Betws-y-coed property & accommodation

Betws-y-Coed

Sprawled across a flat plain on the banks of the River Llugy, the village of Betws-y-Coed has been a hill walking centre since the 19th century. Lying on the edge of the Gwydyr Forest Park, as well as the Snowdonia National Park, Betws-y-Coed has become a bustling holiday centre with an excellent selection of hotels and guesthouses.

The town’s main tourist attractions are the Conwy Falls, Swallow Falls and Fairy Glen Ravine. Although these can be extremely busy during the summer season, Betws-y-Coed is the ‘gateway to Snowdonia’ and the bustling crowds are difficult to avoid.

The bizarre Ty Hyll (the ‘Ugly House’) is a ‘one-night house’ where traditionally, houses erected between dawn and dusk on common land were entitled to freehold rights, and the owner could enclose land as far as he could throw an axe from the door.

The village is close to the point where the Conwy. Lledr and Llugwy rivers meet. It therefore seems natural that these waterways should play an important part in the development and beauty of Betws-y-Coed. The marvellous Waterloo Bridge, a cast iron construction built in 1815 by Telford, spans the River Conwy, while the Pont-y-Pair, dating from 1470, crosses the River Llugwy.

Photography enthusiasts should head for the Pont-y-Pair Falls, a low cataract where the waters of the River Llugwy thunder over an array of boulders.

Adjoining the railway station, the Conwy Valley Railway Museum offers a collection of railway memorabilia and the Motor Museum, behind the tourist office offers a changing selection of classic bikes and cars.