Stunning waterfalls especially after rain. You enter through an automated turnstile which costs £2 and is card payment only as far as I know you can enter anytime. The car park is free but can get full at peak times an other option would be to go in the Swallow Falls Inn across the road and use there car park which is for customers only so have a drink or something to eat then quickly visit the falls after.

We stopped off at the Swallow Falls on our way home. It was over twenty-five years since we last visited, so long overdue! We paid the £2.00 entry fee and could believe the noise. We were visiting after Storm Amy has passed through so there was plenty of water flowing at great speed and volume. Since we last visited, more safety fencing and concrete steps have been laid, making it safe to climb down to the waters edge. Thankfully, we were wearing waterproofs so kept dry. We were able to walk down to the waters edge and to be so close to such a raging flow reminded me of standing under Niagara Falls in Canada. The noise was deafening and exciting. We stayed for about twenty minutes as we had a two hour journey home. The steps are steep with handrails for support so good footwear is advisable. A raincoat might be helpful depending on recent rainfall. There are no facilities but there is additional parking across the road at the Swallow Falls Hotel. To be fair, you might want to purchase a drink. We parked in the lay-by beside the Falls. From here, we drove into Betws-y-Coed and parked by the river. The bridge is narrow and visitors stand either side to view the small Falls.

A magnificent waterfall can be admired from several viewpoints behind the gate (£2). You can sit on a bench and let yourself be carried away. The walk is short, but the beauty will surely captivate you for a while.

Nice enough to stop past and have a look. We thought it was a longer walk to get there but actually you go through the turnstile gate (£2 per person, contactless payment available) and you are more or less there. They have however built a couple of viewing platforms accessed by stairs so overall we spent about 15minutes there. Small free parking lay-by in front of entrance, more parking (pay and display) belonging to hotel which is just across the road.

There are not many attractions in the uk that cost £2 to enjoy and can offer a glimpse of such raw power. Visit if possible after rain. Take your lunch as there is a seating area that very few seem to find. Steps with good hand rail access to lower platforms. Great views to appreciate at the different viewing areas. Allow 30min.

A nostalgic visit to a beautiful place. I was shocked but not surprised to find you now have to pay to enter. A charge of £3 per person payable electronically is required to operate the turnstile. It's a lot of steps but worth the effort

Good waterfalls, just beside the main road. Have to pay £2 each to enter. Just couple of minutes , you’ll reach there. Really Beautiful.

A fun family day out. The forest coaster is the main attraction of course. Didn't wait more than 25 mins to get on. The scenic ride up to the top is almost better than the coaster itself. Lovely woods and an amazing thriss on the way down. Clean and well staffed. A great time for the family.

We came as a group of 20 and had an amazing time! The Fforest Coaster was brilliant – fast, full of twists, and way more exciting than I expected. The whole place has a great forest atmosphere and feels like a proper adventure spot. The staff were really friendly and helpful, and even though there was a bit of a queue, everything ran smoothly. There’s plenty to do – we spotted people on the treetop ropes course, which looked like a lot of fun. The tipi bar seemed like a great place to relax too (shame it wasn’t open during our visit). It’s not the cheapest day out, but definitely worth the money. Highly recommend if you’re in the area – perfect for both kids and adults, and just a really fun day in the trees!

Great fun all the family we had a 5 year and 10 year old both wanted to do activities. Both loved the forest coaster and then zip lines. We moved our booking due to weather forecast this wasnt an issue staff easily did it for us over the phone.

Simply fantastic. Family of four we went on the Alpine coaster, three goes each. Was fantastic. If you want a little bit of adrenaline this is definitely for you looked to be a very well run business friendly staff would go back again thank you very much.

