15 Best Things To Do In Beaumaris

Things To Do In Beaumaris

Visiting its World Heritage Castle, exploring the streets of one of the loveliest historic towns in Wales and discovering superb coastal walks and beaches nearby means that there are plenty of things to do in Beaumaris on Anglesey, the largest island in Wales.

Beaumaris Castle is the last of England’s King Edward I’s Castles to be built, and proved so costly that he ran out of money to finish it. It’s the main draw for visitors to the town, but there’s much more in and around Beaumaris. Its setting at the east end of the Menai Strait, facing the mountains of Snowdonia, is breathtaking, and the relatively unexplored coastline of this part of eastern Anglesey has many treasures to reveal.

In this guide I’ll show you it all, from the historic sites of the town of Beaumaris to walks and beaches in the surrounding area. I’ll also suggest tours to Beaumaris and Anglesey in case you only have time for a flying visit, and places to stay in and around the town.

Where To Stay In Beaumaris

Chateau Rhianfa – luxury Loire valley-inspired 19^th-century chateau between Beaumaris and Menai Bridge, overlooking the Menai Strait and Snowdonia

The Bull And Townhouse, Beaumaris – wonderful place to stay, a 14^th-century coaching inn with one of the best restaurants in North Wales

Bishopsgate House Hotel – lovely small hotel in a Georgian house at the end of Beaumaris’ main street 

Mount Pleasant Apartments – excellent option in the centre of town, ideal if you prefer the self-catering option

Tours To Anglesey And Beaumaris

Visit Beaumaris Castle

Beaumaris Castle (Castell Biwmares), one of the great castles in North Wales,  was built by Edward I to guard the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, which divides Anglesey from the Welsh mainland. He employed the master military builder James of St George, who was also responsible for the better-known Castles at Caernarfon and Conwy. 

You got what you paid for with James of St George – state-of-the-art defensive military architecture of the highest standard. And Edward really was emptying his coffers to meet the costs of his network of castles intended to subjugate the restive, rebellious Welsh.

Beaumaris got its name from the beau marais – beautiful marsh – in which it was built, close to the southeast Anglesey coast. The Castle was begun in 1295 following the threatening uprising by Welsh Prince Madog ap Llywelyn, but funding was always a problem for the English Crown, after the expense of Conwy and Caernarfon and with a war in Scotland to finance.

Work continued on Beaumaris Castle for 35 years, until around 1330, when building was finally abandoned, three years after Edward I’s death. Despite its unfinished state, Beaumaris is considered the most complete castle in Wales – and perhaps medieval Europe – by some.  It’s a supreme defensive fortress, built to a concentric plan (with one ring of fortifications inside another) and a moat surrounding the outer walls. It withstood a long siege before falling to Owain Glyndwr’s forces in 1403, and held out for four years – from 1642 to 1646 – during the Civil War, when it was an important Royalist stronghold. 

The Castle is open daily except for the Christmas and New Year holidays, and I’d urge you to take a look inside, where you can climb some of the towers and also visit the exquisite restored medieval chapel. 

Admire The View Of Beaumaris Castle And Snowdonia

Beaumaris Castle may not be as tall and imposing as Caernarfon or Conwy, but from up close you don’t really get to appreciate its setting. For this, I recommend a short walk to the fields north of the Castle, from where you get the best view of Beaumaris Castle.

These fields offer an elevated viewpoint looking back down the hill towards the Castle, town and shore of the Menai Strait. This is all impressive enough, but with the backdrop of the northern flanks of the Snowdonia (Eryri) massif, it’s a phenomenal sight, one I see photographed all too rarely. Go and photograph it yourself – it looks far better than anything up close to or within the Castle. 

Take A Walk On Beaumaris Pier

Only six piers survive in Wales (seven if you count the tiny, truncated one at Colwyn Bay) and two of them – Beaumaris and Garth Pier in Bangor – are just a few miles apart as the seagull flies.

Unlike those at Llandudno and Aberystwyth, Beaumaris Pier is a simple wooden walkway above the sea, with benches along its length and sheltered seating near its end. The views from there are outstanding, particularly across to the peaks of Snowdonia and down the Menai Strait towards Bangor and Menai Bridge.  A wonderful place to sit for a while with an ice cream and latte. 

Relax On A Beaumaris Beach

Beaumaris has a couple of pebble beaches which may not reach the golden standards of Llanddwyn, Newborough or other great Anglesey beaches, also make a great spot to sit and relax for a while. There are two sections of pebble beach either side of the Pier, and more pebble beach further along the coast around the Castle. The best beach near Beaumaris is Red Wharf Bay (see below) but check tide times before you visit, as it’s almost completely submerged at high tide.

