and installing an electric fence - complete with solar panel to recharge the battery - to deter the local population of wild goats.

"The garden has been set out to the original layout," said Dave Smith, NT warden for Eifionydd.

"We've even used the original Victorian clay edging tiles - which were dug up from the site - as far as possible," he added.

The plots will be allocated by a panel and a committee of allotment holders will then be set up to run the site.

There are no separate figures available for the number of occupied allotment plots in Wales.

In many areas allotments are run by individual parish councils, such as Holyhead Town Council, which has 75 plots, but with no waiting list.

In the Conwy County Council area there 100 people on the waiting list for one of the county's 171 allotments.

In Gwynedd there are no council run allotments in Dwyfor, eight sites in Arfon, with three people on the waiting list, and 98 in Meirionnydd with 23 on the waiting list.