
Four days Itinerary in North Wales
In 2020 the world went a little crazy and my Korea trip ended up cancelled. Travelling became less important as safety came first during the Covid 19 pandemic.
But everyone needs a break and so local trips were the focus with UK limitations adhered to; one of these trips being four days spent in blistery North Wales. I was actually deciding between South and North Wales but figured that it was safer to head to the north where there are generally fewer tourists, less built up areas and more of a focus on nature.
It turned out that South Wales was put into a strict lock-down the week before my trip and then North Wale sites received tighter restrictions the week after we visited. So we managed to go during that tight knife edge window where the majority of sites were open and it was still legal to travel. What a strange world it is to not know whether whole towns and cities will shut down within a matter of days!
Much like the Cotswolds, North Wales is very difficult to explore without a car; perhaps even more so because of the hilly terrain. I chose to stay in a beautiful refurbished chapel in the heart of Conwy as a base, which allowed us a decent spot to travel around the northern side of North Wales.

However to truly explore North Wales properly you will certainly need more time as the area is truly massive and sites can be far apart from each other. I also had some trouble picking places to go because the sheer number of forests, waterfalls and mountains to see was staggering. I ultimately made sure my itinerary was varied with the more famous sights as a focus point and with sensible driving times between the sights.
North Wales is truly a land of natural beauty and everything most worth seeing is outdoors, so prepare your best hiking shoes and most rain and windproof jacket, because nature is damn cold. I climbed, hiked and had plenty of healthy exercise of which I am frankly not used to; but it was definitely good for me so it’s hard to complain. Wales is also popular for its castles, of which half were closed and the other half required advanced booking due to Covid, so this trip required a lot more planning than I would usually do in the UK.
It was an atypical trip with a lot of handwashing, mask wearing and social distancing; so I don’t think I had a typical experience of North Wales. However what I glimpsed of the country solidified it as a place worth visiting for a nature filled experience that can’t be sullied by any pandemic.
My itinerary for the trip:
Day 1: 24/09/20
- A few hours in Portmeirion Village
- A few hours in Llechwedd Slate Caverns
- Quick Review: Alfredo’s Italian Restaurant in Conwy
- Review: Y Capel Guest House in Conwy
Day 2: 25/09/20
- A few hours in Llangollen Wharf
- Review: Afternoon Tea at Tu Hwnt i’r Bont in Llanrwst
- A few hours in Gwydyr Forest
- Quick Review: Signatures Restaurant in Aberconwy
Day 3: 26/09/20
- One day hiking up the Llanberis path to Mt Snowdon
- A hour in Fairy Glen in Betws-Y-Coed
- Quick Review: Olif in Betws-Y-Coed
Day 4: 27/09/20