Visit Beaumaris Gaol

Llangefni is the modern ‘capital’ of Anglesey, but in centuries gone by, Beaumaris fulfilled that role. This included the 1614-built Courthouse across the road from the Castle, where justice was meted out, and Beaumaris Gaol, where it was served.

I can’t tell you anything about the Courthouse as I haven’t visited it, but Beaumaris Gaol is definitely one of the best things to do on Anglesey in the rain (I suggest combining it with Anglesey Sea Zoo, down the road in Brynsiencyn). 

The grim, forbidding Gaol was built in 1829, held both convicted prisoners and those awaiting trial. It’s as bleak as any prison I’ve visited across the world (including some of the Convict World Heritage Sites in Australia) but it’s worth bearing in mind that, at the time, these conditions were considered a great improvement on what came before, including cells for individual prisoners, something that is rare in the modern UK justice system.

As part of the self-guided tour you visit the cramped punishment cell and the cell of condemned prisoners awaiting execution. Two prisoners were hanged there, the second of whom, Richard Rowlands, for the alleged murder of his father-in-law. He claimed to be innocent until the moment of his execution, and is said to have issued a curse, saying that the four faces of the church clock tower would never tell the same time again. 

The Gaol closed in 1878, but to this day, the church clock doesn’t work properly. 

Walk Along One Of The Loveliest High Streets In Wales

Beaumaris is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Wales, along with the likes of Conwy, Ruthin and Tenby. 

As well as the Castle (see above) and parish church (see below), there are several other surviving medieval buildings, from the half-timbered house from around 1400 (pictured) to the early 17^th-century Courthouse across the street from the Castle to Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn, now officially The Bull and Townhouse, one of the oldest coaching inns in Wales, dating from the late 14^th century. 

Beyond the high street – which is actually called Castle Street – you’ll also see numerous handsome Georgian townhouses from the 18^th and early 19^th centuries, including the splendid Bishopsgate House Hotel.

Treat Yourself At Penny Farthing Sweet Shop

This tiny sweet shop (pictured above) on Castle Street must be a candidate for the cutest shop in Wales. It’s somewhere to take your kids to show them ‘what it used to be like in my day’ (cue my son’s eye roll skywards).

And it’s chock full of all those tooth-rotting sugar-rich treats we all loved as kids, as well as a few other items including local souvenirs, photographs and paintings. It’ll only take up a few minutes of your time, but a joyful few minutes they are likely to be.

Explore Medieval St Mary & St Nicholas Church

The parish church of Beaumaris, just up the hill from the High Street, is one of the grandest churches on Anglesey. Despite the Castle never being finished, Beaumaris was the wealthiest town on Anglesey in the Middle Ages, and SS Mary and Nicholas is a reflection of this.

The church was founded in the 14^th century, but much of it dates from the 15^th, and it’s built in the British variant of late Gothic, the Perpendicular style, its windows with the telltale elaborate tracery.

The church is especially rich in monuments for this part of the world, with a striking alabaster tomb of William Bulkeley, deputy warden of the castle, and his wife. There are also some fine 15^th or 16^th-century misericords, humorous wooden carvings on the underside of seats in the chancel of the church. You’ll also notice several 17^th-century wall memorials on the east wall of the chancel too.

Take A Boat Trip To Puffin Island

Puffin Island Ynys Seiriol), four miles up the coast from Beaumaris, is the destination for some great boat trips from Beaumaris with Anglesey Boat Trips or Seacoast Safaris. The island, once the sanctuary of St Seiriol (see Penmon Priory section below) is now uninhabited by humans, but a major nesting site for seabirds, including razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes and various gull species. The best time to see (and hear!) them is nesting season, from May to mid-July. You’re also likely to see Atlantic grey seals basking on the shoreline rocks of the island.

Despite the island’s English name, it’s unlikely that you’ll spot puffins on the island. They used to be common there, until an infestation of rats (long since removed) ate their eggs and driving them elsewhere. If you’re keen to see puffins on Anglesey, your best bet is to visit South Stack RSPB Reserve, two miles from Holyhead town centre.

Tours: You can also take a boat trip from Conwy to Puffin Island, on a high-speed rib boat across Conwy Bay, with superb views of the coastline along the way.

Admire Thomas Telford’s 200-Year-Old Menai Suspension Bridge

Thomas Telford’s stunning Menai Suspension Bridge has recently reached its 200^th anniversary, and it’s well worth taking half an hour of your time to savour the view of one of the most beautiful bridges in Europe. 

