TRAVEL GUIDE TO WEST WALES: GWYNEDD, CEREDIGION, AND SNOWDONIA

I don’t mean to be biased, but Wales is easily one of the most beautiful places in the world. It offers everything from rugged coastlines to snow-capped mountains, rural farmland to bustling cityscapes. Despite its small size, it packs one helluva punch.

West Wales (specifically Gwynedd, Snowdonia, and Ceredigion) is a truly wonderful slice of the UK’s best country, but surprisingly, there aren’t that many travel guides written about the area. Fortunately for you, however, the ultimate guide to West Wales is here, and I’m ready to guide you through it, one town at a time.

Enjoy!

A brief history of Wales

Wales is a truly beautiful country, known for its mountains, deep valleys, extensive woods, and fragmented rivers, and with a natural history spanning back millions of years. 

The country was one of the most prominent political and cultural centres of Celtic Europe, making Welsh culture vastly different from whatever England is supposed to have. Back in the day, the English actually tried to completely eradicate the Welsh language and culture – and even now, some Welsh pubs have a strict but silent ‘no-English’ rule. They also drowned one of our towns so that the Liverpudlians could drink fresh Welsh water, but I guess that’s quite literally all water under the bridge now.

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, missionaries known as the ‘Celtic saints’ established monastic habitations in Wales, and now the official religion is Christianity and Methodism. Although less and less people are practising these faiths, we still have some killer cathedrals and chapels.

The name of the country, Wales, is said to translate from Anglo Saxon English to mean ‘foreigners’ or ‘outsiders.’ The Welsh version of the name, Cymru, translates to ‘friends’ or ‘companions,’ making it much more preferable to use. The Welsh language itself came from Celtic tribes 4,000 years ago – so next time you see a sign for Cwmrhydyceirw or Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, remember that it’s partly due to our sadistic Celtic ancestors.

The coal industry was the main career driver for generations of Welshies, but it began to weaken during the Great Depression in the 1930s. In the late 20th century, both coal and steel industries had begun to collapse, and many people are still bitter about it. It was a massive blow to the local communities that thrived upon the industrial revolution, and novels such as How Green Was My Valley really delve into this issue on a much deeper level.

Wales is a thoroughly under-appreciated and yet vitally important part of history, as Welsh engineers, linguists, musicians, writers and soldiers helped to not only make significant contributions to the development of the British Empire, but also, technically, founded America.

In 1170 (hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus even existed, let alone was credited for his biggest voyage), a young Welsh prince, Madog Ab Owain Gwynedd, made his way to what we now considered to be the most influential country in the world: the USA. Not only did the Welsh people discover America, but 13 out of 17 signatures on the American Declaration of Independence were added by Welsh men, and North America was nearly a Welsh-speaking continent. Could you imagine how much better the Land of the Free would be if they all had Valleys accents?!

Some parts of Wales also shelter birds and mammals that are extinct or rare elsewhere in Britain, such as European polecats, pine martens, red kites, choughs, and even bottlenose dolphins. It’s a pretty incredible place. The weather is temperate, and we get some truly divine summers where everyone swarms to the beaches and mountains to soak up some rays. I cannot WAIT for you to fall as in love with it as the rest of us are.

Portmeirion

To start with, Portmeirion is, quite frankly, one of the craziest places I have ever visited. It’s the sort of town where nothing seems to make sense – it’s a little like being in Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Portmeirion was built between 1925 and 1973 by a Welsh architect called Clough Williams-Ellis, whose vision was to create the ‘ideal village’. He wanted to show how a location so rich with natural beauty could be developed without it being ruined, enhancing the surroundings through sympathetic development. Due to the fact that several buildings were salvaged from demolition sites, Clough regarded Portmeirion as ‘a home for fallen buildings’.

Walk along the cobbled streets of Portmeirion and find yourself immersed in a thousand different cultures. There’s the Italian architecture, with beautiful painted facades, tall domes, contrasted arches, columns, and pilasters. Then there’s the Buddhist and Hindu statues, with various Asian design influences. There’s also the coastal path which will send you to a coast that looks almost exactly like a Greek postcard, with bright blue seas that stretch for miles and beautiful private beaches. And then of course, there’s the Chinese Lake which looks almost exactly like a Monet painting, with the lily pads glinting in the sunlight and the bright red Chinese bridge reflected in the water.

