Secret beaches, an ancient Roman road, mountain lakes, medieval abbeys – here are some of the best hidden gems in Wales to seek out
Stunning secluded beaches, remote undiscovered valleys, forgotten castles, World Heritage Sites – there are so many hidden gems in Wales to uncover.
This article could easily have topped 100 Welsh hidden gems. It’s crammed with extraordinary places to visit, many of which are only frequented by a few lucky souls.
Wales is my home country and I’m privileged to have spent a lifetime exploring it. So I’ve picked out what I feel are thirty of the best hidden gems around Wales that you should seek out. Take a look at this article whenever you’re visiting somewhere in Wales, and find out if one of these places is close by. If it is, make a bit of extra time to see it for yourself.
Enjoy!
Porth Iago Beach, Llŷn Peninsula
Breathtaking sandy cove on the north Llŷn coast
Porth Iago – the cove of James – is one of the most beautiful beaches in North Wales. It’s also one of the most isolated, only reachable via the coast path or a farm track with a steep £5 car park fee to pay at the end.
But don’t be deterred – Porth Iago is one of the loveliest Llŷn Peninsula beaches. It’s a small, sheltered sandy cove on the north coast of the Llŷn, around a mile north of the better-known Whistling Sands (Porth Oer) and four miles north of Aberdaron.
Porth Iago is very sheltered, so the water is usually very calm – ideal for kids to paddle, and also good for paddleboarding and snorkelling.
The facilities have improved here since my first visit in the early 2000s. There’s a small burger van serving food and drinks between June and September, and even a card machine to take your parking payments.
Llanthony Priory
One of the most beautiful ruined churches in Britain
The isolated Honddu Valley is the easternmost in Wales, and can scarcely have changed in the last thousand years. It’s a blissfully quiet place, the silence disturbed only by the occasional tractor or baaing sheep. And it’s also the ideal place for a quiet monastic life, far from the bustle of the 12th century, let alone the 21st.
Llanthony Priory was founded over 900 years ago, an Augustinian monastery taking over from a hermitage founded by Norman nobleman William de Lacy. Sadly, it wasn’t immune to the depredations caused by Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in the late 1530s, after which it was stripped and fell into ruin.
If you enjoy visiting the more famous Tintern Abbey, over an hour’s drive away, I’d urge you to make tracks to Llanthony too. The ruined church is a breathtaking sight, its early Gothic arches open to the sky, with the steep Hatterall Ridge – which forms the border with England – behind. There’s also a small pub built into the ruins.
The church just south of the Priory ruin is dedicated to St David. It was originally the Infirmary of the Priory, and was converted into a church after the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Getting there: by minor road from Hay-on-Wye or Llanfihangel Crucorney, near Abergavenny
Ynysypandy Slate Mill
The Cathedral of the North Wales slate industry
You often come across remarkable Welsh churches seemingly in the middle of nowhere. And so this stunning building – which from a distance resembles a roofless Romanesque cathedral – in a remote Snowdonia valley is an unexpected surprise.
The Ynysypandy Slate Mill was built in 1857 to process slate slabs from the nearby Gorseddau quarry. A railway once connected the site with entrances to the Mill at two levels. The quarry only ran for around 15 years, after which it and the Slate Mill went into liquidation, and eventual ruin.
It’s by far the most impressive of all the buildings within the Welsh Slate Landscape World Heritage Site which was inscribed in 2021. If you plan to make a day of it, take a return trip from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, explore the Llechwedd Slate Caverns, then drive the five miles from Porthmadog to this evocative site late in the afternoon.
The Gorseddau quarry – with its unusual sloping wall – is two miles beyond Ynysypandy and Llyn Cwmystradllyn lake.
See Also: 15 Best Off The Beaten Path World Heritage Sites In Europe
Llyn Crafnant, Snowdonia
Spectacular hidden lake high above the Conwy Valley
Llyn Crafnant is one of the most beautiful lakes in Eryri (Snowdonia), and one of the furthest off the beaten path. The road there climbs steeply from the Conwy Valley village of Trefriw, eventually flattening out through farms and forest to reach this sublime spot.
