Mark from Bryn Bella Litter Picking on Snowdon
Bryn Bella Reaches Silver Status with Surfers Against Sewage
Bryn Bella has reached Silver status with Surfers Against Sewage’s Plastic Free Communities scheme. This confirms our place as a plastic free guest house in Betws-y-Coed. We have also laid the groundwork for Gold, our next goal. Running a sustainable B&B in Eryri means the landscape matters just as much as comfort. After all, our guests come here for the mountains, rivers and forests around us just as much as the rooms.
What Our Silver Status Means for Guests
Achieving Silver status is not the end of our journey, since we already have plans for Gold in place. Guests staying with us now enjoy a lighter footprint throughout their visit. We have removed key single-use plastics from every room and every part of breakfast service. As a result, small changes like these add up across a full year of bookings.
Why We’re a Plastic Free Guest House in Betws-y-Coed
Being a plastic free guest house in Betws-y-Coed carries real responsibility. Eryri’s landscapes draw visitors from across the world, so we want to help protect them for future guests too. As a multiple award-winning B&B, we already hold plenty of credentials besides this new one. Our eco-friendly page lists Green Gold status and the AA Sustainable Champion of the Year title. We are also rated AA 4-Star Gold for the rooms themselves. Either way, Silver status with Surfers Against Sewage sits alongside these achievements, not apart from them.
Protecting the Rivers, Forests and Mountains Around Us
Every piece of plastic we remove has somewhere real to go, instead of into nature. Betws-y-Coed sits at the heart of a fragile landscape, so our choices here carry weight beyond the guest house itself.
Safeguarding the Afon Llugwy and Conwy River Systems
The Afon Llugwy runs close to Bryn Bella before joining the Afon Conwy nearby. Both rivers eventually reach the Conwy Estuary and the sea beyond. In fact, a stretch of the Llugwy is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, valued for its rare mosses and liverworts. Swallow Falls sits inside this same protected reach, just two miles west of the village. Cutting single-use plastic here therefore helps keep pollutants out of these waters and the wildlife that depends on them.
Supporting Gwydir Forest’s Rare Wildlife
Gwydir Forest wraps around Betws-y-Coed like a green amphitheatre. Planted mostly as commercial woodland almost a century ago, it now shelters something more unusual. Old mine spoil within the forest supports rare plants found in few other places. Its disused mine shafts also shelter lesser horseshoe bats. Natural Resources Wales protects both features through SSSI and SAC designations. Reducing waste here therefore keeps that habitat cleaner for the creatures that call it home.
Easing Pressure on Yr Wyddfa and the Glyderau
Car-free travel matters just as much as plastic reduction. The Snowdon Sherpa bus network links Betws-y-Coed directly to Eryri’s highest ground, including Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and the Glyderau. Fewer cars therefore mean less pressure on delicate mountain paths, along with fewer emissions in these high, exposed places. We point guests towards these car-free days out whenever we can. Either way, it is a small choice with a real effect on the mountains guests come here to walk.
Award-Winning Standards You Can Trust
Silver status joins a wider list of recognition earned over many years. We are proud multiple award winners, and in fact each one reflects real change rather than a marketing label. Guests choosing a sustainable B&B in Eryri can trust these standards. They run, after all, through every part of a stay, not just the parts guests see.
Book Your Plastic Free Stay at Bryn Bella
Ready to experience Eryri with a lighter footprint? Book directly with Bryn Bella and enjoy a stay built around genuine sustainability in Eryri. Every direct booking also unlocks our on-site EV charging, so your whole visit can run cleaner from arrival to departure.
FAQs
What is Surfers Against Sewage’s Plastic Free Communities scheme?
Surfers Against Sewage runs a UK-wide campaign against single-use plastic. Businesses join as Plastic Free Champions and progress through bronze, silver and gold tiers. Bryn Bella currently holds Silver status and is, in fact, working towards Gold.
What single-use plastics has Bryn Bella removed?
We have eliminated key single-use plastics across guest rooms and breakfast service. This includes miniature toiletries, plastic straws and unnecessary packaging. We also keep reviewing suppliers, so we can remove more over time.
How can I reach Bryn Bella without a car?
The Snowdon Sherpa bus network connects Betws-y-Coed to destinations across Eryri, including Yr Wyddfa and the Glyderau. Trains also stop at Betws-y-Coed railway station. Either way, both options cut emissions and ease pressure on popular mountain routes.
Does Bryn Bella hold other sustainability awards?
Yes. We hold Green Gold status and the AA Sustainable Champion of the Year title. We also hold an AA 4-Star Gold rating for the rooms. Silver status with Surfers Against Sewage now sits alongside these.