When I visited Portmeirion, my girlfriend and I spent about six hours in the village, and honestly, there was a surprising amount of things to see and do. It has six coffee shops on site where we gorged ourselves on green tea and homemade gelato, along with some wonderful food places that offer everything from Italian pizzas to finger sandwiches.

As Clough once said, ‘I think that Beauty, The Strange Necessity…is something that matters profoundly to humanity, and that unless the race of man perishes from the earth, it will increasingly value that Grace, will seek it, and will ultimately attain it.’ Long story short, I cannot recommend the wonderful Portmeirion more.

Aberystwyth

Having lived in Aberystwyth for nearly four years (!!!), I have come to the conclusion that it is quite literally one of the most beautiful towns in West Wales. Filled with quaint cafes, old bookstores, archaic arcades, and sleepy bars, it still feels like it’s 1908. Located right beside the Irish sea and snuggled between bulbous hills and gorgeous beaches, it’s no wonder that Queen Victoria herself once visited and nearly got crushed to death by an elephant on the funicular.

There are so many super cute things to do in Aber, such as having a bonfire on North Beach, stopping for ice-cream at the top of Constitution Hill, or playing pool in one of its 50+ pubs. In the winter, Aberystwyth is covered in a blanket of snow, and is home to the most powerful storms (they’re incredible – I highly recommend!). Along with that, an ice rink opens and the local Arts Centre shows some truly fantastic plays. In the spring, it’s a great place to animal-watch and look out for dolphins. In the summer, an almost overwhelming amount of English tourists come to town – and with good reason, as the seaside is the perfect place to spend a hot summer’s day. And then in the autumn, the leaves die and the town returns to its usual self.

For food, there’s no place that I could recommend more than Arabic Flavour. Run by the incredible 22-year-old Ghofran along with her family, Arabic Flavour is an absolute haven for foodies; with a focus on delicious home-cooked food from Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, and some of the gulf countries. Ghofran herself is super impressive, running the kitchen, the shop, and everything behind-the-scenes, and there’s no better local restaurant I’d rather support.

The food at Arabic Flavour is absolutely divine, with my favourite dish being the the chicken shawarma meal (served with chips, salad, pickles, and sauces). It’s so incredibly flavoursome, it made my cheeks tingle! I was told about how they carefully select fresh vegetables and olive oil for their dishes, and believe me, it shows! Honestly, there’s nothing quite like it.

Also in Aberystwyth (or near enough) are a million beautiful walks, namely:

Bwlch Nant yr Arian: An absolutely stunning place to go for a walk, Bwlch Nant Yr Arian is located at the very top of a moody, dramatic valley, offering endless views of Cardigan Bay and the Cambrian Mountains. It’s a great place to take the dog for a swim in the lakes, or watch the daily feeding of Wales’ national bird of prey, the red kites.

Devil’s Bridge: A super pretty area with a whole bunch of waterfalls and – yep, you guessed it – bridges. Rumour has it that before the original bridge was built, an old woman was wandering the area because her cow had gone missing. When she finally found it, it was grazing on the other side of the river and refused to come back. For whatever reason, the Devil himself popped up and offered to build her a bridge in return for the soul of the first living thing to cross it. The old woman agreed, and when the Devil finished building the bridge, she threw a piece of bread across the river for her dog to chase after – thus becoming the first living thing to cross the bridge. The woman got her cow, the Devil got a dog he didn’t want, and Ceredigion got Devil’s Bridge.

Ystrad Einion: A super cool lead, silver, zinc, and copper mine, which you can explore to your little heart’s content. Personally, I’ve spent hours in this mine, wandering past abandoned mining equipment and weird insects that have no eyes and are bigger than my fist. 10/10 place to visit.

Tan Y Coed: Tan Y Coed is a super cute picnic place which is nestled between beech woods and the Cwm Cadian riverside. You can wander amongst waterfalls, pools, woodlands, and frogs (there’s a lot of frogs). After the First World War, the Forestry Commission began planting the woodlands at Tan Y Coed, as the war effort had pretty much sucked the country dry of its timber. The planting continued through the Second World War by the Land Army Girls, who pretty much did all of the work that you can see today. It’s p cool.

Aberaeron

Aberaeron is a stunning Balamori-esque seaside town with rows upon rows of brightly-coloured houses, white-sand beaches, and cute little shops. The famous poet Dylan Thomas also visited here for a short time, making it a pretty ideal location to sit with one of his novels, take in the gorgeous scenery, and learn a little more about Welsh history.