I’ve often headed up to the lake early in the morning, before the wind picks up. It’s magnificent with the craggy mountains reflected in the still water of the lake. During the summer there’s a café on the lake, which is also popular with anglers.
Llyn Crafnant is a mile or so north of another lake, Llyn Geirionydd. When I first visited as a child 40 years ago, there were no fish in the lake due to poisoning of the water from the nearby lead mines. However, the lake has recovered, with a population of brown trout. The lake was the home of the renowned 6th century Welsh bard Taliesin. And it’s also the one lake in Snowdonia where you can go powerboating and water-skiing.
Getting there: by minor road off the B5106 at Trefriw
Llanbadrig Church, Anglesey
Dramatically sited church on the north Anglesey coast – with a wonderful Eastern twist
The north Anglesey coast is the most dramatic on the island, with 200-foot-high cliffs and some of the best Anglesey walks. The hamlet of Llanbadrig is the starting point for the big-dipper walk to the ruined porcelain works of Llanlleiana and the brickworks of Porth Wen.
But before you set off, take a walk through the lychgate and enter St Padrig’s Church. Its setting, overlooking the windswept Irish Sea, is wondrous. The church is believed to date from the 5th century AD, and according to stories St Patrick (patron saint of Ireland but Welsh by birth) took refuge there after being shipwrecked.
It’s believed to be one of the oldest churches in Wales, but inside you’re in for a surprise. The 3rd Lord Stanley of Alderley, who funded the church’s 1880s restoration, had recently converted to Islam. So much of the interior decoration – the blue tiling, the blue patterned stained glass – is what you’d expect to see in a mosque in Morocco rather than a church on the North Wales coast.
And a wonderful surprise it is too.
Getting there: off the A525 near Cemaes
Ceibwr Bay, Pembrokeshire
The one spot reachable by road on the wildest stretch of coast in Wales
The coastal walk between Newport (Trefdraeth) and St Dogmaels is the most challenging section of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path – and indeed the Wales Coast Path.
It’s a 13-mile muscle-builder where you’re either ascending or descending for much of the way, and you have to work every sinew, bone, fibre and muscle of your body to conquer it. And for the first ten miles, there’s little respite in the way of flat sections.
It’s also one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the UK. Layers of rock are contorted and buckled in the 200-foot-high cliffs, while Atlantic grey seals bask in the tiny inaccessible pebble beaches below.
Ceibwr Bay is the only place along the route between Newport and Cemaes Head that you can reach by road, via the hamlet of Moylegrove. It’s an astonishing place, usually quiet even in summer, with walking in either direction the main thing to do there. Try a mile along the path south-west towards Newport as a taster for the full walk.
Getting there: minor roads via Moylegrove
See Also: Pembrokeshire Road Trip – 5 Days Exploring Glorious West Wales
Glyndwr’s Way National Trail
The least-known National Trail in Wales, through its quiet rural heart
Glyndwr’s Way is a 135-mile trail through the heart of rural Mid Wales. It starts at the border town of Knighton, heading northwest to Machynlleth before veering back east to the border town of Welshpool.
It’s named after Welsh Prince Owain Glyndwr, who held the first Welsh Parliament at Machynlleth in 1404, and led a rebellion against the English that captured over half the country.
Most of the Trail runs through the backwoods of Mid Wales, but passes numerous significant places along the way. It runs through Abbey Cwmhir, the burial place of Llywelyn the Last, a predecessor of Glyndwr killed by English forces in 1282.
It also passes the shores of Llyn Clywedog, one of the most picturesque lakes in Wales, and commands some outstanding views from around Foel Fadian, a few miles to the west.
Garn Fawr Iron Age Hillfort, Pembrokeshire
Sublime ancient viewpoint overlooking the North Pembrokeshire coast
Garn Fawr (‘big cairn’ or ‘big hill’) is an Iron Age hillfort on a rocky hilltop with astonishing views over the north Pembrokeshire and Cardigan Bay coastline.
It’s a short walk from the car park below the hillfort, gradually climbing to the volcanic rocks of the 699-feet summit. From there, you have outstanding views over the patchwork of fields on the peninsula below to the Strumble Head lighthouse three miles distant.
