Heritage And Historical Attractions Around Betws y Coed – Snowdonia

A popular destination for visitors who have the great outdoors on their minds, Betws y Coed is also an excellent base for discovering historical gems. Here are a few of our favourites. The beautiful village of Betws y Coed is known as the ‘Gateway to Snowdonia’, and is a popular destination for visitors who want to explore all that the mountainous Snowdonia region has to offer. While many tourists visit Betws y Coed for the huge selection of outdoor activities on offer in Snowdonia, many others are drawn to the history and heritage of the region. In Betws itself, and in the surrounding areas, there are many wonderful heritage and historic attractions that are well worth a visit; here are four to get you started. Conwy Castle Only half an hour’s drive from Betws y Coed is Conwy Castle. The castle, constructed between 1283 and 1289 and rich in heritage, is set in the heart of Conwy, evoking a medieval feel to the town. Built as part of the “iron ring” of walled towns in North Wales by the English monarch Edward I, the castle forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Caernarfon, Harlech and Beaumaris Castles.  The views from the battlements are outstanding and this is part of the reason why it’s still so highly regarded today. The views and its historic presence make Conwy Castle a perfect place for photography enthusiasts, providing out of the ordinary imagery and setting.   Ty Hyll (“The Ugly House”) In actual fact, the Ugly House isn’t really ‘ugly’ in any way or form. It is the most idyllic, picturesque little stone house set in front of a beautiful forestry backdrop. The tale goes that it was built by two outlaw brothers in one night in the 15th century. Based on old Welsh law, if you could build four walls and have smoke coming out of the chimney before sunrise, freehold of the land is yours. With this, the length of the land from which you could throw an axe from the house would also be yours. Although the strong structure of the house proves that being built in one night was not possible, there is evidence to suggest that the law did in fact exist. Its name is thought to have derived from its first owners, who had an ‘ugly’ outlaw nature. Since the inside of the house was […]

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