North Wales: Castles, Snowdonia and the Llŷn Peninsula

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The route · 7 stops

1
Chester
1 night
Gateway from England into North Wales. Chester's intact 3 km Roman wall circuit runs above a centre of half-timbered buildings. The Rows, a two-storey medieval shopping gallery, are unique in Britain. Chester is well served by rail from London and Manchester, making it an easy arrival point before the drive west to Conwy on the A55.
Chester has direct trains from London Euston (under 2 hours) and Manchester Piccadilly (1 hour), making it an easy arrival point before collecting a hire car.
2
Conwy
2 nights55m · 50 km from previous
One of Europe's finest walled medieval towns. Conwy Castle (1283-1289) sits on the estuary with eight drum towers intact, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with Caernarfon, Beaumaris and Harlech. Walk the 1.5 km wall circuit for estuary and Snowdonia views. Find Britain's smallest house (3.05 m wide) on the quayside.
A Cadw Explorer Pass covers both Conwy and Caernarfon castles and saves money if you plan to visit all four UNESCO fortresses on the route.
3
Betws-y-Coed
1 night25m · 22 km from previous
Eastern gateway to Eryri (Snowdonia National Park), set where three rivers meet in a wooded gorge. Swallow Falls is a short walk from the village. Riverside paths along the Conwy and Llugwy rivers offer a good first taste of the national park without full hiking gear. Stock up here before heading west; supplies become sparser in the mountains.
Parking at Swallow Falls is pay-and-display and fills by mid-morning in summer. Walk down from the village (15 minutes) and avoid the car park queue.
4
Llanberis
1 night30m · 25 km from previous
Main base for Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon, 1,085 m), Wales's highest peak. Reach the summit by the Snowdon Mountain Railway (rack-and-pinion, running since 1896) or the Llanberis Path (15 km return, around five hours). The National Slate Museum beside Llanberis Lake is free to enter and shows the Victorian quarrying industry that shaped the landscape.
Book the Snowdon Mountain Railway at least two weeks ahead in July and August; it sells out. If you walk up, an early start (before 08:00) means cooler conditions and a quieter summit.
5
Caernarfon
1 night15m · 10 km from previous
The most dramatic of the four UNESCO Edward I castles on this route. Polygonal towers, banded stonework, and carved stone eagles on the Eagle Tower make Caernarfon Castle unlike any other in Wales. Built from 1283 and the site of the 1969 investiture of the Prince of Wales. Intact town walls and a restored waterfront complete the visit.
The castle audio guide is worth carrying: the history of the walls and towers is layered, and the eagle tower roof gives the best views of the Menai Strait and Snowdonia.
6
Aberdaron
1 night1h · 55 km from previous
Remote village at the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula, where medieval pilgrims departed for Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island). In summer the Enlli Charter runs boat trips across the tidal sound to the island's monastery ruin and seabird colonies. The south coast has sweeping sandy beaches; Porth Neigwl is popular with surfers.
Book the Ynys Enlli boat trip in advance through the Enlli Charter. Trips are weather-dependent; cliff walks around the headland are a good alternative if the crossing is cancelled.
7
Barmouth
1h 30m · 82 km from previous
Final stop, reached via Portmeirion (an Italianate village built 1925-1975 by Clough Williams-Ellis) and Harlech Castle (the fourth UNESCO fortress on this trip). Barmouth is a Victorian seaside town with a wide beach and a timber estuary viaduct (1867). Cambrian Coast Line trains connect to the national rail network.
The Cambrian Coast Line train from Barmouth offers a scenic alternative to retracing the drive: services run to Machynlleth where you can connect to Shrewsbury, Birmingham and beyond.

North Wales: Castles, Snowdonia and the Llŷn Peninsula

The route · 7 stops

Chester

Conwy

Betws-y-Coed

Llanberis

Caernarfon

Aberdaron

Barmouth

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