Storming Castles - Fabulous Fortresses in Eryri (Snowdonia)
For a family fun day out, why not conquer one of our awe-inspiring medieval castles? These mighty monuments stir the imagination in kids of all ages – with their size, spectacle and the host of stories stored in their ancient stones. You’ll find incredible fortresses all over Eryri (Snowdonia), where you can travel through time and immerse yourself in our region’s rich heritage.
Some of our castles were built by native Welsh princes, while others were the work of invading English royalty. Some are even a little bit of both. Each one has its own magic and atmosphere, waiting to be experienced by eager adventurers.
To get you started on your campaign, we’ve put together a guide to some of our most impressive historic sites. We’ve also suggested a few other attractions and activities you can enjoy alongside your castle visit.
Castell Caernarfon
Mighty fortress with a budget to match
Hard facts
Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes castles elsewhere in Eryri at Conwy and Harlech (more on them later), Castell Caernarfon (Caernarfon Castle) is the grandest and most impressive of Edward I’s North Wales fortresses. Work on the castle began in 1283, taking 47 years to complete and costing an impressive £25,000 – about £19 million in today’s money.
Even 700 years later, it looks like a good investment. The castle’s imposing scale makes a huge impression and a walk around the soaring towers and ramparts is breathtaking high-level adventure. It’s now even easier to get up there too – thanks to a recent renovation of the King’s Gate which has added a lift and expansive viewing platform.
Tell me a story
Castell Caernarfon was designed with both symbolic and military purposes in mind. Alongside securing a strategic location at the mouth of the River Seiont, Edward I wanted to make a statement that the unruly Welsh natives couldn’t ignore. Caernarfon’s polygonal towers, decorated in bands of coloured stone, echoed imperial Roman walls of Constantinople, while carved eagles on the turrets of the Eagle Tower evoked Roman legionary standards. Edward also sought to link his castle to the story of Macsen Wledig, a legendary Roman emperor who became King of the Britons.
Edward’s efforts were largely successful, with Caernarfon becoming a major power centre and the seat of the (English) Princes of Wales. The connection to the Crown has continued through the centuries. It was at Castell Caernarfon that Prince – now King – Charles was invested on 1 July 1969.
Beyond the walls
You don’t even need to leave the castle to explore the Royal Welch Fusiliers Regimental Museum. Located across multiple floors in two of Caernarfon’s towers, the museum celebrates the past (and present) of Wales’ oldest regiment. You’ll see exhibits and artefacts from over 300 years of military service, including engagements in the American War of Independence, the Napoleonic Wars, the Boer War and both the First and Second World Wars.
Castell Conwy
Regal rooms fit for a King
Hard facts
In contrast to Castell Caernarfon’s lengthy construction, Edward I built both Conwy’s castle and town walls in an incredibly speedy four-year period between 1283-1287. Achieving this feat saw as many as 1,500 craftsman and labourers working on the site at a time. The castle’s eight towers sit on a natural rocky outcrop overlooking the estuary, which only makes the castle more formidable.
Conwy’s impressive exterior is matched on the inside, where you’ll find the most extensive collection of medieval residential rooms anywhere in the UK. As well as regal living quarters, you can explore the King’s private chapel and navigate twisting passages used by the household’s servants.
Tell me a story
Despite spending the equivalent of more than £10 million in today’s money on Castell Conwy, Edward I barely visited it. His only stay was an enforced one during the winter of 1294, when the castle was besieged during an uprising led by Madog ap Llywelyn. Though the walls stood firm, supplies ran very low and there was only a single barrel of wine in the cellar. No wonder Edward wasn’t in a rush to come back.
Beyond the walls
Go up the wall. Stretching almost unbroken for 1400-yards/1.3km around the Conwy’s medieval heart, a tour around the towering town walls is a walk with serious altitude. Along the way you’ll pass 21 towers and three gateways, as well as getting some stunning high-level views back across to the castle. A word of warning – a good head for heights is a must.
Castell Cricieth
Built and broken by Welsh hands
Hard facts
Castell Cricieth (Cricieth Castle) is notable as a Welsh fortress with both native and English elements. The rugged headland sat between Cricieth’s two sandy beaches was originally chosen for a castle by Llywelyn ab Iorweth (Llywelyn the Great) in the early part of the 13th century. Work was continued by his successor Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llywelyn the Last), who added curtain walls and towers to augment the site’s natural defences.
The castle was taken by Edward I during his Welsh campaign at the end of the 13th century. He made some changes of his own, extending the walls and adding the rectangular Engine Tower (thought to have once housed a catapult or other type of medieval stone-flinging weapon).
Tell me a story
As well as being founded by Welsh nobility, Castell Cricieth met its ultimate end at the hands of one of our native rulers. The castle was captured by Owain Glyndŵr during his uprising against the English in 1404. Rather than take it for himself, Owain sacked and burned it, reducing it to the ruin that stands today. You can relive the castle’s downfall on an immersive guided tour (run each month during spring and summer by Cadw), which puts you in the shoes of Owain and his men as they battle for control of their homeland.
Beyond the walls
There’s lots of family fun to be had at Criccieth Multi Golf, just a short stroll from the castle. Work on your swing on the nine-hole pitch and putt course, or ditch the clubs with a round of frisbee or football golf. You can also take advantage of the coastal location with kayak and paddleboard hire, or grab a fat tyre beach bike for some sandy cycle adventures.
