8 Hidden Gems in North Wales Worth Saving

Beddgelert is one of those Welsh villages that looks almost suspiciously picturesque: stone cottages, mountain scenery and the Glaslyn and Colwyn rivers meeting right through the village. Rather than just stopping for coffee, follow the riverside towards Aberglaslyn Pass. There are walks connecting Beddgelert with the gorge, old copper workings, Llyn Dinas and the surrounding mountains. FIBI tip: Save Beddgelert as the base and the Aberglaslyn walk as a separate place.

A mountain lake tucked above Trefriw, surrounded by forest. You reach Llyn Crafnant by climbing away from the Conwy Valley on smaller roads, which is part of what makes it feel so removed from the busier Eryri stops. There are several waymarked walks around the lake and surrounding landscape. It's exactly the sort of place FIBI is made for: you see a reel of it, save it and six months later realise it's twenty minutes from somewhere you're already visiting.

And this is a lovely last one because it combines several things. Llyn Geirionydd is hidden amongst the hills and woodland of Gwydir Forest, with walking routes connecting the lake with nearby Llyn Crafnant. It's also a spot for non-motorised watersports, and the north bank has a monument to Welsh poet Taliesin. You could very easily combine Geirionydd + Crafnant + Betws-y-Coed into one day.

Just outside Betws-y-Coed is a little wooded gorge where the River Conwy runs between moss-covered rocks. It's considerably moodier and more enclosed than the huge landscapes elsewhere in Eryri — think woodland, rushing water and proper Welsh fairytale energy. Visit Conwy recommends it as one of the quieter nature stops outside the village.

This one is gorgeous. Porthdinllaen is an old fishing village curled around a sheltered bay on the Llŷn Peninsula. You approach on foot rather than simply driving into the village, which makes arriving at the beach feel even better. There's clear water, fishing cottages and Tŷ Coch Inn sitting right on the beach. The bay also contains an important seagrass habitat.

Technically a tidal island, Llanddwyn sits at the end of a beautiful stretch of Anglesey coastline. You've got dunes, huge views back towards the mountains of Eryri, lighthouse scenery and miles of coast around it. Visit Wales specifically highlights Llanddwyn as one of North Wales' standout coastal landscapes.

If you want the drama of Eryri without necessarily climbing Yr Wyddfa, save Cwm Idwal. It's a spectacular glacial landscape surrounded by steep mountain walls, centred around Llyn Idwal. It also has some rather good history attached: Charles Darwin studied geology in the area, while the surrounding mountains were used for mountaineering training by members of the Everest expeditions.