Waterfalls & views
After heavy rain, North Wales runs white with waterfalls — and some of the finest are minutes from the road. From Wales' tallest single-drop fall in the Berwyn to enchanted gorges near Betws-y-Coed and drive-up mountain passes, these guides tell you which are worth the trip and when they're at their best.
6 places covered.
North-East Wales
Conwy & the Coast
Eryri (Snowdonia)
Dee Valley & the Berwyn
Chasing water and long views
The tallest is Pistyll Rhaeadr in the Berwyn, dropping some 240 feet in a single fall. On the northern rim of Eryri, Aber Falls is a gentle walk to a 37-metre curtain, and around Betws-y-Coed the wooded gorges hide Swallow Falls and the Fairy Glen. Waterfalls are at their best a day or two after heavy rain, not in a dry spell — and early light flatters them.
For the view without the climb, the mountain passes do the work: the roads through the Llanberis and Ogwen valleys, and the Horseshoe Pass above Llangollen, hand you full mountain panoramas from a roadside pull-in. Arrive early — the best small car parks fill quickly on a fine day.
Build a day out here
The free Explore Wales planner chains any of these into an itinerary with drive times, weather and campsite suggestions — and works offline once installed.