Gwydir Forest Park

The most useful short option is the Coed Tan Dinas Walk, an easy 0.7-mile loop on a broad boardwalk beneath tall Douglas firs, with a riverside picnic area. The Afon Llugwy Riverside Walk is a moderate 1.5 miles and mixes boardwalk, grass track, woodland path and river views, but its narrower sections can be muddy, rocky and rooty.

For a bigger outing, choose between two strenuous lake walks. Llyn Parc is 4.3 miles with about 331 metres of climbing, a high viewpoint, a natural lake and a descent through the Aberllyn gorge past mine entrances and ruins. Llyn Elsi is 3.9 miles with about 318 metres of climbing, rising steeply from the village to a peaceful reservoir ringed by forest. There is also a permanent orienteering course near the village and a wide choice of mountain-bike trails from the forest car parks.

For the main NRW waymarked walks, use Pont y Pair car park in Betws-y-Coed as the starting point. The Llyn Elsi route starts behind St Mary’s Church instead. Other access points, including Ty’n Llwyn, Hafna, Llyn Crafnant, Llyn Geirionydd, Llyn Sarnau and Sawbench, lead to different corners of the park, so pick the car park that matches your intended route. Pont y Pair has public toilets, information panels and the most convenient village access, but parking becomes difficult on busy weekends.

Go on a weekday morning for quieter paths and a better chance of finding space. Autumn brings especially good colour; after a dry spell, the rough paths and exposed roots are easier going. Wear boots and bring waterproofs and an offline map in any season. Rain can flood sections of the riverside route, and the steeper lake walks include narrow, uneven paths, unprotected drops and old mine buildings. Stay on the waymarked trail and do not push on through floodwater.

The park is best thought of as a menu of walks rather than one single attraction. That is its strength, but it also means the experience depends heavily on the access point and route you choose.

The park’s character comes from its industrial past. Lead and zinc mining shaped these hills, and engine houses, waste tips, reservoirs and partially restored mine sites still sit among the trees. The result feels more layered than a standard forest walk, especially around Llyn Parc and the Hafna mine area.