Located only 5 miles from our B&B in nearby Trefriw - Crafnant House - Betws-y-Coed rightly claims to be the ‘gateway to Eryri | Snowdonia’ and is well worth visting!
Pronounced bet-us-ee-co-ed, it is often the first place visitors encounter on their visit to the national park and many base themselves in and around the village for their North Wales holiday.
At the confluence of four rivers and surrounded by forests, valleys and lakes, this area is one of the most beautiful and prettiest places to stay in Wales.
You cannot help but fall in love with the stunning location!
The central position in North Wales - and the wide variety of accommodation available in both the village and nearby Llanrwst and Trefriw - means the area is perfect for your weekend short break or staycation!
We look at the following activities and attractions in more detail:
1: Go for a hike to Llyn Elsi and around Gwydir Forest
2: Enjoy delicious food and drinks
3: Go wild swimming
4. Try underground caving with Go Below
5. Discover beautiful waterfalls
6. Go shopping
7. Enjoy the best mountain biking trails
8. See Welsh blankets being made
9. Try adventure activities at Zip World
These are just some of the things to see and do in and around Betws-y-Coed when you stay with us at Crafnant House!
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The best attractions, outdoor activities and things to do in and around Betws-y-Coed!
1: Go for a hike to Llyn Elsi and around Gwydir Forest
It is no surprise that Betws-y-Coed is a great place to come walking!
There are numerous marked walking trails and paths in and around Betws-y-Coed, so you can enjoy an easy to follow hike along rivers or through the spectacular forests and scenery.
One route starts from the centre of the village and goes up to Llyn Elsi - a beautiful lake - with stunning views of the Conwy Valley and surrounding mountains on the way up and down.
NB. Wild swimming is not permitted in Llyn Elsi - go instead to Llyn Parc which is a short hike from Betws-y-Coed, or Llyn Geirionydd near Trefriw!
Or you could walk into Gwydir Forest on one of the many trails in it, discovering hidden waterfalls, lakes such as Llyn Parc, and old mine workings.
All of the trails start from the village, and are easy to find and well-marked - you can ask at the excellent Tourist Information Centre for maps and routes!
Llyn Elsi is a beautiful lake above Betws-y-Coed
2: Enjoy delicious food and drinks
These are the best places to eat and drink in and around Betws-y-Coed!
Eating out in Betws-y-Coed
If you want lunch or a quick coffee and piece of cake how about The Alpine Coffee Shop which has great vegan and vegetarian food options.
Nearby, Find Me Cooking - next to the tourist information centre - is a cute little tea room with lovely home-made food!
Y Stablau (‘The Stables’) is a popular pub in the middle of the village, serving hearty portions of good pub grub.
Whilst Olif offers Welsh ‘tapas’ dishes and local gins in cosy surroundings.
For delicious wood-fired pizzas don’t miss Hangin’ Pizzeria - they even do vegan pizzas!
Eating out in Trefriw
In our village, Trefriw - which is just 5 miles from Betws-y-Coed - we have a number of excellent places for eating out.
For breakfast or lunch why not visit Caffi Doti in Trefriw where you are guaranteed a warm welcome from Becca…and tasty food!
If you are after a traditional Welsh pub serving local ales and home-cooked food it is hard to beat The Old Ship inn right next door to us.
Serving lunch and dinner from Thursday to Sunday, they have a large riverside beer garden to enjoy - a secret gate leads to it from the garden of our B&B!
Whilst the brasserie at The Princes Arms Hotel is just a short walk from us in Trefriw and is a charming place to enjoy delicious meals, including a great Sunday roast dinner!
Take a look at our eating out guide! ⮕
3: Go wild swimming
Pack your swimming costume or wetsuit and discover some of the best wild swimming locations in Eryri | Snowdonia and Wales!
Read our blog about the best wild swimming spots ⮕
For now these are some of the best places for a dip near Betws-y-Coed:
Llyn Geirionydd
Above our village - Trefriw - and not far from Betws-y-Coed, Llyn Geirionydd is a beautiful lake where wild swimming is permitted, along with other water sports such as stand-up paddle boarding.
We often go for a dip before serving breakfast in the morning - you are more than welcome to join us when you stay!
There is a parking area and toilet facilities at the southern end of the lake.
( NB: swimming is not permitted in nearby Llyn Crafnant, which is used for fishing, nor Llyn Elsi above Betws-y-Coed )
Llyn Geirionydd - a stunning place to try wild swimming!
The Fairy Glen
Just outside Betws y Coed, the Fairy Glen is another great location for wild swimming.
It is a picturesque, narrow gorge suitable for river swimming, with some large rocks to sit on.
(NB: access to The Fairy Glen is via private land and a small charge is applicable)
Llynnau Mymbyr
These two lakes (in reality it is one!) lie just beyond Capel Curing not far from Betws-y-Coed, and are a wonderful place to swim due to the expansive views of the Snowdon horseshoe mountain range.
You can park in the lay-by just after the Plas-y-Brenin outdoor centre, then walk down to the lake (over the footbridge) to access a small ‘beach’ where you can access the water.
4. Try underground caving with Go Below
From their base just outside Betws-y-Coed, Go Below Caving Adventures give you the chance to experience exciting underground caving adventures and activities.
Their tours are usually either half a day or a full day and include abseiling, a zip line, boating, scrambling and climbing a waterfall.
At one point you can abseil your way down to the deepest point in the UK!
Guests who have stayed with us at our B&B have said it it is one of the best things they’ve done… ever!
New for 2023 was their ‘Deep Sleep’ experience - Go Below have created a place to stay overnight, in a cabin or grotto underground!
