Conwy Falls — Rhaeadr y Graig Lwyd in Welsh — is among the most impressive natural spectacles in North Wales and is often cited as the most powerful waterfall in Wales by volume of water. The River Conwy drops in a series of falls and rapids into a deep plunge pool, the force of the water having carved smooth oval basins in the bedrock over millennia. A viewing platform on the north bank gives an excellent perspective on the full drop, and a short path allows closer views of the gorge below.
The falls are about two miles south of Betws-y-Coed, reached by turning left off the A5 onto the B4406 Penmachno road. The entrance is at the Conwy Falls Cafe, where a small admission charge is collected — a modest price for one of the finest viewpoints in the area. The cafe itself serves hot drinks and light food and is a welcome stopping point, particularly in damp weather. The car park here fills on busy summer weekends, so arriving before midday is advisable.
The falls are at their most dramatic after rain, when the Conwy runs brown and ferocious and the volume of water thundering into the plunge pool is extraordinary. Autumn and winter visits are often the most rewarding for this reason: October and November bring regular rain to the mountains, and the falls in full spate are a genuinely impressive sight. Summer visits in dry weather can be somewhat less dramatic, though the falls are never entirely tame. Spring, when snowmelt and April rain top up the river, also produces good conditions.
Conwy Falls marks the upper end of the Fairy Glen gorge, and the most rewarding way to combine the two is to walk downstream from the falls along the riverside path through the gorge. This is not a maintained tourist path — it involves some scrambling, uneven ground and sections where care is needed — but the experience of walking through the narrow gorge where the river has cut deep into the rock is memorable. The path eventually emerges at the Fairy Glen access point near the B4406. Allow around an hour for the full gorge walk from Conwy Falls to Fairy Glen, and wear boots.
From Betws-y-Coed, head south on the A5 and turn left onto the B4406 signed Penmachno. The Conwy Falls Cafe car park is on the left after about two miles. The road is narrow with passing places on the steeper sections. There is no reliable mobile signal in this valley, so download directions or a map before setting out. If you prefer to leave the car at the village, the walk south along the Conwy Valley Way to Conwy Falls is around three miles each way through good countryside, though the route is less well-signed than the main tourist paths.
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Day trips