For food, I highly recommend Monachty (for burgers), Ambassadors Cafe (for cakes), and Zuko’s (for ice-cream), along with the many fish and chip shops you’ll find congregating around the beach. 

Machynlleth

Fun fact: Machynlleth is where I got my first ever tattoo, in a little parlour called El Diablo.

Machynlleth (also known as ‘Mach’ to those who can’t pronounce its full name) is a truly mesmerising little town which feels as though it hasn’t changed since the early 1600s, and is filled with an abundance of churches and old record stores, beautiful monuments, and bookstores with endless novels on Shamanism and magic and Celtic history.

One of my absolute favourite things about this unassuming little town is the fact that the Museum of Modern Art is here. It’s such a funky little museum – and two years ago, I bought my favourite book on exploration from here.

Some extra town highlights include:

• Corris Craft Centre: Made up of nine little craft centres and a super cute cafe.
• Falconry Experience Wales: Where you can hang out with some birds of prey.
• Owain Glyndwr’s Parliament House: The house where Owain Glyndwr briefly held a parliament after being crowned Prince of Wales in 1404.
• Cors Dyfi: A super pretty nature reserve.
• Glandyfi Castle: A mock castle from the early 19th century.
• Centre for Alternative Technology: An eco-centre dedicated to teaching sustainable development.
• Artists’ Valley: Super pretty walk.
• Furnace Falls: Two minutes from Artists’ Valley, has a lovely little waterfall.

Also, one of my favourite day trips from Machynlleth is the Elan Valley. Technically it’s not in West Wales, but it’s still something you should see nonetheless. Imagine chestnut horses gilded in the sunlight, sun-drenched cows moo-ing beside open lakes, a super cute teahouse serving the best vegan cakes in Wales… It’s truly one of the best places ever.

NEW QUAY

New Quay is a teeny tiny seaside town just south of Aberystwyth, which houses a mere 1,082 people. Located on Cardigan Bay, it’s made up of golden beaches, flocks of snow-white seagulls, and (sometimes) bright blue skies. Previously, the area was used as a shipbuilding centre and port, along with providing the ideal hiding place for smuggling spirits and tobacco.

In New Quay, you can grab a classic pysgod a sglodion, relax beside the water, and let your worries drift away as you watch bottlenose dolphins leap out into the sunshine. All in all, it’s a lovely slice of the quaint West Wales coast.

Borth and Ynyslas

Borth has the largest sandy beach in Ceredigion, and is another nice little seaside resort. Initially, the village was almost entirely made up of Welsh speakers, but since then, it has unfortunately become anglicised: over 54 per cent of its residents were born in England. Of course, we all have our flaws, and Borth is still nice nonetheless.

Ynyslas is right next to Borth, and is part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve. It is known for its spectacular sand dunes, which house a rich population of mosses, liverworts, fungi, orchids, insects and spiders. Many of these are super rare, and some have not been spotted anywhere else in the UK. There’s a whole load of wetland birds, there’s some super cute walking trails, and all in all, it’s a pretty cool place to visit.

Aberdyfi

Also known by its Anglicised name ‘Aberdovey’, this village is one of Britain’s prettiest seaside resorts. Wander along pastel houses and golden sherbet sands, beneath candyfloss clouds and milk chocolate seagulls, taking it all in.

You may already know Aberdyfi from the popular Welsh folk song, Clychau Aberdyfi (meaning, ‘The Bells of Aberdyfi’). The theme of the song revolves around Cantre’r Gwaelod, a kingdom submerged beneath Cardigan Bay. According to the song, you can still hear the bells of the kingdom ringing beneath the water. Try listening and see what happens.

The vibe of Aberdyfi is quite similar to Aberystwyth, in that the main appeal that brings in the tourists is the seaside, with a million cute little cafes, specialist boutiques, and art galleries making up the town centre. Also similar to Aberystwyth, it is enveloped by spectacular mountains and valleys, although with Aberdyfi, you are offered the peaks of Cadair Idris and Aran Fawddwy rather than Constitution Hill and that one tiny mountain which has a brick statue on top of it.

I’ve been told that the Aberdyfi quayside is also a great place to go crabbing – but I am yet to try it out.

Tywyn

If you follow the Wales Coastal Path, it will take you straight to Tywyn, the town where the mountains meet the sea. When the sun is out, you can look up the coast and take in the wonderful views of Bardsey Island, Pwllheli, and Aberystwyth.