Maybe combine that with a few nights above ground at Crafnant House!
The Go Below ‘Challenge’ adventure!
If you are planning an adventure weekend why not have a read of our blog about the best activities in North Wales!
Read our blog about the best adventure activities in North Wales ⮕
5. Discover beautiful waterfalls
The location of Betws-y-Coed - surrounded by forests, lakes and rivers - means there is no shortage of amazing waterfalls to discover!
Swallow Falls
The most famous waterfall in the area is Swallow Falls just outside the village - the River Llugwy cascades down a narrow gorge to create a stunning waterfall.
You can walk to the falls from the village along the main road, or if you drive there is a small lay-by to park at the entrance.
There is an admission fee to view the falls, and they are often very popular and busy, so why not visit one of the others nearby for free!
The Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall
The Grey Mare’s Tail waterfall is just outside nearby Llanrwst and is a beautiful ‘twin’ waterfall.
It is well worth seeking out - just ask how to find it when you stay with us!
The Fairy Falls waterfall in Trefriw
The Fairy Falls
And in our village, Trefriw, we have our own waterfall - the Fairy Falls - which is definitely worth seeing and is of course free.
It is a very short walk from the door of our B&B - Crafnant House.
To view the Fairy Falls just walk up the hill away from Caffi Doti on the corner in the centre of the village, then turn left along a footpath after approximately 50 yards.
6. Go shopping
For a small village Betws-y-Coed has a number of interesting independent shops to browse in and find a souvenir of your holiday in this part of Wales.
Shopping in Betws-y-Coed
Anna Davies has been in the heart of the village since 1956 and is one of the largest independent retailers in the area, offering a range of home and lifestyle items, gifts and souvenirs.
Galeri Betws-y-Coed offers an ever changing selection of Welsh art, crafts, ceramics, jewellery and clothing and is always worth a look.
Canine & Co. is the place to go if you want a something for your furry friend - a dog boutique offering stylish and fun clothing and accessories for the pooch in your life!
There is also no shortage of outdoor clothing shops in the village, so if you need some new kit for your adventures or activities this is the place to go!
Shopping in LLanrwst
In nearby Llanrwst, Sam and Kirsten welcome you to OakOwlFox where you will find a beautifully curated range of stylish items for your home.
‘Goat Gregory III’ in our hallway came from there!
Next door to them is Siop Sioned which offers you a wide selection of Welsh homewares and gifts - perfect for a unique souvenir!
Both are well worth a visit, and Llanrwst is only a short drive or cycle ride from Betws-y-Coed!
7. Enjoy the best mountain biking trails
You really are spoilt for choice of where to go mountain biking in this part of Wales.
Within Gwydir Forest - which surrounds Betws-y-Coed - there are some of the best MTB trails and routes in the UK.
The Gwydir Mawr & Bach trails offers you big climbs and views of the mountains, thrilling descents, brilliant singletrack and amazing scenery all around you.
World-class mountain biking and stunning views in and around Betws-y-Coed!
And there is even more world-class mountain biking at nearby Penmachno Forest which has two loops of singletrack and forest trails.
As keen cyclists ourselves we are happy to advise you where to head, and bike storage and cleaning facilities are available at our B&B.
For local bike rental we recommend:
Snowdonia Bikes - they hire e-mountain bikes in nearby Llanrwst
Beics Betws - they offer mountain bike rental in Betws-y-Coed itself
Beics Betws will also deliver a bike to us here at Crafnant House free of charge, and then collect it - visit their website for more information!
Read our blog about the best mountain biking locations in North Wales! ⮕
8. See traditional Welsh blankets being made in Trefriw
Trefriw Woollen Mill is a traditional Welsh woollen mill that has been producing tapestry blankets and rugs with beautiful patterns in the village since 1859.
You can see the material being woven on the water powered looms on a self-guided tour and then buy examples in the large gift shop.
It is only a 2 minute walk from our B&B in Trefriw, and only 5 miles north of Betws-y-Coed.
9. Try adventure activities at Zip World Betws-y-Coed
Near Llanrwst and just a few miles from Betws-y-Coed, Zip World have six different outdoor activities for you to experience at their forest location:
Skyride 2 will put you on a giant swing moving through the trees 80ft in the air!
Treetop Nets is Europe’s longest net walkway through the trees
Zip Safari is a series of 21 zip lines through the forest
Tree Hoppers is a woodland playground for the younger members of your family
Plummet 2 is a world first, dropping you through a trap door over 100ft high to experience the closest thing to freefall!
The Fforest Coaster is a rollercoaster hurtling you through the trees at up to 25mph
Then visit the Zip World Fforest Caffi to refuel before your next adventure!
You can read more about the different Zip World experiences in North Wales here:
Read our blog about Zip World adventure activities ⮕
Looking for a place to stay in North Wales?
Crafnant House is our B&B in the village of Trefriw, Eryri | Snowdonia.
Our Victorian home has five guest bedrooms decorated in a boutique, modern style.
A delicious breakfast is served each morning in our dining room.
We look forward to welcoming you to North Wales soon!
Eryri | Snowdonia National Park in North Wales, known for its rugged beauty and stunning landscapes, is a haven for wild swimmers seeking to connect with nature in a unique way.
With its numerous lakes, rivers, and waterfalls, this beautiful part of Wales offers a plethora of wild swimming locations that cater to swimmers of all levels.
Whether you're a seasoned wild swimmer or a beginner looking to dip your toes into this invigorating activity, Eryri | Snowdonia has something to offer for everyone!