And to the west, there’s an awesome view over rocky Pwll Deri cove, past the knobbly volcanic hills of the North Pembrokeshire coast to Carn Llidi, which overlooks St David’s Head (Penmaen Dewi).
During the summer season, the 404 Strumble Shuttle service runs three times a day between St David’s and Fishguard, with one continuing to Newport. They all stop at Strumble Head, but you can also request a drop-off at the Garn Fawr car park. The walk down to the lighthouse, via Pwll Deri and its youth hostel, is superb.
Getting there: via minor roads from the A487 via St Nicholas
Dysynni Valley, Snowdonia
Quiet corner of southern Snowdonia, home to a cormorants’ cliff and a Welsh Prince’s castle
The Dysynni Valley is one of the hidden gems of Snowdonia, a short but sweet valley running from Llyn Mwyngil (Talyllyn Lake) to the coast via the World Heritage village of Abergynolwyn.
The narrow-gauge Talyllyn Railway, which inspired Thomas The Tank Engine author Reverend W Awdry, runs inland from the seaside town of Tywyn to Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernol, just missing the river, which winds its way through the hills for a mile or two.
It eventually emerges in a largely flat, open valley with steep hills either side. One of these is Craig yr Aderyn (Bird Rock), an ancient cormorant nesting site still used by the seabirds despite it being around 5 miles from the present coastline!
Follow the minor road further up the valley towards the straggling village of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, where you’ll find the ruins of Castell y Bere. It was built by Welsh Prince Llywelyn Fawr in the 1220s, and was sacked by the forces of Edward I around 1282.
While in the area, I also recommend following the track along the north side of the valley, which commands superb views across to Bird Rock. If you’re on foot, the thrack continues northwards from there to Llynnau Cregennen (See below), Arthog and Barmouth.
Getting there: by minor road off the A493 north of Tywyn, or the B4405 at Abergynolwyn
Caerwent Roman Town
Some of the best-preserved Roman town walls anywhere in the former Empire
Venta Silurum – the market town of the Silures – was a Roman settlement in what is now the southeast corner of Wales. It was on the territory of the Silures, the Celtic inhabitants of the region, and close to the major military settlement of Isca Augusta, now Caerleon, to the west.
Judging by the small amount of decoration (such as mosaics) Venta Silurum was a workaday rather than wealthy Roman town. Many buildings have been built over, but the town walls – especially the southern section – are among the best-preserved in the Roman world.
Up close – or from the air – they’re a most impressive sight, thick, stout and several metres high in places. Combined with the Roman Legionary Museum, Baths and Amphitheatre in Caerleon, it makes for a fascinating day out discovering the ancient history of this part of South Wales.
Getting there: via the A48 from Newport or Chepstow, or bus 73 from Newport to Chepstow stops there
Flint Castle
The first castle built by Edward I in Wales – yet one of the least-known
Flint Castle (Castell y Fflint) once guarded the Dee estuary. It was built by English King Edward I, the first of his ‘Iron Ring’ of castles around North and Mid Wales.
Four of these castles – Conwy, Caernarfon, Beaumaris and Harlech – comprise the Castles of Edward I in Gwynedd World Heritage Site. Whereas Flint has remained in relative obscurity.
It’s a short walk past a housing estate to reach it from the train station. But once you reach it, it doesn’t take a great leap of the imagination to see that this was once a mightily impressive fort. – the largest tower has walls up to 7 metres thick. It’s one of the best places to visit in North East Wales – well worth a short trip by train from nearby Chester for an hour or so.
The Castle is open daily from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, and entry is free.
See Also: 20 Best Castles In North Wales
Plynlimon
Source of two of the most famous rivers in Britain, with staggering views all to yourself
Wales is renowned for its rain, and it doesn’t have many better rain magnets than Plynlimon (Pumlumon), one of the great mountains of Mid Wales. If you want proof of its credentials, the bogs on its eastern slopes are the source of two of the longest rivers in Wales – and the UK – the Severn and the Wye.
It may be a rain magnet, but it doesn’t have the pull for hikers. Why, I have no idea. I’ve climbed the mountain once, on a stunning clear early autumn day when I could see every other mountain in Mid Wales.