Of course, one of the best things to do in Tywyn is visit the beach, along with taking a ride on an old steam train, watching a movie at the Magic Lantern Cinema, or buying a literary masterpiece from one of their cute little bookshops.

One of my favourite things in Tywyn is to visit Dolgoch Falls, a series of three waterfalls which can be explored along the 6km walk. It is a truly beautiful area, with a whole set of caves, trails, and waterfall views, and is something you’re not going to want to miss out on on your journey across West Wales.

Ystrad Fflur

Also known as Strata Florida, this is a former Cistercian abbey which was first founded in 1164. It became relatively important to the area, as in 1238, the Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth held a council here, acknowledging that his son Dayffd was his rightful successor. Less than 200 years later, there was a massive rebellion held by the infamous Owain Glyndwr, and then the abbey was stolen by King Henry IV. In 1539, Henry VIII dissolved the abbey, and the buildings and their contents were sold off, with most of the ancillary buildings being demolished.

Now, Ystrad Fflur is the resting place for generations of Welsh princes, and remains a site for pilgrims nearly 1,000 years later. You can visit the ruins, walking beneath the carved west doorway and wandering around the nave to where the high altar once stood. The floors and church used to be covered in these incredible decorated tiles, which you can still see, with the patterns of griffins, birds, and fleurs-de-lis covering the walls.

It’s pretty cool – there’s no wonder that it’s earned the nickname ‘Westminster Abbey of Wales’.

blaenau ffestiniog

Blaenau Ffestiniog is hands down my absolute favourite place in the whole of Wales. Having just become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town is composed mostly of massive slate piles, mountains, and abandoned stone houses.

I don’t mean to be dramatic when I say that I want to live here. Forever. I’m from the south of Wales where everything is made up of prefabs and fast cars, and where the Welsh language is added to the bottom of road signs as an afterthought, and so visiting somewhere where Welsh culture, history, and heritage is at the forefront of everything was extremely refreshing.

One of my favourite things to do in Blaenau Ffestiniog is visit the local Llechwedd Deep Mine, where I learnt about the complex history of Welsh slate mining for the first time. Our tour guide Steve showed us around, and it was so immersive, educational, and at some points emotional, that it might just be the best tour I’ve ever been on. Honestly, it’s one thing you absolutely cannot miss when travelling to the area.

We stayed at a lovely hotel called Plas Weunydd, a gorgeous hotel with quartz-speckled grounds, a wonderful tea selection with Siwgr a Sbeis shortbreads on slate coasters, and a close proximity to the best things in the town (and by that, I mean a 30-second walk).

When we arrived, it was all spotlessly clean, with a beautiful grey and blue colour theme running throughout. There were so many cute details all exuding a rustic farmer house vibe, such as the beautiful burnt orange armchairs beneath a massive sculpture photograph. Beside it was a massive window overlooking the slate mountains, and the big pouffe seat beneath the glass was both comfortable and stylish, and I spent many hours sat on it reading. In the morning, we left the blinds open just a little bit so that we could watch the absolutely magnificent sunrise over the slate town.

I appreciated the fact that the television was slightly off to the side, not obscuring the connection with nature. Beneath it was a little booklet that offered tips and advice on the best local places to eat, facilities and tourist attractions, and information on the artists that had contributed such wonderful art to the hotel. Believe me when I say I read every single page, delighted to be on a holiday in my home country.

The bathroom was stylish and modern with quirky decorations and super cute bathware by Cole and Co., along with a powerful shower and incredibly soft towels. It was a great place to take time kicking back and relaxing, taking it all in.

Breakfast was lovely, with my travel partner opting for the platter of ham and cheese – which included Cavern Aged Cheddar from the Llechwedd Deep Mine. They also had a delicious Eggs Benedict which came with local organic poached eggs, ham, and hollandaise on a toasted muffin. The staff were super nice and came up with great alternatives when I told them about my Crohn’s Disease, and honestly, my whole experience was wonderful.

I was so surprised at how different north and south Wales are, and it felt good to be walking the footsteps of my ancestors in my new favourite place in the world. Blaenau Ffestiniog, I’ll be seeing you again soon.

And so, that sums up the Wandering Everywhere guide to West Wales! If you’ve ever visited Wales, then you’re probably wondering why I haven’t bothered to mention Carmarthenshire or Pembrokeshire in this post, right? Well, you lucky thing, I have actually spoken about both in my free guide to Wales!

Have you guys ever visited West Wales, or plan on doing so now that you’ve read this post? Let me know in the comments below!

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