Fabulous, chucking yourself down a hill has never been so fun. Totally recommended. This time of year are great fungi finds, just look to the right on the way up 🍄‍🟫🍄

Went here in August of 2023 and forgot to write a review at the time. We had an amazing day out! We went on the zip lines and absolutely loved it - such a thrill and definitely worth doing. We also went on the Penrhyn Quarry Tour which was fantastic, really interesting and well run. The only downside was the food - it was good, but definitely on the overpriced side. That being said, it didn't take away from how much we enjoyed the day. We'd definitely return and are already planning to try the Forest Coaster and Bounce Below next time.

Amazing experience. Must try, highly recommended. Advance booking recommended. I was charged more than what it shows on the website, could be due to booking on the same day. Plenty paid parking.

A stunning fairytale like setting and really back with nature at its finest. Today was 23 degrees Celsius and gave me a good hike for an hour. It's the kind of place you would like to keep secret and have it all to yourself. Beautiful.

Fairy Glen – Peaceful and Atmospheric A beautiful, tucked-away spot with a quiet charm. The steps down are steep, so take care if it’s wet. Parking and entrance are paid via honesty boxes—bring coins and please contribute to help maintain the site. A lovely place for a short walk and a moment of calm.

An extremely beautiful stretch of river in a gorge with rocks and pools. Peaceful and tranquil. The paths are rough with tree roots and the path to the bottom is very steep stone steps that can be slippery when wet. Well worth it to go to the bottom for the tranquil experience. There is a car park near the entrance with an honesty box to pay.

Best to visit early as there is only a small car park which costs £1 plus £1 entry for an adult. You can do a circular walk which is just under 1 mile and easy going it can be slippery in wet weather so wear some decent walking shoes.

A truly spectacular and dreamlike experience. It doesn’t even feel like you are in the UK when you’re staring down the rapids of the river crashing over the rocks. Well signposted tracks and only £1 to enter - worth far more than that! I adore this place.

The Fairy Glen is well worth the trek but is definitely a proper hike. I was very glad that I had proper grip on my shoes. My travel companion only made it half way down. It was very picturesque.

This is quite something ! An amazing and short walk for an afternoon even with mixed weather. Expect to spend around 30 minutes up to an hour depending on how long you like to stare at beauty. Limited parking is available but why not make your way down to the Riverside Hotel for refreshments or an afternoon tea...?

£2 for ticket for trail It is an easy walk Wasnot crowded at all You get actual wilderness vibe. Silence of the woods with sound of rapidly moving water. Some trees having whole ecosystem on each branch. Mesmerising if you think about it. Viewpoints are well-fenced and has benches too. Autumn colors and fallen leaves made it picturesque.

Found this place while trying to find somewhere nice to stop in the middle of our long drive. Big free car park with plenty of spaces and clean toilets. We paid £2 each to go through the gate to the waterfall walk and really enjoyed it. Circular mostly easy route of half a mile which took us 30 mins (with stopping for photos) Path not completely flat and some steps/hills but I wouldn't say it was challenging. When we finished the walk we went into the cafe upstairs which was also really nice. Good breakfast menu of different choices. We shared the Snowden breakfast which was basically 2 of everything. Massive and very good quality food. I also got an iced latte which was really really good. The man serving was really friendly and we really enjoyed our visit here. Would highly recommend it.

Lovely place to visit and enjoy the rapid waters and Waterfalls quite an easy path to take to get to it but some bits can be challenging in wet weather well worth it once you get there and some lovely scenery around

Small car park that is on the right of the main road so the postcode is just about 1 turn out from where you have to park. However the water and river-falls are gorgeous and worth the short 20 min walk through the forest and cliffside. You can keep walking further up till it flattens out. There is also another entrance just 10 mins up the road with a lay-by for parking if you just wishto see the river without the small walk

Beautiful short walk to the waterfalls. The terrain is rough and steep, don't wear your sliders! Not suitable for those with limited mobility or fitness. I object to paying £2 per person to go through the gate when there are so many free walks in the area, which lets it down a little for me.

