Betws-y-Coed

The visitor guide to Betws-y-Coed and Eryri (Snowdonia)

Pont-y-Pair bridge over the Afon Llugwy in Betws-y-Coed

Things to Do in Betws-y-Coed

Photo: Peter S, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Betws-y-Coed is the kind of place where you can fill a week without getting back in the car. Three rivers meet here, the Conwy, the Llugwy and the Lledr, and the village sits in the middle of Gwydir Forest Park with Eryri (Snowdonia) rising all around. This page rounds up the best things to see and do, from free riverside strolls to castles, gardens and adrenaline days out.

Explore the Betws-y-Coed guide: Home | Things to Do | Waterfalls | Walks | Adventure | Snowdon from Betws | Where to Stay | Eat and Drink | Getting Here | Itineraries

In the village

Pont-y-Pair Bridge

The old stone bridge in the heart of the village carries the road over the Afon Llugwy. Its name means “bridge of the cauldron”, after the bubbling rapids below. Stand on the rocks beside it after heavy rain and you will see why. Traditionally it is credited to a local mason, Hywel Saer Maen, and it was widened in the 19th century. The Pont-y-Pair car park next to it is the starting point for several waymarked forest walks.

Waterloo Bridge

Thomas Telford’s cast iron bridge carries the A5 over the River Conwy at the southern end of the village. It was built in 1815, the year of the Battle of Waterloo, and the date is cast into the arch along with decorative emblems. It is Grade I listed and is one of the great survivors of Telford’s London to Holyhead road.

St Michael’s Church

The oldest building in Betws-y-Coed, St Michael’s dates from the 14th century and sits quietly beside the River Conwy, close to the railway station. It is cared for by volunteers from the St Michael’s Betws-y-Coed Trust and is normally open daily from around Easter to the end of October. It hosts a flower festival in September. Its Victorian replacement, St Mary’s, stands in the centre of the village.

Conwy Valley Railway Museum

Next to the station, this long-running family favourite has a miniature steam railway and a model tram, plus railway memorabilia. Opening days vary, so check before you go.

Shopping and browsing

Betws has long been the outdoor capital of North Wales and the main street is lined with outdoor gear shops, galleries, gift shops and cafes. It is a good place to pick up maps and kit before heading for the hills.

Eryri National Park Information Centre

Based in the Royal Oak Stables, the centre is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm and can help with walks, weather, maps and accommodation. Tel 01690 710426.

Waterfalls and rivers

Betws-y-Coed is famous for its waterfalls. Swallow Falls is the best known, about two miles west of the village on the A5. Conwy Falls and the gorge of Fairy Glen lie just to the south. See our full Waterfalls guide for access, charges and tips.

Walks and forest trails

Natural Resources Wales manages a network of waymarked trails right from the village, from an easy half-hour boardwalk among giant Douglas firs to the climb up to Llyn Elsi with its panoramic views of the mountains. Our Walks guide has the details.

Heritage nearby

Tŷ Hyll (The Ugly House)

This rough boulder-built cottage on the A5 towards Capel Curig is one of the most photographed buildings in Wales. Legend says it was a “tŷ unnos”, a house built overnight on common land. Today it is owned by the Snowdonia Society, with a tearoom, a honeybee exhibition and woodland gardens. Entry to the house, garden and woods is free.

Gwydir Castle, Llanrwst

A Tudor fortified manor house of around 1500, once home to the powerful Wynn family, with Grade I listed gardens and resident peacocks. Its famous panelled dining room was sold to William Randolph Hearst in 1921 and finally brought home in 1998. Gwydir is about four miles north of Betws. Check opening days before visiting.

Dolwyddelan Castle

Built by Llywelyn the Great in the early 13th century, this lonely Welsh castle guards the Lledr Valley about six miles south-west of Betws. It is managed by Cadw and is free to visit (open Friday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, from April to September; outside viewing only in winter). It is a 15 minute walk up farm tracks from the lay-by on the A470.

Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant

Hidden up a narrow lane near Penmachno, this 16th-century farmhouse was the birthplace of Bishop William Morgan, who translated the first complete Bible into Welsh in 1588. Run by the National Trust, the house opens from April to September and the grounds all year.

Trefriw Woollen Mills

About five miles north, this working mill still weaves traditional Welsh tapestry bedspreads, powered by its own water turbine. The weaving shed is free to visit (Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm).

Bodnant Garden

One of the great gardens of Britain, around 15 miles north in the Conwy Valley. Eighty acres of terraces, woodland and the famous Laburnum Arch, which flowers in late spring. Run by the National Trust.

Adventure and family days out

Zip World Betws-y-Coed, just north of the village on the A470, has an alpine coaster, treetop nets, a 100 ft freefall and more. Add mountain biking, golf, fishing and climbing and there is plenty to keep everyone busy. See our Adventure and Activities page.

Further afield

  • Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon): take the Sherpa’r Wyddfa S1 bus from the village to Pen-y-Pass. See Snowdon from Betws-y-Coed.
  • Conwy: the walled town and castle are about 18 miles north.
  • Llandudno: the Victorian seaside resort is about 19 miles away, with its pier, promenade and the Great Orme.
  • Blaenau Ffestiniog: over the Crimea Pass, the slate town is home to Zip World Llechwedd and the Ffestiniog Railway.

Rainy day? Try the Conwy Valley Railway Museum, Trefriw Woollen Mills, Tŷ Hyll’s tearoom, Gwydir Castle or a riverside walk to see the waterfalls at their most dramatic. Rain is what makes these falls so spectacular.

Attractions and activities directory

Activities

Attractions

Shopping

Guide updated October 2026. Prices and opening times change, so please check with each venue before you travel.