What's on in Gwynedd

Gwynedd is a county in the north west of Wales. It is one of the largest Welsh counties but is also probably the most sparsely populated, perhaps because it is such a wild (and also protected) landscape. Named after the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd it also carries the same name as the preserved county, and to complicate matters the name Gwynedd also has been used historically and culturally to describe most of northern Wales. A proud and independent region, most of its inhabitants are Welsh-speaking.

This independence probably comes from the fact that it was indeed an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman era through until the late 13th century, when the English arrived. Caernarfon is the administrative center and where the Prince of Wales is invested, and is a beautiful Royal town that is worth visiting for the architecture alone, from the Market Hall to the old court buildings and of course, the famous Caernarfon Castle. Also worth a stop are Bangor, a fine university town and perhaps most famous of all, Portmeirion, the village designed by Clough Williams-Ellis and used in The Prisoner television series.

Most people however, will come to Gwynedd for the landscape and for Snowdonia National Park, which features the most epic and spectacular mountain ranges in Wales (and indeed the whole of the UK) and a range of hills and mountains suitable for hiking, climbing and walking of all abilities. In addition there is the magnificent coastline with its endless selection of awesome cliffs, unspoiled sandy beaches and picturesque estuaries which, in combination with the Llyn Peninsula, is one of the UK’s finest protected Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Should not be missed.