Castell Dolbadarn
A lakeside monument to the Princes of Gwynedd
Hard facts
Though its exact origins are lost to the mists of history, Castell Dolbadarn (Dolbadarn Castle) was probably established by Welsh leader Llywelyn ab Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) sometime in the early 13th century. Sitting alone on a rocky rise at the southern end of Llyn Padarn in Llanberis, it stood watch over the main travel route between Caernarfon and the upper Conwy valley. Many of the walls have been reduced to rubble, but the stout central tower – framed by the valley’s steep sides and the blue lake waters – is still a striking sight.
Tell me a story
The native Princes of Gwynedd, didn’t spend all their time fighting with the English. They were also involved in their own internal power struggles against rivals from their own families. Following the deaths of both Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in 1240 and his successor Dafydd just six years later, Wales was thrown into instability. Various factions vied for control – including forces led by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth’s grandsons Owain Goch and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llywelyn the Last).
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ultimately won out and became undisputed ruler of Gwynedd. His rival (and older brother) Owain was imprisoned and remained in captivity for 20 years. It is thought that Owain served his lengthy sentence in Castell Dolbadarn’s central tower.
Beyond the walls
Catch a ride to the 3560ft/1085m summit of Eryri with a trip on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Leaving from Llanberis station, the railway’s steam and diesel engines carry you on a scenic journey to the top of the highest mountain in Wales and England. Along the way you’ll pass through a landscape of tumbling waterfalls, steep green valleys and rock-strewn slopes, before arriving at Hafod Eryri summit visitor centre for some snacks in the café and awesome high-altitude views.
Dolbadarn also sits at the heart of the Slate Landscape of North West Wales, one of the UK’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Though the National Slate Museum at the former Dinorwig quarry is currently closed as part of a major redevelopment, you can still explore the story of slate at a temporary exhibition in the old Quarry Hospital in Parc Padarn.
Castell Dolwyddelan
From medieval to Victorian
Hard facts
Castell Dolwyddelan (Dolwyddelan Castle) is another of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth’s Welsh fortresses. It was probably built here both for its strategic value – overlooking the main route between Betws-y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog – and because Dolwyddelan was Llywelyn’s birthplace.
The castle remained in the hands of the Welsh princes until Edward I’s conquest of 1283, after which a garrison of English soldiers held it. According to legend, they were dressed in white in order to better blend in with the snowy landscapes of Eryri.
Tell me a story
Though it was built by native Welsh rulers, Dolwyddelan’s architectural history also bears some other fingerprints. After the castle was taken by Edward I, he set about a few improvements of his own. He raised the height of the keep and built the now-ruined west tower, which once housed a catapult which threw huge stone balls.
By the early 19th century, Castell Dolwyddelan had long been abandoned and had largely crumbled into ruin. In order to restore it some of its former glory, its then owner Peter Drummond-Burrell, the 22nd Baron Willoughby de Ellesby, added the medieval-style battlements on the keep which still stand today.
Beyond the walls
Dolwyddelan sits at the mid-point between two of Eryri’s top hubs for adventure and excitement. To the south you’ll find Blaenau Ffestiniog, where the enormous slate quarries are now a playground of pulse-pounding attractions like Zip World Llechwedd (home to high-speed ziplines, underground trampolines and deep mine tours) and the bone-shaking Antur Stiniog bike park.
To the north is Betws-y-Coed, gateway to Eryri and the region’s outdoor capital. This bustling Alpine-style resort is hotspot for activities of all kinds, from mountain biking and walking to underground expeditions and horse-riding.
Castell Harlech
A clifftop classic
Hard facts
While Castell Harlech (Harlech Castle) may not be as architecturally grand as its sister fortresses in Caernarfon and Conwy, its location more than makes up for it. The mighty walls seem to spring from the sheer rocky outcrop on which it stands, while towering battlements offer a 360-degree vista taking in sea, coastline and the skyscraping summits of Eryri. The spectacular setting serves a practical purpose. With the cliffs providing natural fortification on three of its four sides, an assault would have been a daunting prospect.
Despite its formidable defences, Castell Harlech was captured by native prince Owain Glyndŵr during his uprising against English rule in 1404. He made Harlech the capital of his Welsh nation and establish a parliament there until being unseated by the forces of Henry of Monmouth (later King Henry V) in 1409. You won’t have to struggle to gain entry when you visit though – the new floating bridge makes access much easier than in medieval times.
Tell me a story
While the sea now lies some distance away, when Castell Harlech was built it reached all the way to the rock on which the fortress sits. This prime waterfront location was a valuable strategic asset, allowing access in and out via the Water Gate. When Harlech was besieged by Madog ap Llywelyn in 1294, this vital supply line allowed a garrison of just 37 men to hold out against a much larger attacking force. If you’re feeling energetic, you can navigate the steep 108 steps down (and back up again) to see the Water Gate for yourself.
Beyond the walls
While the sea may no longer lap at Harlech’s foundations, it’s still in easy reach. A short hop will take you to Harlech Beach, a sweeping, dune-backed stretch of golden sand perfect for swimming, paddling and seaside games. When the sun’s shining, you could easily mistake it for the Mediterranean – if not for the looming presence of the castle and mountains behind you.
If you need a little shade, go underground at Llanfair Slate Caverns. Explore chambers and passageways carved from the rock by miners more than 100 years ago on a self-guided subterranean tour. Watch out for remnants of old mine workings, the soaring heights of the Cathedral Cave and even the likeness of a human faced etched into the stone walls.
