World Country Guide

North Wales

Facing the Isle of Anglesey across the Menai Strait is Caernarfon, whose 13th-century castle and walls dominate the town. Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales took place here in 1969. The Segontium Roman Fort is another attraction. Work is currently under way on a 40km- (25 mile-) extension to the narrow-gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which will ultimately connect Caernarfon with Porthmadog.
With its mighty castle and complete medieval town walls, Conwy is an important historic centre. It also offers the tropical Butterfly Jungle and riverbus cruises along the Conwy River. The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art is also in the town, whose Visitor Centre presents a multimedia show about the area. Nearby are the superb Bodnant Gardens.
Beneath Great Orme Head lies one of the country’s busiest resorts. It has almost every possible amenity, as well as being within striking distance of the beautiful hinterland, which includes the Snowdonia National Park. The town’s attractions include the Great Orme Mines, the world’s largest prehistoric site of its type, the Llandudno Cable Car, which climbs to the summit of Great Orme, and the North Wales Theatre, a major arts venue.
A town with a 5km- (3 mile-) promenade and extensive leisure and recreation facilities. It is a good base for excursions to St Asaph, a city with the smallest medieval cathedral in Britain. Major attractions in Rhyl include the Sea Life Aquarium, the Rhyl Museum and Art Gallery, as well as the Pavilion Theatre.
Close to the English border, Wrexham is the largest town in North Wales. Attractions such as the Arts Centre, the nearby Minera Lead Mines and Bersham Ironworks Heritage Centre are the main points of interest in an otherwise industrial town. A kilometre south lies Erddig, a 17th-century squire’s house containing much of the traditional furniture and with many of the outbuildings still in their original condition and in working order.
One of the longest established tourist areas in the British Isles, north coast beach resorts like Llandudno, Prestatyn and Rhyl still remain popular with holidaymakers. The chain of resorts continues almost unbroken for miles; Abergele, Colwyn Bay (location of the Welsh Mountain Zoo), Prestatyn and Rhos-on-Sea all have good beaches. Further east lie Bagillt and Flint, former capital of Flintshire (the modern capital of which is Mold).
Porthmadog on Tremadog Bay is another resort town – close to here is the village of Portmeirion, location for the 1960s Prisoner TV series and home of Portmeirion china. The world’s oldest independent narrow-gauge railway, the Ffestiniog Railway, carries thousands of visitors from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog each year, many of whom go to see the Llechwedd Slate Caverns. West from Porthmadog is the Lleyn Peninsula, with its many good beaches, particularly on the south coast, at towns such as Criccieth (home of the Lloyd George Museum), Pwllheli, Abersoch, Aberdaron and, on the northern coast, Nefyn and Clynnog-Fawr. Anglesey, known as Ynys Môn locally, is notable for the remarkable Menai Bridge, the Anglesey Sea Zoo at Brynsiencyn, and Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (commonly called Llanfair PG), which boasts the UK’s longest place name. The town of Beaumaris has a castle built by Edward I and the Museum of Childhood Memories.
Back on the mainland is the university and cathedral city of Bangor; its attractions include a huge doll collection housed in Penrhyn Castle.
Snowdonia National Park is 2200 sq km (840 sq miles) in size, containing some of Britain’s finest scenery, and 14 peaks over 915m (3000ft), the highest of which is Mount Snowdon (1085m, 3556ft). The Snowdon Mountain Railway climbs from Llanberis to the summit. Other attractions in the region include Betws-y-Coed, in the Gwydyr Forest; Bethesda, southeast of Bangor; Bala Lake, which also has a narrow-gauge railway; and Beddgelert, location of the Sygun Copper Mine. In the east of the region is Chirk Castle, a 14th-century Marcher fortress built to guard the frontier, which it straddles. It stands in an area of great natural beauty, including the forests of Ceiriog, Dyfnant and Penllyn. Llangollen, set in forested landscape, overlooks the salmon-rich River Dee and a masterpiece of medieval bridge building. Nearby are the 13th-century Vale Crucis Abbey and the spectacular road across the Horseshoe Pass.