Harlech and its castle
Though the stories of the Mabinogion hint at Harlech being an early throne of kings, the town as we know it sprang up around the dominating castle, built by King Edward I of England from 1283. Designated a World Heritage site, UNESCO describes Harlech Castle as "a supreme example of medieval military architecture", praising its "completeness, pristine state, and extraordinary medieval form." The castle is open to visitors throughout the year.
Harlech Castle has a fascinating history. It was captured by Owain Glyndwr, the last Prince of Wales, in 1404, after he had been provoked into rebellion against the English crown. Glyndwr held his second parliament there in August 1405 and, though the castle fell back into English hands in 1409, Glyndwr was never captured, thus perpetuating his myth. That was not the end of the story for Harlech Castle, which won even greater renown in the Wars of the Roses when it endured the longest siege in the history of the British Isles. The castle's Lancastrian defenders stubbornly resisted the besieging Yorkist armies from 1461 until 1468, an act of heroism that inspired the rousing song Men of Harlech. Another siege in the English Civil War saw Harlech as the last mainland royal fortress to surrender to Parliament.
Three more of Edward I’s magnificent UNESCO-designated castles lie within an hour’s drive of Harlech, at Caernarfon, Conwy and Beaumaris, with the much closer native Welsh castle of Criccieth, built by Llywelyn the Great of Gwynedd in the early thirteenth century, situated just a few miles along the coast. Also in easy reach are the castles of Dolwyddelan, guarding the valley road to Blaenau, and Dolbadarn, right in the heart of the mountains.
Harlech castle was originally built next to the sea, but changes to the coastline now see it lying on a cliff face half a mile inland. Harlech, then, has become a town on two levels with some dramatic paths linking the two halves. Why not try a walk down the sharply-inclined Ffordd Pen Llech, home to the steepest signed gradient on a public road in the United Kingdom (40%, or 1 in 2½)? In 2019 Pen Llech was officially recognised by Guinness as the steepest street in the world.
Heritage Steam Railways
If you are interested in the country's industrial heritage, Harlech is ideally situated for those wishing to visit the narrow gauge steam railways of the region, being in particularly easy reach of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. The Ffestiniog is the world’s oldest narrow gauge railway, with almost 200 years of history, and it will take you on a 13½-mile journey from the harbour at Porthmadog to the slate-quarrying town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Remarkably still operating three of its original locomotives, all over 150 years old, the railway offers a truly historical experience. The adjoining Welsh Highland Railway is the UK’s longest heritage railway, running for 25 miles from Caernarfon, via the foot of Snowdon and the stunning Aberglaslyn Pass, to Porthmadog. You can ride in luxurious first class Pullman cars and have freshly-cooked food delivered to your seat.
Also close by are the Llanberis Lake Railway which runs along the northern shore of Llyn Padarn; the tiny Fairbourne Railway which evolved from the tramway used to construct the seaside village; and the Bala Lake Railway with its magnificent views of the largest natural lake in Wales.
Snowdonia National Park
The rack and pinion Snowdon Mountain Railway will take you from Llanberis to the summit of the highest peak in Wales if you don't fancy making the ascent under your own steam. Plenty of keen walkers do make the climb and Snowdonia National Park offers a network of walks for both serious hikers and leisure strollers. There are accessible walks for those with wheelchairs or pushchairs, and routes suitable for cyclists. Whatever your preference, you are guaranteed breathtaking scenery and diverse landscapes. The walks can be found on the National Park website.