Beautiful spot to visit! There is free parking right in front of Conwy Falls Café, and I definitely recommend grabbing a nice coffee and one of their delicious sandwiches before or after your walk. There is free toilet as well. It is just few minutes from the car park to the waterfall entrance. Entry is £2 per person and card payments are accepted. The walk is short and scenic—about 20 minutes round trip from entrance to exit.

If you're in the area it's worth the visit, a couple hours out of your day to witness an incredible piece of nature in a quaint and peaceful surrounding. The car park nearby is free however there's a small £2 fee to access this area through a gate.

The miniature train ride is a fun little trip round the gardens, probably just about worth the £3 ticket. The museum on the other hand was a little disappointing. I'd have been a bit more upset had it been more than £2. It felt rather tired with displays that hadn't been updated for many years. Many of the model railways you were meant to operate were broken. A bit of TLC required to bring what was once a well loved attraction back upto scratch

The miniature train ride is quite fun, our 3 and 6 year old kids definitely enjoyed it, and it does last just under 10 minutes as advertised. Can't say the museum was as good. The model displays are actually quite interesting, but clearly old and dusty. A few of the displays have buttons that should operate scenery or trains, but of the 12 or so buttons we found, only 3 actually worked, and the two that make trains move are just a single locomotive. The second half of the museum has a few interesting pieces, but is also a storage for older models that are clearly on sale.

Had the best time here a couple of weeks ago, great to see a miniature railways being preserved for people visiting to have a ride on. There’s also a lovely little shop if you’re wanting to buy any railways themed toys or products. The track is actually quite a long one with various aspects like a forest and bridges which make it less mundane compared to other railways. I’d 100% recommend it!

Lovely little ride to a great train museum and to have a little miniature train ride too then a little ride back to station with a nice shop and cafe...very friendly staff too

Great experience and a nice day out with family and friends. Especially the kids enjoyed a lot. There is a small toy train only two seater for kids which can be accessed for only £1 for two kids. There is a small cafe which has a variety of foods and drinks to offer. There is a shop which offers a variety of souvineers and collectables. There is a dedicated parking available just for the railway, which has ample spaces. Right across the railway is the high street which has numerous shops which offer plenty of food and beverages and ice creams etc. Nice experience overall.

This is a small museum with a few rail set ups. It is only £2 per adult but sadly, most of the set ups did not work when the buttons were pressed to activate them. If the set ups ran as stated it would be well worth a visit.

Visited in August 2019 on my Wales holiday. I spent a day in Betws-y-Coed and walked around to see as much as I can. The model shop or museum is next to the railway station, the entry ticket is a lovely old style paper ticket to let us behind the shop. It is very small, but definitely interesting and full with old models, built up whole villages and many of them is interactive with different buttons to push. Not just models but everything related to old fashioned railways and travels are pretty much can be found here, so it is a nostalgia journey. That time only me and a male visitor were in the room, but we both enjoyed to play around. There are toilets on site, and in the shop we can buy gifts. Cafe is in the station, parking is on the street, or one of the main car parks in the village.

Lots of walks, fire roads and bike trails leading to some spectacular lookout points and stunning views of the surrounding area. Gwydir Castle is worth a visit.

Park is a haven for nature lovers, with serene lakes, lush woodland trails, and rich wildlife. Board walk is so peaceful and picturesque . Perfect for hiking, cycling, or simply unwinding, it offers breathtaking views and a true sense of peace.

Went for a small walk up the Watkin Path last weekend, and it did not disappoint! The weather could have been better, but you can't have everything haha The views are amazing and the waterfalls even better. The waters crystal clear and looks so fresh, freezing cold but fresh. I would recommend going for a look if you're in thevarea.

This is the home of the Gwydir Mawr MTB trail. It is a "Red" trail which means that a relatively high level of skill and confidence is required. However, there are many miles of ordinary, non tarmacked tracks which are smooth enough to drive a car down- these are called "Fire tracks". They are used by the forestry vehicles and are very easy to cycle on. They are great for beginners, or those not looking for bumpy downhill thrills and spills but rather a lovely peaceful pedal through trees and lakes with no cars and rarely another person. These show up on Google Maps, and one can easily find ones way back to the car.

