Scotland’s North Coast 500 – a touring route along Scotland’s north coast—has attracted many visitors since its creation in 2015. However, most of these visitors travel by motorhome or campervan, as parts of the route aren’t described as caravan-friendly. Thankfully, a comparable route exists, so I explored the essentially circular Snowdonia 360 route with a twin-axle Bailey Phoenix to check the scenery and its suitability for us caravanners.
The snowdonia360.com website displays this message on the homepage: ‘The Eryri Snowdonia 360 guides you along a spectacular 360-mile route through the best things to do in Snowdonia, Anglesey, Llŷn Peninsula, and the North Wales Coast. Experience the breathtaking scenery and explore the best attractions, places to stay, eat and shop along the way. Remember, there are many different ways to explore this diverse corner of Wales, so don’t forget your walking boots, wetsuit, and bike, too!’
“It’s not the destination, it’s the journey,” is a quote often emblazoned on t-shirts, coffee cups and mouse mats the world over, but I doubt Ralph Waldo Emerson penned it during a caravanning trip up the M6. The Snowdonia 360 promises to be a different kind of trip – one where the journey is all important, the final destination less so.
Snowdonia 360 Itinerary
The Welsh geography lends itself perfectly to thrill-seekers, and coupled with a rich and sometimes brutal history, disused mines and quarries are now home to underground light shows and record-breaking zip lines. Previous Snowdon-bound trips have involved a flurry of activities both underground and overground, but our Snowdonia 360 trip highlighted an achievable and accessible route that caters to all ages and abilities, whether thrill-seekers or not.
The Snowdonia 360 website offers a selection of suggested itineraries, ranging from foodie trips to adventures on the Menai Strait. During trips to England’s south coast, I’ve met many people who ‘collect’ parts of the South West Coast Path, and itineraries from the 360 team would allow visitors to tick much of the 360 route from a pre-prepared, bite-sized list.
For those seeking a customised experience, the ‘Plan My Trip’ tab allows you to input locations and create a tour from scratch. Moreover, the site networks from The Caravan and Motorhome Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club make navigating Snowdonia and the surrounding areas easy. Thanks to the cost-of-living crisis, affordability is key, so CL and CS sites – privately owned 5-pitch sites that club members can book – helped me juggle my family finances.
Snowdonia Bound
Travelling from Dorset, the satnav suggested an M4, M5 and M6 triple-whammy, but that’s not what this trip was about, so we opted for the longer but infinitely more scenic A470 that meanders diagonally from South Wales towards Anglesey, reducing our motorway travel to an acceptable level. Rather than roadworks on the M5, we passed through the Brecon Beacons, marvelling at the landscape, which grew in stature as our mileage increased. We stopped for lunch near Rhayader and forged onwards, climbing between two ear-popping mountains at Dinas Mawddwy before arriving at Bala.
Bala Camping and Caravanning Club Site is just minutes from the eastern edge of the 360 route and is the perfect starting point. We then choose a nearby attraction from the Snowdonia 360 website. Famed for its six-km-long lake, the Bala Lake Railway operates a narrow-gauge steam service from Llanuwchllyn to Bala, a route that follows the edge of Bala Lake and is an enjoyable way to see the first of many sights during an ‘out and back’ trip. These experiences made the trip for my son, Charlie, as the 360 route allowed us to delve into a wide range of experiences, making each day different.
Beaches in North Wales
As the Irish Sea surrounds North Wales, the water temperature isn’t the UK’s warmest, but the Welsh coastline offers a staggering array of beaches. Ancient castles overlook some, while others serve as car parks, allowing beachgoers – able-bodied or otherwise – to drive onto the sand.
Moving in a clockwise direction, Barmouth Beach and Black Rock Sands offer contrasting beach experiences, with the former being a facility-rich traditional seaside town, with fairground rides and plenty of seafront shops, and the latter being a drive-on beach with oodles of space for kids, dogs, and surfers.
The final approach to these beaches doesn’t form part of the 360 route and is best attempted without the caravan, but Black Rock Sands stands out as a real trip highlight. There was plenty of space to park on the beach even during the school summer holiday. The softer sand is marked, allowing for easy passage and parking for everyday cars. Black Rock Sands was a firm favourite due to its acres of dog-friendly space and beach parking, which cost £8 or £4 after 4:00 p.m.
The Island of Anglesey
Continuing clockwise, this was our first time on the island of Anglesey. I’m unsure why, but every UK island I’ve visited has a different feel from the mainland, regardless of attachment by bridge or ferry. Circumnavigating the island revealed wild, open stretches of coastline linked by towns and villages, with the Irish Sea influencing natural and man-made structures.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Penrhos site served as our base on Anglesey. As we were on the East Coast, we were drawn to Benllech, which offers a range of beach amenities, including a café, beach shop, and a sufficient amount of parking. Traeth Beach was great for rock pooling, but dog owners should avoid the sandy central section.
Crossing the Britannia Bridge back onto the mainland, the route along the north coast of Wales gives way to stretches of dual carriageway, providing easy access to the Welsh Mountain Zoo near Colwyn Bay. The zoo and its conservation programme added more variety to a holiday that included steam trains, mine tours, days at the beach and impromptu wild swimming in bone-chilling rivers.
Historic Wales
The 360 route is rich in history, and it’s impossible to complete a ‘lap’ without bumping into a handful of significant buildings or landmarks. One such destination is Llechwedd, also home to Zip World and Bounce Below. The last-minute nature of our trip meant we couldn’t book the 1080m zip line or experience the subterranean trampoline, but as I’m a bit of a history nut, I was more than happy to experience the arduous life of a slate miner.
