Betws-y-Coed is situated on the picturesque Conwy Valley Railway line that runs from Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog, well worth taking a ride on the train up to Blaenau just for the scenery.

The old 14th century church of St Michael‘s (of which the town takes it’s name – church in the woods) is one of the oldest in Wales. At the parish church of St Mary’s, look out for performances by Welsh choirs on summer Sunday evenings.

Of exceptional interest are the many bridges in the area and also the Conwy Valley Railway Museum with a miniature railway, shop and buffet coach restaurant. Nearby is an interesting motor museum featuring a unique collection of vintage and thoroughbred cars.

Pont-y-Pair (the bridge of the cauldron), built in 1468, is buffeted by foaming water after heavy rain. A number of sign-posted walks in the surrounding countryside start near this bridge. A mile or so away is the Miner’s Bridge, on the road to Capel Curig, where the miners crossed the river on a steep ladder to their work.

A mile further on are the famous Swallow Falls, where the Llugwy river hurls itself into a spectacular chasm. Thomas Telford’s iron Waterloo Bridge built in 1815, which carries the A5 across the River Conwy, bears the cast iron inscription “This arch was constructed in the same year the battle of Waterloo was fought”. Also worth visiting are the awesome Conwy Falls off the road to Pentrefoelas and the beautiful Fairy Glen off the A470 where the River Conwy flows through a narrow gorge.

Up in the hills at nearby Capel Garmon there is a celebrated cromlech; a 5,000 year old Neolithic burial chamber. There are also spectacular views of the mountains of Snowdonia from Capel Garmon.

Betws-y-Coed is a natural hub from which the roads, river and valleys radiate, making it the ideal base from which to explore the beauty and history of Snowdonia and North Wales. It has a wide choice of accommodation open throughout the year.

Finally, let’s not forget Thomas Telfords Waterloo Bridge. An early cast iron construction spanning the River Conwy located about half a mile south-east of the village. An inscription on the arch records that it was constructed in the year of the Battle Of Waterloo but although designed and construction began in 1815, it was not completed that year. The bridge is made from cast iron, some of which came from the smelted down captured Waterloo canons and was only the seventh such bridge to be built.