Secluded, beautiful and worth a visit.

We passed through here with 90 Dirty Adventures Land Rover Driving Experience during a Welsh mountain tour. This is simply a lovely area to visit. We didn't know these places existed until we did this experience. Well worth a visit.

We did the red walk from the car park in Betws-y-Coed. Perfect length and difficulty for my 3 year old daughter. Lovely little walk along the boardwalk next to the river and a little bit around the forest. My daughter loved the information points and was always very excited to see the next one We also had a little picnic on the benches at the start of the walk and a little paddle in the river There are other walks of varying lengths and difficulty

A pity the church was closed when we tried to visit but the graveyard was so interesting it was still worth the time to look around. Some disruptive construction right next to church where a pedestrian bridge across the river is being replaced.

Picturesque & ancient old church, beautiful surroundings and key is available over the road at the Railway Museum.

Lovely little church. Worth a visit when in betsy. Open during the day with quite a large church yard.

Beautiful! Very historic & simply stunning.

St Michael's Old Church is the oldest building in Betws y Coed. The church was built in the 14th century on the banks of the River Conwy. It is thought to have replaced an older medieval prayer house, betws in Welsh. The church contains a collection of fine medieval features. A life-size stone effigy of Gruffydd ap Dafydd Goch lies near the chancel. A relative of Prince of Wales Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, Gruffydd ap Dafydd Goch died in battle between 1370 and 1380. Fragments of medieval stained glass can be found at the top of the east and west windows. The medieval font is small and square, featuring a simple carving of leaves and an arch of chevrons. A restoration took place in 1843 when the north aisle was added but Betws y Coed soon outgrew St Michael's with the arrival of the London-Holyhead road and the railway. In 1873, St Mary's Church opened and St Michael's was left to decay. A significant restoration took place in 1994 to save the building. It was declared redundant in the year 2000.

Lovely old church full with green view.

Beautiful and peaceful. If it's locked, you can get the key from the Railway Museum close by.

Gorgeous church in the centre of Betws-y-Coed, so very beautiful inside and outside. I enjoyed my visit to this peaceful haven. The architecture is remarkable as are the stained glass windows around the church. I’d definitely recommend the visit.

Nice little church to see if you're in town, antiques market in the hall

Stunning little church in the town centre. Well worth a look to admire the architecture (medieval looking but is actually transitional Norman style and was built in the late 1870s) and stained glass windows. You can leave a donation via contactless payment 😇

Had to pay a £60 parking fine due to a faulty system which does not record the time of entry in spite of there being APNR Cameras. If you pay at the meter ( ridiculously poor network coverage makes it near impossible to pay online ), the time on the ticket is not the time you will have to leave by. The church isn’t worth the hassle from this PCN scam. Tourists stay away!

St Mary's Church in Betws-y-Coed is a truly stunning place of worship. From its stunning architecture to its rich history, this church has so much to offer. The Church in Wales designation adds an extra layer of significance and beauty to the building. The Grade II* listing by Cadw only adds to the church's appeal and is a testament to its rich history and stunning design. I was impressed by the welcoming atmosphere and the sense of community that pervades the church. The active Anglican parish adds to this feeling of unity and inclusiveness. I highly recommend visiting St Mary's Church in Betws-y-Coed, whether you are a local resident or just passing through. You won't be disappointed!

Another disgruntled car park user. Didn't get my full registration in the machine and no back button to rectify. Paid fee and left within time then received a penalty notice, I've appealed and provided ticket and evidence of payment, my first 2 letters of my registration were on the ticket. Appeal not accepted and a £20 fine. Just called to let the church know and the chap wasn't interested. If it wasn't for visitors your town would be desolate. I understand you get the parking fees but initial parking keep the fines. Perhaps you need a better deal with them, they must be raking it in.

A beautiful church in a lovely village, very peaceful. Well worth visiting.