The summit, Pen Pumlumon Fawr, is 2,467 feet (752 metres) above sea level. It’s a 2-hour hike from Eisteddfa Gurig, a stop on the A44 just after the famous Elvis Rock. It’s 17 miles (27 km) east of the seaside and university town of Aberystwyth.
Pennant Melangell Church
A pilgrimage to the shrine of the patron saint of hares
This church in a remote valley in the Berwyn Mountains is the final goal of one of the most rewarding pilgrimages in Wales. It takes a car – or a 15-mile pilgrims’ footpath – to get there. But your perseverance pays off – it’s one of the most blissful, peaceful places you could ever hope to visit. And it’s home to one of only two intact original shrines of a saint in the UK.
St Melangell was an Irish-born princess who took refuge in this are in the north of what is now Powys. According to her hagiography, local Prince Brochwel called off his hounds when he realised she was protecting a hare, and he offered her the surrounding lands as sanctuary, and she later founded a community of nuns there. She was also adopted as the patron saint of hares.
The church dates from the 12th century, as does the shrine, which was reconstructed in the 20th century. When I first visited the church in the early 1980s, the shrine was located in the tiny apse (cell y bedd – the cell of the grave). But this was moved to its present location behind the altar in 1991.
Getting there: B4391 to Llangynog, then minor road
Newport Transporter Bridge
One of the finest industrial monuments in the UK
The city of Newport is not one of the most enticing places to visit in Wales, although there are several pockets of beauty to seek out. The River Usk, with one of the highest tidal ranges in the world, does it no favours, as over half the time it’s a soggy brown muddy quagmire. But a mile or so south of the city centre is one of the finest bridges in Wales, and one of just seven transporter bridges worldwide in some sort of working order.
The Transporter Bridge links west and east Newport, carrying vehicles and pedestrians in a gondola at road level. The gondola is attached by steel cables to the upper level, where the bridge’s mechanism carries it across.
It’s currently on the third restoration of my lifetime, and is due to open in early 2025. I suggest heading down the west side of the river and taking a return trip, as there’s not a great deal to see on the other side. Unless you want to catch a sunset, that is!
Getting there: 1 mile south of Newport city centre
See Also: 58 Famous Landmarks In Wales
Following the Roman Sarn Helen Road, Brecon Beacons
Beauty along one of the backroads of the Bannau Brycheiniog
You’re spoilt for choice for scenic drives in the Brecon Beacons. I know because I’ve covered every last centimetre of tarmac across the National Park, and this road is one of the quietest.
Start the drive at the village of Pontneddfechan, climbing out of the village before passing the beginning of the famous Four Waterfall Walk. Soon afterwards you reach the village of Ystradfellte, before continuing past forestry to the more open country of Fforest Fawr. This section is believed to follow Sarn Helen, a Roman route across Wales.
This former hunting ground is wild, with occasional rays of sunlight flickering along the long, bare ridges. Eventually you reach an ancient standing stone, Maen Llia, on your right.
Just beyond here, you reach the Devil’s Elbow, a superb viewpoint over the countryside to the north. The road then hairpins downhill before continuing through one of the quietest parts of Bannau Brycheiniog. I suggest continuing as far as the A4215, then taking a right turn followed by a left, following the Sarn Helen route across Mynydd Illtud. As well as following the ancient route, you can enjoy incomparable views of Pen y Fan along the way.
Getting there: start the drive at Pontneddfechan, turning left uphill at the Dinas Inn
Moel Siabod, Snowdonia
The first mountain in Snowdonia many visitors see – but very few climb it
As you drive along the A5 towards Snowdonia, one impressive peak looms before you. It’s Moel Siabod, an outlier among the main peaks of Snowdonia. And even though everyone sees it, hardly anyone gets to climb it – a minor trickle of hikers in comparison with the flood of visitors making their way up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).
Moel Siabod is just as imposing a sight from the A470, which passes near it on the way from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Dolwyddelan. There are also great views from the A5 on the way to Capel Curig, one of the best places to start the hike to the summit.
Climbing Moel Siabod isn’t too strenuous – there’s a little bit of scrambling required, but nothing like as much as Tryfan, a couple of miles to the north. But the rewards for reaching the top are well worth it – particularly the view of the Snowdon Horseshoe and Glyderau range.
