GPS Cycle and Walking Routes

North Wales Coastal Path

60 miles (96 km)

Explore hills, coast, valleys, mountains and the beautiful coast on this stunning walk through North Wales. The walk starts at Bangor (Gwynedd) in the west and heads to Prestatyn (Denbighshire) in the east.
The first section runs between the seaside towns of Bangor and Conwy passing through the Carneddau mountain range in the Snowdonia National Park on the way. You will also pass the 120 ft Aber Falls in the foothills of the Carneddau range before coming to Conwy Mountain. The mountain overlooks the sea of Conwy Bay and is topped by Neolithic hut circles and the hillfort of Castell Caer Seion.
The next section runs along the coast from Conwy to Colwyn Bay via Llandudno. There are fabulous views of Conwy Sands, Ormes Bay and Penrhyn Bay as you follow this beautiful section of coastline.
Also of interest is Llandudno Pier in the seaside resort of Llandudno. At 2,295 ft the pier is the longest in Wales. Near the town you will also pass the wonderful limestone headlands of Great Orme and Little Orme. There's more splendid views and lots of sea birds to look out for here.
The final section runs from Colwyn Bay to Prestatyn. There are more lovely, long coastal sections as you pass Abergele before arriving at the popular seaside town of Rhyl. You then head inland along the River Clwyd to Rhuddlan where you can visit the historic ruins of the 13th century Rhuddlan Castle. The route then continues to Dyserth before finishing at Prestatyn.
The walk is waymarked with a green and black disc.

North Wales Path OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

North Wales Path Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Pubs/Cafes

On route we recommend stopping at the Valentine Inn in Llanddulas for refreshments. Situated in the heart of Llanddulas, stands the oldest public house in the village, built in the 18th century on the site of an old clay cottage. It's a lovely building with a fine walled garden to sit out and relax in during the summer months. It is located on Mill street at postcode LL228ES.
You could also stop at the George & Dragon on Market Street in Abergele. Here you can enjoy a nice meal in the outdoor seating area. You can find it at postcode LL22 7AF for your sat navs.
In Colwyn Bay there's the Pen-y-Bryn has a lovely garden with sea views to enjoy. The friendly pub does very good food and has a fine interior with open-fire and vintage decor. You can find the pub on Pen-y-Bryn Road, Upper Colwyn Bay, with a postcode of LL29 6DD for your sat navs.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

Just to the south west of the Conwy Mountain the trail passes the noteworthy Jubilee Path. The elevated path was constructed in 1887 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. It offers fine views to the sea and has a small car park for access. There's also the option of climbing to Foel Lus in this area.
Near Abergele you could take a small detour to visit the woodland, gardens and viewpoint at Gwrych Castle. The Grade I listed castle became famous in 2020 when it was used as the setting for the 20th series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! On the western side of the castle there's the small village of Rhyd y Foel where you can enjoy a climb to the Pen y Corddyn Mawr hill fort. There's photogenic limestone scenery and more fine views over the River Dulas valley from this interesting ancient site.
The noteworthy Lon Las Ogwen cycle route starts just to the east of Bangor at Porth Penrhyn. The off road trail will take you south through Snowdonia to the beautiful Llyn Ogwen, passing the fascinating Penrhyn Quarry at Bethesda and the stunning glacial valley of Nant Ffrancon on the way. It runs mostly along old railway paths and the River Ogwen before finishing at the lake and waterfall. The route uses part of Route 5 and is also suitable for walkers.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Snowdonia Walks page.

Photos

Great Orme Lighthouse - view from E

Great Orme Lighthouse

Looking South from Pen-trwyn - geograph.org.uk - 522107

Looking South from Pen-trwyn

Llandudno - Bishop of Bangor's Palace Ruins 2004 - geograph.org.uk - 481895

Llandudno

Bridge at Rhuddlan - geograph.org.uk - 616199

Bridge at Rhuddlan. Road bridge over the River Clwyd at Rhuddlan, with Rhuddlan Castle in the distance.

Conwy Castle, Conwy - geograph.org.uk - 3833044

Conwy Castle, Conwy

Rhaeadr Fawr (Aber Falls) nr Penmaenmawr, Gwynedd, Wales - Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve 01

Rhaeadr Fawr (Aber Falls) nr Penmaenmawr, Gwynedd, Wales

Colwyn Bay Promenade - geograph.org.uk - 2090503

Colwyn Bay Promenade

Car park - Central Beach, Prestatyn - geograph.org.uk - 1840653

Prestatyn

GPS Files

GPX File

North Wales Path.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Share>Save to Files')

Memory Map Route

North Wales Path.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>'Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Share>Save to Files)