Shepherd's huts near Betws-y-Coed

The first railway stop in Eyri (Snowdonia) National Park south from Conwy is the important park gateway village of Betws-y-Coed. The “prayer house in the woods,” as the village name translates from Welsh, is made up of a bunch of grey Victorian houses at the confluence of rivers Conwy and Llugwy, but the surrounding area is the most popular part of Snowdonia for camping. Despite being small, Betws-y-Coed has become a big outdoor hub, with the long-distance Snowdonia Slate Trail passing through and Zip World Fforest offering ziplines and other woodland adrenaline rushes nearby. From its proximity to Mount Snowdon to its easy access to the Gwydyr Forest and the rest of the county, Betws y Coed is the perfect place to camp if you want to make the most of North Wales.

• In Betws-y-Coed, there’s the Conwy Valley Railway Museum with its miniature railway.
• If you fancy a ride on a full-sized railway, there are plenty to choose from. Try the scenic Snowdon Mountain Railway, which chugs away from Llanberis (16 miles away), or the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway, which sets off from Blaenau Ffestiniog, 11 miles south of Betws-y-Coed.
• The Swallow Falls cascade on the River Llugwy can be reached on foot from town.
• Just a few miles south of town is the Gwydyr Forest Park, but if walking among the trees is too tame, head instead for another of the area’s most-visited attractions, Zip World Fforest.