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History
of Betws-y-Coed
The road running through the valley of the Glaslyn leads
to the delightful little town of Betws-y-Coed (pop. 770) ("temple in the
wood"), situated in Gwydyr Forest at the junction of the Conwy, Lledr and
Llugwy valleys. This is a very popular holiday place, crowded with visitors in
summer. The ruin of Pany Mill and the 15th century Pont-y-Pair ... Morebridges are attractive to look at. The immediate
surroundings are very beautiful, with the Fairy Glen, the Swallow Falls and the
Conwy waterfalls.
Tourist
Attractions in Betws-y-Coed
Barmouth / Abermaw
Barmouth/Abermaw is a popular seaside resort situated on a
narrow strip of land between the hills and the sea. Charles Darwin produced
part of his treatise on the evolution of man here.
Blaenau Ffestiniog
The center for the Welsh slate-mining industry is Blaenau
Ffestiniog, surrounded by massive, smooth and gleaming waste-heaps left by the
slate quarries. Slate, the mineral which dominates this environment, is
everywhere in evidence and in every conceivable shade, from the brightest to
the darkest silver-gray, providing a cladding for the little ... Moreterraced houses, built out of rough stone and granite,
which line the main street, and even visible in the enclosures reserved for
sheep grazing.
This
long seam of Cambrian slate extends from the Carnedds on the northwest flank of
the Snowdon massif as far as Nantlle and was formed during the Palaeozoic
period about 600 million years ago. Whereas at Penrhyn and Dinorwc it was
possible to mine the slate using open-cast methods, the more unfavorable
diagonal seam at Blaenau required tunnels and shafts. Large-scale slate
quarrying was begun at the beginning of the 19th century by the Liverpool
mining speculator Samuel Holland at the Oakeley Slate Quarries, his example
being immediately followed by other, mainly English entrepreneurs. The layers
of slate, after preliminary working, were transported for export through the
Vale of Ffestiniog on a narrow-gauge railroad to the nearby harbor of
Porthmadog. From there the much prized weather-resistant building stone was
shipped all over the world. At the height of the slate boom, around the turn of
the century, the population of Blaenau almost reached 12,000 and its 18 mines,
which employed some 4,000 men - almost a quarter of the slate-workers in North
Wales - produced some 140,000 tons each year. Today there are just two open-cast
mines left which only employ 150 men.
Caernarfon
About 9mi/14km southwest of Bangor is the county town of
Gwynedd, Caernarfon (pop. 12,000), beautifully situated on the Menai Strait at
the mouth of the River Seiont. It is a picturesque old town of narrow streets,
with old town walls and a magnificent castle. The yachting harbor is also a
favorite mooring place for smart sailing boats, and the ... Moretown is a good base from which to explore the beauties of
the Lleyn Peninsula.
Colwyn Bay
Colwyn
Bay (pop. 26,278) is a seaside resort.
Rhos-on-Sea is located northwest of Colwyn Bay. The Welsh Mountain Zoo
is located in a magnificent 37 acre estate offering panoramic mountain and coastal
views. The animal collections include: lions, bears, ostriches, monkeys and
British wildlife specimens. Other attractions include: birds of prey flying
displays, performing sealions and a children's farm. A number of rare and endangered animals are cared for at the zoo; Persian
leopards, Przewalski horses and bald eagles. The latest attraction is
Chimpanzee World.
Criccieth Castle
Criccieth
is a popular seaside resort with a small 13th century castle, from which there
are very fine views. A delicious specialty of Criccieth, which every visitor
should sample, is the creamy Cadwalader's Ice Cream. Criccieth Castle was built atop a rocky crag by Llywely the Great around 1230.
It was captured and burned in 1404 by Owain Glyndwr. In its remains there are
two exhibitions: "Castles of Welsh Princes" and "Gerald of
Wales".
