Two very different castle-building philosophies still shape the view around Betws-y-Coed. Discover how Welsh princes built inland to hold their land, while Edward I built on the coast to conquer it, all within easy reach of Bryn Bella.

The Snowdonia Real Ale Trail once carried visitors by bus between eight of North Wales’s best pubs, from Porthmadog to Criccieth. The organised trail has quietly stopped, but every pub along the old route still welcomes a pint. Here’s the story behind the trail, and how to visit these same pubs from Bryn Bella today.

LLAMFF once brought climbers, filmmakers and mountain lovers to Llanberis every spring, but the trail seems to have gone cold. We look back at what the festival offered, why it may have stopped, and where to catch similar adventure film culture today, plus how to make the most of a trip to Llanberis from Bryn Bella regardless.

For sixteen years, the Gwledd Conwy Feast turned Conwy’s quayside into one of Wales’s biggest celebrations of food, music and craft. It no longer runs, but its story is worth telling, and Conwy still has plenty to offer visitors staying near Betws-y-Coed. Here’s what the Feast used to be, and where to find its spirit today.

Every summer, St Mary’s Church in Betws-y-Coed fills with the sound of Welsh male voice choirs. Discover the tradition behind these popular Sunday evening concerts, and how to make an evening of it during your stay at Bryn Bella.

Betws-y-Coed is famous for its mountains and waterfalls, but the surrounding valleys hold centuries of history too. From a medieval castle to a Bronze Age tomb, these four historic attractions near Betws-y-Coed are well worth a detour from the trails.