Getting there: the best starting points for the hike up are Pont Cyfyng and Capel Curig, both of which are on the A5.
Mewslade Bay, Gower
The remotest beach on Gower – and one of the best
Around half a million people make their way to the nearby village of Rhossili every year. Many walk down the path to stunning Rhossili Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe. A good number also follow the clifftop path to the viewpoint above the tidal causeway to Worm’s Head, the serpent-like island reachable a few hours either side of low tide.
But it’s a good bet that only a few make it to Mewslade Bay. It’s one of my favourite Welsh hidden gems, a tidal beach with rockpools and limestone spires soaring skywards.
It’s only accessible around half the day, as it’s completely submerged at high tide, and even the path through the rocky path there is sometimes underwater. So you need to plan around a visit close to low tide.
Mewslade is on possibly the best of the Gower walks, the 5-mile Port Eynon to Rhossili hike. It’s around two miles from Rhossili – take the short cut through the fields to Fall Bay, and head east along the coast for about a mile.
An old friend once made a personal pilgrimage with me to Mewslade Bay, as it was the favourite beach of his old headmaster, whom he greatly admired. As we left, I recall him saying, “I always knew it would be somewhere special – but this….”
Getting there: The path from Pitton is quickest, around 1.3 miles (2.1 km) – otherwise it’s a 2-mile hike from Rhossili
See Also: 19 Best Gower Beaches To Visit
Tre’r Ceiri, Llŷn Peninsula
The Town of Giants, a 2000-year-old hillfort high above the North Wales coast
Tre’r Ceiri is one of the most astonishing places to visit in the country, one that has long been at the top of my personal Wales bucket list.
The Iron Age hillfort was built around 200 BC on one of the three peaks of Yr Eifl (The Rivals), the mountains that dominate the north coast of the Llŷn. It’s almost 1,500 feet above sea level, a walled settlement with the stone foundations of well over 100 huts still intact.
Its location is staggering, with incredible views over the Caernarfon Bay coastline, the mountains of Snowdonia, Cardigan Bay and the patchwork of fields across the Llŷn Peninsula.
There is parking space for 4 or 5 vehicles at the start of the footpath up the mountain from the B4417 road. A walker of average fitness would reach the entrance to the site in around 35-40 minutes. It’s especially beautiful at sunrise or sunset, if you ever get the chance.
Melin Court Falls, Resolven
Neath Valley waterfall once painted by JMW Turner
Most of the Brecon Beacons waterfalls can be found between the villages of Ystradfellte and Pontneddfechan. But there are also a few outliers along the Neath Valley (Cwm Nedd) worth seeking out.
The best of these is Melin Court Falls, also spelt Melincwrt in Welsh. The waterfall is easier to reach than most of those in Waterfall Country, around a 5-minute walk from the car park on the B4434.
If you visit, I also recommend stopping by at nearby Aberdulais Falls, with its restored 19th-century tinplate works.
Partrishow Church
Gorgeous remote church with rare surviving rood screen
St Issui’s Church in Partrishow is one of the most captivating churches in Wales. It’s secreted away above a remote valley in the Black Mountains, and its location turned out to be its saving grace.
Henry VIII and his followers set about wrecking monasteries and churches across England and Wales, including Llanthony Priory a few miles away. Most churches lost their rood screens – separating the nave from the chancel – to Henry and his ‘reformers’, but Partrishow was one of very few to escape their attention.
The oak rood screen is stunning, and there’s also a superb Doom painting on the north wall of the nave. There is also a small shrine chapel, reached by a separate door, at the west end of the nave.
Partrishow is the first stop on my suggested Black Mountains churches tour, along with the ‘crooked church’ in Cwmyoy, Llanthony Priory and St Mary’s Church in Capel-y-Ffin.
Getting there: by minor roads from Llanfihangel Crucorney or Crickhowell
Aberdovey
Lovely seaside town with superb walks in the hills above
Aberdovey is one of the best seaside towns in Wales, set right at the country’s mid-point. It’s a fantastic base for exploring Mid Wales, whether you want to visit some of the Cardigan Bay beaches, venture into the southern reaches of Eryri (Snowdonia) or the Cambrian Mountains.