One of the prettiest train stations I've ever been to. I came here just to take a regular service to Llandudno and was left pleasantly surprised by how gorgeous the station was. There is a nice cafe on the platform called The Alpine Coffee House which I highly recommend going to, especially for breakfast.

A lovely, very pretty and picturesque train station / surrounding cafes, shops and attractions. I really quite enjoyed my early morning 8am / less busy visit and the 'Alpine Mountain' feel to this place. I also loved how many buildings were all lit up! :) A very special part of North Wales indeed. Nice if also coupled with a further visit to nearby Beddgelert. Enjoy. :)

A gorgeous station which I am so happy to see being used not just with shops and cafés and the like but as an actual railway station with trains and a timetable, wahoo!!!! Hope I didn't share too many photos, but it is so photogenic.

Really cute railway station, I recommend to check it out if you're in town. The shop has museum for £2 but it is not real museum, just a storage full of model trains.

Very cosy place with a very nice restaurant. We had lunch here and throughly enjoyed the food as well as the ambience! There is public parking available in front of the restaurant.

Really lovely breakfast and good service. The toilet facilitaties where good, but could have benefited from a few more stalls. That said I would recommend!

The "Capital" of North Wales it's a lovely, quaint village with loads of facilities.

Good walk. Uphill from the church. Well worth the effort

A steep walk up, unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues, but lots of benches & rest stops along the way. Nice if non-descript walk around the lake.

Never before have I encountered a more secluded and challenging lake to visit by car than Llyn Elsi. We first began our journey on foot - a 1.3 mile journey that should have taken approximately 41 minutes. However part way into the journey, up what felt like an almost vertical incline, we realised that we were out of our depth and turned back to make the journey by car instead. Looking on Google Maps, the journey seemed pretty straight forward. Little did we know that we would be met with private roads, dead ends, and a road path seemingly taken from an advanced off-road course. In all seriousness, had we been driving anything less capable than an SUV/MPV, we would have most certainly struggled to complete the trip to the summit. I’m a little disappointed to say, that reaching the top was quite anti-climatic considering the effort made. Seeing past the dull, dreary weather that we had been cursed with, still we couldn’t fathom what all of the fuss was about. On the plus side, for those that prefer solitary locations, somewhere to think, or not even think at all, Llyn Elsi is the epitome of that. There wasn’t a soul in sight. We had the whole lake to ourselves. If being somewhere on your own is your preference (and you’re prepared for the journey), then Llyn Elsi is the place for you. If you desire something more than this, then sadly I would suggest that you may want to consider another location.

If you're after some piece and quiet away from the crowds a summers day can bring to snowdonia then look no further. Llyn Elsi is a beautiful lake above the town of Bets y Coed. Its a short but very steep walk up to the top. A path runs around the lake with plenty of spots to stop for a picnic and take in the views of snowdonia. If you love quiet spots with amazing views then please visit Llyn Elsi.

Lovely walk up to the lake and around. It is steep going up, but rest places and humourus signs on the way.

Beautiful views after the steep climb. Good for dog walking, fishing also possible.

Clear path, great views and easy climb

There is a wide range of crafts, jewellery and boutique clothing on the ground floor at the Galeri Betws Y Coed. On the first floor there is a regularly changing selection of good paintings, prints and drawings. We were looking for a rug but they hadn't the size and colour we wanted in the gallery. The helpful and knowledgeable staff went to a lot of trouble to contact the maker and organise one to be made for us. If you are in the area do pop in and look around.

Bought some really nice artwork from the shop. Really friendly/helpful staff and artwork from local artists. Would shop again.

Lovely little gallery shop selling locally made jewellery, art and crafts.

Great little shop full of gift ideas many from local artists

Lovely welcoming shop, with something for everyone-jewellery, prints,pottery, clothes, shoes.

Quirky, original items you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Superb gallery space upstairs.

