Updating Our North Wales Road Trip Guide: Exploring Castles, Coastlines and Mountain Roads
The best way to keep a road trip guide up to date is to experience it again. With new photography to capture and route information to review, we set off across North Wales to revisit some of the places that make this region such a rewarding touring destination.
North Wales Road Trip Update at a Glance
- Llangollen and the River Dee
- Horseshoe Pass scenic drive
- Betws-y-Coed and Eryri gateway routes
- Llandudno and the Great Orme
- Conwy Castle and medieval town walls
- Anglesey and the Menai Strait
- Newborough and Llanddwyn landscapes
- Parys Mountain industrial heritage
- Motorhome touring and campsite notes
- Fresh photography and practical guide updates
With new photography to capture and route information to review, we set off on a journey across North Wales, revisiting destinations including Llangollen, Betws-y-Coed, Llandudno, Conwy and Anglesey. Over several days, we checked attractions, updated practical information and rediscovered why North Wales remains one of Britain's finest road trip destinations.
We realised it was also the perfect opportunity to answer a question we'd been discussing for some time: should we move to a larger motorhome? Hiring a Swift Voyager 494 from Swift Go in Stockport allowed us to revisit the route while experiencing first-hand how the extra space and island bed would work on a multi-day touring holiday. You can read about how we got on in our Swift Voyager 494 road trip review.
Why we returned to North Wales
North Wales has everything a road trip needs within a compact area: mountain roads, riverside towns, dramatic coastlines, medieval castles, Victorian resorts, industrial heritage and island landscapes. It is one of those regions where the journeys between places can be just as memorable as the destinations themselves.
The Journey Begins
There is always something exciting about crossing into North Wales.
The landscape gradually begins to change. The hills become steeper. The valleys narrower. Place names become increasingly Welsh and the roads begin to feel more adventurous.
Unlike many destinations that reveal themselves slowly, North Wales feels like it announces its arrival. Within a relatively short drive from the English border, you are already surrounded by scenery that feels dramatically different.
Our first destination was Llangollen.
Why We Always Return to Llangollen
Some places earn a permanent place in a road trip guide. Llangollen is one of them.
Sitting on the banks of the River Dee, surrounded by hills and framed by historic bridges, it remains one of the most attractive small towns in Wales.
What makes it special is the variety. One of the enduring attractions is the Llangollen Canal. Watching the famous horse-drawn narrowboats still operating along the towpath feels like stepping back into another era. Pulled by powerful Shire horses, the boats continue a tradition that dates back more than 200 years.
Arriving on a busy Bank Holiday weekend with temperatures topping 30°C, we knew parking a larger motorhome in the town centre could be tricky. Instead, we used Llangollen Pavilion Car Park just outside town, which offered plenty of space and a much more relaxed start to the day.
The walk into town along the canal is part of the experience, passing narrowboats and towpaths before reaching the heritage railway station. With its traditional buildings, vintage signs and occasional steam train, it feels like something from another age.
For us, Llangollen was partly about checking information and updating photographs, but it quickly became more than that. The town was buzzing. From the historic bridge over the River Dee, we could see hundreds of people paddling, swimming and relaxing along the riverbanks.
We joined them for a while, dipping our feet in the cool water and enjoying homemade ice cream from one of the town's artisan ice cream shops. With queues outside the ice cream parlours, busy cafés and families making the most of the sunshine, Llangollen felt every bit the perfect Bank Holiday destination.
But we needed to crack on with our itinerary, so we couldn’t hang around.
Driving One of Wales' Great Roads
Leaving Llangollen, we climbed towards the Horseshoe Pass.
There are some roads where the destination matters less than the journey itself. This is one of them.
The climb out of the Dee Valley gradually reveals wider and wider views. The landscape opens up and suddenly North Wales seems to stretch endlessly in every direction.
The viewpoints remain just as impressive as we remembered. For anyone following our guide, this remains one of the driving highlights of the region and a reminder that some of the best experiences happen between destinations rather than at them.
As road trip enthusiasts, these are the moments we particularly love. The road twists through dramatic scenery, the horizon constantly changing, and every few miles provides another excuse to pull over for photographs.
And the cherry on the top is the pulling-in place for the views. Park up and admire. Do not rush off.
Betws-y-Coed and the Gateway to Eryri
If Llangollen is the gateway to North Wales, Betws-y-Coed feels like the gateway to adventure.
Surrounded by woodland, rivers and mountains, the village sits at the crossroads of many of the region's most popular routes.
It remains one of those places that instantly feels like a holiday destination. We picked another busy period. Visitors were enjoying cool drinks in the searing heat in the outdoor seating areas, people milled between cafés and outdoor shops, and walkers emerged from forest trails.