The short journey over the Bridge across the Menai Strait, and the stop soon afterwards – are among the highlights of an A5 road trip across North Wales. Telford’s Bridge looks magnificent with the backdrop of the Carneddau range of Eryri looming behind, and there’s a large and popular parking and viewing area on the A5 between the villages of Menai Bridge and Llanfair PG. 

You can also enjoy closer views from below on the Anglesey side, or from near the Antelope Inn on the Bangor (mainland) side.  Absolutely not to be missed.

Penmon Priory And Dovecote

There are some outstanding churches on Anglesey, and one of the best of them is Penmon Priory, three miles up the coast from Beaumaris. Penmon means ‘tip of Anglesey’ and the 12^th-century church – once part of an Augustinian Priory – survived the 16^th-century Reformation in a surprisingly intact state.

The church is dedicated to local saint Seiriol, who founded the original church on the site in the 6^th century AD. He is well-known on Anglesey, though not so much beyond. He later retreated to the nearby Puffin Island (see above), which was also known as Priestholm, where he lived a hermit’s life with seabirds and seals for company. There’s also a Holy Well dedicated to St Seiriol a two-minute walk from the church, in the direction of the toll road to Penmon, and on the left through a gate.

The Dovecote across the road from Penmon Priory didn’t belong to the Priory. It was added later, around 1600, by local landowner Richard Bulkeley, who bred pigeons there (up to 2,000 could be housed there) for their eggs and meat. This is the best-preserved of several dovecotes around the island.

Take A Long Walk On Red Wharf Bay

Traeth Coch – called Red Wharf Bay on its north side, and Llanddona Beach at its southern end – is one of the biggest tidal beaches in Wales. At low tide (as shown above) it’s an enormous expanse of sand, on which you can walk for miles, but at high tide it’s completely submerged by the sea, so you’ll need to heed tide times. Dolphins have been spotted in the Bay, so there’s always a chance you’ll see them too.

While there, the Ship Inn at Red Wharf Bay is a great place to stop for lunch, an 18^th-century Georgian-period inn serving everything from Sunday roasts to pub classics to pizzas. It’s especially cosy in winter when the log fires are lit. In summer you can sit at one of the tables outside with the dog. A wonderful spot. 

A Day Trip To Eryri (Snowdonia)

Unless you’re very pushed for time, I would strongly recommend at least a first foray into Eryri (better known to English speakers as Snowdonia) when you visit Beaumaris and Anglesey.

Most visitors head straight for Snowdon, which is why it’s so badly overcrowded. If, like me, you prefer things a little quieter, head for the Ogwen Valley, following the A5 across the Menai Suspension Bridge and through Bangor and Bethesda. The lower part, Nant Ffrancon, is wondrous, as is the upper part, in the shadow of the summits and ridges of the Glyderau.  

You could continue down the A5 past Victorian favourite Swallow Falls to the tourist village of Betws-y-Coed, or turn onto the A4086 at Capel Curig. Just after the Plas y Brenin Mountain Centre you’ll see a popular parking spot on the left, and hopefully, in front of you, one of the best views of the Snowdon Horseshoe of peaks. From there, head down the A498 towards Beddgelert, passing Llyn Gwynant and Llyn Dinas, two of the most beautiful lakes in Wales, along the way.

For more driving routes in Snowdonia, take a look at my Snowdonia Road Trip article, and my guide to the 25 Best Things To Do In Snowdonia.

Explore Caernarfon and Conwy Castles

Beaumaris Castle is part of the Edward I’s Castles and Town Walls in Gwynedd World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1986, along with Caernarfon and Conwy Castles and Walled Towns and Harlech Castle. 

All of them are within reach from Beaumaris if you’re driving, but if you’re using public transport, Harlech is quite a challenge, so for now I’ll stick with the first two, which you can reach by bus to Bangor and change for the X5 service to either Conwy or Caernarfon. You can also catch a train from Bangor to Conwy, a request stop,

There are enough things to do in Conwy to warrant at least a two-night stay. As well as one of the most formidable and beautiful castles in Europe, it has a superbly preserved circuit of town walls and the best-preserved late Tudor townhouse in the UK, Plas Mawr.

Conwy Quay is a lovely place to hang out on a summer evening with pub tables outside and a takeaway close by.  During the day you can also visit the Smallest House in Great Britain, once home to a 6’3” man, around the same height as me – it’s a wonder that he ever managed to get through the door, never mind up the stairs.