The town stretches over a mile along the northern corner of the Dovey (Dyfi) estuary. Its vast sandy beaches continues further – three miles up the coast, alongside one of the best links golf courses in Wales.
I also recommend climbing up the hill behind the town to join one of the best sections of the Wales Coast Path. It runs high above the spectacular Dovey estuary, along the southernmost part of the Snowdonia National Park, commanding superb views across the river to Ynyslas dunes, Borth Beach and along the Cambrian Coast. There’s also a walk to the curiously named Llyn Barfog – the Bearded Lake.
Getting there: the Cambrian Coast train line stops at Aberdovey and Penhelig, otherwise the A493 coast road passes through the town
See Also: Things To Do In Aberdovey
Abergwesyn Pass
Superb scenic drive through the Cambrian Mountains at their wildest
The Abergwesyn Pass is one of the best scenic drives in Wales.
This minor road from Llanwrtyd Wells to Tregaron takes you through forests, a dramatic river valley and across moorland, a mini-epic journey through the remote Cambrian Mountains.
The 20-mile journey takes around an hour to complete, but I suggest taking it a little more slowly. There are some superb hikes off the Pass, a remote hostel to stay in and the isolated Capel Soar y Mynydd, a chapel built in 1822 to serve the local hillfarmers.
And at the end of the journey, Y Talbot in Tregaron serves excellent food and is a great place to bed down for the night.
Nash Point, Vale of Glamorgan
Geologists’ paradise and one of the most beautiful spots on the South Wales coast
Some of us in the South Wales photographers’ fraternity used to call it the ‘Arizona of South Wales’. It’s no Grand Canyon, but Nash Point – and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast of which it is part – is a geological wonderland, with some spectacular stratified cliffs and rock formations.
Nash Point is the most striking location on this section of coast. At high tide you can only access the bank of large pebbles below the corner cliff of the headland, but at low tide the beauty of the place is revealed.
Nature has made some of its finest abstract artworks here. There are some stunning wave-cut platforms, some with grid-like grooves weathered into them. And if you walk about 50 metres beyond the headland, you’re rewarded with a view of the coastline all the way to Southerndown, 4 miles to the north.
Getting there: by minor road from Marcross, 2 miles west of Llantwit Major
Llynnau Cregennen, Snowdonia
Stunning mountain lakes between the Mawddach estuary and Cadair Idris
You can’t miss most of the lakes in Snowdonia, mainly because busy roads run past them. Not so with Llynnau Cregennen, two mountain lakes hidden away on a narrow shelf of upland in the shadow of Cadair Idris, one of the most imposing mountains in Wales.
The lakes can be reached by minor road from the centre of Dolgellau (follow signs to Abergwynant) or a narrow road off the A493 at Arthog – a turn that’s very easy to miss. If you take the latter, you’ll also have to open and close four farm gates – designed to keep livestock in – along the way.
Cregennan Lakes are breathtaking. Park the car and walk up the small rise to the right (north) where you get superb views over the Mawddach estuary, Barmouth Bridge and Barmouth.
And in the other direction, the steep scree-covered slope of Tyrau Mawr seems to rise up out of the lake. And a few miles to the left, you can also see Penygadair, the main summit of Cadair Idris. It’s one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, and one of my top ten most beautiful places in Wales.
Bwa Gwyn Sea Arch, Rhoscolyn, Anglesey
Magnificent white sea arch on the spectacular Holy Island coast
The coast of Holy Island (Ynys Gybi) has some of the best coastal scenery in North Wales, with South Stack lighthouse and cliffs particularly popular.
The south of the island tends to be quieter, with some lovely sheltered sandy beaches close to the village of Rhoscolyn.
If you’re ever in the area I suggest following the coast path for a couple of miles around the village. You pass St Gwenfaen’s Well and the colourful cliffs of Porth Saint cove, before reaching the highlight, Bwa Gwyn.
Its name simply means ‘white arch’. It’s an arresting sight, a long narrow strip of white cliff with an arch on the landward side. I’ve seen people walk along the top of it – which I’m not sure is safe – and kayak below it. Well worth a detour for a couple of hours.