A handful of people chose to jump off the stone bridge into the river pool below. The resulting entertainment attracted almost as many spectators as participants.
It was one of those small moments that never appears in guidebooks but often becomes one of the strongest memories of a trip.
The rivers themselves were looking spectacular, helped by recent rainfall and sunshine. Combined with the surrounding woodland, the whole area felt every bit as picturesque as the postcards suggest.
Finding a Base Near Llandudno
Rather than constantly moving campsites, we based ourselves near Llandudno for several days.
One of the advantages of travelling this way is the flexibility to establish a base and explore from there. Instead of packing up every morning, we spent several days cycling, walking and taking short drives throughout the area.
It allowed us to experience destinations at a slower pace, something we often encourage in our road trip guides. Not every day needs to involve covering lots of miles. Sometimes the best travel experiences happen when you slow down and properly explore where you are.
So we based ourselves at Dinarth Hall Camping and Caravan Site and enjoyed a lovely peaceful stay, with great views and even amazing sunsets to boot.
The site is a sprawling working farm with facilities, but what topped it for us was the views and the proximity for cycling into Llandudno. We could whizz down the hill on our bikes, although of course we had to cycle back up again afterwards.
Rediscovering Llandudno
Llandudno remains one of Britain's great seaside towns.
Its elegant Victorian promenade, sweeping bay and historic pier continue to create an atmosphere that feels distinctly different from many modern resorts.
Cycling into town proved surprisingly easy and provided a different perspective on the destination. We followed a mix of cycle path and the Sustrans Path 5, although parts were pretty overgrown, so we made a note to take the road way back. We locked our bikes and took the whole day to explore.
The promenade was pretty quiet, despite the weather, but the seaside lido was bursting with families.
There is a timeless quality to Llandudno. It feels neither old-fashioned nor modern. Instead, it simply feels comfortable: the sort of place where people still come to enjoy the simple pleasures of being beside the sea.
The Great Orme: Still One of the Best Views in Wales
No matter how many times we visit, the Great Orme never disappoints.
Rising dramatically above Llandudno, it offers one of the finest viewpoints anywhere in Wales. There are several ways to enjoy it, by a touring land train, by cable car and independently. Just remember, if you want to go on the cable car, it is cash only, so check you have cash first.
This time we revisited both the toll road and several of the viewing areas while checking information for guide updates.
The drive itself is worth experiencing. The road winds around the headland, revealing spectacular views over cliffs, sea and coastline. At times it feels more like a route you'd expect to find on a remote island than just minutes from a major seaside resort.
At the summit, the panorama remains extraordinary. To one side lies Anglesey. To another, Conwy Bay. Beyond, the mountains of Eryri dominate the horizon. On a clear day it is one of those places where you can spend far longer than planned simply taking in the view.
Conwy: More Than Just a Castle
Conwy is often introduced through its castle. And understandably so, as the castle is magnificent, the walls are magnificent and the setting is magnificent.
But Conwy's real charm lies in the details. It is found in the narrow medieval streets, peppered with small independent businesses, and in the harbour views back towards the castle towers rising above the rooftops.
As always, Conwy rewarded slow exploration. We walked the city walls and enjoyed the views. It remains one of the finest historic towns in Britain and one of the easiest places to recommend within any North Wales itinerary.
Just remember to know your motorhome dimensions in advance so you are prepared at the city walls. Larger vehicles can park outside of the city walls. Bodlondeb Car Park, which was situated roughly 10 minutes out, was perfect for a larger vehicle and we parked up next to a handful of other motorhomes.
Holyhead and South Stack Lighthouse
Holyhead is often seen simply as the gateway to Ireland, but the coastline around the town deserves far more attention. Our mobile phones even picked up an Irish signal.
Beyond the port, the landscape quickly becomes wilder as cliffs rise above the sea, the views stretch across the Irish Sea, and the whole area feels more exposed and dramatic than much of southern Anglesey.
South Stack Lighthouse is the standout stop and we wanted to go for sunset.
Set below the cliffs on a small island off the north-west coast, it is one of Anglesey’s most memorable viewpoints. The lighthouse, sea cliffs and surrounding coastal scenery create a powerful sense of arrival at the edge of Wales.
Even if you do not walk down towards the lighthouse, the viewpoint above South Stack is worth the journey. It is a place to pause, take photographs and appreciate just how varied Anglesey can be.
For us, South Stack added a wilder final note to the Anglesey section of the trip. After the beaches, bridges, salt shop and copper landscapes, it showed another side of the island entirely.
