Betws-y-Coed

Introducing Betws-y-Coed

If you’re looking for a base with an Alpine feel from which to explore Snowdonia National Park, the bustling little village of Betws-y-Coed (bet-us-ee-coyd) stands out as a natural option. It boasts a dramatic setting above an inky river, is engulfed in the verdant leafiness of the Gwydyr Forest and benefits from a position near the junction of three river valleys: the Lledr meets the Conwy and, about 1 mile south of the centre, they join the Llugwy. Betws-y-Coed takes its name (which means ‘sanctuary in the wood’) from the 14th-century St Michael’s Church at the heart of town.

The town has blossomed as Wales’ most popular inland resort since Victorian days when a group of countryside painters founded an artistic community to record the diversity of the landscape. The arrival of the railway in 1868 cemented its popularity and today Betws-y-Coed is as busy with families and coach parties as with walkers.

Activities are its stock-in-trade, however, with outdoor-activity shops strung out along the A5, the London–Holyhead highway that forms the main thoroughfare. The rivers Conwy and Llugwy are rich with salmon in autumn while water sports and skiing are best organised through the nearby Plas y Brenin National Mountain Centre.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009