In 1836, John Whitehead Greaves spotted potential in the rich slate deposits of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The early years involved establishing the necessary infrastructure for slate extraction. However, by the mid-19th Century, the mine expanded rapidly, driven by the growing demand for slate roofing tiles and other slate products. The development of the Ffestiniog Railway in 1836, the same year the mine was founded, played a crucial role in transporting slate from the quarries to the port at Porthmadog. This narrow-gauge railway was specifically designed to carry slate and became a vital link in the supply chain.
The slate from Llechwedd was renowned for its high quality and was exported worldwide. In the early 20th Century, the slate industry faced several challenges, including economic fluctuation, competition from other roofing materials, and the impact of the First World War on the workforce and production. Following the Second World War, demand for slate continued to decline. Many mines in the region closed, but Llechwedd survived by diversifying its operations and focusing on niche markets. In the early 1970s, Llechwedd Slate Mine shifted towards tourism, developing various attractions, including underground tours.
If the kids are unruly, take them on a mine tour. It will underline the tender age at which children were sent to work and the conditions they faced. Suddenly, washing up duty in the caravan doesn’t seem so bad.
Free Days Out
My bank account requires significant rest periods; fortunately, this part of the country is well-equipped to handle them. The rugged landscape is a walker’s paradise, but should members of your party refuse to navigate hillsides on foot, North Wales is a picnicker’s dream…as long as the weather plays ball.
Exploration needn’t be taxing, and we discovered a zero-cost gem of a location just south of Beddgelert on the A498. The area is bursting with stunning vistas, and we stumbled across a riverside location with ample parking. The river was of the type drawn by a primary school child; it was deep, calm, and had a sprinkling of rocks for good measure. This would be the perfect picnic spot on a sunny day, but paddling seemed to be the order of the day, which, of course, led to a gentle swim. Being unprepared for such activities, Charlie and I had a soggy drive back to the caravan while Helen audibly wondered how a car-based sightseeing trip could turn into an impromptu wild swim.
Certified Site
The final leg of our 360 tour followed the A470 south to Tan Y Rhiw, a Certificated Site (Camping and Caravanning Club) near Llanrwst. It was a relatively last-minute booking that allowed us to spend an extra couple of nights exploring ‘off-piste’ routes without the caravan through Nantlle, Beddgelert and Llanberis, bringing back childhood memories for my wife, Helen.
If you’re planning future trips and wondering where your next destination should be, it’s worth following Ralph Waldo Emerson’s advice by adding at least one trip to your wishlist that’s all about the journey itself. Visit the Snowdonia 360 website for further details.
Campsites on the Snowdonia 360 route
Bala Camping and Caravanning Club site
Cefn Ddwysarn
Gwynedd
LL23 7LN
Tel: 01678 530324
Open: 25/03/24 – 28/10/24, 11/04/25 – 27/10/25
campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Penrhos Club Campsite
Brynteg
Benllech
Anglesey
LL78 7JH
Tel: 01248 852617
Open: 5 Mar 2024 – 04 Nov 2024, 14 Mar 2025 – 03 Nov 2025
Llanystumdwy Camping and Caravanning Club Site
Tyddyn Sianel
Llanystumdwy
Gwynedd
LL52 0LS
Tel: 01766 522855
Open: 25/03/24 – 30/09/24, 11/04/25 – 29/09/25
campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Tan Y Rhiw – CS
Tafarn y Fedw
Llanrwst
Conwy
LL26 0NL
Tel: 01492 640917, 07973 432163
Open: 01/04/24 – 31/10/24. 2025 TBC
campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
Top 5 Snowdonia 360 Family Attractions
Bala Lake Railway
A narrow-gauge steam railway with services that run four and a half miles from Llanuwchllyn to Bala. The route follows the edge of Bala Lake, and we enjoyed an ‘out and back’ trip.
Llechwedd Deep Mine Tour
It was eye-opening for Charlie as we ventured 500 metres underground to a former slate mine where children once worked 12-hour days. A great day out, doubly so in inclement weather.
llechwedd.co.uk
Anglesey Sea Zoo
The Sea Zoo has several conservation projects – the Lobster Hatchery, Seahorse Nursery, and Crawfish Breeding Programme. More than 40 tanks display the best British marine wildlife.
Zip World
Zip World has several locations in North Wales. Each venue offers a slightly different experience, with Penrhyn Quarry being home to the world’s fastest zip line and Plummet 2 allowing you to free fall at Fforest.
Welsh Mountain Zoo
Also known as the National Zoo of Wales, it was established in 1963 and spans 37 acres. Approximately 140 different species live here, and, like Anglesey Sea Zoo, conservation plays a significant role.
Which Snowdonia 360 beach?
Black Rock Sands
There was plenty of space to park on the beach even during the school summer holiday. The softer sand is clearly marked, allowing for easy passage and parking for everyday cars. Black Rock Sands was our favourite due to its acres of dog-friendly space and beach parking, which costs £8.
Barmouth Beach
Barmouth has a traditional seaside vibe, with fairground rides, plenty of seafront shops, and all the facilities of a large town, a street or two inland. Dogs are welcome at either end of the beach, and a train service deposits passengers a hundred yards from the beach.
Traeth Beach
Located at Benllech, Anglesey, the town has the expected amenities, such as a café and beach shop. Parking was relatively easy during our visit. It is great for rock pooling and is dog-friendly in certain areas.