Getting there: minor road off the B4545 to Rhoscolyn, then on foot (less than 1 km from the church)
See Also: 30 Best Things To Do In Anglesey
Llyn y Fan Fach, Brecon Beacons
Hidden mountain lake beneath the imposing Black Mountain escarpment
Somewhere in the Gondwana rainforests I once met a 79-year-old driving alone around Australia. It turned out he had Welsh ancestry, and had just come back from visiting Wales for the first time. I asked where his family was from.
“Llanddeusant.”
“Carmarthenshire?”
“That’s right. Lovely spot.”
“Did you walk up to the lake?”
“What lake?”
“Oh, it’s just an old reservoir up in the hills.” I couldn’t bear to tell him what he had missed. A 20–30-minute slog up a track is rewarded by this stunning glacial lake, one of the most beautiful lakes in Wales.
If you carry on up the mountain, you get to enjoy one of those fantastic roof-of-the-world hikes which takes you from the Black Mountain part of the Bannau Brycheiniog to Fforest Fawr, another quiet, empty part of the National Park.
Getting there: by minor road off the A4069, follow sign to Llanddeusant then drive through village to Llyn y Fan car park – then you’re on foot the rest of the way
Gwydir Castle
Stay in a 16th-century Castle in the Conwy Valley
Gwydir Castle is an early 16th century fortified manor house with a beautiful garden just across the river Conwy from the town of Llanrwst – and a few miles downriver from Betws-y-Coed.
It was acquired by the Wynn family soon afterwards, and became their main residence, the seat of their vast 36,000-acre estate.
The Castle is open for visits on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between late March and October. It’s also one of a select few castles to stay in Wales, with two historic rooms available as bed and breakfast accommodation.
While there, don’t miss the gorgeous Gwydir Uchaf Chapel a short walk away. And Llyn Crafnant lake, shown in the lead shot in the article, is a 10-minute drive away.
Getting there: it’s on the B5106, just across the river from Llanrwst town centre
Strata Florida Abbey
Evocative ruined abbey on the western edge of the Cambrian Mountains
This ruined 12th-13th century abbey on the edge of the Cambrian Mountains is one of the most atmospheric historic sites in Wales.
Called Ystrad Fflur – the Vale of Flowers – in Welsh, it’s tucked away down a lane a mile or so from the quiet village of Pontrhydfendigaid. The most substantial part of the ruined church is the Romanesque west doorway, which looks particularly beautiful in the late sunlight, framing the mountains beyond.
Little remains of the rest of the church save foundations. But take a look at the covered section in what was the south transept (to the right as you walk through the former church). Here you can see some excellent carved floor tiles, believed to be from the 15th century.
Like many other such abbey churches, it was used as a quarry after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. And it’s a good bet that much of it was used to build the parish church of St Mary next door. Take a walk through the churchyard and you’ll find a yew tree with a small memorial to the Welsh poet Dafydd ap Gwilym, who some believe was buried here.
Getting there: by minor road from Pontrhydfendigaid village (which is on the B4343)
The Kymin, Monmouth
Viewpoint and woodland walks above the Wye Valley
The Kymin is a landscaped area overlooking the border town of Monmouth and the River Wye.
Just inside Wales, the grounds were laid out in the 18th century, on part of the estate of the Duke of Beaufort. It was intended as a picnic area for the Georgian gentry, with superb views over the town of Monmouth and the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons to the northwest.
The Kymin still makes a great spot for a picnic. There’s also a lovely walk through the woods (especially beautiful in autumn), an 18th century Round House (now a one-bedroom holiday home) and a colourful Naval Temple, dedicated to the recent victories of the Royal Navy over the French.
Getting there: via a minor road off the A4136
Hidden Gems In Wales – Final Thoughts
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the hidden gems of Wales.
Like many places around Europe, many people flock to the same few honeypots (like Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa in Welsh). And this means there are so many places you can almost have to yourself.
If you’re looking for further inspiration, take a look at some of these other articles on Wales:
Staycation Wales – 20 Best Places To Stay In Wales
11 Best Places To See Daffodils In Wales
22 Most Amazing Landscapes In Wales
Wales In Winter – Best Places To Visit And Things To Do
Best Places To Visit In North Wales
Wales Bucket List – 40 of the Best Places To Visit In Wales