Swallow Falls, the Fairy Glen and Conwy Falls: what you pay and what you get

Betws has three sets of falls within a few kilometres, and each one charges in its own way. One is on the Llugwy, west of the village; two are on the Conwy, to the south-east. None of them is in the village itself, so plan on a bus, a short drive, or a walk along a busy road.

Swallow Falls, Rhaeadr Ewynnol

This is the famous one, a run of falls on the Afon Llugwy beside the A5, about three kilometres west of the village centre in a straight line; the community council calls it about two miles. The Welsh name on the signs is Rhaeadr Ewynnol, the foaming waterfall. Wikipedia says that is a later coinage, and that the older name, Rhaeadr y Wennol, the waterfall of the swallow, comes from a rock that splits the river into two streams like a swallow's tail.

Entry from the A5 side is by turnstile. Betws-y-Coed Community Council, which runs it, lists it at £2, by coins or contactless, open all year round, 24 hours. The turnstile gives no change, so bring the right coins or a card. The council says disabled access, and access with pushchairs, is available between April and the end of October, 10:00 to 15:00 only. The Sherpa S1 stops at Swallow Falls about six minutes out from Betws station on the 2026 timetable, which saves walking the A5.

Natural Resources Wales waymarks a separate Swallow Falls Walk on the other bank from its Ty'n Llwyn car park in the Gwydir Forest. It grades it strenuous: 3.6 kilometres, one and a half to two and a half hours, on narrow rough paths with several flights of steps and a bench at the viewpoint. NRW posts any closures at the top of its Ty'n Llwyn page, so look there before you set off.

Go after rain. The Llugwy is a mountain river, and Swallow Falls in a dry week is a smaller thing than its reputation.

Conwy Falls

On the A5 south-east of the village, about three and a half kilometres away in a straight line, the Conwy drops through a deep gorge in about ten acres of ancient woodland that the operator describes as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The way in is through the Conwy Falls Café, a building its owners credit to Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, the architect of Portmeirion.

The meadow by the café is free. For the falls you pay £2 at the turnstile by the wooden kiosk, contactless or exact change, and push through quickly because the gate times out. The path is one-way and, in the operator's words, natural tracks with exposed rock, tree roots and some steep sections, not suitable for buggies or anyone less mobile. Swimming and kayaking are not allowed. Well-behaved dogs and picnics are welcome.

The café opens every day from 09:00 to 17:00 until 1 November 2026, then drops to Monday, Friday and weekends until 19 March 2027, per its own page. The same site is the meeting point for Go Below, which runs five- to seven-hour mine exploration trips; book those with Go Below directly.

The Fairy Glen, Ffos Anoddun

Between the two, the Conwy runs through a narrow gorge called the Fairy Glen in English and Ffos Anoddun in Welsh. The Conwy Falls Café says the walk there from the corner of its car park follows a public footpath beside the river and takes about 40 minutes. The glen itself is on private land, and the café's own page says it does not know the current price to park and walk there. Visitor reports describe a small entry charge, so carry coins rather than counting on a card.

The path down into the gorge is the hard part: rock, uneven and steep in places, and slippery when wet. This is not one for pushchairs or anyone unsteady on their feet.

Which one, then?

• One hour, one fall, no car: Swallow Falls on the S1. Combine it with Tŷ Hyll, a little further west on the same road.
• Falls and a proper café: Conwy Falls.
• A gorge and a bit of scrambling: the Fairy Glen, in good boots, with coins.

Whichever you choose, keep off the rocks at the edge of the water. These are spate rivers, and the level can change while you are standing there.