Biwmares, Caernarfon, Conwy, Dinbych Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, Denbigh www.walledtowns.co.uk Lle i aros, Beth i’w wneud a’i weld Where to stay, What to see and do Contents 4-9 Walled Towns of North Wales 10-11 Beaumaris 12-13 Caernarfon 14-15 Conwy 16-17 Denbigh 18-19 Getting to the Walled Towns 20-21 Maps 22-23 Cadw 24 Events & Places to Stay Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy contained in this guide, the Walled Towns partnership cannot accept responsibility in respect of any error or omission that may have occurred. 2 Beaumaris Castle Castell Caernarfon Canllaw i drefi caerog hynafol Biwmares, Caernarfon, Conwy a Dinbych. Conwy Castle A guide to the ancient walled towns of Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Denbigh. Denbigh Castle 3 CROESO I’N TREFI CAEROG ychmygwch. Deffro mewn tref gogledd Cymru, gyda’i diwylliant unigryw, gaerog lle roedd lleng filwyr traddodiadau, bwyd a’i baner! DRhufeinig yn gwylio’r wawr yn torri bron i 2000 o flynyddoedd yn ôl… Mae gan gestyll a threfi caerog Gogledd Cymru gysylltiadau brenhinol. Rhoddwyd y Dychmygwch. Cysgu mewn tref gaerog lle teitl Tywysog Cymru i fab hynaf y frenhines. roedd Llychlynwyr milain o’r ochr draw i Fôr Digwyddodd yr arwisgiad diwethaf yng y Gogledd yn cysgodi rhag y gwyntoedd Nghastell Caernarfon – un o’n Trefi Caerog. cryfion 1200 mlynedd yn ôl... Mae Biwmares, Caernarfon, Conwy a Dychmygwch. Gwylio’r haul yn machlud Dinbych i gyd yn drefi caerog yng Nghymru, mewn trefi caerog lle roedd arglwyddi er bod Biwmares wedi’i leoli ar Ynys Môn rhyfel Normanaidd wedi dychwelyd 1000 o oddi ar arfordir Gogledd Cymru, sydd wedi’i flynyddoedd yn ôl ar ôl meddiannu tiroedd gysylltu â’r tir mawr gan bontydd ffyrdd newydd... a rheilffordd ar draws y Fenai. Gallwch groesi i’r Iwerddon ar fferi mewn llai na 100 Dychmygwch. Cychwyn y diwrnod mewn munud o’r fan hon! trefi caerog lle roedd byddinoedd Cromwell a lluoedd Brenhinol yn herio’i gilydd wrth Adeiladwyd pob un o’r pedwar castell oedd iddynt ymladd am reolaeth y Wladwriaeth... unwaith yn goruchafu dros y trefi gan Edward I, i atgyfnerthu’r tiroedd roedd y Dychmygwch ddim mwy. Yn hytrach, goresgynwyr Normanaidd wedi’u trechu. profwch y realiti drwy ail-fyw hanes Prydain yn nhrefi caerog Gogledd Cymru. Mae pob un heblaw castell Dinbych – tref Er iddynt gael eu hadeiladu’n wreiddiol farchnad fendigedig yng nghanol cefn gwlad fel amddiffynfeydd ac i ymosod, mae trefi Cymru – wedi’u lleoli ar yr arfordir oherwydd caerog Gogledd Cymru bellach yn diogelu ystyrid bod danfon nwyddau ar y môr yn llai etifeddiaeth gyfoethog o drysorau gwych o’r peryglus na theithio dros diroedd y gelyn. gorffennol, ac yn agor eu drysau i ymwelwyr o bob cwr o’r byd. Heddiw, mae’r pedwar castell yn croesawu ymwelwyr o bell ac agos, ac yn eu hysbrydoli Mae pob tref gaerog mor wahanol i’w i ddod yn ôl dro ar ôl tro! chymydog. Mae ein casgliad hudol o bedair tref gaerog a welir yn y canllaw hwn yn drysorau godidog yn nhirlun prydferth 4 WELCOME TO OUR WALLED TOWNS magine. Waking up in a walled town The North Wales Castles and walled towns where rugged Roman Legionaries have Royal connections. The monarch’s Iwatched the dawn rise nearly eldest son is granted the title of Prince 2000 years ago... of Wales. The last investiture took place at Caernarfon Castle - one of our Walled Imagine. Sleeping in a walled town where Towns. vicious Viking raiders from across the North Sea sheltered from the bitter winds of winter Beaumaris, Conwy, Caernarfon and Denbigh 1200 years ago... are all walled towns in Wales although Beaumaris is located on the island of Ynys Imagine. Watching the sun set in walled Môn or Anglesey just off the coast of North towns where Norman war lords returned Wales linked to the mainland by rail and over 1000 years ago after invading new road bridges across the Menai Strait. From lands... here you can be in Ireland in less than 100 Imagine. Starting the day in walled towns minutes by ferry! where Cromwell’s troops and Royalist forces All four have castles that once dominated clashed 400 years ago as they fought for the town, all built by Edward I to consolidate control of the State... the lands acquired by the Norman invaders. Imagine no more. Touch the reality instead by reliving the history of Britain in the All except Denbigh - a delightful market walled towns of North Wales. Once built for town surrounded by wonderful Welsh defence and as spring-boards for attack, the countryside - are located on the coast walled towns of North Wales now protect because supply by sea was considered less a rich legacy of great treasures from times hazardous than a journey overland across past and welcome an invasion of visitors hostile territory. from across the world. Today, all welcome visitors from near and far and inspire them to return time and time Each walled town is