Overnight at Carreg Y Fran Aire
For our final Anglesey stop, we stayed at Carreg Y Fran Aire in Gwalchmai, an official CAMpRA aire close to the showground.
It was simple, practical and exactly what we needed for the night. Booking was mainly arranged over WhatsApp with the aire owner, and the stay cost £15.
As it happened, the aire was right next to the showground while the Eisteddfod was on, which gave the area a lovely sense of activity without taking away from the peaceful setting. We had a great spot with far-reaching views towards Yr Wyddfa, making it feel like far more than just somewhere to park up for the night. There are just five spaces.
The real drama came later.
That evening, an almighty storm rolled in, complete with forked lightning across the sky. From the safety and comfort of the motorhome, it was spectacular to watch. It became one of those unexpected road trip moments that you could never plan, but will always remember.
Carreg Y Fran worked really well as an Anglesey overnight stop: straightforward, good value, easy to arrange and with views that gave the final part of the trip a memorable setting.
A Landscape Like No Other: Parys Mountain
If Newborough showcases Anglesey's natural beauty, Parys Mountain reveals its industrial past.
Few places in Wales, or in fact Britain, look quite like it as the colours alone are astonishing. Red, orange and purple tones spread across the former copper mining landscape, creating a scene that feels almost alien.
It is difficult to believe that this windswept corner of Anglesey was once one of the most important copper mining areas in the world.
The views across the site remain spectacular and the history fascinating.
It continues to be one of our favourite lesser-known locations in North Wales.
Crossing the Menai Strait
One of the highlights of the entire trip was returning to Anglesey. Crossing the Menai Strait always feels like arriving somewhere special.
The combination of open water, historic bridges and distant mountain views creates one of the most memorable arrivals anywhere in Wales.
Anglesey Beyond the Postcard Views
Our guide updates took us across several parts of the island.
We revisited the Anglesey Sea Salt shop near the Menai Strait, one of the island's most successful local producers and a useful stop for visitors exploring the south-east of the island.
Whether looking across sweeping sandy beaches, walking coastal paths or simply watching the changing light across the sea, there is a sense of space here that feels very different from the mainland.
One of the locations that continues to impress is Newborough and Llanddwyn.
The combination of forest, beach, tidal island and mountain views creates one of the most remarkable landscapes in Wales.
Why North Wales Works So Well as a Road Trip
By the end of the week we had filled memory cards with photographs and notebooks with updates.
Yet perhaps the biggest reminder was why North Wales works so well as a road trip destination.
Few regions offer such variety within relatively short driving distances.
Mountain roads and seaside promenades.
Medieval castles and industrial heritage.
Victorian resorts and hidden beaches.
Historic market towns and dramatic coastal scenery.
Everything feels connected.
You never spend long driving before discovering something completely different.
That variety is what makes North Wales such a rewarding destination for independent travellers.
And it is why we continue returning!
Thanks to Swift Go for the hire.
Planning your own North Wales road trip? Our North Wales Road Trip Guide brings together castles, coast, mountain roads, viewpoints and practical planning notes to help you shape your own route.
Useful Resources for Planning Your North Wales Road Trip
If you're planning a road trip through North Wales, these Uncover Britain resources may help you plan your route, compare nearby guides and prepare for your journey.
North Wales and Nearby Road Trip Guides
North Wales Way Road Trip: Castles, Coast & Mountains
A flexible route covering Anglesey, Eryri, Conwy, Llandudno, Llangollen and the Welsh Borders.
Wales' West Coast Road Trip – The Coastal Way
Explore Cardigan Bay, Pembrokeshire and the spectacular west coast of Wales.
The Cambrian Way: Cardiff to Conwy
A journey through the Brecon Beacons, Welsh Valleys, Eryri and central Wales.
Swift Voyager 494 Motorhome Hire Review
Our real-world review of the island-bed motorhome we used while updating this North Wales route.
Wales Inspiration & Planning
Road Trips Along The Wales Way
An overview of Wales' major touring routes and how they connect together.
Top 12 Places to Visit in Wales
Ideas for attractions, viewpoints and destinations across Wales.
Motorhome & Road Trip Planning
What to Pack for a Road Trip
A practical packing checklist for motorhome, campervan and car-based adventures.
Road Trip Recipes
Easy recipes, store-cupboard essentials and printable meal ideas for the road.
Fuel-Saving Driving Tips for Your Motorhome or Campervan Road Trip
Simple techniques to improve fuel economy and reduce driving costs.
Choosing the Best Sat Nav for Your Motorhome
Key considerations when selecting navigation suitable for larger vehicles.