Lovely gallery! Lots of different styles of art from local artists

Unfortunately this is no longer accessible or signposted as the signs mentioned in a review from a year ago with photos. The land owner (?) has taken down signs and access denied by putting uo a sign saying No public access.

Well worth pulling over for a look, free parking on the side of the road, it is signposted. Very clearly signed how to get there. It is only a very short walk. It is good to see sites like this being preserved and free for anyone to have a look. There were information boards at the burial site.

Beautiful Neolithic burial ground especially on a sunny day when the chamber is bathed in light. The presence of the ancestors is still strong there. Wonderful views, and the place has been kept very tidy with no littering by visitors when we went. We'll worth visiting.

Utterly, utterly amazing. Why did it take me so long to get around to visiting this place? Surrounded by beautiful countryside and passed by footpaths, so you can ramble on, finding Narnia-like footpath signs on the middle of fields. There's access to the tomb from the road along a track past the farm and then across the fields. There's a small amount of parking on the roadside. The place itself is awe inspiring and beautiful. A Victorian farmer once used it as a stable, but it's not terribly damaged. Go and see it.

Superb burial chamber. It is worth visiting although it is not easy. There is a private road that leads to the monument. Also there are public tracks nearby. We arrived at a farm house on the right and turn left, then pass the first gate to the right and there we found the monument, with official sign posts and drawings. It is open 24 /365 days. It is free. Don't let the workers at the farm stop you from visiting this beautiful spot.

I wish it can be supported to be restored better

Excellent, well worth the easy and well waymarked walk. Just don't expect to be able to leave your horse there, as it is frowned upon these days.

Betws-y-Coed October 2025, the water is spectacular to watch flowing over the rocks, the views in the surrounding area amazing, there is so many shops and eating establishments to choose from. If you like hiking, mountain biking or just having a stroll alongside the river, this is a must visit for you.

Excellent walk along the bridge/Riverside. Can walk for around 30 minutes & cross a wooden bridge half way to cross to the other side of the bank. Or you can continue for 1hr 30 mins and follow the arrow sign posts that will eventually bring you out neat Swallow Waterfall. Both are lovely walks or you can just sit on one of the wooden benches & just enjoy looking at the river with the bridge just a stones throw into the little town.

Scenic spot to stop and admire the bridge and river. Take care on the rocks but you can get closer to the bridge and take some nice photos. Look out for heron!

It's worth a walk upto the bridge and over the stones. 'Careful now', (quote for all us Father Ted fans). But if you can manage there is serious beauty to be found.

Absolutely a beautiful place mint day out lively place for a walk and food anyone must pay this little treasure a visit

Stunning old bridge giving a great view of the river. The bridge takes you from the town to some great walking routes.

Very pretty waterfalls and bridge in a lovely village. Short walks are well signposted and there is scrambly access to the water.

Currently closed. Alison Bradley's paintings are wonderful, but she's no longer in Betws-y-coed - she's moved to a lovely gallery in Chester. However, the Betws-y-coed gallery is opening again in October 2019 under new management.

Fantastic art work. Very easy to spend money here.

If you enjoy large scale photos of naked men in bondage type rope ties but with giant monkey heads instead of regular heads, then you'll find this place great. Also great if you like tables of vacuum sealed fake body parts. There's also sculptures made from bottle tops/waste from the beach etc, which would be appropriate for children to see, if it weren't for the rest of it being very inappropriate for kids. A guidance sign indicating not suitable for kids would be useful, because for all intents and purposes it's made it to be an ecological awareness art gallery. Free entry, so at least no money wasted!

A unique place. Certainly like nothing else. Maybe a bit lost on such an idilic village. Also some better signage pointing you onto the platform to begin with would be better. I liked the orangutan statue the best. Lots of merch to buy but not sure why you would. Well at least it's keeping the local art student employed.

Cool gallery including exhibits on the train platform. Free entry. Some items are a little confronting as they address current issues. Might not be suitable for children.

A real trap stars gallery of the urban youth