so different from its again! neighbour. Our magical circle of four walled towns featured in this guide span across beautiful North Wales, its distinctive culture, traditions, cuisine and flag! 5 Sight-seeing around Beaumaris and Caernarfon THE WONDER OF WALES eaumaris lies in a spectacular There are innumerable attractions including setting, with Puffin Island and the Melin Llynnon, the only working windmill Bmouth of the Menai Strait on one in Wales, South Stack Lighthouse, Anglesey side and Thomas Telford’s Suspension Bridge Sea Zoo, Pili Palas Butterfly Centre, Plas on the other. Opposite, the panoramic Newydd by the Menai Strait, and at mountain range of Snowdonia is etched Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerych across the skyline. -wyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, the longest place name in Britain normally It is the ideal base for exploring the Isle of shortened to Llanfair P.G. It means St. Mary’s Anglesey. The island is known as “Mon Church in the hollow of the White Hazel Mam Cymru” (Anglesey, Mother of Wales) near a rapid whirlpool and the church of because it is renowned as the ancient St. Tysilio near the Red Cave! grain-growing region – the breadbasket for Wales. Llanddwyn 6 Situated in the county of Gwynedd in North Most railways carried slate originally from West Wales, Caernarfon is the ideal location quarry to port. A rail journey along the to tour and explore the majestic mountains Cambrian Coast between Pwllheli and of Snowdonia and the breathtaking coastal Machynlleth is one of the most memorable splendour of the Llyn Peninsula. There are you’ll ever make. At Llanberis you’ll also so many attractions just outside the walled find Electric Mountain, the gateway town that it’s difficult to know where to to the Dinorwig Power Station hidden start your voyage of discovery. in a mountain cavern, the Welsh Slate Museum, and Dolbadarn Castle. There are Take a ride on steam railways departing castles galore in Gwynedd too including from Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Blaenau fortifications at Criccieth, Harlech and Ffestiniog (close to Llechwedd Slate Caverns), Penrhyn. Equally fascinating is the ravishing Corris, Tywyn, Bala, or Llanberis where the Italianate village of Portmeirion overlooking Snowdon Mountain Railway carries you to Cardigan Bay, and enchanting Bardsey Island the summit of Wales’ highest mountain. off the Llyn Peninsula - a place of pilgrimage since the early days of Christianity. Snowdonia Mountain Railway Plas Newydd 7 Out and About around Conwy and Denbigh CASTLES, COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE ollowing from the heart of the Orme, which is accessible by cable-car, Snowdonia National Park, the River footpath or Victorian tramway and offers FConwy winds its way through a lush, spectacular panoramic views. The Great Orme green valley on its journey to the sea. is also a Country Park with a fascinating 4000 year old copper-mine. The river also gives its name to the County of Conwy where picturesque country towns Llandudno is also home to the Alice in and villages nestle alongside elegant seaside Wonderland Trail. The author of the classic resorts, and the mountains of Snowdonia children’s fantasy tales, Lewis Carroll was provide a breathtaking backdrop to the born at Daresbury in Cheshire and spent golden, sandy beaches of the North Wales holidays in the town. coast. The Victorian resort of Llandudno is set within a sweeping bay between the headlands of the Little Orme and Great Dolwyddelan Castle 8 Alongside the coast is delightful Nearby is the town of Rhuddlan with Rhos-on- Sea. Near the shore stands its castle, dominated by a massive the tiny 6th century chapel of St. Trillo. twin-towered gatehouse and the new city St Asaph with one of the smallest Along the Conwy Valley you’ll find the ancient cathedrals in Britain. fabulous Bodnant Garden, the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre, the woollen mill at Close by is the National Portrait Gallery Trefriw, the Tudor courtyard house of at Bodelwyddan Castle. In the heart of the Gwydir Castle at historic Llanrwst and county is the pretty market-town of Ruthin. the ‘alpine’ resort of Betws-y-Coed with Here you can enjoy medieval banquets with its enchanting Swallow Falls. To the west traditional entertainment at the Ruthin stands Dolwyddelan Castle guarding a Castle Hotel. Equally captivating are Ruthin mountain pass through the Lledr Valley. Gaol, a penal institution from 1654 until 1916 and the Ruthin Craft Centre. From its lofty hilltop, Denbigh Castle watches over the town below and the picturesque Vale of Clwyd. Denbigh is the county town of Denbighshire, characterised by rich pasturelands, wild moorland, gently undulating hills and tree-lined valleys, and bright and breezy coastal resorts like Rhyl and Prestatyn.