ABOUT BARMOUTH
Barmouth, or Abermaw or even Y Bermo as it is known in Welsh, is southern Snowdonia's most popular seaside resort with breathtaking views of Cardigan Bay and the picturesque harbour. The town's beach, Abermaw, is west facing with a mixture of sand and some fine shingle and is ideal for bathing and watersports.
The town can get busy, a land train runs along the promenade and there are traditional donkey rides, swing boats and amusement arcades. Barmouth beach is vast with good disabled access to the beach and all leisure amenities, including a full range of shops, cafes and pubs are within a short distance. There are several delightful walks of varying distance which start in Barmouth and follow routes into the hills beyond.
FIND PLACES TO STAY AROUND BARMOUTH
Ynysymaengwyn Caravan Park
Tywyn (9 miles, 14 km)
Holiday, Touring & Camping Park with 100 pitches, £15-£30 ptpn
Dolgun Uchaf
Dolgellau (8 miles, 13 km)
Bed & Breakfast with 5 rooms, £102-£105 prpn, £78-£165 prpnb
Cader View & Arran Cottage
Dolgellau (8 miles, 13 km)
Self-catering with 2 units, £135-£175 pupn sleeps 1-4
Torrent Walk Campsite and Bunkhouse
Dolgellau (8 miles, 13 km)
Touring & Camping Park with 106 pitches, £20-£120 ptpn
Coedmor Self Catering Holiday Cottages
Barmouth (2 miles, 4 km)
Self-catering with 4 units, £230-£530 pupw sleeps 1-3
Vanner Holiday Cottages
Dolgellau (7 miles, 11 km)
Self-catering with 2 units, £325-£700 pupw sleeps 1-5
Garden Cottage @ Torrent Walk
Dolgellau (9 miles, 15 km)
Self-catering with 1 unit, £550-£800 pupw sleeps 2-5
Visit southern Snowdonia's most popular seaside resort ...
"With a fine sea view in front, the mountains behind, the glorious estuary running eight miles inland, and Cadair Idris within compass of a day's walk, Barmouth can always hold its own against any rival." These are the words of William Wordsworth who visited Barmouth in the 19th century, and it would be fair to say that today’s visitors wouldn’t disagree with him. The seaside town, that is one of Wales’ most popular resorts, is gloriously located on the Mawddach estuary and its blue flag beach is like a golden carpet laid out in front of the towering Snowdownian backdrop.
The harbour, the townhouse and the roundhouse are all situated in Barmouth’s picturesque old town that is awash with character and charm. Indeed when J.R.Tolkien visited in the early 20th century he was so smitten with it that he used it as a model for the town of Hobbiton in The Lord of The Rings. Away from the sandy beaches, donkey rides, arcades and promenades there is plenty more to see and do, including the RLNI Lifeboat Museum and the Ty Gwyn Museum, whilst the ferry to Fairbourne comes highly recommended for different view of Barmouth.
Barmouth is also the starting point for the famous 3 Peaks Yacht Race, a gruelling challenge that takes in the highest mountains of Wales, England and Scotland. For those not wishing to travel quite so far the town also serves as an excellent base to explore nearby Harlech Castle, Shell Island, Portmeirion and of course, Cadair Idris.
Things to Do Around Barmouth
Cadair Idris Visitor Centre & Tea Room is 250 metres from the car park. The Minffordd path to the Cadair Idris summit passes by them.
Abermaw / Barmouth in Southern Snowdonia is a great location for Mountain, Sand and Sea. Extensive sandy beach with attractions, water sports and boat trips. Situated on the Coast Path with walking and cycling available for all abilities.
Ty'n y Groes car park and riverside picnic area is the gateway to three forest walks, from an all ability trail with the tallest trees in Coed y Brenin (and downloadable Ty'n y Groes MP3 audio trail) OS Grid Reference: SH 730 233
Kitted up, delve underground to explore the untouched workings of this abandoned Welsh slate mine. The Maxi trip is largely tailored, with the optional use of ropes, ladders and scrambling. Crowned Best Experience in Mid Wales 2019/20
Discover the ideal base to explore Snowdonia National Park. An historic mountain town built on the wool trade and steeped in folklore. Visit Dolgellau to explore dramatic scenery, adrenalin-fuelled activities and world heritage attractions
The Mawddach Estuary is where the River Mawddach (Afon Mawddach in Welsh) meets the sea and forms a stunning wide sandy estuary. At the mouth of the Estuary is the town of Barmouth and 8 mile inland is the town of Dolgellau.
In the Heart of the Land of the Little Trains, The Corris Railway is a narrow gauge (2 foot 3 inch) railway whose origins date back to the 1850's.
Sail deep in the mountains of Southern Snowdonia, through a magical waterfall, into a mythical world filled with dragons, giants, fierce battles and the legendary King Arthur. Welsh legends unfold as your Dark Age Boatman guides you.
Harlech Castle crowns a sheer rocky crag overlooking the dunes far below – waiting in vain for the tide to turn and the distant sea to lap at its feet once again.
Cadair Idris is a spectacular mountain reserve in Southern Snowdonia of over 450 hectares of breathtaking landscape, rugged summits, glacial lakes and a mossy wooded gorge.
Dyffryn (Llanendwyn) is a long sandy beach backed by an extensive sand dune system between Shell Island and Dyffryn Ardudwy.
Arthog Bog is located between Dolgellau and Fairbourne and is a small wetland and a wonderful place to see weird and wonderful plants, flowers, butterflies and birds.
The west facing beach at Tywyn is a long stretch of sand and pebbles backed by sand dunes.
The joy of the 120 acre Crafnant Nature Reserve is its atmosphere. You sense the antiquity of the ancient oaks at the northern (Crafnant) end, encrusted in the greys and greens of lichens, mosses, liverworts and the epiphytic ferns.
Morfa Harlech is one of two extensive sand dune systems which make up much of the Meirionnydd coastline, extending from the Mawddach estuary in the south to Black Rock Sands in the north west.
Known locally as Benar Beach, Tal-y-Bont Beach is a sandy beach and good for surfing. The beach forms part of the large sand system of Morfa Dyffryn which are designated as an area of Special Scientific Interest.
Between Dolgellau and Tywyn off the A493, the village of Fairbourne has a sandy beach two miles long on the Cambrian Coast with the superb countryside of the Snowdonia National Park to the east.
Nationally and internationally renowned, Royal St David's Golf Course in Harlech is one of Wales' premier golf courses.
The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum is located at the Tywyn Wharf terminus of the Talyllyn Railway. It is an important collection of artifacts relating to Narrow Gauge Railways in the UK throughout the last 200 years.
Historic narrow-gauge steam railway set in beautiful, unspoilt Snowdonia. Running from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernol, the line passes the delightful Dolgoch Falls and there are excellent forest walks at Nant Gwernol.
