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Village and community in Conwy, Wales
Photo: Clintheacock66 (talk) (Transferred by Hogweard/Originally uploaded by Clintheacock66), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Betws-y-Coed (meaning Chapel in the Woods) is a village of 564 people (2011) in Conwy county borough, and one of the primary tourist resorts in the Snowdonia National Park.
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A very small railway museum, but it has a small rideable model steam train for kids and an electric tram.
Small exhibition.
The path to the falls is accessed via a turnstile at a charge of £1. While the falls are indeed beautiful there are similar rapids closer to town and free of charge: for instance at the Miners Bridge (1 mile west) and at the Pont-y-pair bridge (in town), both free of charge. The falls can also be viewed free of charge from the opposite bank by following the riverside public footpath downstream for 1 mile from Ty Hyll (below).
Impressive Douglas firs.
Ty Hyll
Home of the Snowdonia Society.
A spectacular falls that is divided into two falls each side of a large rock in the river Conwy.
Tower of 13th-century castle.
Check out the Marin and Penmachno Trails.
The Gwydyr Forest is one of the first Forests of Wales to be planted by the Forestry Commission and covers approximately 72 square miles. Much of it was planted in the early 1920s. There was a certain amount of natural regeneration of wild species growing up to the 1,000-foot tree level many hundreds of years ago. As time has advanced much of the traditional forestry work has declined and more emphasis is being put into recreation, cycle routes, bridleways and picnic spots. Timber production is being harvested each day, and as more areas get clear felled they are planted up again with more native species of oak, beech and rowan. The forest surrounding Betws-y-Coed is rich in both marked and unmarked trails. The marked trails range from one-mile walks on level roads to 10-mile walks in strenuous terrain. The lower parts of the Llugwy Valley offer forests reminiscent of temperate rainforests with a thick cover of moss and lichens on the trees and on ground. Another speciality is the exploring of old mines and quarries, many of which are partly (and safely) accessible.
Betws-y-Coed is a great base for exploring the Great Little Trains, narrow-gauge heritage railways found all over North Wales. Apart from the railway museum, the Conwy valley line is quite interesting, and provides access to Blaenau Ffestiniog with the Ffestiniog Railway and the mine tramways of the Llechwedd Slate Caverns as well as to the Chester to Holyhead mainline via Llandudno Junction. Sherpa bus S2 provides easy access to Llanberis with the Snowdon Mountain Railway and the Llanberis Lake Railway (1 proper railway, 3 narrow-gauge heritage railways and 4 smaller mine or model tramways).
One of three Zip World attractions in the area (the others are in Bethesda and Blaenau Ffestiniog), it is in the forest. The 'Zip Safari' is a treetop journey along 23 zip lines and other rope courses, and the Junior Tree Trail is its kid-friendly cousin. 'Plummet Tower' is a 31-m climbing pole and parachute simulator (basically you climb to the top then jump off — great fun!). Other attractions include a giant swing and the 1-km Fforest Coaster.
Bar and restaurant in 18th-century coaching inn, big portions, excellent food and service. Booking advised.
Reasonably priced bar food in a traditional pub and a restaurant.
Large hotel, central and well equipped. A bit pricey. Has 3 restaurants of fair quality; all have standard Welsh cuisine:
Supposedly one of the better guesthouses.
An old, classic hotel aimed at fishing. Has cheap singles.
Mary's Court Guest House
4* Victorian villa.
A Best Western hotel.
Bryn Bella
This eco-friendly B&B heats its water with solar energy and uses home grown fruit and vegetables. They were awarded the coveted Gold Star by the Green Tourism Business Scheme and were once listed among the 30 coolest bed & breakfasts by Time. The place has a lovely garden available for guests and if you drive an electric car, you can use their charging point for free.
Comfy shepherds' huts and glamping pods in the hills. No mobile / wifi signal.
Campsite with electrical hookups for tents, campers and caravans. The views are great and so are the cleaning facilities, showers and toilets.
2 miles west from the village centre, part of a larger hotel and bar complex. Open 365 days a year. Reception hours 8AM–noon. 78 beds. Family rooms available.
Independent hostel in a detached Victorian villa. 36 beds, self-catering kitchen, bar, common room, meals available, climbing wall. Bed linen provided.
A former chapel and schoolroom. Sleeps 3.
Single-storey stone cottage by a stream. Sleeps 4.
The oldest of the three properties, a 17th-century single-storey white-painted cottage. Sleeps 2.
By train
Betws-y-Coed station is on the Conwy Valley branch line from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog.
By bus
Betws y Coed is served by Bws Gwynedd services:
As the village is quite small, it is easiest to get around on foot. The S2 bus can be used to get to the westernmost part of town as well as to the Swallow Falls Hotel complex, the Ty y Hyll trailhead and Capel Curig.
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