The Ultimate Guide to Exploring North West Wales

North Wales is the best, and there’s no arguing it! We might be biased, but we’re prepared to prove our point until the cows come home. There isn’t a better place to visit in all of Britain. Why? We mainly attribute it to the landscape, history, and people. Hold on tight as we present our comprehensive guide to exploring North West Wales.

Before we begin, we want to clarify the areas of North West Wales we’re discussing. They include Anglesey, Llyn Peninsula, Gwynedd (Eryri/Snowdonia), and Conwy. The easiest way to distinguish these places is as follows:

• Anglesey – The Island
• Llyn Peninsula – The Peninsula
• Gwynedd (Snowdonia) – The Mountains
• Conwy – The valley

The beauty of these four regions is that everything is always within a 30-40 minute drive, depending on where you’re staying. If you want a day on the beach out of the wind, head to Anglesey as you’ll always find one side of the island that’s calmer. If it’s a day of hill walking you crave, head to Snowdonia. Alternatively, for exploring coastal footpaths, head to the Llyn Peninsula.

Let’s break down the four regions to provide you with the ultimate guide for exploring North West Wales.

Anglesey

Two bridges bring you onto the island, both quite impressive in their own right. The Menai Bridge was completed in 1826 by Thomas Telford and more recently, the Britannia Bridge was completed in 1850 by Robert Stephenson.

Anglesey boasts 42 beaches, some of them quite spectacular. Head to our beaches page on the website to find snippets of information on each one. If we had to recommend three, we’d suggest Newborough, Traeth Lligwy, or Trearddur Bay.

Besides the amazing beaches, there’s a fantastic coastal footpath around the island. If you get the chance to hike part of the footpath around Holyhead, you’ll come across South Stack, a very impressive lighthouse off the Western tip of Anglesey.

Lastly, Anglesey has an abundance of lovely towns and villages to explore. The main ones to add to your list are Beaumaris, Rhosneigr, Menai Bridge, and Moelfre. With views of the Snowdonia mountains from most parts of the island, Anglesey is a very special place to stay.

Llŷn Peninsula

Located on the Western tip of North Wales, the Llŷn is a very special place with a beautiful coastline, an abundance of villages to visit, and one very special island off the tip of the Llŷn.

There are five main areas that need to be mentioned when you visit the Llŷn Peninsula. In no particular order, they are Nefyn/Morfa Nefyn, Aberdaron & Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island, Abersoch, Pwllheli, and Criccieth.

Morfa Nefyn and Nefyn are two interconnected villages. There are two must-visit places here. The first is Porthdinllaen, home to the infamous Ty Coch pub, once voted one of the top 5 beach bars in the world. The other is Nefyn Golf Club with spectacular views from the old course’s rocky peninsula.

At the furthest tip of the Llyn, you’ll find Aberdaron, a small fishing village with a lot of heart. It boasts a beautiful beach and some of the best fish and chips going at Sblash. The best thing to do when you visit Aberdaron is to take a small ferry across to Ynys Enlli / Bardsey Island, a place rich in history and once the endpoint for many pilgrimages. Today, you can follow the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way that will lead you to the island.

Finally, you have the villages along the southern Llŷn – Abersoch, Pwllheli and Criccieth. All three villages are well worth visiting, with an abundance of shops, and restaurants, and they all have amazing beaches. If we had to choose between the three, we might go with Criccieth as it boasts an imposing castle overlooking the village!

Gwynedd

Famous for the Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, the main attraction is Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the highest peak in England and Wales standing at 1085m. It attracts thousands of visitors every year. If walking is not your thing, you can also take a train all the way to the top!

Be aware that Yr Wyddfa can get very busy in the summer. We’d recommend heading to one of the lesser-known mountains which arguably boasts better views. Our top three are Pen Yr Ole Wen, Tryfan, and Y Garn. Each of these mountains are over 3000ft and have incredible views in all directions.

Once you finish your day in the mountains, we’d recommend heading to Beddgelert for lunch. If you plan your day well, you can even hop on the Welsh Highland Railway and head into Caernarfon, where you’ll find Edward I’s magnificent Caernarfon Castle. Another favorite spot is Harlech, which also has an incredible castle and one of the top 50 golf courses in the UK – Royal St David’s.

You could spend a whole year in the foothills of Snowdonia. With its proximity to the coastline, it truly is the beating heart of North West Wales.

Conwy

Conwy Valley is a must-visit if you’re in North Wales. Going North to South, you start in Conwy itself which boasts a lovely port, a good number of restaurants and shops, and an incredible castle.

After a morning in Conwy, head South along the Conwy valley to the village of Llanrwst with its beautiful bridge and café. Here, you’ll find some amazing e-bike tours that will take you up into the forests above the valley.

The final stop is Betws-Y-Coed, arguably the prettiest village in North Wales. With stone-built houses, the beautiful Afon Llugwy running throughout, and some amazing outdoor shops to find your walking boots for your trip to Snowdonia, it’s a must-visit.

Conclusion

We’ve only touched the surface of what can be accomplished in these four amazing areas, but we hope this gives you a great insight into where to go depending on your mood, the weather, and what your friends and family are up for. Head to our Explore section to find out much more information on every area.