Caernarfon also has a small medieval core, a few streets within the Walls adjacent to the Castle. It’s a much bigger, busier town than Conwy, and the Castle is a vast, angular, monolithic menace modelled on the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople. There’s also the remains of the Roman outpost of Segontium to seek out, and the northern terminus of the Welsh Highland Railway, a wonderful scenic narrow-gauge train journey taking you along the west flank of the Snowdon massif, through Beddgelert to Porthmadog.   

See Also: 20 Best Things To Do In Caernarfon

Visit Llanddwyn Island

Llanddwyn Island should be near the top of any Wales bucket list. Named after the Welsh patron saint of love, St Dwynwen, who lived a hermit’s life there, it’s one of the most beautiful places to visit in Wales, accessed by a long walk along one of the best beaches in North Wales, with the reward of astonishing views over its beaches and lighthouses to the peaks of the Llŷn Peninsula beyond.

Its remote location, combined with having to walk for anything between 30 and 45 minutes to get there (and then back later) means that it hasn’t been swamped by visitors in the same way that Snowdon has. 

You can also see the medieval remains of St Dwynwen’s Chapel as you walk across the island. Once you reach the tip of the island, you reach two of the most picturesque lighthouses on Anglesey, neither of which functions any longer. They used to warn sailors of the sands on the approach to the nearby entrance to the Menai Strait, and the four cottages above the beaches were homes to pilots who guided boats through these difficult waters.  

Visit The Village With The Second-Longest Place Name In The World – Llanfair PG

Llanfairpllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is the longest place name in the UK and Europe, and second only to an even more frivolously named hill somewhere in New Zealand. Its name was extended from Llanfairpwllgwyngyll in the 9^th century in the hope that it would attract visitors. And over a century it still does, although most don’t stay long.

There are plenty of places of interest near Llanfair PG, just not a lot to do in it. If I had been keeping a diary at the time of my most recent visit, when I had two hours to kill before meeting a crew for a shoot, it would have read something like this:

Arrive 1045. Photograph signs at train station.

1055 arrive at shopping centre at car park, walk around for 15 minutes. Photograph sign outside shopping centre.

1115 cross the street to fish and chip shop. Wait 15 minutes for it open at 1130. Order fiah and chips, then eat it.

1150 still an hour to go. Good thing I’m working my way through my old Dickens books and have brought one with me.  And so on.

There are some lovely places close by, such as Plas Newydd, a stately home overlooking the Menai Strait, and Bryn Celli Ddu burial chamber nearby, but don’t count on stopping too long at Llanfair PG.

Things To Do In Beaumaris – Final Thoughts

I hope that you have enjoyed reading this article as much as I have writing it. Beaumaris is one of the best places to visit in North Wales, and perhaps one of the best places to stay too.

For further inspiration, take a look at some of my other articles on Anglesey and North Wales:

Magical Anglesey – the Biggest Island in Wales 

• Llanddwyn Island – One of the most special of all Welsh islands
• Anglesey beaches & coastline – Home to some of the best beaches in the UK
• 13 Best Churches on Anglesey To Visit
• Best walks on Anglesey – Eight of the best Anglesey walks to help you discover more of this magnificent island.
• Lighthouses on Anglesey – Well worth seeing & great places for walks
• Best things to do on Anglesey – the largest of Welsh Islands

Castles In North Wales

• Best things to do in Conwy – A stunning UNESCO Heritage town on the edge of Snowdonia National Park
• Best Things To Do In Caernarfon – one of the most imposing medieval castles in the world, and a great base for exploring Snowdonia and the North Wales coast
• 22 Best Things To Do In Harlech – World Heritage Castle, a world-class beach and a superb base for exploring southern Snowdonia and beyond
• 12 Best Things To Do In Criccieth – step back to yesteryear in this gorgeous seaside town on the Llŷn Peninsula 

Best Places in North Wales

• Best beaches in North Wales
• Best castles in North Wales
• Llŷn Peninsula beaches – The Llŷn Peninsula beaches are among the best in Wales
• Best Things To Do in Llandudno – the Queen of Welsh aeaside resorts
• Betws-y-Coed – A picturesque Welsh mountain town in the spectacular Snowdonia National Park
• Portmeirion – A gorgeous Italianate village on an estuary on the North Wales coast
• Barmouth Beach – A wonderful Welsh seaside resort
• Welsh Slate Landscape – UNESCO World Heritage Site North West Wales

More Beautiful Places to Visit in Wales 

• Landscapes in Wales – Breathtaking landscapes in Wales you must see
• Rivers in Wales – Some of the most beautiful scenery in Wales
• Lakes in Wales – Where you find some of the best views in Wales
• Landmarks in Wales – famous places in Wales to Explore