Dolgellau
The Mawddach estuary is of great scenic beauty. A road
runs along its shores to Dolgellau (10mi/16km), a town of stone-built and
slate-roofed houses beautifully situated in the valley of the Wnion. Around the
turn of the century there was a "mini gold-rush" here, when gold was
found in some of the mountain streams nearby. The gold used for the ... Morewedding rings of the Queen, the Prince of Wales and
Princess Diana came from veins of quartz at the Clogau St David's Mine, the
hallmark of which carries the Welsh red dragon. Being within reach of so much
magnificent scenery, Dolgellau is a favorite base for walks and climbs in the
surrounding hills and on Cadair Idris. To gain an initial impression of this
beautiful landscape, the visitor is recommended to take the Precipice Walk to
Moel Cynwch (1,068ft/326m) and on to Cymmer Abbey, a Cistercian foundation of
1,198, of which only the Norman church (restored) has been preserved.
Harlech
The village of Harlech (pop. 1,300), once the county town
of Merioneth, lies on a rocky outcrop of Cambrian origin, towering over the
salt marshland of Morfa Harlech. Like the other fortresses built by Edward I,
it was intended that it could be supplied from the sea, but today the village
lies 0.5mi/1km from the shore. The massive castle, with ... Moreits breathtaking location, is like something out of a
mythical fairy-tale and is a symbol of Welsh patriotism. It was conquered by
Owain Glyndwr, the last national leader of the Welsh, in 1404 in a struggle
against English supremacy, and remained in his hands for almost five years.
Llanbedr
The road from Harlech to Barmouth, some 10mi/16km in
length, passes through an area of great scenic beauty. Inland lies part of
Snowdownia National Park, with mountains rising as high as 2,462ft/751m. Rhinog
Fawr (2,362ft/720m) is popular with climbers, the starting point for the ascent
being the village of Llanbedr on the Artro, a river well ... More-known among
anglers for its trout.
Llandudno
Llandudno (pop. 20,000) is one of the most popular
seaside resorts in Wales, with two sandy beaches, one on either side of the
town, separated by the limestone promontory of Great Orme Head. The more
easterly of the two beaches, North Shore, is bounded by another headland,
Little Orme. With the advent of tourism in the last century, this ... MoreVictorian town became a gathering-place for the new
middle class, who came here from the nearby industrial regions of Liverpool and
Manchester. To date, the magnificent late Victorian pier has been mercifully
spared the modern fairground influences - games machines and souvenir stalls -
which are so typical of many resorts on the south coast. Mostyn Street, with
its shopping arcades, is well worth a visit, and there is a wide range of
cultural events and entertainments.
Snowdownia
Snowdownia
is the name given to the mountainous area in the county of Gwynedd, with 14
peaks over 3,000ft/915m, culminating in Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa itself
(3,560ft/1,085m), followed by Crib Goch (3,023ft/921m), Crib-y-Ddysgl or Garnedd
Ugain (3,493ft/1,065m), Lliwedd (2,947ft/898m) and Yr Aran (2,451ft/778m). The
best view of the whole group is to be had from Capel Curig, but the peaks
themselves can be seen from Porthmadog or the Nantlle valley.
Llanberis
Llanberis
(pop. 2,330) lies in a magnificent setting at the beginning of the Llanberis
Pass. The twin lakes of Padarn and Peris have one of the largest pumping
stations in Europe for the purpose of supplying water. Between them is
Dolbadarn Castle; with an early 13th century round tower, and 2mi/3km to the
south is Bryn Bras Castle.
Llyn Ogwen / Llyn Idwal
Llyn Ogwen is a beautiful mountain lake with a waterfall
(Benglog Falls). 0.5mi/1km to the south is Llyn Idwal, in which the son of
Prince Owain Gwynedd is supposed to have been drowned by his stepfather.
How
to reach Betws-y-Coed
By rail:
The nearest rail station is Bangor in Gwynedd (approx. 6 miles (10km)).
By Road:
There are two main routes to reach
North Wales Coast Road (A55 expressway)
From J20 of the M6, take M56 west to North Wales. Follow signs to North
Wales eventually joining A55 expressway. Leave A55 at junction with A5 and
turn south towards Bethesda. Follow A5 through Bethesda (approx
3.5 miles). Austin Taylor site visible on left hand side.
A5 trunk road
Follow A5 from Shrewsbury through mid Wales. Pass through Llangollen and
Betws-y-Coed. Austin Taylor site on right hand side before reaching
village of Bethesda.
By Air:
Manchester
Airport is less than 90 miles (144km or 1.5 hours) drive away.
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